Outbreak
Outbreak
Ben Stormrage lay limply on his bunk. His light icy blue eyes seemed intently focused on a small spot on the ceiling. Even though the cell room was small he seemed to be perfectly comfortable. The loud thumping noise of boots echoed through the hallway behind his thick metal door. This seemed to break Ben out of his trance and he immediately focused his attention on the door. Whoever it was sure sounded like they where in a hurry and he was curies to know why.
There was a bang, as a door was slammed shut, quickly followed by soft chattering. The voices where too muffled for Ben to make out what they where saying. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and scooted closer to the door. Something big was going on. It had worked up all the guards into a frazzle. And he might just be able to use to his advantage. A small wicked smile curved across Ben's lips.
The conversation between the two guards suddenly stopped and the door opened again. This time the footsteps where lighter, calmer as someone walked back down the isle. It was most diffidently a different guard; perhaps a higher up. Whoever it was stopped a distance away. There was a soft beep that was quickly cut off and the footsteps started back up the hallway again. To Ben's surprise they halted outside his cell. The small metal window slowly slide open reveling two stern brown eyes.
As soon as they locked onto Ben they immediately filled with disgust and hatred. Recognition hit Ben and his small smirk immediately turned into a deep frown. The two men stared each other down, searching for any trace of weakness, their intense gaze never faltering. Suddenly Ben laughed and slouched backwards again. A content smirk once again creeping upon his face. The guards eyes narrowed in annoyance before he slammed the window shut and walked back out the hallway door.
A few minutes later a loud buzzing sound blared over the intercom. The clanging of the electronic doors systematically opening could be heard lightly in the background. It was followed by a loud cheer as the prisoners rushed out of there bared cages. 'Well, this is a shock' Ben thought. 'What could have spooked the guards enough to allow such a hasty evacuation?' He intended to find out.
The talking started up outside again, but closer to the hallway door than before. This time they spoke loudly so the buzzing wouldn't drown out their voices.
" The doors to block x19-z20 maximum security aren't opening. I'll have to go in there and do it by hand."
" No," A gruff older voice answered, " There's no time for that. You go home and worry about getting your family out of the city and safe. All the ones in that block where sentenced to death anyway." He tried to reason with the boy. The younger guard seemed to make no complaint. Seconds passed before Ben heard heavy thuds signaling the young guard was hastily making his way towards the exit. A sudden outburst of screaming and cries rang through the air as it finally clicked in the other convicts heads that they where being left for dead. Though they would all have been dead in a few months anyway.
Ben simply brushed his fingers softly through cropped, light brown hair. The guards where gone. The jail gates where open. He was free to do whatever he wanted. And he didn't even have to get one speck of blood on his shirt. Now all he had to door was get the door open. Slowly, a wide grin spread across his face that could best a Cheshire cat.
--
I let out an irritated groaned as I pushed myself off the floor and dusted my cloths off. My eyes searching around the furniture crowded room from under my long black bangs. Where the hell were my shoes? Something white in the other corner of the room caught my attention and I walked over to investigate. Pressed to the wall where to old off white snickers. They looked similar although one had giant silver strip raping around it's middle. Both where dirty and torn up.
I sighed. I was really looking forward to wearing my new shoes I bought during the weekend, but I couldn't find them and was already running late for school. These would have to do. I quickly slipped them on-not bothering to retie them- and grabbed my backpack sitting at the foot of my bed. With a quick glance back to make sure I didn't forget anything I made a short sprint to the living room and quietly went out the front door-so as to not wake anyone else up. Outside a tall, lean girl was standing on the sidewalk waiting for her.
" What took you so long?" The brunette hissed.
"Sorry Sam I couldn't find my shoes," I yelled out as I hopped/tripped down the porch steps.
"Where gonna be late again," Faith sighed as we began to walk up the street.
"Hey, I don't know about you but I'm not in any hurry to get to school," I replied.
"You didn't do your math homework again didn't you?"
I didn't answer.
"JOE! That's the third time this week!" Faith raged.
"It's not my fault," I defended," Mrs. Defrost gives too much homework."
Faith gave me an odd look ", she's a math teacher Joe, she's suppose to."
I sighed. "Man I swear she's got it in for me"
"Sure she does Joe," Faith said with a mixture of sarcasm and boredom. Like she had heard this all to often.
"I'm not kidding. The teachers out for blood," I stated in a whimperish tone.
Faith sighed but kept quit. After a few seconds she spoke up.
" So did you hear about what's happening up in Colorado?"
"No." My voice was dull and uncaring, but I knew Faith was going to tell me anyway.
" A lot of people are getting really sick from something and dying. I think it's like a virus or a plague or something, but the strange thing is the government wont tell anything about it. They just keep saying its an isolated incident and not to worry. They're keeping everything about it under raps. Even the symptoms." Faith's eyes went wide as talked about it, like it was the most amazing thing in the world.
"Well, what do you expect," it wasn't a question, "it's the government your talking about. I mean, to hear the news tell it I'm gonna die any day. Theirs always something going on. Bad food accidentally making it out into the markets, tarrist threatening to bomb us, Russia having nukes- which we do too by the way-, global warming, the ice capes melting, and these are just some of the things that could kill use mind you. Its like 'HEY, gas prices went down a dollar. The bad news: you're dead in a week anyway.' While the real threat we don't even know about walks by right under are nose wearing a free 'classified by U.S.A t-shirt."
Faith looked at me for a second as an awkward silence settled in. "you know, I think I actually made since of part of that."
I blinked, then burst into a fit of laughter. The high school came into view and nether of use said a word as we walked in and parted ways. Not bothering to go to my locker I swiftly walked down the empty hallway. I took a sharp right and opened the neatly decorated door. When the door opened a short young woman looked at her with harsh dark brown eyes.
" How nice of you to join use Miss. Bethlehem," Miss. Defrost sneered.
Miss defrost was the evil wicked witch of the west if you ever saw one. She would gladly pick on any student who she disliked, but something about her was off today. Her eyes where squinted and dark circles hung underneath them. And her regular 'I'm better than you' attitude was slightly lacking.
I ignored the rude comment and took my seat at the back of the class. My book bag slung lazy over the side of the chair. The teacher seemed to ignore me for the rest of the hour and thankfully didn't ask for the homework-guess she forgot. Though, it didn't make the time go any faster. Multiple times I glanced at the clock, only to sigh with disappointment. Once I even fell asleep and began snoring a little bit. Luckily I managed to shake myself awake before the teacher noticed or my snoring got to loud. After what seemed like hours the bell finally rang and I quickly rushed off to her next class.
The rest of the day past pretty quick and before I knew it I was in sixth hour listening to Mr. Kail-are biology teacher- give one of his boring speeches. He was a nice teacher with a humorous lighthearted nature; I just … couldn't listen to any of his lectures, or jokes, or interpretations- I would tell him to send his jokes back his jokes to the stone age but I'm pretty sure the next day I'd be getting a package from FedEx. The fire alarm went off suddenly and I jumped up ready to bolt for the door. After a second I relaxed and took a deep breath. Mr. Kail was already at the door rushing the students out into the crowded hall. A weak laugh hummed past my lips.
"Just a fire drill," I whispered softly to myself. Man I could be jumpy sometimes. Still, a sense of dread filled me and as I took the first steps too and out of the door I knew this was going to end badly.
The halls where so thick with kids rushing everywhere that I couldn't even see in front of me to check if I was going the right way. I groaned in frustration as I shoved past two kids who decided to make out in a corner instead of heading for the exit. Not that it mattered much anyhow because the boy in front of me was moving about a good half a mile an hour. Suddenly, something snagged the back of my collar and yanked me backward off my feet with one good tug. I let out a cry of surprise that was soon cut off as my shirt collar dug roughly into my neck. With a huff I fell back roughly into stone hard body. An arm wrapped around and snagged me by the front of my t-shirt as I struggled to get away. A wet pop dully hit my ears as sharp teeth clamped tightly around my shoulder. I squealed like a stuck pig and began thrashing around wildly. Flinging my legs back into the things knees. Scraping my nails across its jaw line and gums. Wiping my head back and forth trying to get it off. Then, just as quickly as the thing grabbed me it let go. Stumbling, I quickly got as far away as I could before I lost my balance and tumbled into the metal lockers with a bang that echoed across the now empty hall way. The wet smacking sound of lips rang out followed by a horrified scream. I glanced up to see the thing that attacked me. It was a deathly gray with deep black circles under it eyes. The long brown hair that came out of its head was fluffy and curled like it had been done just minutes ago. And dark brown eyes that only one person I knew had, even if they where lifeless.
Defrost's form was hunched over a boy. Her short, plump fingers greedily digging into a fresh gaping hole in his neck. After a second she pulled out her hand, ripping out a large chunk of red fleshy muscle like it was paper. Her blood caked face scrunched up as she brought the piece of flesh to her mouth. Defrost grunted loudly as she pulled off a nice hunk of meat in between her crimson stained teeth.
A soft gurgling noise caught my attention and I looked back down at the boy wide eyed. Blood formed at the corner of his mouth and dribbled down his chin. His lower jaw moving slightly as though he was trying to scream but nothing came out. A patch of glistening white bone was clearly visible where his voice box should be. A large red bubble formed in the boy's mouth as he tried to desperately tried to say something. The boy's eyes held a pleading look as they dulled before going blank. The red bubble slide down slightly and burst. Defrost popped her lips as she finished her first piece and reached back down to rip out another chunk.
My stomach twisted painfully and I nearly hurled as the coppery sent of blood filled the air. The next thing I knew Mr. Kail was dragging me down the halls as I dry heaved and tripped closely behind him. He was mumbling something to me but I couldn't make out what he was saying. My eyesight began to fuzz and my thoughts jumbled as I threatened to black out.
The next thing I knew I was laying down on a hard wooden floor. I blinked a few times as my sight became clearer. Mr. Kail was busy jamming he heavy wooden doors with something. A few other kids stud around the wide area. Most had a look of confusion but some seemed utterly horrified. A boy with dirty blond hair sat in the corner by the bleachers, wide eyed and mumbling to himself. His backpack flung to his side. I wonder if he saw the same thing I did. Another guy was standing in the middle of the room. Cooing softly too the girl in his arms as she cried historically. I looked around the room and to see what seemed to be Faith and a black haired man pushing a big desk out of the P.E. teacher's office and lining it up with another door that lead to the busy street outside. Just in time to, because the next moment another one of those 'things' rammed right into the door. Its decaying fingers leaving smears on the glass as it tried to paw its way through.