Brief Explanations: Sam never died. She survived. Anna and Ethan came, but never found him, and they left for greener pastures. Robert Neville never captured the girl with the butterfly tattoo, and the alpha male never attacked his home. Four years after the first infection, Robert Neville caught the infected female with the butterfly tattoo. This is how things are were they different. Don't argue with my logic. Purely for entertainment value.
Chapter One: Welcome back.
"Welcome back to the living."
What? It felt like I was coming up from being immersed in ice cold water for a long time. The words spoken were soft, far away, muted and muffled. I felt locked in a corner of my mind, as if someone threw away the key and I couldn't get out. I couldn't remember how long it was that I'd been in the black oblivion. Feeling slowly returned. My fingers, my entire body was thrumming. I could feel every cell as it sent sensory information back to my brain, telling me the texture of the solid beneath me, telling me what elements were present in the air, what scents were in the air. I could feel air particles bounce off my skin.
I could now feel my legs, my arms, my torso. My skin was mostly exposed to the air, with strips of cloth covering my other parts, perhaps to maintain my dignity. My mind didn't really linger on that, as with a sickening snap everything returned. Reeling, my body, not quite attached to my mind sent itself screaming across the room, smacking into some kind of see-through wall. It ducked into the corner and collapsed on the ground, curling its' limbs above and around itself. I could hear its' whimpers through muted ears. They were my whimpers. I could see myself staring at a black man in a white coat gazing at me gently with his hands out, palms facing me, his lips moving but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I could just hear my heart thumping, loud in my ears.
"You're alright." It was dull, muted, and I could barely make it out. He slowly approached, making sure his hands were in front of him for me to see. Hearing slowly returned, and eyesight stopped having red tinting the edges. He crouched down in front of me, and he slowly placed a hand on my heated skin. I looked at it, my breathing coming out in harsh gasps from between my open lips. He then placed his other hand on my arm, slowly moving them towards my face. Out of reflex my body moved away, shrinking into itself. "I won't hurt you," He said. And, yet, somehow, I didn't believe it. My body crawled away, scooting back as fast as possible. Everything was so sharp- the light, the sounds, the air. I could see the dust motes dancing in the air, I could taste them. I could smell the mint fresh on his breath. I could even smell the piece of meat caught on one of his back teeth. I could tell it was cow.
He was speaking again. "... Virus, and I just chanced on the appropriate formula. You were Infected for.. four years. You're the first major breakthrough in the cure. Do you have any itches, aches? Do you feel sick in any way? Do you have a need to eat raw meat?" My eyes glanced around the room quickly. I could see large steel tables, benches, with apparatus' on them I didn't know of. He shook his head and stood up, moving towards the see-through wall. He opened it and stepped through, shut it again and left completely, leaving me sitting alone in the corner. I stared.
When he came back I was lying down, hiding underneath the table I woke up on. He slowly opened the door, nudging it with his hip, and in wafted the most beautiful smell I'd ever tasted, in my few short minutes of life. My head jumped up to sniff the air and banged on the table. I slowly crawled out from under it, and he set down what appeared to be a plate with some food on it on the table. He had some cloth folded over his arm, but my mind was only intent on the food. My legs made myself upright so I could stare at the food.
"Could you sit up here?" My eyes switched to him quickly. He gestured to the table, and I could feel my head slowly tilt, unattached to my body in its movement. I wasn't controlling it. I was merely the viewer, it seemed. He moved to sit on it, and gestured for me to do the same. He sighed and slowly approached me, and as I reflexively stepped backwards he held his hands up and said, "I'm only trying to help you. Please."
I stared at him, before my eyes moved towards the food. It was enough of a distraction for him to be able to encroach upon me and lift me up from underneath my arms. Too shocked to move, I let him sit me upon the table. "There we go," He said, before nudging the platter with food over to me. He turned and began sifting through a small table filled with weird plastic things. I became distracted by the overpowering smell of food. I leaned over and tried eating it with my mouth, yet I couldn't get purchase on it. I quickly realized that using my hands were more efficient, and I could hear him chuckle in the background. Grasping the meat to my face I looked up at him. His eyes were on me, and he slowly moved forward.
"The food is a distraction. I need to take a look at you, okay? Don't be scared." He approached me, holding a syringe. I immediately tensed. A large black guy in a white coat looming over me? I needed a way out. But the see-through wall was closed. I couldn't get through, like the man could. "My name is Neville. Robert. I'm a doctor, I can help you. Just concentrate on the food, the needle won't hurt. I just need a little bit of blood."
Somehow, I felt my head move of its' own accord. It nodded. He moved slowly still, and I slowly bit into the meat. The flavor was gorgeous. I was in heaven just by sinking my teeth into it. He reached me and gently held my arm, sliding the metal into it. It took something, and I must've hissed or something because he looked up at me, studying my face. "Thanks." He said. My head tilted again. I swallowed, taking another large chunk out of the piece of meat. He moved away, doing something with his back turned to me. For an instance, I got a huge whiff of a copper tang. I could smell it permeate the air. It was so powerful it nearly made me sick. Again, I must've done something because he turned to me. "You can smell that?" He asked. He raised an eyebrow before slowly stepping out of the room, opening and locking the door as he went. I studied him closely this time, watching him as he moved around the room outside the see-through wall. I looked at the lock. I finished the meal, and I slowly moved off the desk. This time, however, I felt as if I was in control. I wanted to look at my hand. And, slowly, my hand rose to my face, and I could see the long, gangly fingers shake in front of my eyes. There was a pinch between my eyebrows, and I knew I was frowning. I moved towards the door, and mimicked his movements. Soon the door was open, with nary a sound and he didn't turn once. Leaving the door open I slowly moved towards him, my eyes intent upon his rather large and superior form.
He must've realized I was there. He turned to me with a slightly incredulous look on his face. "You could open the door?" He looked past me towards the see-through wall and shook his head. His lips tugged open at the corners. "That's a good sign." He patted my thin shoulder and turned back to whatever he was doing. A few seconds later and a sharp intake of breath made me on edge. He turned to look at me, something new in his eyes. Fear. I could smell it drip off him.
"You can smell it, can't you? The blood. Pumping in my veins. It calls to you, doesn't it?" He grabbed my hand and I jumped. He put it against the middle of his chest, and instantly I was enthralled. "You feel that. What does it make you want to do?" I watched him for a few moments, and, almost docilely I put my other hand where his was on him, between the two mounds on my chest. He then stared again, and then gazed back at the screen. He thought for a few moments before grabbing something on the counter and baring his arm to me. He sliced it against his arm and there was that smell again- copper. Tangy. Harsher this time, and it assailed my senses cruelly. I made a disgusted sound before staggering away, and this seemed to hearten him again. There was now a large grin spread across his face. "There is hope yet. Listen, I need to get some samples from you. Please, sit back on the table in there."
'Sit back on the table in there'. The last time he told me that he moved me to sit on some metallic bed thing, back in the room with the openable see-through wall. I moved back there and sat on the table as he requested, and his grin widened as he brought more equipment into the room. "Please, open your mouth."
My head tilted again. He then showed me, by opening his mouth. I mimicked that, too, and his eyes narrowed in that strange grin of his. He took something from his pocket, a small white stick with two fluffy things on the end. He put one end under my tongue, and removed it, before wiping the other end in my ear. My nose scrunched. He laughed, before placing the stick in a small container. He then took something that was hanging from around his neck, and shoved it in his ears. He grabbed something- which I realized was attached to it- and placed it up against the middle of my chest.
"Hmn. Slightly elevated heart rate." He looked me over for a few minutes, before asking, "Can you talk?" I stared at him. "You're sentient, I know that. Can you talk, can you say anything? Can you remember before you woke up here? Can you--"
--
"--even HEAR me!? Chihiro Lee Winters, you have to be the most irritating, spoilt, selfish brat I've ever laid my eyes on! I can't believe I gave birth to a lazy cretin like you!" A girl was lying on the floor, sobbing. Her hands were bleeding heavily, the fingers held out at odd angles, broken. She had bruises over most of her body and she was bleeding from a wound on her head. She half sat, half lay in the ruins of a pottery set, with biscuits strewn in the tea soaking into the carpet, mingling with her blood. She sobbed, her eyes fixed on the TV screen sitting the corner. It was a bright and happy cartoon, nothing at all like what she was going through. Her eyes turned back to her mother standing above her, her hand raised.
It lowered in slow motion. The girls' arm raised up, and the broken fingers dug into the womans' arm so hard the woman screamed aloud. There was movement and two people ran in. Two boys, twins, holding each others arms. They moved towards her, but Chihiro was faster- she charged them both down, ripping into them with her teeth. All the while, in the background it could be heard- "We urge residents to remain indoors and not touch anyone. The infection has spread at an alarming rate and it is possible it has become airborne. Do not cut yourself, and we urge you all to find masks and breathe in as little as possible the contaminated air. Stock up on food, gas, essentials, and stay--"
--
"--calm! It's okay!" His arms were around me. My head was buried in something warm, something thundering on the other side of it. A strangled cry left my throat. I felt something wet run down my face. Suddenly calm I touched it with my hand. I pulled back to look at him, and I let my fingers graze his cheek, letting him know that, yes, I was calm. He let out a quick breath, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I shivered, slowly moving away. And, to my surprise, he let me. I slowly crawled to one of the corners, squeezing myself into the corner between the wall and the bench. He stood and began doing things. Things with the little white stick, looking at it through a scope.
I don't know how much time passed. I watched him as he moved around the room, talking loudly to nothing in an authoritive voice. "This subject has had a positive response to Serum 487, Compound 4. Body temperature was lowered to normal human temperatures. Upon brief inspection of the blood I found traces of an Aggressor- a compound that heightens anger responses and senses. I found this in the Infected, however hers is more subdued and upon inspection I found she was repelled by the smell of blood- typical human response. Her sight, smell, taste and touch senses are all heightened, however her tenancies towards flesh and blood have been greatly reduced. I'm currently running a diagnostic on all equipment before checking the saliva and earwax samples taken from the subject." He whipped something off his face before planting it down on the table. He turned towards me.
He studied me quietly, and in return I studied him. He turned back after whatever it was beeped at him, and he pulled his glasses back on. He continued talking as he fiddled with the white stick. "Subject broke down a few moments ago. Shaking, convulsing, signs of fatigue, all symptoms of shock. Physical inspection revealed girl is about 17 years old, of Asian descent. There are signs within the bones of abuse prior to infection. Hip has surgical scars, and many knife scars along subject back. However, the girl is-- hold it." He leant closer to the screen, his large black hands gripping the table. "These cells are different." He started tapping at something, and I raised my head, before standing, leaning onto the bench. "The DNA structure of these cells is different. They merge both Infected and Human cells with Serum 487." There was silence. "Checking the blood sample again." He didn't speak for a while, tapping at something again. "The blood is made up of several types of cells. Normal blood cells, normal white cells and a new cell. Labeling new cell "X-cell". X-cell appears to have the same effect of the White cell, however seem to be a lot more effective than White Cells. Estimated, about 3 times more X-cells than White cells. It doesn't seem to have an adverse effect on her, however. Subject appears quite docile, and sentient. Will investigate further the new cell, and any possible effect it may have on her. No other test-subject, including animal subjects have had this reaction to the Serum."
He moved about some more, and turned to look at me. "Understands basic language, however speech may be a little harder for subject to grasp." He slipped out of whatever character he was in and his eyes softened. "Will have to give her a name. Calling her 'subject' doesn't really apply anymore." He addressed me. "Do you have a name?"
My head tilted again.
"Subject probably has no memory of pre-infection. I guess 'subject' will have to do for now. Will keep an eye on her for a week. If nothing occurs will assume Serum is safe, and can start injecting it in other subjects captured." He once again whipped off his glasses, leaning over the bench tiredly. I slowly moved towards him, and towards the screen. It showed several blobs floating around, with various letters and numbers. Without thinking I reached up to touch the monitor with my fingers, and I slowly ran them across the various words scrolling across the black.
I turned back to the man, and watched him. He was leaning over the bench, tired, his eyes shut tight. He looked worried about something, his lips moving constantly. I could still hear what he was whispering. "If she doesn't regain any memories of her past life.. then.. will the others?" He looked up and watched as I moved closer to him. For some reason, I felt compelled to be next to him, to feel his warmth. My limbs moved of their own accord, moving to wrap around him. He chuckled slightly, the sound confusing me.
"You're consoling me?" He moved to hold my shoulders. "If anything I should be consoling you. No memory of your past life, no skills." He shook his head and led me back to the see-through wall room, and I sat down on the table, as I knew he'd tell me to. He smiled gently. "I'll bring down a few books for you to look at, it may, may not refresh your memory. We can only hope." He turned to leave, yet I grabbed his arm. He looked back at me. "You want to come? Hmn. I suppose it couldn't hurt." He gestured for me to step down, and I did. He picked something up, and I recalled it was like the same thing I was wearing. My hand automatically flew to the shredded cloth covering my torso.
"Yes, you're right." He grinned again, this time dazzling me with white teeth. My head tilted again. And then, I felt my own face try and emulate his. My lips tightened, before pulling back over my teeth. He stiffened slightly, before shaking his head and grinning broader. Why did he become cautious all of a sudden? "Smile looks good on you." He gestured to me. "Do you know how to undress and redress?" He shook his head. "No. Of course you don't. Ah.." He shifted uncomfortably again and my smile faded, dissolving into a concerned look. I touched his arm gently, and he forced out a smile, perhaps for my sake. My hands went to the cloth and placed them down on the table, before pulling the shredded ones that covered my body off. I could hear his heart steadily increase in pace, and I could tell most of that was going to his face. His cheeks got noticeably darker. Why? I reached a hand up to his cheeks, feeling heated under my hand.
He stuttered. "Sorry." Her quickly turned again, and I felt my jaw clench. I pulled the cloth he had gotten for me, quickly took the large thing that resembled the one that had been covering my torso (however much more complete) and pulled it on, trying to make it look like the shirt he was wearing underneath that large coat. It felt nice and warm. I hadn't noticed how cold I was. I rubbed my arms quickly before pulling on the bottom half to resemble his pants. I nudged his shoulder and he turned, and grinned at me. "So you do know how to dress. Come, let's get you some more food. You must be starving." I followed him back out of the see-through wall room, my eyes on him constantly. Walking seemed easy, effortless. My body had learnt the motions of this long ago, and somewhere, some primitive part of my mind had retained it, even though all other memories had gone. My body had learnt many other things, and my mind still had some semblance of it all. He spoke to me just as we reached the door. "Whatever you do. Don't run. It won't be safe for you."
My head tilted again, and he shook his head with a chuckle. "It'd be hard for you to make it out the door anyway. Still--"
--
--Their love was primal. They moved hard and fast, their hearts thundering to the call of the night. She pressed up against him, and he growled. He flipped her over with harsh hands and began to ride her, his movements harsh, both of them letting out growls and snarls of.. whatever it was, it wasn't pleasure. It was primal lust. She felt a bond to him, but that was because they had mated. They were mates, and that was what drew them together. His hands gripped her hips and they arched wildly into the other, before both screaming their--
--
"Shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay." The man spoke slowly, calmly, holding me close to him once again. We were in a different room entirely now, and I was sitting on something very soft. I looked. It resembled something.. as if I had seen it before. I felt more in control of my body now. I gently patted him to get his attention, and I slowly sat up, wiping at my eyes to get rid of the pesky tears. "Are you alright?" He asked.
I heard the question before, once. Somewhere, somehow. I nodded, and I looked up to look around. The room was very tidy. Structured. There was nary a thing out of place. A sudden image of a girl crying on the floor of a crowded apartment filled my mind and nearly got me crying again. I groaned aloud slightly and grunted, patting him again.
He nodded, and moved away slightly. "Sam?" Something came rushing in and jumped up on whatever it was I was sitting on, and immediately, the smell got to me. It was gorgeous. It was the most beautiful smell I'd smelt, it seemed. I leaned closer to whatever it was and it leaned closer to me, licking my face with it's tongue. "Wow. She likes you. She's a dog, a canine. Friendly as they come. I'll get you some more food. My cooking isn't that crash hot, but anyway.." He then leaned in towards the dog (called Sam, perhaps?) and whispered in her ear. I could still hear it, quiet as it was.
"Keep an eye on her for me, will you? Make sure she doesn't do anything crazy." He turned back to me and smiled. "I'll put on a movie for you. You can watch as many as you want, whatever you want." He moved towards the large screen thing on the other side of the room. It resembled the one in that other room. He then rifled through something and then turned it on. He pressed a few buttons and very brightly coloured images began to play on the screen. He adjusted something and I could hear words being spoken. It was quiet, not too loud, not too quiet- however, to me, it was if it was being spoken right in my ear. I leaned back, and drew my legs up, my eyes locked on the black man. Sam, as it was called moved up beside me, placing its' head on my legs. I felt my lips stretch again in that.. smile I learnt off the man. Didn't he say his name? His name was.. Neville Robert. But that didn't sound right. Neville Robert? Nevert Robville? Nerob Vertville? Robert Neville, maybe? I watched as he left to the right, and he started doing something in another room. And then something else caught my attention. The screen was showing a small four legged animal that was brown- and rather irritating in its' appearance- and a towering green fat thing. It walked like us, and both of them spoke. If we were like the big green thing, and Sam was like the four legged thing... could she speak too, like the one on the screen did?
I nudged Sam with my hand. She looked at me with her brown eyes. My eyes narrowed slightly, and my eyebrows pinched together. I looked up at the green person on the screen and watched as he spoke. He used his mouth- so did Neville. Could.. I? I opened my own mouth and let out a noise. It didn't sound like anything they said, though. It sounded more like a grunt.. They moved their lips, though. I tried to move my lips. Didn't work. A frown settled on my face. I watched as the green person spoke, and listened to what he said.
"Ogres are not like cakes." It said.
I turned to look at Sam, and opened my mouth. I imitated how his lips moved, and then I tried to make me sound like the person on the screen did.
"O'res are n't like.. cakes." It came out in rasps, but it was enough to surprise both myself and Sam. I could hear something crash in the other room, and the person who seemed to be helping me came racing back into the room. His eyes were focused on me, wide and surprised. He moved over quickly, sitting next to me on the black leather couch.
"You can speak..?" His voice trailed off, and my head tilted slightly. Was that speech? Yes. Somehow, I knew it was speech. "Can you say it again?" He asked. My head tilted further.
"Ogres are not like cakes." He motioned to me gently. He wanted me to say it again. At least, I thought.
I said it slower this time, trying to copy the movement of his lips precisely, aiming for the sound he made. It worked slightly better this time. "Ogres.. are.. nu'ut.. 'ike 'akes." A grin spread across his face as I copied it. My voice was not like his at all. His was very smooth and velvety, deep and low. Mine was almost high and shrill, raspy.
It felt as if I hadn't spoken in years. What had I said, though? I merely copied the green person on the screen. Some part of me recognized it, because it felt familiar, but I didn't even understand what the word 'Ogre' meant. He patted my shoulder, a grin still large on his face. I could see something in his eyes. The look of someone who had just found hope, something to believe in. A frown set into my face, and I nudged his shoulder with my hand, before standing. No longer interested in the images on the screen I moved towards the room he was previously in, looking at the plastic platter on the floor. Instantly, an image played through my mind of him dropping it, staring up towards the room I knew I had been sitting moments ago. I felt myself walk around the room, looking at various things, items that littered the counters. I placed my hands on one of the counters, and ran my fingers over it, feeling the texture.
"That's a counter," I heard him say. "You make food on it. You still hungry? I'll make you something." My head tilted again. I bet he was growing rather annoyed at that, but I couldn't think of anything else to show him that, yes, I was quite hungry. But most of all tired. And, insatiable in something. I wanted something, deeply, yet, I couldn't remember what. I moved out of the way and he began moving about again, fixing the platter and walking to the large metal cupboard. "This is a fridge," He said loudly. My head tilted again. "It cools things down by expelling heat from the inside."
I watched him for a while longer, moving slowly towards the round table and chairs before sitting down in one of them. I pulled my legs up and hugged them close to me as I watched him move about. He moved very rigidly, and watching him I felt.. sadness. He was doing all of these things, moving, talking, remembering.. What I wouldn't give to be able to remember. Images of a girl lying in a pool of blood swam to my mind, and I flinched. Was that.. No, it was. I had a sense of familiarity about the person- that was me. And I was crying loudly. Screaming for my mother, for my father, for Akira-sensei. Akira-sensei? In my shock, I suddenly realized that I was on the floor curled up into a corner again, loud shrieks coming from my throat, garbled noises escaping my quivering lips. And then, no. That couldn't possibly be me that I saw. She had hair, she moved as if she owned herself. She was her own person. She couldn't be me. Muted, I heard someone calling to me.
"It's okay, it's okay! You're safe, I'm not going to hurt you!" My heart thundered in my ears, and my chest was wracked with sobs. "Calm down, it's okay. You're safe." There was a primal scream heard, detached, and yet somehow I knew it was coming from my body. And then, not of my own accord, my body flew at the man who called himself Neville Robert, sending both him and myself crashing into the table.