Tallahassee, United States
6:00 a.m., August 18, 2010
The alarm clock broke the silence of the bedroom decorated in shades of pink.
Melody reached out to turn it off before the sound awakened the rest of the house.
She remained there for several seconds, staring at the ceiling.
She felt more tired than usual.
The conversation from the previous afternoon would not leave her mind.
With a sigh, Melody pushed back the covers and walked to the bathroom.
As she brushed her teeth, she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
“The living dead…” she murmured to herself.
Simply saying the words aloud made her feel ridiculous.
It was impossible.
There was no scientific evidence capable of supporting such a claim.
She knew enough about biology to understand that.
Even so…
Jason truly believed what he had said.
He had not appeared to be joking.
Nor had he been trying to frighten her.
Much less inventing some absurd story.
Melody washed her face with cold water.
Perhaps he was simply exhausted.
Perhaps all the pressure from football practice, his studies, and the rumors about the cannibalism cases had affected his judgment.
That was the most logical explanation.
She finished getting ready and went downstairs for breakfast.
When Melody entered the kitchen, she found her father already dressed for work.
Dr.
Donald Tyler was sitting at the table, reading medical notes as he drank his coffee.
A surgeon at a local hospital in Tallahassee, he had a habit of reviewing cases before even leaving the house.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” he said without completely taking his eyes off the papers.
“Good morning, Dad.”
On the other side of the kitchen, her mother was preparing a cup of tea.
Eleanor Tyler was a researcher at a nearby university.
Unlike her husband, who dealt with emergencies and rapid decisions every day, she saw the world as a succession of questions that had to be answered through method, patience, and data.
Melody had always found it curious that she had inherited something from both of them.
From her father, she had inherited the ability to remain calm under pressure.
From her mother, she had inherited her scientific curiosity and the almost obsessive need to understand everything before accepting any conclusion.
“Did you sleep badly?” Eleanor asked, studying her daughter closely.
Melody hesitated for a moment.
“I was just thinking too much.”
Donald finally looked up.
“Do you have a test at school?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then was it Jason?” Eleanor asked with a faint smile.
Melody felt her cheeks grow warm.
“Not exactly that either.”
Her parents exchanged one of those knowing looks only parents could share without saying a word.
Melody picked up a piece of toast to hide her embarrassment.
As she listened to her parents discuss a complicated surgery and a research project Eleanor was overseeing at the university, her mind returned to the previous day’s conversation.
If Jason was wrong, nothing would happen.
But if he was right…
She would need to find a way to protect her parents as well.
The rest of the morning passed normally.
Or at least, that was how it appeared.
During the break between classes, Melody was talking with several classmates when she heard the excited voice of Madison, one of the cheerleaders and her best friend.
“Did you guys see the video that appeared online today?”
Heather looked up from her phone.
“What video?”
“They’re saying it’s about those cannibalism cases in Georgia.”
Several girls immediately moved closer, curious.
“Seriously?”
“Let me see!”
Madison opened the video on her phone.
“I don’t know if it’s real.
Some people are saying a hunter recorded it.”
Another girl responded.
“Oh, it’s probably fake.”
“You can fake anything these days.”
Melody felt her stomach tighten.
Cannibalism cases.
Again.
Almost without realizing it, she turned toward the opposite end of the hallway.
Her eyes found Jason.
He was talking casually with Todd, but the moment he noticed her staring, their gazes met.
Neither of them said a word.
It was not necessary.
Jason immediately understood the reason behind her look.
The story was beginning to spread.
For only a second, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened them again, he gave a subtle shake of his head, as if to say:
Not yet.
Melody nodded almost imperceptibly and looked away before anyone else noticed.
To the other students, it had been nothing more than a casual exchange of glances.
But to them…
It was confirmation that the rumors were becoming more than rumors.
As soon as classes ended, Melody did not head home.
Instead, she took a bus toward downtown Tallahassee.
Throughout the trip, she continued wondering whether she was overreacting.
Perhaps Jason was completely mistaken.
Perhaps a week from now, she would be laughing about the entire situation.
Even so…
It was better to regret preparing unnecessarily than to regret doing nothing.
Her first stop was Mr.
Carter’s camping supply store.
The owner smiled when he recognized her.
“Well, if it isn’t Jason’s girlfriend.”
Melody smiled politely.
“Good afternoon, Mr.
Carter.”
She calmly walked through the store’s aisles.
Melody selected a medium-sized crossbow that was easy to operate and quiet, along with a box of spare bolts.
She also purchased a pair of long-range binoculars, a portable water purification filter, and two illustrated guides—one about edible plants and the other about fungi found in the wild.
Mr.
Carter observed her purchases as he scanned the items.
“Jason stopped by yesterday and practically bought the entire store.”
Melody smiled discreetly.
“He’s planning a very ambitious camping trip.”
The shopkeeper laughed.
“Knowing that boy, I don’t doubt it.”
After leaving the store, Melody headed to one of the city’s largest bookstores.
There, she walked through the aisles with the list Jason had sent her.
She placed books about carpentry, basic sanitation, plumbing systems, power generation, agriculture, food preservation, first aid, and water filtration techniques inside a basket.
Before heading to the checkout counter, however, she made one final stop.
Melody stood in front of the religion section for several seconds.
Her fingers moved along the spines of the books until they stopped on a Bible.
She removed it from the shelf and studied the cover for a few moments.
Melody was not particularly religious.
She had always preferred to place her trust in logic and science.
Even so, she knew history.
She knew that during humanity’s darkest moments, many people found the strength to continue living through faith.
She also knew that the same faith could be used to manipulate crowds when it fell into the wrong hands.
If the world was truly about to collapse…
Understanding both sides would be important.
Without hesitation, she placed the Bible on top of the stack of books.
When Melody left the bookstore carrying two full shopping bags, she glanced up at the sky.
Everything remained exactly as it always had been.
People walked peacefully through the streets.
Traffic remained heavy.
The stores were still open.
It seemed impossible to believe that this routine could disappear within a few days.
Even so…
Melody tightened her grip on the shopping bag handles.
If Jason was right, each of those books would soon be worth more than any amount of money.
While Melody returned home carrying two bags filled with books and equipment, Jason had just arrived home on the other side of Tallahassee.
As soon as he entered, he found Robert putting away some tools in the garage.
“Dad.”
“Hey, son.”
Jason took a deep breath before speaking.
“I talked to Jimmy today.”
Robert looked up.
“And?”
“His father said he can make the modifications to our motorhome.”
Robert smiled.
“So he accepted the job.”
“He did.”
Jason paused briefly.
“If you still want to take that trip during our vacation…”
“I think this would be a good opportunity to get everything ready.”
Robert nodded.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
The two walked to the back of the garage, where the motorhome was parked.
Despite its age, the vehicle was remarkably well maintained.
Robert ran a hand along the side of the body.
“I’ve always liked this old beast.”
Jason smiled.
“It still has plenty of miles ahead of it.”
“I hope so.”
Robert pulled the keys from his pocket.
“Should we take it to the repair shop tomorrow?”
Jason shook his head.
“If possible, I’d like to come with you.”
His father raised an eyebrow.
“I thought you were grounded.”
“I am.”
“Then?”
Jason awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
“I know…
but I’d like to help.”
Robert observed his son for several seconds.
Ever since their conversation at dinner, Jason had seemed unusually interested in the motorhome.
He had always enjoyed camping, but he had never shown so much enthusiasm for mechanical work.
Even so…
It was good to see him interested in spending time with his father.
Robert smiled.
“All right.”
Jason’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“You’re still grounded.”
“No going out with your friends.”
“No video games.”
“But helping prepare the motorhome for a family trip is another matter.”
Jason gave him a sincere smile.
“Thank you, Dad.”
Robert gave his shoulder a light pat.
“We’ll leave tomorrow as soon as I get home from school.”
“I want to talk to the mechanic about everything we need to have done.”
“Sounds good.”
Jason turned his gaze toward the motorhome.
Solar panels.
Reinforced bumpers.
A roof rack.
Additional storage tanks.
Every improvement represented another chance of survival.
While Robert saw only a family vacation…
Jason saw the vehicle that could keep his family alive when the world finally collapsed.
Tallahassee, United States
6:10 p.m., August 18, 2010
Melody finally arrived home.
As soon as she opened the door, the silence felt strange.
Normally, the house would have been empty at that hour.
Her father usually spent much of the week at the hospital, moving between surgeries and on-call shifts, while her mother often remained at the university until late because of her research.
Perhaps that was why Melody had developed a habit of reading when she was still a child.
Books had always kept her company whenever the house seemed too large and quiet.
When she entered the living room, however, she was surprised.
“Dad?!”
Donald Tyler looked up from the couch and smiled.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
Melody placed the bags on the floor.
“You’re already home?”
The doctor laughed.
“Aren’t you happy to see me?”
She smiled back.
“Of course I am.”
“I just thought it was strange.
You almost never get home before dark.”
Donald closed the folder he had been reading.
“That’s true…”
His expression became more serious.
“Something rather unusual happened today.”
Melody’s curiosity was immediately awakened.
“What happened?”
Donald rested his elbows on his knees.
“I’m not entirely sure.”
“Early this afternoon, the hospital received several patients who were being treated as possible carriers of some infectious agent.”
Melody frowned.
“What kind of agent?”
“No one explained.”
“We were only told that maximum isolation protocols would be implemented.”
He shook his head.
“Shortly afterward, the administration sent home nearly every staff member who wasn’t considered essential to that ward.”
“I had never seen anything like it.”
Melody remained silent.
Donald continued.
“I thought it was strange because even the surgeons weren’t given much information.
We were only told to avoid that wing until further notice.”
Melody felt a chill travel down her spine.
Jason’s words immediately returned to her mind.
Someone is trying to hide this from the public.
She involuntarily tightened her grip on the shopping bag handles.
Donald noticed.
“Is everything all right?”
Melody blinked several times before answering.
“Yes…”
She forced a smile.
“I just thought it sounded strange.”
Donald shrugged.
“It may simply be excessive caution.”
“Sometimes new diseases emerge, and the hospital prefers to act before understanding exactly what it is dealing with.”
It was a perfectly logical explanation.
Even so…
For the first time since their conversation at the ice cream shop…
Melody began to consider that Jason might not have been as wrong as he had seemed.