Chasing Extinction (Book 3): Preview
Chasing Extinction
The oak leaf litter, muddled browns and rich blacks,
muffled Audra’s footsteps. But the bare trees did little to shield her approach
as her short, lithe frame climbed through the Georgian brush. Pearl skin and
speckled green eyes flashed underneath a thin hood which she adjusted over her
hair. Although summer’s coppery highlights were fading back to their chocolaty
auburn, it remained in sharp contrast to the colors of a bleak winter.
Audra felt
the outline of the scrawled letter through her threadbare jacket. She’d have to
remember to put it in her pack if it rained. She hadn’t delivered mail in a
long while. Not since a simpler time. But, it allowed her to do the one thing
she could do.
Run.
Darting
through the forest was Audra’s specialty and priceless in this world where
escaping a zombie’s bite meant you lived another day. Audra’s life had centered
around running. First, running for Lysent Corporation as she tried to secure a
cure for her bitten sister. Then, she ran for Osprey Point to secure a cure for
everyone.
Both
failures on her account.
Audra
wasn’t sure why she should be running anymore. It was all for naught, just lies
she had believed. Just lies she had told herself.
Audra’s
stomach grumbled.
Winter
wasn’t a lie.
She
surveyed the ground for something to settle the churning in her gut. Tracks of
a nearby animal to hunt was asking for too much. She’d dig up some acorns
buried by squirrels or dandelion roots sleeping through the winter — anything
to make her salivate and lie to her stomach that food was on the way.
She should
have packed rations for her journey, but splitting their stores between Osprey
Point and their new quarantine location had made it startlingly clear there was
not enough food for either group’s winter. As they divvied up their fall
harvest of hickory nuts, chicory roots, and the like, it was clear winter
foraging would be a daily task.
She
couldn’t take from their supplies.
But, she
had also forgotten the difficulties of blazing a trail. This wasn’t walking
through her well-worn paths around Osprey Point or Lysent rail lines. This was
navigating to a town far from the Lysent network with no clear route. Audra had
forgotten how much energy it took to keep in the right direction and hike
through the brush. Maybe she’d risk taking the roads back. But unfamiliar roads
meant unfamiliar people and possible traps. Easy moving might turn into easy
dying.
Audra
moved from maple tree to maple tree, pulling the shriveled winged seeds from
branches, shaking off the cobwebs. Flavors would differ from tree to tree, but
winter declared they would all be bitter. Still, snapping the wing off and
popping the seed pod into her mouth — it was better than nothing.
Audra
recalled Gordon’s directions to find the town. It had to be close. Maybe not
close enough. Or maybe she was lost. The sky’s grey whiteness vaguely lit the
forest, but also hid the time from her. She pushed forward. The cool day would
lead to a cold night she wouldn’t want to suffer in her flimsy summer tent. She
needed walls. Shelter.
While she
was sure the letter would find its way in, she wasn’t so sure if she’d be
allowed to accompany it. Audra and Osprey Point no longer had anything of value
to offer. She’d cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she just wanted
to find the small town before the sun tumbled from its hidden perch.
* * *
Audra all but stumbled upon her destination. She
had been sure she was lost, but the small main street with its defunct traffic
light popped up in the wood. A few shops barely justified it being called a
town before. Now, it was tired and ghostly. It would be like any other small
hub for farming neighbors, except for the giant chain grocery store just on the
outskirts which had seen its demise before the world’s end. Audra imagined that
the store had gone out of business just as quickly as it had popped up, leaving
a parking lot that would never be filled and a building much too large for
anyone to utilize. Until now.
The curb
against the road had been stacked with overturned grocery carts, creating a
barrier of materialistic waste from the droves. Every defense against the zoms
risked drawing the attention of marauders. This wall of coated metal carts was
a shiny beacon for those looking to take. Audra refused to underestimate them
and took caution as she scooted through the opening in the carts.
A few feet
onto the concrete parking lot were parked cars, lined bumper to bumper. The
path to the green sedan in the center looked well-traveled. Audra found the
driver’s door to be unlocked and most of the interior gutted. Audra slid
through to the other side, where she opened the passenger door and slipped out.
There, another line-up of cars, this time an opening between two of them. She
looked over the row to find more vehicles, all positioned purposefully.
Settled
dust on hoods and roofs indicated the residents carefully walked around them
for their ingress and egress. Maybe to shed doubt on the store’s occupancy, or
perhaps to keep scent trails intact. It was a maze or a queue, really — a way
to slow small groups of wanderers. It wouldn’t stop a large herd though. They’d
just flood over the cars.
Audra
pulled a rag out of her bag. It wasn’t white but it would have to do. She
didn’t want to be mistaken for the sick. Holding it over her head, she walked
the circuitous path.
When in
Rome.
As she
finally reached the store front on the other end of the parking lot, she heard
a throat clear above her. She looked up to see a long rifle pointed at her from
the roof, steadied on a rusty security camera. 50/50 the rifle was loaded.
20/80 he could shoot and wasn’t just up there for show. Behind the rifle was a
ruddy face with a bulbous nose.
Audra
waved her little raggedy flag once more.
“I’m
Audra. I’ve got mail for someone inside.”
* * *
Continue the Chase
Chasing Extinction is available as an ebook on Amazon.com, and in paperback on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers.
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
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