The Hunger (Book 1): Devoured by Jason Brant Page B

anchor on at the time.
    “ ...full evacuation. Again, if anyone in your family or home has exhibited any signs of contagion, we urge you to leave the area immediately. You must understand that help will not come if you call 911. The police and EMTs are overloaded with calls. Most major cities are being evacuated, but each one has different protocols to follow. We’ll run any information that is given to us throughout the night. ”
    Lance shoveled some eggs into his mouth as he watched, wishing they would tell him something he didn’t know.
    The camera angle changed, showing a guest sitting beside the newscaster. The man wore a suit that needed dry-cleaning in the worst way. Two-day beard growth and bagged eyes completed the exhausted look.
    “ We’re joined again by Dr. Newsome. Do you have anything to update us with in regards to the Xavier virus?”
    Lance’s forehead wrinkled. “Xavier virus? Weird name.”
    “ If you’ll recall, I theorized that the smoke bomb pranks happening around the city might not have been pranks at all. The CDC has just come back with the results of extensive testing on the canisters found in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and several other afflicted cities. They weren’t smoke bombs.” He paused, clearing his throat. “ The United States is under attack. Someone has engaged in biological warfare with us. This epidemic is not a random occurrence. ”
    “ Dr. Newsome, you’re saying that the Xavier virus was unleashed upon us intentionally? The implications of that are incredible. You’re talking about the start of another World War. ”
    “ That’s correct. Someone is trying to commit genocide. ” He stared at his hands, his voice lowering. “ And it’s working. ”
    “ Do you know if anyone has claimed responsibility for the attack yet? ”
    “ No. ”
    Lance stared blankly at the television, a mouthful of half-chewed toast in his slack jaw. Someone unleashed biological weapons against the United States? Someone hated a country’s government so much that they would cause the illness, mutation, and death occurring outside?
    While smoking copious amounts of marijuana in college, Lance and his friends often debated about the course mankind was on. His buddies thought the planet would crash and burn eventually, imploding because some moron fell asleep at the controls, or two arrogant world leaders would launch nukes at one another because they suffered from penis envy. Lance maintained that alarmism usually proved wrong, and that people would continue on as they always had.
    Turns out, he was wrong.
    “ When we spoke this afternoon, you said that only North America appeared to be infected at this point. Is that still the case? ”
    The doctor perked up a bit, his shoulders squaring. “ Yes, that’s correct. The canisters only went off in the United States, but Canada and Mexico have both reported cases of the illness in their countries now as well. We believe that the shutdown of international travel happened early enough that this horror has been quarantined to our continent. ”
    Lance finished his food. His hunger died during the news report, but he knew that he needed the calories, so he forced it down. He fully reclined in the chair, staring at the pictures hanging on the wall beside the television.
    Photographs of him and Liz in Los Angeles, touring Universal. The two of them petting Shamu at Sea World. A collage from their wedding day hung above the others, their young, fresh faces unprepared for the disaster their marriage would become.
    Tears flowed as he looked them over. He didn’t despair because of his lost relationship, but over the entire trajectory of his life. Years upon years, he wasted energy and time stressing over his career. His wife. His lack of children.
    And for what?
    The city burned around him. People ate each other in the streets, their minds washed away like sand on a beach.
    So much of his life had been dedicated to the pursuit of