The first infected
Drenched in rain, Kevin walked up to the pharmacy and kicked the wooden front door open. It was blindingly dark inside, and a nauseating smell hung in the musty air. There were rats and cockroaches scampering across the floor and spiders skittering on the cracked ceiling.
As Kevin took a few steps, he heard a low rattling noise coming from the darkness.
"Initiate thermal scan. Sweep the floor."
Seconds later, multiple glowing orange silhouettes appeared on his HUD. The culprit behind that eerie rattling noise was an adult Copperhead. The snake had taken shelter on an empty shelf attached to the wall. It was just the perfect place for it to stay out of the elements and have a steady supply of food.
As a child, Kevin had been terrified of snakes, but now he felt nothing as he stared at the coiled reptile. Out here in this wasteland, these critters were the least of his worries.
Ignoring the snake, Kevin focused on finding the medicine.