AoSSbYA Entry

The Jeep's mileage is surprising, she thought absentmindedly. Her gaze, fixed but unfocused, tore through the polyurethane window and into the passing trees beyond. Three hours had passed. Three hours of semi-awkward silence and misunderstood avoidances. Three hours of non-stop driving down an empty highway in the middle of the night.
And suddenly, the monotony was broken.
“What on Earth, Todd!” Lauren shouted, grabbing the dashboard in a futile attempt to keep her balance. She clamped her eyes shut as the car swerved sharply, not bothering to check the road for the cause of Todd's abrupt attachment to the guardrail now plastered against their fender.
Todd snagged a metal baseball bat from the floorboard. “Bugger in the road,” he explained quickly.
“That bat won't do anything!” Lauren snapped, swiping a bag of modeling tools and puling out the sharpest ones.
Todd reached the creature first. It was like a cockroach, only covered in green, bumpy skin and with viciously sharp teeth. It hissed like a screech and lunged for Lauren's chest.
A loud CLANG! erupted as Todd smacked it forcefully. It flew several yards before skidding and finally coming to a halt.
“Thanks,” she said, flustered by the close encounter.
“Don't mention it,” he replied quickly. A pause ensued, then, “Is the Jeep okay?”
“It's seen better days,” she remarked.
“Always has. Get in.”
She did so. He sat in the driver's spot, replaced the bat, cranked the Jeep, and drove once more, purposely running over the creature.
Lauren shuddered at the sound of it being crushed.
Todd turned on the heater.
It had just recently occurred to Lauren just how fast the toxins were spreading. They were infecting insects and small birds now; soon, it would be small mammals, then larger mammals, then humans. If left untreated, it could wipe out countries or even continents. Perhaps the entire species.
Luckily for her and Todd, she kept a small vial of antidote in her purse. It was all she could get a hold of, even as one of the scientists who helped develop it. It was barely enough for one.
Trouble would arise if both were infected.
Due to the spreading disease, citizens internationally had had curfews set up. The infected animals and insects lurked mainly at night. Todd and Lauren had no special permission to be out, but as the law enforcement wasn't checking, they wouldn't get caught.
“This is bad for my heart,” Todd muttered.
“Should I drive?”
“I got it.”
Worried another splendid three-hour silence would occur, she racked her brain for a topic. “Any news from Heath?”
“Not recently. Last I heard, he was searching for a more efficient cure in northern Russia.”
“Northern Russia?”
“I think.”
“And here I was thinking he'd be searching in southern Africa.”
“Seems more logical, doesn't it?” Todd said. They laughed.
Lauren leaned against the makeshift window, red curls slightly obscuring her vision. “Todd?” she whispered.
“Hm?”
“What's gonna happen to us?”
Todd was silent for a long time. Just as Lauren was drifting off to sleep, he said, “We'll save the world.”
Lauren snorted. “A hero complex. Go figure.”