Page 10 (1/2)
Prologue
Scarlet
THE WARNING WAS SHORT—said al “The cadavers were herded and destroyed” The radio hosts then made a few jokes, and that was the end of it It took h the speakers of my Suburban: Finally A scientist in Zurich had finally succeeded in creating soainst every code of ethics known to science, Elias Klein had tried and failed to reanient in the world, he was now a laughing stock But on that day, he would have been a criminal, if he weren’t already dead
At the tih the rearviewbarely registered Tords, had I not been reive her field trip permission slip to her teacher, would have as pedal to the floorboard
Cadavers Herded
Instead, I was focused on saying for the third ti them up from school that day They would then drive an hour away to Anderson, the toe used to call home, and listen to Governor Bellhters while the local paper took pictures Andrew thought it would be fun for the girls, and I agreed with him—maybe for the first time since we divorced
Although most times Andrew lacked sensitivity, he was a hters, Jenna, as just barely thirteen and far too beautiful (but equally dorky) for her own good, and Halle, as seven, bowling, out to dinner, and the occasional movie, but it was only because he felt he should To Andrew, spending time with his children was part of a job, but not one he enjoyed
As Halle grabbed my head and jerked my face around to force sweet kisses on lasses Not savoring thethat day would create the perfect stored, half skipped down the ay to the school entrance, singing loudly She was the only hu at the same time
A few speckles of water spattered on the windshield, and I leaned forward to get a better look at the cloud cover overhead I should have sent Halle with an uht jacket wouldn’t stand up to the early spring rain
The next stop was the n the ain as we pulled into the drop-off line that her father would pick her up at the regular spot, right after he picked up Halle
“I heard you the first ten tie for a girl her age She looked at me with hollon eyes She was present in body, but rarely in ination that was oh, so randoet her to pay attention to anything other than her cell phone I brought her into this world at just twenty We practically grew up together, and I worried about her, if I’d done everything—or anything—right; but soined anyway
“That was only the fourth time Since you heard me, what did I say?”
Jenna sighed, peering down at her phone, expressionless “Dad is picking us up Regular spot”
“And be nice to the girlfriend He said you were rude last time”
Jenna looked up at irlfriend I haven’t been rude to the new one”
I frowned “He just told o”
Jenna made a face We didn’t always have to say aloud ere thinking, and I knew she was thinking the sa I wanted to say, but wouldn’t
Andreas a slut
I sighed and turned to face forward, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white It somehow helped me to keep my mouth shut I had ned the divorce papers two years before: I would never bad-mouth Andrew to them Even if he deserved itand he often did
“Love you,” I said, watching Jenna push open the door with her shoulder “See you Sunday evening”
“Yep,” Jenna said
“And don’t slam the”
A loud bang shook the Suburban as Jenna shoved the door closed
“door” I sighed, and pulled away from the curb
I took Maine Street to the hospital where I worked, still gripping the steering wheel tight and trying not to curse Andreith every thought Did he have to introduce every wohters? I’d asked hied him, yelled at hiirl-of-the-week share weekends with his children Never h Friday hoever The kicker was that if the woman had children to distract Jenna and Halle, Andreould use that opportunity to “talk” with her in the bedroom
My blood boiled Dutiful or not, he was an ahole when I was er ahole now
I whipped the Suburban into the last decent parking spot in the e sirens as an aency drive and parked in the ambulance bay
The rain began to pour A groan escapedcoworkers run inside, their scrubs soaked from just a short dash across the street to the side entrance I was half a block away
TGIF
TGIF
TGIF
Just before I turned off the ignition, another report ca about an epide on, but it had been a running joke for so long that no one wanted to believe it was really happening With all the television shows, comics, books, and movies about the undead, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that soh to try and make it a reality
I know the world ended on a Friday It was the last day I saw my children
Chapter One
Scarlet
My chest heaved as the thick metal door closed loudly behindwater drip off ertips onto the white tile floor My once royal-blue scrubs were now navy, heavily saturated with cold rainwater
A squashing sound came from my sneakers when I took a step Ick Not much orse than wet clothes and shoes, and it felt like I’d ju pool fully dressed Even , and a cold front had co death spikes of ice
Flying death spikes Snort Jenna’s dra off on me
I slid h the card reader and waited until the sh-pitched beep sounded, accompanied by the loud click of the lock release I had to use all of ht to pull open the heavy door, and then I stepped into the main hallway
So smiles that helped to relieve some of my humiliation It was obvious who all had just arrived on shift, about the time the sky opened up and pissed on us
Two steps at a tiical floor and snuck into the wo into a pair of light-blue surgery scrubs I held my sneakers under the hand dryer, but only for a few seconds The other X-ray techs aiting for h at 8:00, and this week’s radiologist was rumpy e made him run behind
Sneakers still squishing, I rushed down the steps and back down thethe ER double doors on uard, waved at me as I passed
“Hey Scarlet,” he said with a small, shy smile
I only nodded,the upper GI ready on time than with chitchat