A/N: So this is ViralNut (duh) and my first fanfiction. So excited! Anyways, this will be taking place before the Virals go all… Viral. Basically it's the Virals reacting to the book Virals (which is totally awesome). I'm hoping that they're all in character, but I'm not all too sure. Oh, and when it is bold, they are reading the book out loud. I think I'm forgetting something... I don't know. Anyways, enjoy!


"So… does anybody know where the heck we are?" Shelton asked, nervously.

"No." Ben deadpanned.

"In the middle of a clearing?" Hi was trying to juggle rocks. Not the best idea, if you asked me.

"Holy shitz-" Plop, plop, plop. Ow, ow, ow. "Man, that hurt."

Exactly my point, Hiram.

"Okay… so how do we get out of here?" I asked.

"We don't! We build fort, camp out! Kill monkeys with homemade arrows. Eat their flesh raw…" Hi trailed off, as I glared.

Whack.

Score one for the rotting stick!

"Ben, Tory's being mean," Hi whined.

I grinned, as Ben flicked a twig at him, leaning down against a tree.

We were in a clearing. Stump in the middle. Monkeys surrounding us.

Lost.

"I'm going to search for the trail," Ben stated, pushing off the tree. Four wide strides. Gone.

I raised my eyebrows. "What the hell. I'm off."

I followed in his suit. Branches cracked beneath my feet. Summer leaves falling to make way for autumn. The occasional rock, scattered about.

Peaceful.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Pat.

Wait.

What?

"Hey! Ben!" I called, bending down.

A book?

"Look at this," In a flash, he was at my side.

"As it would appear…" He trailed off, taking it from me. Brushed off dirt.

"Virals," I stated. "By Kathy Re… Ricks? Bechs?"

He stood up straight.

"I think that says Reichs," He said. "Virals, by Kathy Reichs."

I nod, uncertain. "So what's it doing here?"

Ben shrugged. Said nothing.

I flipped open the cover.

This book is dedicated to the good people and dogs of Charleston. Thanks for welcoming me to the neighborhood!

"Well, the author lived here."

Next Page.

"And, apparently liked maps."

Ben pointed at the bottom corner. "Look at that. Loggerhead. I think she worked here."

I nodded. "This is actually really detailed." I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the key.

"Oh my God…" I whispered.

Ben looked at where I was pointing.

"Does that say the Bunker, or am I imagining things?"

"It's right there. Look! Right where ours is!" I exclaimed.

For a moment, we just stared at the map, a kind of uncontained excitement rushing through us.

"Who are the Virals?" Ben finally asked.

"Well. Let's find out."

I flipped the page.

Prologue

A gunshot is the loudest sound in the universe.

"Well yeah." I said. "Duh."

Ben stopped reading. Stared at me.

Flipped it back to the cover.

Stared at me.

Stared at the book.

Me.

Book.

Me.

Book.

Me.

"Uh, Ben?" I asked hesitantly. Only mildly freaked out here.

"Tell me, Tory. Does this look like you?" He asked in a weirdly quiet voice.

I glanced at the cover. Cracked. Dog eared. Faded. A faint shadow of dust covering the whole thing.

A dark forest is in the background. A column of light, illuminating a girl. White tee shirt. Running. With red hair, or brown hair? I can't tell.

I can sort of see the resemblance. Kind of. It's too dark to make it out.

"I- I guess?"

Ben blinked. Went back to reading.

Especially if the bullet is coming at you.

Crack! Crack!

Bullets slashed the forest canopy. Overhead, monkeys screeched and scattered.

Down below, I ran.

Heedless, legs hammering, I pounded through the undergrowth.

Mind blank. Terrified.

"This is… this is weird. To say the least." I said. "Is this happening at Loggerhead?"

"Well, that would explain the monkeys,"

Shapes zoomed by in the black. Trees. Bushes. Startled creatures. Gun toting killers? I couldn't tell. Heart thumping, I barreled forward in a blind sprint. Blind.

"I'm starting to hope that this isn't happening on Loggerhead," I interrupted.

A root snagged my foot and

"Guys! I found the path! I found the path!"

Shelton bursted through the brush, red faced and panting.

"We found the path!" Hi corrected, following close behind.

"Hey- wassat?" Shelton asked, noticing the book.

I shook my head. For an instant, I had felt like I was literally in the book. Like I was that- girl? Boy? Oh god. I need to finish it.

"Tory found it on the floor."

Hi shrugged. "Whatever. While you guys were reading fairy tales, Shelton and I-"

Shelton smacked him. "Dude! Think! Who the hell would drop a book here? On Loggerhead?"

I felt immensely stupid. That had never even occurred to me.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't a fairy tale." I said. "Virals. By Kathy Reichs."

Hi scrunched up his nose. "Virals? As in a… Viral?"

"Think so. We were only on the first page."

Shelton circled behind me. Speed read.

"Whoa. Talk about excitement."

Hi grabbed the book from him. Stared at the cover.

"Hey, Tory! Is this you?"

Face-palm.

Ben nodded, "You see it too."

Shelton shrugged. "It's too dark to make out the facial features. But if you look really close…" The guys huddled around the book, squinting and going cross eyed.

"Hey! Peoples!"

I snatched the book back. "Who found it, again?" Cupped my ear. "Oh yeah… Me!"

I hugged the book. "Now, if you don't mind, we should be getting back to the boat."

I stormed off.

Waaait. Where's the path, again?

Hi snickered. "This away, milady."

I swatted him with the book.

"Careful, madam. Or we might just leave you here. Defenseless against these ah…" He gestured at the sky.

"Defenseless against the sky? Oh yes, that makes all the sense in the world. I'm terrified." Too heavy on the sarcasm? With Hi? Never.

"Just lead the way," Shelton muttered, shoving Hi forward.

The rest of the way back was silent. Single file. Ben, Hi, Shelton, than myself.

The whole time I kept thinking about the book. Desperate to go back to it. What happened to the girl? Or boy, I suppose. Who was shooting her? Why were they shooting her?

Who was she, anyways?

I shook my head, as if shaking off all the thoughts. No help.

"Tory. Give me the book," Ben said, suddenly. He turned to face me, letting Hi take the lead. Walking backwards, he put out his hand. "The book. Now."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because you're obsessing over it,"

I cross my arms around the book.

"And how would you know that?"

"Because you aren't denying it. And, you aren't saying anything."

"Nobody is saying anything."

Ben smirked. "Exactly my point."

"Explain."

"Give me the book."

"Explain."

"The book."

Staring contest.

His eyes were… interesting. Dark. Long eye lashes.

And currently unblinking.

My eyes began to water.

Blink! Blink! Blink!

Shut up subconscious!

Blink! Blink! Blink!

"Fudge," I said, as my eyelids closed on their own accord.

Ben reached out, and plucked the book from my arms.

"Thank you," He said, before darting off into the foliage.

"Damn you, Blue," I shouted.

Shelton and Hi snickered.

"Red, learn to deal with it," Hi said.

I glared at him. "Go to hell,"

Hi spread his arms as if to give me a hug. "Been there and back. Not too much to see."

I gave him a final glare, before chasing after Ben.

Thump, thump, thump, thump. Run, run, run, run.

I raced ahead, searching for Ben. I needed to get that book back.

"Benjamin Blue!" I shouted.

"Ben!"

A snort of laughter reached my ears.

Damn it!

I'm not really sure what happened then. One second I was chasing Ben down. The next I was jogging. Almost enjoying myself. Or, scratch that. I was enjoying myself.

A calm, peaceful, relaxed jog. In eighty degree temperature.

I darted out from the trees. Light flooded my eyesight, and I stopped. Shielding my eyes, I scanned the dock for Ben's sixteen-foot Boston Whaler runabout, Sewee.

There. Ben was lounging on the deck, eyes closed, arms behind head.

Leap. Thud. On.

Ben's eyes were still closed. The book was behind his back. The book...

As soft as possible, I crouched behind him. Stretched my hand. Almost there...

"Sly."

I jumped, falling over on my butt. Ben stood over me smirking.

"Need something?"

Bright red, I glared at him. "The book."

"What book?"

God, I hate this boy. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

He lifted a hand. "This one?"

Without warning, Shelton appeared behind me.

"Do you mind?"

He snatched the book from Ben. Ben snatched it back.

"Give me the bloody book!" I screamed. They silenced.

Calm down, Tory.

"I found the book. And I intend on reading it. Now, give it to me."

Sullenly, Ben handed it over.

"Thank you." I sat down on the floor, and opened it up.

A gunshot is the loudest sound in the universe.

Especially if the bullet is coming at you.

Crack! Crack! Bullets slashed the forest canopy.

"Hey Tory," Hi plopped down next to me. "Mind if I read?"

I glared at him.

"Yes."

He put his hands up. "I swear, I won't take it!"

I lifted a finger. "If you dare…"

"I'd have to be mad to do that!"

No. I don't trust him.

"How about I read aloud?"

Hi smirked. "Yes, Mommy,"

Stupid Hi.

I started over. Again.

A gunshot is the loudest universe.

Especially if the bullet is coming at you.

Crack! Crack!

Bullets slashed the forest canopy. Overhead, monkeys screeched and scattered.

"This is happening at Loggerhead, right?" Hi asked. I nodded, frustrated.

"Yes. Now please. Shut up."

Down below I ran.

Heedless, legs hammering. I pounded through the underbrush.

Shapes zoomed past in the darkness. Trees. Bushes. Gun-toting killers? I couldn't tell. Heart thumping, I barreled forward in a dead sprint. Blind.

"You aren't reading that book aloud to Hi, are you?" Shelton asked, crouching on my other side.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I am."

Shelton shrugged. "Count me in,"

A root snagged my leg. Pain detonated in my leg.

Get up! Get up! Get up!

Something large zipped past in the darkness. I froze.

"Ben?!"

"Yes, Tory?" Ben said, turning around.

"I wasn't talking to you," I said, puzzled.

"You said Ben."

I opened my mouth. Gaped like a fish.

Stared back at the book.

"Holy crap…" I whispered, reading ahead.

Hi scrambled to his feet. "Oh my gosh! I just… man!" He said, peering over my shoulder.

"What is it?!" Shelton exclaimed.

"I- I- I'll just read it," I stuttered.

No reply. sudden stillness.

Waiting here means death. Move!

Scrambling to his feet, I bolted into the night.

Was Hi up ahead?

"I'm in there! I'm there!" Hi squealed, grabbing the book from him.

"Give. That. Back!"

"Oh my gosh! Shelton! Ben! Tory!"

I glared at him. "Yes. Those are our names."

Shelton sighed. "Hi, give the book back to Tory."

"Thank you, Shelton."

Shelton had gone left, darting into the foliage.

Please be Ben that ran by me!

"You know, Ben isn't that uncommon a name," Ben started.

"Yes. I am fully aware of it."

"But Hi? Shelton?"

I nodded. "Right you are. Now can I read this?"

We hadn't had a plan. Why would we? No one knew we were here, or what we were doing.

Who the hell is trying to shoot me?

"This is one action packed prologue. And where are you, Tory?" Hi asked.

"Maybe they're talking from my point of view?" I suggested, forgetting to be mad.

"A possibility. A possibility."

Exhausted, I gulped air.

Later, after the change,

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa. What am I missing?" Shelton said.

"What change?"

"We don't know," I responded, exasperated. "Now, could you please, stop, interrupting!"

I could have run forever. Fast. Tireless. My perfect vision piercing the night's shadows. Not gasping, lost in the shapeless dark.

"Is this person scaring you?" I asked, looking up from the book.

Shelton whacked me over the head. "Read! Remember? 'Stop interrupting!'"

Glare. Why is my mouth talking on it's own accord?!

These thugs wouldn't have stood a chance, whoever they were. Not with our powers unleashed. My pack would have savaged them.

"You're right, Tory. That is scary." Hi said, leaning back. Thinking. "Who's her pack?"

"Or his," I reminded them. "I guess Hi, Ben, and Shelton."

"Okay, that's just weird," Shelton said.

"Us, being her-his pack? I'm not part of a pack!"

"They never said it was you, Shelton. Just somebody named Shelton."

Planned without speaking a word.

"How does one plan without speaking? I'm assuming they aren't writing, either." Ben said suddenly.

"Body motions," Hi did the wave.

"Eyeballing." Shelton squinted, trying to go cross eyed.

"You guys look like total dofuses," Ben smiled. Wait. Ben Blue, smiling? A day to remember.

"And proud of it!"

Stalked them like kittens. Then taken out the trash.

"I like this girl." Hi started.

"Or guy, or guy!" He said in response to my stare. "It just sounds like how a girl would think! A bad ass girl with magical powers, anyways.

But not that night. I was in trouble. Fading.

"Or maybe not so bad ass." Hi amended.

I sighed. If this continued, we would never get through the book.

"How exactly does one fade?" Shelton said quizzically. He took of his glasses as a wave sprayed us with salt water. I enjoyed every drop.

"I'm not sure. I guess her confidence was diminishing?"

"Eh. Maybe. It still doesn't make sense."

Scared shitless.

So I ran. Hard. Branches clawed at my limbs and ripped my skin.

"Ouch."

"Shut it, Hi."

Finally, I hit open space.

The beach! I was close.

A voice hissed from the void.

"Man, that must have been terrifying!" Hi exclaimed. "In the dark, running from killers, and now somebody is hissing at you? Terrifying."

Ben snorted. "Wimp."

"Hey! You would have been scared too!"

I shook my head. Continued the reading.

"Tory! Over here!"

"Okay, that settles it." Shelton said."This is about us."

"So where did it come from?" Ben asked. "And why are we running from a bunch of killers?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe… I dunno."

Hi grinned. "We've become superheroes, and are off to save the world with our bad ass powers and change!"

"Hi, this is before the change, remember?" But I was still fairly creeped out. If this is, by some weird chance, about us, what's happening? And when did it take place?

I was so absorbed in my thinking I had forgotten to read.

"Tory…" Hi sang. "Earth to Tory…"

I scrunched up my nose. Stuck out my tongue.

"Nice. Real smooth, Brennan," Shelton said.

"Oh, shut up."

Shelton.

"Can you just start reading?" Shelton asked.

I looked up, confused. "I was reading."

He raised his eyebrows. "Uh… No you weren't."

"Yes I was! You just interrupted me before I could get past the first word!"

"You didn't even say the first word!"

"Yes I did!" We were shouting, now.

"See? Shelton! That's the first word!"

"Calm down, lady," Hi interjected.

I turned to glare at him. "Shut it, Hi."

I sat back down, unaware I had stood in the first place.

"Sorry, Tory," Shelton apologized. "Misunderstanding."

I nodded. "Apology accepted."

"Shouldn't you be apologizing too?" Ben said.

"Shut up."

Thank God.

"Oh hey! You're thanking God because you saw me! I feel so welcomed."

"We don't know if this is even about us, remember?"

"Whatever! It could be."

In the starlight,

"Is there such thing as starlight? I'm pretty sure the stars don't project light."

"Pretend there is, Shelton. Pretend there is."

I could just make out the boat. Vaulting the railing, I dropped into the bow and turned to scan the shoreline.

"You know, Tory, this is sounding a lot like something in the pirate ages. You're using proper terms and everything!"

"You guys made me use them, remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

Clear. For the moment.

"Where's Hi? Ben?" I whispered, panting, sweat-drenched. I was definitely on tilt.

"I'm here." Ben eased from the darkness. A quick bound and he was in, sliding behind the controls. Keys in hand, he paused. Afraid to turn the engine. Afraid not to.

"Oh, and look! Ben is in character too! He's driving! Or steering. Or… whatever you call it."

"Hi, that could just be coincidence."

"Yeah, but it could also not be coincidence too!"

He had a point there. But still… I stop myself. Don't argue Tory. Read.

Hi was still out there.

"Oh hell no!"

"That's what it says,"

"Yeah, jelly belly. You never were too quick…"

"Jerks! You're going to ditch me, aren't you!"

"I do hope not," I said.

"Assholes. Why do I have such shitty friends?"

"Because we're the only teens on this island?"

"Oh yeah… You guys are the best!" Hi said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Get your arm off me," Shelton said, shoving him away.

"Unappreciative."

We sat, tensed, waiting.

"Ha! I told you! We're nice people," Shelton exclaimed.

"Just wait. Y'all are going to ditch me."

"And who wouldn't?" Ben said, as he spun the boat in a circle, pulling up to the dock.

"Think on it."

"I'm your best friend! You wouldn't!" Hi mock-gasped. Choked.

"I'm impressed, Hi. Choking on air." Shelton snickered.

"I… don't… like you." Shelton thumped him on the back. Hard.

Unable to help myself, I let out a small smile.

My courage leaked from my shoes.

"I told you. Bitches." Hi rubbed his throat. "Your courage is leaking. You're gonna leave me to die."

"Drama queen," Ben muttered under his breath.

I ignored their banter. Read, Tory, Read!

Come on, Hi. Show. Please, oh please, oh please, oh please…

"Ha. At least Tory wants me." He grumbled.

"I'm just awesome like that."

"I know. I love you."

"Oh, Romeo!" I squealed, half annoyed, half amused. "I love you too!"

Hi squeaked like a girl, and launched himself into my arms.

"Get OFF me Hiram!"

I tumbled to the ground, hitting my head on the side of the boat. And, of course, just as my luck would have it, Ben yanked his boat to a stop at that exact time.

"Ben!"

"Sorry, sorry. I need to work on my parking. No brakes."

"Well, work harder, dude. You currently suck." Hi rubbed his elbow.

I stood quickly, ignoring my own knee scrape. "I couldn't have done it," Hoping he wouldn't sulk.

Instead, he chuckled. "No blood, no foul,"

Hi frowned. Pointed at his elbow.

"No blood, no foul?"

"Fine. But my elbow hurts, so you still lose."

I picked the book off the ground. Dusted it off.

"So where were we?" Shelton asked.

I flipped to the page. "End of the chapter."

"Are you kidding me?!" Hi said, grabbing the book from me. "Aw man. That was an awful ending!"

"It's a cliffhanger. I didn't think it was that bad."

"Yeah, but you weren't the one still in danger of being killed!"

"Sure we were! We were on the boat, they could have sneak attacked us any minute."

"And I was in the woods, saving you guys asses by being the distraction!"

Shelton chose now to interject. "Who says you were being a distraction?"

"Me!" Hi said, throwing up his arms.

"Guys. Calm down. Let's just get back to the bunker. We can read our next chapter there." I said, a failed attempt to calm them down.

"Listen to Tory." Ben said, plucking the book from his hands.

"Thanks, Ben."

He half smiled, and finished tying up Sewee.

He still had the book.

"BLUE!"


A/N: So what did you think? Good? Bad? Half decent? Reply in a review! That would totally make my day :)