Things That Go Bump In The Night
Time. Time was of the essence. Already the light was dying, buildings that nearly touched the sky helping blot out the last vestiges of sunlight. Curie needed to move, to find shelter, and she needed to find it now. Once night came, it was over, all over. She was a scientist, not a woman brimming with military skill. Though, the thought of nightfall had her pulling out her pistol, releasing the magazine into her palm, checking it was full, before slamming it back up into the pistol. She racked the pistol just enough to doublecheck a round was in the chamber before releasing it with a click.
According to her watch, and what she'd read, she had fourty minutes before she was done for. Fourty minutes to barricade a house, even a room--or find the lab she was seeking. Though that was lower on the list at this moment. Shelter first, creating a cure second. She couldn't undo her own mistakes if she didn't live to see tomorrow, after all. The scientist shifted her bag, relieving a spot that the straps were rubbing raw even through her clothing--there were too many abandoned cars congesting the highway here to allow her to travel by vehicular means.
Bits of glass from shattered vehicle windows crunched underfoot as she traversed deeper and deeper into the city. Nothing looked promising yet, no building shuttered enough to last against the Darkseekers--and if it was shuttered, that would mean she would have to clear the building of possible threats before using it. She needed to pick something and stick to it.
Instead, she paused as she came to a clearing. One vehicle sat in the middle of it, full of supplies and what looked like a repurposed lightbar sat atop the hood. It was in too good of shape to have been abandoned long--if it was abandoned at all. No. Best not to get her hopes up. She drew closer to the vehicle, unholstering her pistol in case there was some sort of threat within the car.
What was this? Some sort of trap? Curie glanced around, freezing when she caught sight of a dog. Instead of calling out to it she hurriedly moved out of sight, bewildered at the sight of an animal able to withstand the last few rays of sunlight.
A mutation? Were they becoming resistant to the sun's UV rays? Was it an uninfected dog? There was no way, not in the midst of ground zero, with no humans around to take care of it.
Curie snuck a peek around the barricade she was hiding behind, trying to study the dog she'd spotted.