While We Fall (The Eva Series #2)

Chapter Fifteen

Silence filled the room.
My heart was pounding so loudly it sounded like it was sitting right between my ears. I felt my skin break out into a cold sweat as the reality of what Elliot had said started to sink in.
Elliot could see we were all struggling with the terrifying news he just gave us, and began to explain in more detail.

“The virus spread too quickly to be contained. It went from Australia all through Asia and was due to hit Africa and Europe yesterday. In fact, it will be hitting North and South America as we speak. I saw it all on CNN just before the storm cut off the feed. They say it was terrorists. A co-ordinated attack in every major city. But I know what’s really going on. I say it was Military testing, funded by some fat-cat money hungry corporation.”
“Sharon was telling the truth.” I whispered.
“Why the hell would the Military do this to billions of people?” Asked Ben, I could see he was losing his patience with Elliot.
“Plenty of reasons. To cut the world’s population, leave more resources for a much smaller amount of people, rich people with power. Or to attain complete control of survivors, or release a new vaccine and charge hundreds of dollars for it, making them filthy rich. Or perhaps they’ll blame all this on some poor nation with untapped oil resources and use it as an excuse to go to war with them. Or, simply because they can. I haven’t figured out all the details yet, but I will.”
“I don’t believe it.” Ben shook his head. “There’s no way the virus could spread that fast, even if it was a planned attack. All over the planet in less than a week? No way.”
Elliot slammed his fork down onto the table, pushed his chair back and stood over Ben threateningly. Dixon growled at him from the other side of the room, but he didn’t even flinch.
“Whether you believe it or not, mate, it’s happening. The world is falling a part all around us.” He said through gritted teeth. “And you better get used to the way things are done here and live by my rules. Unless, of course, you’d rather take your chances out there in a world full of starving zombies.”
Ben stared angrily at the dining table, not saying a word.
“That’s what I thought.” Elliot snapped as he grabbed his plate, threw it in the sink and disappeared down the hallway again.

“Ben, what the hell is wrong with you?” Jo whispered.
“Me? What’s wrong with you? Acting like a giggly schoolgirl, saying you’re free as a bird? He may be one of the last men on Earth but he’s an asshole!” Yelled Ben, throwing his arms up into the air.
“Easy, Ben.” Said Wyatt. “He’s my brother, and he’s giving us safety, food, shelter and protection.”
“Pfft! I don’t need him to protect me!” Said Ben.
“Fine. But it looks like we’re all going to be living under one roof for a long time, so we need to get along.”
“Wyatt’s right, Ben.” I said. “We’re lucky to be alive, especially after what he just told us. The whole world is gone. Surely our survival is more important than some petty ego battle between you and Elliot.”
“Screw this.” Ben said as he stood up from the table and disappeared down the hallway, slamming the bedroom door behind him.

“Well, that was a great start to our first day in paradise.” Said Jo sarcastically.
“They’ll be ok, Jo.” I said, even though I didn’t quite believe it myself. “But what about you?”
“What do you mean?” Jo asked, a confused expression on her face.
“Aren’t your parents in Europe?” I asked, thinking she had surely put the connection together by now that her parents may be in the exact same horrifying situation as us.
“Oh, yeah.” She said, waving her hand dismissively. “But my Dad works with the UN, they’ll be locked down in a bunker somewhere. They had much more notice than we did, so they’ll be safe, I’m sure of it.”
I nodded, hoping she was right, but part of me knew she was just trying to convince herself that they were okay.
Jo turned her gaze to Wyatt. “How are you? You coping okay?”
“Yeah, I’m alright.” He said, looking down at his breakfast, which he had hardly touched. I could see in his eyes that he didn’t believe what he was saying either.
Jo stood up and took her plate over to the sink and disappeared into her bedroom just like the others. I leaned closer to Wyatt and held his hand tight.