She wasn't sure how she'd gotten here. She'd been sleeping, and now... What was this? Caly crossed her arms, beginning to walk around. She entered a busier region than the empty alley she had awoken in.
"Excuse me? What is this?" She tapped on a myocyte's shoulder. He flinched and turned, screaming as he looked at the virus.
"Help! Help! Virus!" he cried, fleeing. Everyone on transit to work or home turned to her, panic rising in an instant.
Caly didn't know what she'd done wrong. What was happening? As she heard guns cocking, she began to run. A bullet in her ankle slowed her and brought tears to her green eyes, but the pale grey virus carried on, seeking shelter.
By the time she couldn't run any longer, she was alone again. Lost and alone.
In a jungle of muscle tissue, she had to be careful not to get stuck as filaments slid past each other.
Digging the lysozyme bullet out of her ankle, she wondered what this horrible place was. No one had ever been mean to her. Especially not hurt her! Fortunately, the wound wouldn't be too bad, since the enzyme was meant to destroy bacteria cell walls. Not viruses. Still, it was terribly painful.
She was still so tired. Was it safe to sleep here? She hadn't seen anyone around in a while. She didn't know anything about the muscles near her, but soon some myocytes would have to come to work and check the sodium-potassium pumps.
"There you are. I heard you caused quite a scare, baby." A much larger virus began to laugh, smirking as his voice frightened the girl. "Is there a reason you didn't fight back?"
She scrambled to her feet, soon shifting her weight to her good foot. "Um.." Fight? She hadn't had to fight before. "I-I just need to find a way out of here. W-when I can walk better. Where am I?"
Thrax studied her thoughtfully. She did seem very lost. "Baby, you can't tell me you ain't never seen muscle tissue."
She continued giving him a blank stare then looking around curiously.
When he heard some nearby movement, he grabbed the girl by her forearm and pulled her up into the bottom most skin layer.
As she touched the basement membrane, Thrax was further intrigued. There was really something wrong with this girl. "Who are you?"
"Caulimovirus."
"And what family?"
"Caulimoviridae."
"Hmm..." He'd never heard of either, but quickly he determined why she was so confused. "Hold up... You're a plant virus." How very strange... "Come with me."
"After that little stunt with the lysozyme? I don't want to be around anyone!" she said, beginning to move away from him.
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to his body. "I think it'd be wise for you to do what I say." he whispered both seductively and dangerously. He released his hold on her and pulled his fingers through her hair. "I'm only telling you one more time. You're coming with me."
She slowly turned and looked up at him. "And who are you?"
"El muerte rojo. And you, baby, can call me Thrax."