Age of Decay (Book 1): Contagion by Brian Lamacraft

Lauren.
    “Just how would you handle it?” said the woman. “Not every day you get raped when the world is coming apart now, is it? Might be my own brand of justice, but its justice for me.”
    “Yeah,” said Trevor. “Gone to hell is right.”
    “He’s still human,” said Lauren.
    “No,” said the woman. “That’s where you are wrong. He was never human. Guys like that are just waiting for Armageddon. The breakdown of society so they could do every sick thing imaginable. It’s only going to get worse.”
    “There are those that want to go on living and those that want to take advantage of the situation. Between that situation, the dead,” said Trevor.
    “Yeah, the hard part will be figuring out who to trust,” said the woman. She looked at the group of them and laughed. “What are you guys supposed to be anyways, the keystone cops and the hockey rejects?”
    Trevor tapped his vest. “Protection from the bites. I’m Trevor, that’s my wife Lauren.” He pointed his son. “That’s my son Jason.”
    Ian came up to her. “Ian, lass. The little girl is Samantha.”
    The woman nodded. ‘Well, nice to meet you all, my name is Erica. I suppose I’m with you now. I want to get out of the city as much as you do. The day hasn’t turned out well for any of us.”
    “What hospital were you working at?” asked Trevor.
    “VGH, before it all went to hell this morning. Damn flu patients just got up then attacked everyone. Two cops helped us escape, but they died in the hospital. Made it to my car, but a group of those things killed my friend. It’s crazy where I came from. Damn lucky just to make it this far. I saw a lot of others that didn’t.”
    “I’m sorry,” said Lauren. “We lost our next door neighbors. Samantha there lost both her parents.”
    “Yeah,” said Erica. “These things, or whatever they are, don’t discriminate. Saw a nurse get a bite and shortly later she turned into one of these things. That means if anyone of us gets bitten, it’s all over for us.”
    “We need to make a pact that if anyone in this group gets bitten, we have to do the right thing,” Trevor indicated.
    “No!” said Lauren. “I won’t have you killing my son or that little girl! Dammit, there has to be some sort of cure for this.”
    “Hon, it would be no use. Do you want to watch our son turn into one of those things?”
    “I… just want this to end.” Lauren walked off and went over to her son who was walking with Samantha.
    “Sorry, she’s taking this rough,” said Trevor. “I worry about her, that maybe she isn’t strong enough. Damn, I don’t know if I am!”
    “We all just have to carry on, do the best we can,” said Erica as she adjusted her sweater.
    Trevor took the C-8 carbine off his shoulder. “You seem to be good with a pistol, maybe you could use this.” He handed her the weapon along with a couple of spare magazines.
    “Thanks.”
    “Hopefully we can pick up some more ammunition along the way. I have a feeling we’re going to be needing it in the near future.”
    “Yeah,” said Erica. “I want to thank you for what you did back there. Those guys would’ve killed me if you hadn’t passed by.”
    “It’s okay, any other guy would’ve done the same thing.”
    Erica slung the weapon over her shoulder. “Don’t be too sure of that.”
    Trevor could see the bridge in the distance now. There was plenty of activity near it as another helicopter flew overhead. The smell of smoke was thick in the air as vehicles burned. “Looks like there’s something going on at the bridge. I better check on my wife.”
    “Sure.”
    Trevor reached his wife up ahead who walked with Ian and the two kids. Lauren seemed distant, and she didn’t turn to him when he arrived. She walked faster ahead of them, leaving Trevor with the others.
    “What’s with her?” Trevor asked Ian.
    “See’s you talking with that other woman, lad.”
    “Just trying to get to know her, is all.”
    “Jealousy,