Omega Pathogen: Mayhem Read Online Free Page A

Omega Pathogen: Mayhem
Book: Omega Pathogen: Mayhem Read Online Free
Author: J.G. Hicks Jr
Pages:
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Jim says while digging around in his pants pockets. Immediately after the words leave his lips, he feels heartbroken for Arzu. Her family is in Turkey, and they have no feasible way to get them. She’s tried calling numerous times to no avail. All her attempts were met with only the sound of a rapid busy signal.
    Finding his phone, Jim dials his mom’s cell number. It rings once and then begins the rapid beeping tone. The sound is normally just irritating, but now strikes him with fear. He tries his sister’s, his brother’s, and friends’… nothing but the same beeping noise.
     
    Chapter 3
    Present
     
    The next evening, the family is gathered around on the second floor landing so they can keep an eye on the first floor and talk, while eating some reconstituted freeze-dried food. They talk of normal things, joking and making small talk.
    Jim and Arzu have talked about it and feel they need to try to explain to Berk and Kayra about what is going on with the world. They decide the best way is simple but not overly graphic. The six of them are gathered together when Arzu brings up the subject to Berk and Kayra. “I want to explain to you two about what’s happened to a lot of the people in our neighborhood, and the world.” Kayra looks up from eating and says, “You mean all the people that turned to zombies, Mom?” No one speaks, not knowing exactly how to respond, until Berk says, “Yeah, we learned about zombies from school. All the other kids told us about zombies a long time ago, from movies they saw.” Arzu clarifies, “These sick people aren’t really zombies; they’re infected with a disease and it makes their minds not work right.”
    Surprising everyone with their seemingly nonchalant view of the new world, Berk and Kayra continue to eat. “They are scary,” Berk adds, and Kayra agrees, “Yeah, they’re creepy.” The adults turn back to conversations about supplies, with Jim bringing up the subject. “I’ve been thinking of making a run to one of the sporting goods stores nearby. The Academy store is the closest, so I think that’s the best choice,” he says. Arzu, having been looking away to wipe some food from Kayra’s chin, whips her head around to face Jim.
    “You can’t go out there. Even if they are less active when the sun is up, you know they come running when they see or hear something. Look what they did to the poor dogs from the house behind ours.”
    Realizing what she said in front of the kids as soon as it left her lips, she looks back at Kayra and finishes wiping her chin. “What happened to the dogs, Mom?” Kayra asks, not missing the mention of the animals and the tone in which her mother mentioned them.
    “The sick people hurt the dogs, honey. They don’t know any better.” Arzu hates to do it, but she tells almost an entire truth, sparing her daughter and son the mental imagery of the animals being attacked and eaten alive.
    “Baby, I have to check it out. We need more ammunition; we could use more weapons, too, along with camping equipment, not to mention more food and some way for water purification, like chemicals and filters. All those things that outdoor sporting goods stores have,” Jim says as Arzu’s attention comes back to the conversation.
    Jim continues, “If we’re going to have any chance to get to Florida, we’ve got to stock up on supplies. We’ll have to distract them away from the house somehow. I don’t know how yet, but that seems to be the only option.”
    Several more attempts throughout the day and evening by Jim, Arzu, Chris, and Jeremy to call family members and friends are unsuccessful.
    Prior to sundown, they decide it best to turn off the TV to reduce the possibility of the animal-like infected becoming interested in their home. They divide their security shifts again between Jim, Chris, and Jeremy for watching over the home. Like the preceding nights, they can hear the occasional distant shattering of glass and what sounds like
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