Respect for the Dead (Surviving the Dead Book 1) by Shawn McLain Page A

trying to get out of the cities.  People are walking around with surgical masks and oh.  They said people should avoid contact. And the CDC said something about hand sanitizer seeming to speed up the infection.”  Beth spoke quickly, panic in her tone. 
    “Yeah Mom heard that already and threw out every bottle in the house.  I swear she was a junkie on that stuff. She was always on me to use it.  She must have thrown out, like ten bottles.”  Wes sighed and rubbed his face with his free hand.  “Beth, I don’t know what Mom’ll do if something happens to him.” 
    For a few moments neither spoke, “He is my Dad; he is more of a father than that other bastard ever was.”  Wes continued as a tear ran down his cheek.  
    From downstairs a painful hacking cough traveled to Wes’ ears.  He listened as his mother fussed over his stepfather.  “I’m worried.”
    “I know, but he’ll be ok.”  Beth’s gentle voice soothed him. 
    “He’s never hit us, or gotten drunk, I think I’ve seen him have like two beers the entire time they’ve been married.”  Wes was rambling and Beth let him.  This was all information she already knew.  Wes had basically lived at the McDaniel house when he was much younger.  Beth’s father had actually beaten up Wes’ real father at one point right after Wes’ mother finally got the courage to kick him out.   Reg loved Wes’ mother and Wes loved him for being so good to her. 
    “Thanks for always being there for me.”  Wes smiled into the phone. 
    “Thanks for being there for me.  I will never forget what you did when Mom died.  Without you Steve would have done all the cooking, and that might have been the end of us all.”  She gave a laugh squelching the sob that threatened. 
    A long silence stretched, interrupted only by the sounds of coughing and moaning from downstairs. 
    Beth broke the void, “Aunt Marge just arrived.” 
    “What? Oh the book, yeah it starts to get fun from there.” 
    They spent several minutes discussing the books and the first two movies they had watched together.  The conversation was enjoyable and made Wes forget how worried he was.  That was until Reg started coughing again a dry that rasping cough that sounded truly painful.
    “I gotta go.  I need to help Mom.  It sounds like we need to get Dad to a hospital even if we have to take a number.” 
    Beth wished him luck, “Remember if things get bad, Dad will get us out of town.”  She said goodbye and hung up.  Wes listened as Reg coughed and coughed then moaned.  He heard his mother call for him.  Then he heard Reg start coughing and coughing then suddenly stopped.  Wes froze, with his hand on the knob of his door.   

Another Night at Work
     
    So far the ride across town to the distribution center had been uneventful.   When Steve got into the car he had turned on the radio and it was yet another news report about more and more people falling ill and how the cities were having trouble with rioting.  Steve plugged in his IPod and was happily oblivious in his own world the rest of the trip. 
    The roads were empty with very few people daring to venture out.  The few Steve saw hurried about wearing surgical type masks.  He shook his head as he saw them.  “Like I said, that sanitizer stuff would just make people susceptible to this kinda crap.  See,” he looked at the steering wheel, “I rarely wash my hands and I feel fine!” He scoffed holding up his hands as if that proved everything.  
    “ Beth I hear you calling. ”  He smiled to himself as the song began to play on his IPod. 
    Thinking about the conversation he had with his sister, he was happy she was done with Corey.  Wes had liked her for forever and more importantly Steve trusted him.  Even if it didn’t work out, Wes would be a good example of what a nice guy was and how a boyfriend should treat her.       
    Something caught his eye down a side street.  Looked like a