your pardon?” Stan said.
“I heard the Cold World terrorists talking about a blast radius. The agent spread for three square miles. We won’t be safe until we’re that far out.”
“Three square miles?” Dr. Louboutin asked.
“Cold World, what?” Matt asked.
“The people that set off the gas are part of an organization. Long story. Anyhow, they infected everyone in the Business District.”
“Well by now, that’s merely a minimum estimate,” Dr. Louboutin said. “If what you’re saying is true, that number is now three square miles plus whatever distance two and a half hours bought them. But I find your story hard to—”
“If you don’t believe me you can check the window again, Doc.”
“It’s the end of times.” Vicky shook her head. “I must pray.” She excused herself and paced a few steps down the hall clenching the cross she wore around her wrinkly neck.
“We won’t get far if you don’t let her pray,” Dr. Louboutin said. “She’ll be quick about it.”
“She’s the only human I think God would actually listen to,” Stan said.
“She gets all the time she needs,” Stormy said.
Matt’s clammy hands closed over Stormy’s shoulders. She took a deep breath and then closed her hand over his and squeezed.
“You’re going to make it out of here,” he said.
“I’m not worried about Reamer. It’s getting out of the district that scares me.”
“You can make it.”
He rubbed her shoulders. She wanted it to feel the way it did when he had rubbed her shoulders so many times before, but it didn’t. His touch was guarded. Despite her own efforts, she was on alert too. Each embrace from now till the last time she saw him would be different. Cold World had stolen Matt’s intoxicating touch from her.
He withdrew. “I know it’s weird, but it’s the best I can do.”
She faced him. “No one can fault you when they see how much you’re trying.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. Flecks of skin coated the back of his shirt, like out of control dandruff.
“If I didn’t know you, I’d wonder how you could say something so ridiculous while looking right at me.” He stretched his arms out at his sides. “I’m a giant walking corpse. Everyone, except you dear, finds fault with that.”
“But you’re a sexy one though.” She winked at him. “At least I think so, anyway.”
Matt looked at her like she was trying to sell him a vacuum cleaner. “You just went there didn’t you?”
“I guess I did.”
She walked into his arms and he closed them around her. The embrace felt weird, but that wasn’t going to stop her from spending these last moments with him. Once they left the fifth floor, their time together was essentially over. Spending the rest of her days wondering what she could’ve said or done differently during their last minutes as a couple wasn’t something she could live with. She didn’t want to torment herself later, because it was too awkward to make the best of it now.
CHAPTER EIGHT
DAYS UNTIL THE SUPERVIRUS GOES GLOBAL: 30:21:05
Vicky’s mascara darkened the already well-defined circles under her eyes. Nonetheless, she returned composed and ready to go.
“Vicky, we like your suggestion best,” Stormy said. “Let’s take the stairs to the third floor and tempt fate in the second tower.”
“Take these.” Dr. Louboutin handed Vicky a pair of shears. “And stay close to me.”
“And hand over the gun Stormy,” Stan said.
Stormy looked at Matt, who shot a venomous glare at Stan.
“We already decided I should have the gun,” Stan said. “We don’t even know if you know how to use that thing.”
“It’s no use to you,” she said. “It’s not even loaded.”
“Prove it,” Stan said. “Take a shot.”
“Hold on everyone,” Vicky said. “Calm down.”
“This is a life or death matter,” Stan said. “Every bullet in that magazine is a super that won’t eat you if the gun is in my
“I heard the Cold World terrorists talking about a blast radius. The agent spread for three square miles. We won’t be safe until we’re that far out.”
“Three square miles?” Dr. Louboutin asked.
“Cold World, what?” Matt asked.
“The people that set off the gas are part of an organization. Long story. Anyhow, they infected everyone in the Business District.”
“Well by now, that’s merely a minimum estimate,” Dr. Louboutin said. “If what you’re saying is true, that number is now three square miles plus whatever distance two and a half hours bought them. But I find your story hard to—”
“If you don’t believe me you can check the window again, Doc.”
“It’s the end of times.” Vicky shook her head. “I must pray.” She excused herself and paced a few steps down the hall clenching the cross she wore around her wrinkly neck.
“We won’t get far if you don’t let her pray,” Dr. Louboutin said. “She’ll be quick about it.”
“She’s the only human I think God would actually listen to,” Stan said.
“She gets all the time she needs,” Stormy said.
Matt’s clammy hands closed over Stormy’s shoulders. She took a deep breath and then closed her hand over his and squeezed.
“You’re going to make it out of here,” he said.
“I’m not worried about Reamer. It’s getting out of the district that scares me.”
“You can make it.”
He rubbed her shoulders. She wanted it to feel the way it did when he had rubbed her shoulders so many times before, but it didn’t. His touch was guarded. Despite her own efforts, she was on alert too. Each embrace from now till the last time she saw him would be different. Cold World had stolen Matt’s intoxicating touch from her.
He withdrew. “I know it’s weird, but it’s the best I can do.”
She faced him. “No one can fault you when they see how much you’re trying.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. Flecks of skin coated the back of his shirt, like out of control dandruff.
“If I didn’t know you, I’d wonder how you could say something so ridiculous while looking right at me.” He stretched his arms out at his sides. “I’m a giant walking corpse. Everyone, except you dear, finds fault with that.”
“But you’re a sexy one though.” She winked at him. “At least I think so, anyway.”
Matt looked at her like she was trying to sell him a vacuum cleaner. “You just went there didn’t you?”
“I guess I did.”
She walked into his arms and he closed them around her. The embrace felt weird, but that wasn’t going to stop her from spending these last moments with him. Once they left the fifth floor, their time together was essentially over. Spending the rest of her days wondering what she could’ve said or done differently during their last minutes as a couple wasn’t something she could live with. She didn’t want to torment herself later, because it was too awkward to make the best of it now.
CHAPTER EIGHT
DAYS UNTIL THE SUPERVIRUS GOES GLOBAL: 30:21:05
Vicky’s mascara darkened the already well-defined circles under her eyes. Nonetheless, she returned composed and ready to go.
“Vicky, we like your suggestion best,” Stormy said. “Let’s take the stairs to the third floor and tempt fate in the second tower.”
“Take these.” Dr. Louboutin handed Vicky a pair of shears. “And stay close to me.”
“And hand over the gun Stormy,” Stan said.
Stormy looked at Matt, who shot a venomous glare at Stan.
“We already decided I should have the gun,” Stan said. “We don’t even know if you know how to use that thing.”
“It’s no use to you,” she said. “It’s not even loaded.”
“Prove it,” Stan said. “Take a shot.”
“Hold on everyone,” Vicky said. “Calm down.”
“This is a life or death matter,” Stan said. “Every bullet in that magazine is a super that won’t eat you if the gun is in my
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