[Author’s note: If this is your first time reading Oasis, please start with Chapter 1.]
A Burning Discount
The wind whipped against me and the rain beat down.
My hand shook as I fumbled with the key.
The deads continued their march. Every moment closer.
Only fifteen feet away.
The key finally slid in the hole.
I wiggled it side to side.
One of the deads raised an arm.
The lock finally broke free and the key turned.
I pulled open the door, (more…)
[It’s just not right to start reading on chapter 52 of a story. If this is your first time around here, please start with Chapter 1.]
Stormy Weather
Another round of thunder shook the ground. A few raindrops were being whipped around by the wind. The temperature was dropping quickly.
Even the weather was against me.
We passed the post office and slowed down.
Up ahead were several clumps of infected men and women, just standing in the street and waiting.
By the time we reached the fire station, we could finally see some of the crowd that was pressing against the front doors of the hospital.
The sheer number of deads around the hospital was staggering.
Kevin turned to me for a second. “How in the world are we going to (more…)
[New to Oasis? Catch up by starting with Chapter 1. And in other Oasis news, I’ve been working on the cover to the eventual printed book and I’ve started developing a website for Oasis. I’ll need everybody’s help and ideas on that as time goes on. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this week’s Oasis chapter.]
No Calm Before The Storm
The door lead into a large supply closet. Tools of every kind, from shovels to power drills cluttered the floor and bench. In the corner there was a greasy old gas powered generator. The whole room reeked of chemicals and exhaust.
Samson closed the door behind him and pointed to the generator. “There it is, our little secret.”
I looked at it closer. “You mean it works?”
“Yes, indeed. This utility closet is underground and encased in cement. Apparently that was enough to (more…)
[Yay! Oasis turns 50 (Chapters) today! You all have made this a lot of fun for me, so thank you. We’re getting closer to the end here, so if you haven’t read Oasis before, please start at the beginning.]
Time To Go
Dale raised a hand. “Sam, aren’t you forgetting something?”
Samson looked back over his shoulder. “What?”
“What are we going to do about the crowd of infected that’s sure to be around the hospital?”
Samson looked and then pointed toward Kevin and me. “Those two are pretty resourceful. They’ll run ahead and figure it out. Now, let’s go.”
My eyes widened.
I’m pretty sure Kevin stopped breathing.
Samson, Dale, and Linda swept out of the room.
Kevin and I looked at each other.
Kevin shook his head. “The hospital is near the middle of the city, near the fountain. Throwing a garbage can will get a couple of them, but if there’s many more… I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more. A whole lot more.”
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll figure it out when we (more…)
[note: This week’s been hectic. I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff to write about, including the purchase of my first gun, when I get a minute. Anyway, if this is your first experience with Oasis, you should start with Chapter 1.]
Best Laid Plans
The food and drink had done me a world of good.
Neither my arms nor my legs shook as I pushed myself onto my feet.
I followed Samson and Kevin into the trophy room.
The trophy room wasn’t as wide as the other conference rooms I had seen, but it was just as deep, and the far wall was made of windows looking toward the desert outside of Oasis.
It matched Samson’s rugged exterior better than any room I had seen in the rest of the hotel. It was like a museum. Several plaques and animal heads hung on the walls. Toward the middle of the room was a stuffed bear, a stuffed bison, and a stuffed lion. There were photos of Samson holding up large fish, climbing mountains, and leading a camel through some desert.
Apparently, he’d been just about everywhere.
Samson pointed at a bench against one wall. (more…)
[note: If you have never read Oasis before, it’s better to start at the beginning. Also, It looks like everything is just swell here on my new host. Let me know if you come across any problems.]
Exhaustion
I was breathing heavily by the time I made it to the third floor.
My legs were shaking, and I felt wobbly all over.
I had made a mistake. I had overestimated my condition.
I had barely made it up the stairs that morning. And that was with help. What made me think I could just sprint up them now?
I was too tired, too tired, too tired.
People might die if I don’t make it.
I pushed onward and upward.
The stairway seemed to push me back.
Down below I heard the door open.
They’re delivering the next load of ammo.
A flicker of hope sparked somewhere inside me.
I opened my mouth to (more…)
[note: If you are new to Oasis, please start with Chapter 1. It’s good to be back.]
Moving On Up
I stumbled back a step.
One of the two Samson had grabbed before lined up at his side.
A couple more deads pushed through the door. Their clothes were ripped to shreds and they had that horrible empty look in their eyes. They turned toward the stairs.
Samson raised a large black shotgun to his shoulder.
I jerked my hands up to cover my ears.
Samson fired.
The one on the right was hit in the chest and thrown backwards, colliding first with another dead and then falling to the ground.
The deads continued to press in.
I lost sight of the one Samson had shot, but I had the sinking feeling that it was still moving.
The man who had lined up next to Samson raised his own shotgun.
I don’t need to (more…)
[Note: If you’ve never read Oasis before, it’d make more sense to start with Chapter 1.]
A Failed Escape
Samson bolted for the door. “Where the hell did he… doesn’t matter.”
I jumped up and followed.
The crowd was dumbfounded, and all heads turned and watched Samson, hoping for some kind of instruction.
Samson reached the door and spun around. “Linda, do what you can to organize the evacuation. Get them to carry as much food as possible. We’ll move everybody down the south staircase to the parking garage if this goes bad. I’ll need five or six men who have experience with firearms to follow me.”
The room burst into commotion and I was glad to leave.
I hoped we could (more…)
[If you have never read Oasis before, you’ll probably be better off starting at the beginning.]
The Punch Heard ‘Round The Hotel
People tend to make bad decisions when they’re angry.
Or stressed.
Or tired.
Davis must have been all three, because his decision was terrible. I’m not sure exactly what he was hoping to accomplish by rushing Samson like that. All I know is that he did not get the outcome he wanted.
Davis hadn’t even placed his second foot on the platform when it happened. (more…)
[If you have never read Oasis before, you’ll probably be better off starting at the beginning.]
A Tangled Web
“I don’t really know what I can say that will convince you otherwise, but here’s what happened. Last night, Lily came into my room and attempted to seduce me. I got out of there. In the hall, Richard and friends were just coming out of the stairwell. I did try to hurry them along, but it was no use.”
I took a deep breath before continuing. “Lily stole my other shirt, came out into the hall, and put on a show for the lawyer herd. She left and I went back to my room. Those five weasels came in to my room and beat me up. I tried to defend myself, but with one on five in a small room, I suppose the result was inevitable. And there you have it.”
Many in the crowd shook their heads, presumably in disgust.
But what else was there to do? Richard had created a lie and provided evidence.
Richard scowled at me. “Is there nothing else you’d like to tell us? Like maybe the truth?”
I couldn’t (more…)