Influenza: Viral Virulence by Ohliger Steven

Author:Ohliger, Steven [Ohliger, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-06-04T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

After a few minutes of quick discussion, they all agreed to make the trip together. Nobody wanted to stay behind. Michael went back to his toolbox and pulled out a large, adjustable wrench. Looking at Lorie, he said, “Just in case we find another truck like mine. I’ll need this to get the oil plug out.”

Lorie nodded and tucked the revolver in her waistband at the small of her back.

Sandy jumped out of the backseat and went directly to the grass to smell the scents of other animals. Then, she returned to Michael and waited to see what he did next.

Michael tried to put the heavy wrench in his pocket, but it wouldn’t fit. He resigned himself to carrying the rifle in one hand and the wrench in the other. Then, they headed back the way they’d driven through the park, toward the intersection with the wrecked cars.

They followed the trail of oil all the way. Sandy followed them and sniffed the pavement with excitement. Scanning the pavement, they all looked for the plug, except Sandy, who was probably searching for the scent of a rabbit or squirrel. She couldn’t have cared less about an oil plug.

When asked what they were looking for, Michael explained that the oil plug looked like a large screw or bolt. No one had spotted anything like his description by the time they got back to the intersection. Michael was starting to doubt that they’d ever find it. He looked up and down the road both ways to see if there was another truck similar in make and model to his own. Seeing nothing, he walked around the wrecked cars to the other side of the street. The others followed. Passing by the cars, Michael got a good whiff of putrid, decaying flesh. He almost gagged.

He glanced at Lorie and could tell by the grimace on her face that she smelled it, too. They hurried on past.

They were about to step up onto the sidewalk when Jeffrey spotted something in the gutter. It was the missing oil plug. Jeffrey triumphantly picked it up and handed it to Michael.

Thank goodness, Michael thought as he wrapped the dirty oil plug in a piece of wadded-up newspaper he’d scrounged from the miscellaneous trash spread all over the street. He put it in his pocket. For the second time that day, he was thankful that Lorie had changed his mind about giving Liz and Jeffrey a ride home. He’d still be looking for the plug, and more than likely it would be lying in the middle of the interstate.

Lorie looked down the street. “There’s a gas station up there. It looks a lot closer than the station by the exit ramp.”

Michael saw the station Lorie had spotted. “I’m glad I have people with me who can see these things better than I can. First, Jeffrey finds the oil plug, and now Lorie discovers a gas station that’s a lot closer. I’m beginning to think I need glasses!”

“That’s what too much book studying does to your eyes, silly,” Lorie said jokingly.

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