Read The Dead Don't Bleed: Part 1, The Outbreak for Free Online Page B

growing more and more concerned about his own personal health. That doctor had seemed very interested to hear about his symptoms and those of the cashier back at that gas station. Taking into account all that had happened this morning he had to believe that somehow his becoming sick was directly related to whatever was happening with the sand mine. Since the doctor didn't offer up any immediate remedy for his ailments he also had to believe it might be something they were not sure how to deal with. Carl was about to give up on the FEMA doctor when he heard a voice once again coming over the phone speaker.
    "Carl, are you still with us?" Dr. Woods asked.
    Clearing his throat and doing his best to sound as professional as possible he replied, "Yes doctor, I am still here. I should also report that it looks like the amount of material shooting from the mine is starting to dissipate, in the last few minutes the volume of material has decreased by at least half and it seems to be growing smaller by the minute. I think that it is starting to run out of steam."
    "Yes, very good, we are seeing the same thing with satellite imagery. Carl, how are you feeling at this point?" Dr. Woods asked.
    He knew that was coming, he felt like the human guinea pig in some bizarre experiment. He just wished this doctor would be straight up with him about what was going on.
    "Still the same, but, I could use a bathroom break pretty soon, my stomach is still upset." He thought that would get the point across without having to get into the specific details that he was about to shit his pants.
    "That’s fine Carl, and actually I am going to recommend that you turn around right now and make your way back to Browns Mills. There is a clinic as well as several doctors’ offices in town where you can go. They will be able to give you something to help with your fever and settle your stomach. It is important that you head straight back to Browns Mills until we have this thing totally contained, do you understand?"
    The tone in the doctor’s voice had turned from the carrying and worried kind to an authoritative and demanding one. Carl understood loud and clear the meaning of 'contained'. There was going to be some type of quarantine in place waiting for him in Browns Mills. That meant locked down and restricted to a bed while they ran test after test on him, his personal well-being not being their primary concern. He had a feeling that the last thing he needed was to be was involved in whatever form of containment this doctor had in mind. He had seen movies where the government dealt with uncontrolled illnesses by bombing towns full of sick people in the name of containment. He wasn't about to test those theories to see if they applied in real life.
    "Ok doctor, if you think that best. I am turning around now and should be there in a few minutes. Is there anything else you will need from me? The charge on my phone is running low and I will need to shut it down and recharge it for a while."
    "No, you've done a wonderful job so far, I plan on giving the director of your agency a report on how helpful you have been during this crisis. Just get to a doctor in Browns Mills and you will be fine. Thanks for all your help." Carl could almost hear the mad scientist cackle that he thought should follow such statements.
    "Thank you doctor, I will head right to a doctor’s office," Carl replied.
    With that , the line clicked off and Carl shut down the power to the phone. It still had more than three quarters of a charge left but he remembered when they first called him they were able to tell in a few seconds exactly where he was located from the transponder built into the government issued phone. Since he had no intention of going anywhere near Browns Mills again he didn't want that same transponder giving away his location. He flipped his GPS back on and searched for the quickest route to Camden, New Jersey. He had several friends that lived there and he also knew of