Chapter 2

I know you are wondering at this point when it'll start moving along and when I will start to finally explain how things got so bad. Just bear with me it'll happen sooner than you think.

I hated waiting rooms at the doctor's office. They were always so cheerful and brightly lit that you ended up wanting to tear a wall down by the time the nurse called you back. Watching a cough rack my son's tiny body, did not make this time any better.

I pulled his head on my lap and began running my fingers over the little brown curls as I watched the TV. The sound was down but someone had turned the captions on, so I was able to keep up with the story even though it lagged a bit. The news program was about the virus epidemic that was sweeping the nation. According to the reporter, this contagious virus was dropping people like flies all around the world. The hospitals were overflowing with the sick and doctors didn't know what to make of it. There had even been several reports of extreme cases where the victim would start seizing and having to be restrained to stop them from attacking the nurses and doctors or even their own families. It was as if they had lost their minds and viewed everyone as a threat.

I looked down at my son and shivered from the fear that to death that he would get that bad. Darren, oh my God, Darren. I suddenly had the urge to rush out of here. The only thing that kept me in my seat was yet another body-racking cough from Johnny. I began to pray silently they both would get better because there was no way I could survive if anything happened to anyone in my family. An ache in my throat reminded me that I may very well be catching it as well. But I shoved the thought aside and continued to nurse my lemon and honey tea hoping that it would soothe the pain in my neck.

A cry to my left startled me out of my thoughts and I looked over to see one of the nurses staring at something in the back office. The panic on her face was obvious as she seemed to be frozen in place. Sounds started drifting out to the lobby and none of them helped to relieve the worry that I was starting to feel. Shouting and scuffling could be heard even though the thick walls. A shout for a sedative came and then a cry about something, about someone being loose. A sudden loud bang had the nurse screaming again before scrambling through a door at the other end of the room, in the opposite direction from the noises. We all looked at each other in confusion but were unable to come up with an explanation for what was going on.

A loud inhumane scream pierced the silence suddenly and every person jumped, and, in unison, we all turned in the direction of the sound. I didn't know what we were waiting for, but I do know that what happened next was not it. The door flew open, and a surge of people came bursting through the door fighting and almost trampling each other to get outside.

I tightened my arms around Johnny who let out a pathetic whimper as we watched the people race out frantically. Everyone sitting in the lobby just sat there and stared as we did. We were all stunned and unsure as to what was going on. I think a few of them chuckled nervously and began looking for a hidden camera or at least someone to pop out shouting "gotcha".

One of the more macho men got up and started walking towards the door that stood ajar still blocked something. I was afraid to get up and look fearing it might be someone's body.

"Stay here," Macho man instructed the frail-looking woman that had been sitting next to him.

She looked extremely pale and would not stop shivering, so I couldn't tell if she knowingly nodded at him. He seemed to have taken it as agreement because he crept closer to the door. When he reached out to grab the handle I noticed, with surprise, that his hand was trembling.

"Mommy, what's going on?" Johnathan whispered.

"Shhh," I whispered holding a finger up to my lips.

"Why were all those people running?" he persisted.

"I don't know, baby. But you have to keep quiet," I whispered back more urgently.

"Mommy!" he whined out.

Macho Man turned to us in anger.

"Shut up, kid," he snapped at Johnathan.

I opened my mouth to tell Steroid Head where to shove it when another growl came again and this time it was terrifyingly closer. The man looked up and immediately began to scream as something jumped from behind the door and tackled him.

Unable to sit still any longer I grabbed my son up and raced out the front door, not caring what or who I hit. My only thought was to get my son and I the hell away from what was making those noises. I had to make sure he was safe no matter the cost.

A window crashed open behind me, then came the horrified screams of the people that were racing out, even a few yelling for help but that didn't stop me. My only care was my child.

Once at my truck, I threw open the door and unceremoniously tossed Johnny into the back seat.

"Buckle up the best you can. We are getting the hell outta here," I said slamming the door shut and immediately locking it.

"Mommy, you said a bad word!" he admonished me in shock.

"I know baby. Right now, just seemed like the right time to say it," I said distractedly as I watched people scattering in all directions through the rearview mirror.

The windows that were still intact on the building were tinted, so I couldn't quite make out what was attacking the people inside, but I quickly decided I didn't care. I threw the truck into drive and sped over the curb out onto the street. Ignoring the honking and shouts of anger from the other drivers, I kept my foot on the gas as we raced away.

Only when my heart finally finished pounding did I felt safe enough to pull over to the side of the road. I laid my head against the steering wheel to catch the breath that was wheezing hard out of me. My mind raced with questions as the scene kept replaying itself.

"Mommy, are you okay?" my son asked.

The concern in his voice reached out and squeezed my heart painfully. I turned around slowly, trying to give myself enough time to collect the scattered rubble of my wits. I plastered a huge smile on my lips as I gazed into his panic-stricken eyes.

"Yeah, baby. I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said with a big grin before he started coughing again.

I watched him carefully as his little body was jerked with each burst. When he finally stopped, I noticed sweat was running down his face and I knew the situation was getting direr. I also knew that there was one more thing I had to do before I could continue.

"I'm going to step out and make a phone call, okay?" I asked him, reaching for my cell phone.

He nodded then laid his head on the headrest and closed his eyes as if the latest coughing fit took the last of his energy. I stepped out and stood in the front of my truck so I could keep a close eye on him through the windshield and called the police.

"911, what is your emergency?" said the dispatch woman.

"To be honest I have no idea. Something happened at the doctor's office on McLaughlin Street and I'm still trying to figure it out," I said putting my head in my hands.

"Yes, ma'am, this is not the first call we've gotten. Can you tell me what you saw?"

"No, I didn't actually see anything except something attacking people. But by the sounds of it, I would say it was a wild animal or a demon or… something," I finished lamely wishing I would have stopped at a wild animal knowing how ridiculous it sounded out loud.

"Yes, ma'am, that's been the consensus. Now I would like to remind you that animals don't generally break into buildings like that-"

"I know, that's just what I-" I started to cut her off.

"Heard, I know. Just try to calm down, Ma-"

"Look! I am as calm as I'm going to get, ma'am. My son was in that building with me and he's still extremely sick. So, you'll have to excuse me if I'm not exactly cheerful about this whole damn thing! Now, where the hell are the cops?!" I screamed into the phone.

"Ma'am, that kind of attitude is not productive-"

"You wanna know what's not productive? Sitting here talking to a know-it-all while my son sits in my truck still sicker than a freaking dog. So, if you don't want my information or need anything else from me, I'm going to go take my son to the hospital and hope to hell I don't have to run out of there as well."

There was silence on the other end for a minute or two then a different dispatcher came on.

"911, what's your emergency?"

I screamed into the phone and ended the call. A moment later someone called back and asked for my name, address, and phone number. I gave them patiently and promised if I could think of anything else I would call them back.

The next call I made was to Darren to let him know what was going on. But it just rang and rang and rang. I tried three more times before deciding just to leave a message and that I would try again when I could.

I checked on Johnathan anxiously. He looked like he was sleeping, and I stared at his chest to make sure that it was still rising and falling. Only when I was absolutely sure it was, did I look at my phone again. A thought nagged at the back of my head, and I scrolled through my contact list until I found the number I was looking for. I called Billy's house one last time and just when I thought that no one was going to answer, he picked up.

"Hel-" the phone cut out.

"Billy?" I said hesitantly.

"Vicki... you... out now!" he yelled into the phone.

"What's going on?" I shouted back hoping he heard me.

"Get... boys...now!"

"Answer me! What is going on?"

The only answer on the other side was three loud bangs then it went completely dead. Something was very, very wrong.