This Would Be Paradise (Book 1) Read Free Page A

said, heaving himself back to a standing position.
    I opened the door a bit and peeked outside, looking down the hallway for signs of any sick people. The coast was clear, so I stepped outside with the other two following me. Mike was limping, slowing us down as we walked quietly to the elevator. I wasn’t going back to the stairs again and this time it had nothing to do with my laziness. Plus, Mike wouldn’t take the stairs too well either, he was going to slow us down enough as it was.
    “Should we be taking the elevator?” Mike asked as I smashed the down button.
    “The place isn’t on fire.” 
    The ride down was awkward; we were all looking anywhere else but at each other. Oh look, a stain on the floor how interesting. This is what I hated about elevators. They turned everyone into socially awkward weirdos. With a ding, the elevator opened up to the first floor, but none of us made a move to get out. I was about to say, “After you,” when Zoe took the plunge and stepped out first. I glanced around trying to spot anyone or see if that crazy lady had escaped the stairwell.
    “Wow, there really is no one down here,” Zoe said quietly.
    “What, did you think it was all an elaborate hoax?” I asked, and she glared at me. The pain continually throbbing along my side was making me even more unpleasant than I normally was when I woke up hungover.
    We walked outside, and instantly I noticed all the activity outside the hotel. Cars were rushing and honking all over the road, people were running along the sidewalks, and sirens were going off all over the place. Since this was Mardi Gras, all the activity wasn’t that unusual, but the atmosphere had taken on a panicked feel rather than one of letting loose. I was almost run down by some guy pushing an overflowing shopping cart he had stolen from a local Walmart, but I managed to dance around him as he sped by.
    “Excuse you!” Zoe yelled after the guy, but he was long gone.
    “So I don’t think we will be able to get a taxi,” I sighed as I started the walk to the hospital.
    I could see the giant H sign from our hotel, but like everywhere in the city, all the buildings were farther away than they looked. With Mike slowing us down and all the craziness going on, the ten-minute walk would most likely be stretched out. We almost got mowed down while crossing the street and Mike barely hobbled out of the way in time.
    “Jesus!” Mike yelled as he stumbled to find his footing.
    “This is like the L.A. riots!” Zoe said.
    “Zoe, you were like four when the L.A. riots happened.” I shook my head.
    “Well Bailey, there’s this magical entity called ‘The Internet’ that gives you information for things that you weren’t there to see happen in person,” Zoe shot back.
    “Anyways, it doesn’t look like there’s any looting going on yet,” I said and as soon as the words left my mouth, one of the store front windows crashed in on the other side of the street.
    Zoe shot me a smug look and I gritted my teeth. I gave a quick glance over to where the noise had come from and thankfully I didn’t see anyone carrying off a TV set, but people were filing in through the open store front window. Jay’s Pharmacy didn’t stand a chance. Looking up, I could see that we were closer to the hospital, but a lot of the traffic seemed to be heading that way so I took that to mean I wouldn’t be getting treated anytime soon. Maybe I should have hit up that pharmacy…
    “How much longer do you think it will be?” Mike asked, pain dripping from his voice.
    “I think we’re pretty close?” Zoe offered.
    An ambulance whizzed past us with its sirens blaring and tires squealing. I heard a scream from behind us, and we wheeled around to see what happened. A woman had been tackled by someone who looked like they were infected with whatever the crazy woman from the hotel had. The guy launched himself on top of her, tearing into her, causing blood to spray everywhere and pool