Radiation/Issue 7

This is Issue 7 of Radiation.

Issue 7
As Gene Miller and Kenny Frickster were walking down one of the few streets of Tonopah, Nevada, the moon began to rise, and the fourth day of the apocalypse was coming. “Gene...” Kenny said, paranoid looking around. Infected people were coming out of every house, all of them headed towarsd Gene and Kenny. “Yes?” Gene simply responded, Dale’s Glock 19 in his hands. “Y’know, it’s not sure they are...” Kenny said, but stopped. He looked down for a second, but then looked around again. “I know.” Gene said with a weak sigh. “But I have to check.” “Of course, man.” Kenny said, his eyes falling on the house belonging to Nathaniel Jones. Nate had tried to kill Gene, and was currently in a prison cell at the main hall. He had two kids, Graham and Tara Jones. “Hey, what about Jones’ kids?” Kenny asked, slowing down. Gene looked at the house; yellow bricks, a hallway with a blue stationcar. Gene had been out here a lot. His daughter, Sarah, was the girlfriend of Graham Jones. Gene had picked Sarah up in front of this house numerous times. “What about them?” Gene asked, even though he knew what Kenny meant. “We gotta help them, right? I mean, if they’re alive.” Kenny said, stopping. They were now right in front of the house. Gene remembered all the times he had been a horrible person, and he remembered how he wanted to change. Had it been before the outbreak, he wouldn’t have cared. He would have left Graham and Tara Jones to rot. But not now. Gene was a new person. Or at least, he liked to think so. “You’re right.” He said, and walked towards the house. He had the pistol raised, in case they should have turned. “How do you think you turn?” Kenny wondered. Gene choose not to respond, as he opened the door to the Jones family’s house. “Hello?” Gene yelled, stepping inside. “Anyone here?” Graham Jones appeared in the hall. “Mr. Miller?” Graham said, sounding reliefed. “Where’s my father?” Gene looked quickly at Kenny. He then looked back at Graham. “Your father is saved. Get your sister and come with us.” Gene said, and Graham nodded.

Soon enough they continued towards the Miller family’s house. It wasn’t that far, and Graham held Tara’s hand the whole way. Gene had asked Kenny to stay outside with Graham and Tara, while he went inside to get his family. He opened the door, and took a deep breath. He was afraid of what might have happened to them. They still didn’t know how the infection spread; for all he knew, his family could be dead. He slowly opened the door, seeing what he hoped; Maistro standing with a pistol aimed at Gene. “You have a permit for that?” Gene asked, and Maistro lowered the gun reliefed. “Oh, man. We thought you were dead.” Maistro said with a reliefed sigh. Jessica and Sarah appeared, and Gene went over to hug them. He knew that they didn’t have much time, so he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. “We have to go.” Gene said, still hugging his daughter and wife. “To where?” Maistro asked, leaning up the wall in the hall. “The main hall. It’s safe.” Gene said, and Maistro nodded. He then left the hall to get his bag.

They all then returned to the main hall, this time driving. They knew that the infected peple would follow, so once they got there, they used the cars to barricade the western street. This left the eastern and main street open. “We’ll get more cars tomorrow.” Gene said, walking around the main hall to enter from the back; the front was covered in dead people. “What about Dale and Mac?” Kenny asked. “They’re still at the hospital.” “We’ll get them over here as well.” Gene answered, opening the back door. He had a feeling that he could make the main hall safe. And maybe they could even secure the hotel and hardware store next to the main hall as well. It would be room enough for 300 people if they really tried. And Gene wanted to try. They walked inside, and headed towards the lobby. “You’ve tried to get contact with anyone?” Maistro asked as they entered the lobby. “Yes, but the signal is down. I am thinking we will-” Gene began, but was cut short as he saw Lisa Crick kneeling next to her father. Janine Leth was standing next to her, hand on her shoulder. She looked up, saying “Lawrence is dead.” Gene looked down. He had a bad feeling about it. Looking at the front door, he noticed something; everyone had bite marks. All the infected had bite marks somewhere on their body. And Lawrence was bit. “Lisa, get away from the body.” Gene said, running over to the mourning girl. “Let go of me!” Lisa Crick yelled, punching Gene in the throat. Gene fell back. Laying on his back, he watched as it happened; he watched as Lawrence Crick turned into an infected. He watched as Lisa was taken away by Janine, and he watched as Kenny put a bullet into Lawrence Crick’s brain.