Title: INFxCTED
Author: Bloodrope
Rating: T
Fandom: The Walking Dead
Disclaimer: So I won't be sued by the people of not just AMC, their producers and the wonderful Mr. Kirkman who I have not read your comics but soon shall, I shall tell you all that I do not own anything related to what you see on the show or the comics. But I do own Solara, her badassness, Ailey and her OCD freakazoid ness and the copy of season 1 of the Walking Dead!
"Into Captivity you go; if you kill with the sword with the sword you must be killed."
-Revelation 13:9-
Never had she been helpless. Never was she forced to be in a cage when she was given freedom and she'd be damned to the pits of hell if she was going to willingly stay like some loon. The growling continued shuffling closer to her and she felt hands wrap themselves around the back of her arms before she turned around a slight shock flickering behind azure orbs. In front of her was Ronald. Or what she thought appeared to be Ronald. The moaning and the chops of his teeth started grinding in absolute anticipation. Her brain stopped as though in shock but she knew. The feeling she been having, the reoccurring dreams of a throw down wasn't just a figment of her subconscious. It was a warning.
"Fight to live, live to survive" she muttered under her breath while allowing the reflexes she had spent 19 years in training take over. The lids of her eyes closed, the dark lashes smoothly curling up tickling the air and before Ronald could take a chunk out of her, she pushed her body against the elderly man's, throwing the weight she could muster into the impact and released her arms.
Returning her eyes to him, she could see the pigment of his skin flush into what looked like what belonged to the swamp. The light greens that tinted the dead skin and the flesh that was starting to peel from once smooth and wrinkly sculptures of Ronald's face.
"Ronald?"
The groaning continued and what was the shell of Ronald's body shuffled its way towards her.
"Ronald are you alright?" Solara asked with annoyance lacing her worlds. It seemed that the growling/groaning old man didn't feel like talking to her and well she made her peace with the powers that be that what she'd do to escape from this cell wouldn't be her fault.
Against better judgment, she put off the old man not thinking what a dangerous and life altering move that could be.
Chaos had erupted the ward. Patients in their white and blue gowns were running away, some clung to the chairs and others sat in a fetal position against the wall rolling on their bottoms.
The staff for the institution weren't anywhere to be seen, though bodies continued to take up space through the hallways and against the electronically locked double doors that would've left to salvation.
Panic was becoming ever so popular that Solara wouldn't have noticed that the old fart was inches from having his perfectly cooked meal just for the picking if it wasn't for her ever favorite Drug-Dealing Male Nurse.
"The fuck! Oi Ronald, bite me and I'll send you to your wife before you say I'm the Wicked Witch, Capish?" She howled with absolute fury. It had been a while since she could truly be angry and it seemed that it all was going to be one of those days when you don't know that the worlds going to shit and decide to have a midlife crisis.
Strong sturdy arms grabbed Solara's biceps and shook her gently before tugging her away from the living dead Ronald. She couldn't tell what the hell was going on with the old man but whatever it was she didn't want to be a part of it.
She snapped her head to the fingers that were lugging her through the maze that was the facility building and locked her eyes on the quickly passing items that were hung on the walls; their colors reminding her of when you are sitting in the passenger seat of a car and look down at the stripes that marked the lanes on the roads, edges of red and blues would quickly replace yellows and oranges. The pallets of the rainbow continued to floor her vision and she wondered where she was, muttering "Feel the rainbow, taste the rainbow" in a mocking tone. She knew that it wasn't appropriate and that her dry dark and cynical humor wasn't for everyone and couldn't find it in her to apologize to her Drug-dealer whose name she never could remember, nor could she ask.
Nothing looked familiar when he stopped dragging her down the florescent hallway, ending at a closed door. She never was part of this side of the ward and wondered what exactly were behind the doors.
The shuffling and clinking of keys alerted her attention and the audible flick of the lock being unlatched in its comfortable crevice before curling itself back into the doors embracement.
"What's going on?" Solara demanded though her voice didn't hold the strong power it usually sounded and the attitude that usually accompanied it.
His back was to her but she saw his body tense underneath the scrubs and half-turned to face her.
"Ever heard of Armageddon sweets?"
It was quite obvious that she had. The scoffing that she permitted to run out from enclosed lips was sure sign that she knew. Who the hell wouldn't though? Hollywood made a science fiction of the sort and she knew that the Mayans believed that the world was coming to an uncouthly end, though by what it seemed to be the million dollar question.
He took her scoff with a brief curt nod, opening the door which allowed the natural light of the outside world to break through the cracks as the door moved.
"Seems that it didn't want to wait."
Solara waited for him to say something more, to elaborate his statement which left her with more questions than she could probably ask with her mind running on overdrive. Her features twisted in confusion and out of perpetual habit she ran her fingers through her hair.
In the end she stood there still behind him shaking her head, the moans now were becoming more frequent and the screams with panic becoming faint.
"No! No that's not possible!-" Solara started trying to put a scientific explanation for what was going on.
"You probably haven't watched since you've been locked here but for weeks some virus as the reporters like to call it has been infecting everyone. Now do you want to live or do you want to curl in a ball and die off?" He angrily hissed, his light orbs demanded an answer.
She couldn't understand it thought. This was the real world. She watched the news. She heard reports of a virus breaking out but never really paid attention to it.
Now when her life wasn't the only one in line she pushed back her thoughts, putting on a façade and nodding, grabbing the door before she could see some of the disfigured people turn the corner and be on their tail.
The outside world was almost like a war zone. Clouds filled the air with a gloomy effect and abandoned cars were left on the street, their doors opened for all the world. People, living people scrambled across the streets trying to outrun these beasts that had the never-ending thirst for their meaty flesh.
Watching it all made her realize that in just two months anything and everything can change. With all this chaos though she wondered where her sibling was. Was she alright? Was she on the highway going home to warn her mother or calling their father who was flying home from San Diego? Her mind swarmed with endless counts of questions about everything.
But she never really did stop her footing as she continued to follow the man out from the private establishment that had been her personal hell from 62 days. The two made their way to an blue old Honda civic.
Normally she'd have nothing against the foreign car but the perpetuating thoughts that belonged to her sister sounded off in her head though never left her lips as she slid into the clothed seat.
The engine started and the two took off, where Solara didn't know.
-†-
The jams that filled the street trying to leave the city were all too familiar to the dreams that haunted her memories. A cigarette rested between Solara's index and middle digit, a steady stream of smoke twisting and twirling up into the air where it would then become as transparent as the air that she breathed. Her hands were shaking as she inhaled the toxic smoke, allowing it to encircle within the curves of her lungs, soaking in the poison.
"Do you have anywhere to go?" the driver asked her.
She exhaled slowly wishing that she didn't have to answer him; it meant that she had to allow the fumes of smoke to leave her picked lips to be able to even reply to him.
"Honestly I don't even know where I am."
A the car was at a standstill, his chiseled angular cheeks that were in the range of her peripherals turned allowing her to see his entirety.
Disbelief hung behind the cloudy color of his eyes and instead of wanting to analyze anymore of him to the point of insanity she turned her head to watch in stoic silence the chaos. A woman with blond hair gripped her infant child, the sex was unknown to Solara as she couldn't see the color of the blanket nor was she able to tell by the clothing the baby was dressed in. A disfigured man whose face was covered in crimson liquid which she was instantly able to configure as blood clung to his lower jaw and dripped from his darkened fingertips. Her screams caused Solara to watch with a dreamy gaze, inspecting it all; weighing out the outcome that this woman would be able to survive the hell that the world had become. Her screams and the babies wails started to attract the decomposing, flesh-eating monsters to stumble towards her direction while others who were feasting upon their recent kill lifted their heads, deciding to leave their kill for something fresher and more desirable.
Solara couldn't stand it all. She couldn't understand what was going on except all the things that were being pictured outside of the car reminded her of old time Hollywood horror movies. Was everything outside actually happening while she was being kept behind barred doors?
She turned to the Drug-dealing hospital staff who was the reason for her escape and hoarsely whispered, "Where are we?"
He immediately responded, "This was Thomasville."
Thomasville. The town that was the center border that intertwined Cairo to Florida.
"I need to stop by my apartment and get some things but the radio has been saying that Atlanta is a safe-haven and that they'll give us sanctuary away from the infected," He continued on but Solara was only able to grasp Atlanta and Safe-haven. Was Ailey there? In Atlanta? Was her father home in Atlanta, was he even alive?
Instinct pushed the horrid thoughts that were being conjured in her mind. Her once shaking hands stopped their off balanced cigarette and she inhaled deeply, drinking up the minty tobacco before tossing the white stick out the window.
"Where's the closest Sports Shop, Dealer?"
"Dealer?" He asked with amusement despite their situation.
Her brow picked up and her azure hues that held no sort of humor glared into his. Instead he shook her head to her and decide to then introduce himself.
"My names Nathanial Richards. Call me Nate, Solara." He chuckles before explaining to her that a few blocks from the apartment building was a mom and pop hunting store that she could check out. He never once asked Solara what had been plaguing his mind for the past 62 days. Why exactly was she in his care; why was she sent to a mental clinic?
There wasn't an exchange of 'Thanks' to 'You're welcomes', instead she gave him a curt nod, her attention to once again at the silence of the wails; the mother on the ground her arms scraping the grass as she plucked them out from their intricate nuzzle deep within the dirt. To no avail, her pleas darkly switched to screams as her skin had lost its elasticity and started to shreds and what was left of her baby were barely the tiny bones before her life too would end.
An infected splashed its hands across the glass that was beside her leaving trails of crimson streaked across once clear and perfection. The peeled rotting flesh showed the now darkening gums of what was once human and the ravishing hunger growls that hissed from non-existent lips caused her to momentarily jump up from her seat.
Nate growled a "shit" and clicked the car into reverse before swerving dangerously into the stopped traffic buildup. Dozens of car horns were blasting into the air, some to their brazen take to driving others to hurry the jam up. Some even opened their doors and took to the tracks of downtown Thomasville, hoping that they could take the train and by any grace of God, surpass this pandemic.
-†-
Time wasn't of issue, though her eyes had been trained on the digitalized numbers for the remainder of the drive. She couldn't stand to see the chaos and fear that brought the townspeople to their breaking points. Taking to the account also that another reason she couldn't stand to gaze upon once beautiful and lively people was because of the dead that were rising up quicker than the dead were falling. However, when Nate pulled up to his and his room-mates apartment, he exited the car with ease; the calm rational thoughts that perhaps were running through his mind despite of their situation was quite interesting and if Solara had time to analyze him she'd probably find it remarkable. But that wasn't the case currently. Basic instinct was for her to gather things that she'd need to survive if she would accidentally meet with one of the "Roamers" that walked the streets.
"Nate?"
His body stiffened when she called out his name and he turned his attention to her briefly, curious as to what it was that she needed.
"Be careful."
A cocky smirk formed upon his handsome face and he inclined his head in a slight bow, adding a "Will do my lady," before asking her where she was heading.
With a shrug of complete nonchalance that she was trying to show, despite the growing anxiety of what could be hiding anywhere she stated that she was going to go to the Mom and pop store to see if there was anything that she could probably find until they got to Atlanta. He just nodded and reiterated her words of being careful. Solara nodded whispering as she turned that she would, taking off in the direction that he had pointed to.
With no weapons to disarm the roamers, she just hoped that she'd have enough luck stored that she wouldn't have to be fated to meet one of them until she had something to end their pathetic existences again. Pops of shots echoed in the vicinity and she couldn't tell for sure in what direction its origination was from.
Passing now empty industrial buildings that had belonged to once predominant and necessary businesses that normal humans would go to, Solara heard the guttural growls meeting face to face with a walking corpse. Its arms jutted out trying to reach for her body and Solara held back a gasp, inhaling quickly before wanting to gag at the grotesque smell. As she took a few steps backwards her eyes were looking for any means for a weapon besides her hands and legs. To her left and about 30 meters from where she was at was a blue bag where sticks were ready for her to pluck them, but knowing that if she went towards that specific direction she'd be in the range of more of the roamers she tried to mentally conjure a statistical plan that would be in her favor.
"Don't I wish that I was in a fucking Hollywood movie," She exasperated, annoyance tainting each word that passed through her lips.
The Roamer whose sex she was finally able to realize was a female with long dirty slacks with one flat dress shoe, "her" other foot ripped as the flesh allowed her to see the gritty white color of the bone. The roamer's hair was stringy and matted though it seemed to be falling off in patches with each movement while its arms were barely clothed and what remained were holes and rips.
Solara's feet continued to itch further and further away from her destination and the roamer was starting to snarl and snap its jaws in absolute anticipation. Her back hit the front bumper of a GMC and her eyes widened significantly. It was as though the roamer realized that its opportunity was now and wobbled quickly towards Solara's frame. With its arms opening in what could've been known as a hugging movement Solara kicked out her foot towards the roamers chest, hearing the thud as her sneaker hit the bones that would've protected a human.
"Shit shit shit shit" She murmured underneath her breath as she reclaimed her foot from the stumbling Roamer, giving her ample time to sprint towards the bag where the knitting sticks had protruded from the clothed bag, black yarn intricately wrapped around the needle. Tugging the soft cloth from the blue metal sticks, Solara watched as two other Roamers caught her attention, their ghastly orbs that once held perhaps so much sentiment and joy forever in an abyss due to their unsustainable hunger. Their trained eyes and impeccable hearing glared at her and slowly they gravitated to her.
With fear filling her adrenaline, her fingers started to tremble with each tug of the yarn, desperately trying to remove the tightly knitted stitched from their stick to use as a local weapon.
"They're not alive. They can't feel anymore. You can do this, Sol!" She tried to convince herself, keeping the bottle of emotions from the past, the reasoning's for how she got herself here to begin with under wraps.
The what could've passed for a male but was actually once a female roamer, the one with its bare foot exposed was closer to her person. Her eyes fluttered shut momentarily as she inhaled deeply, removing the thought from her mind of their decomposing stench. She needed to return her mind and body to complete unity not run it based on fear. Her ears picked up on yells and the throaty groans, moans and clicking of teeth meeting together in perfect harmony. When the lids of her eyes, shone the bright light of the day Solara was able to pull the stitches from the needles and hold them comfortably at her side her feet moving in a sweeping motion towards the original roamer that she met when she was going to the store and shoved the tip of the needle up through the nose socket up into the brain stem.
One down, two more to go.
Finding that she was able to make do with what she had as temporary weapons, Solara ended the pathetic existence of the Roamers and treaded carefully towards the mom and pop gun and artillery store, watching as looters and men were breaking the glass and holding people at gunpoint for cash.
Shattered glass filled the store and her feet continued to cause shatters of glass to continually break upon her weight. No one was paying attention to her and from her position whatever hopes she had of finding guns were thrown out the further she walked into the store. The popping sounds of the roamers coming closer to the building brought forth another wave of anxiety through her center. With quick flicks to her left and right she tried to memorize where everything was placed; the chairs being knocked over, how the glass had rippled before shattering and the sounds of cries as people were either cut or infected by the undead. A wooden stairway that to what she would've assumed led to the mom and pop's home, caught her attention and she decided that maybe perhaps there would be unconventional weapons that she'd be able to acquire.
Her heart started pounding in her chest, almost blocking out all the other sounds that were being flown across the walls, waving towards whomever was in the nearest vicinity. Taking a timid step towards the private entrance of someone's home brought a disgusting feeling in her mouth, though she continued meeting an opened door where two bodies bled out on the carpeted floor.
Solara's face contorted into absolute disgust for whomever carried out the deed but sorrow for the victims who were in their early senior years. Their arms were outstretched, though what caught Solara's attention were how their arms were reaching out for something. It was then that she realized that they were reaching out for each other in their last breaths.
"May you rest in peace," she stated with a hushed tone as she invaded their home, her eyes glancing around. Drawers were yanked out, utensils were scattered across the linoleum floor and when she swayed towards the living area something behind the green plastic wrapped sofa made her do a double take.
It was a hilt of a katana as she would later eye. A mighty fine weapon that could be conspicuous yet lethal at the same time. Picking up the katana by its raven sheathed hilt, she carried it in her left hand while leaning her head towards the hallway, listening. No sound emitted from the room which deemed it safe for her quick scavenge and with further inspection she only found another blade, taking it into her custody and making a break towards Nate's house.
Easier said than done, she'd have to admit as she carried the weapons and the needles like a lunatic. Planting her feet, she stuffed the knitting needles into her right front jean pocket and removed the blades from their sheathes and held them out, testing the weight before turning the corner to her drug-dealing slash life-saving ally.
The blue Honda was still parked in the driveway and bags were steadied by the front door.
"For the love of Christ are you kidding me?" she growled shaking her head. Mentally Solara chastised the man. They were in a fucking apocalypse not going on vacation! Essentials only, though it seemed that he either was ignoring the memo or was one of those hording idiots who couldn't bear to live without their precious shit.
Nate's head popped out and he saw her, flashing her a crooked grin until his eyes locked on to the weapons she had comfortably limped in her hands. The cloudy shift returned to his eyes and as his hands gripped the handles of the bags that he'd be taking for their "trip" to Atlanta, he started to shake his head.
By the time he tossed all the worthless bags into the trunk and backseat was when he finally decided to look at her, speaking each word in almost question.
"You couldn't get the guns."
"Place was over-run and this was all I could find." She shrugged, handing one of the blades to him. "Want it?"
With a shake of his head, she returned the blade to her side and entered the car.
"We better go, those things are coming closer and the radios and TV's keep talking about sanctuary in Atlanta for us." He calmly reiterated for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
She'd never know that hell's gates would be calling them in for a trap.
-†-
Authors Note:Okay so awesome! Chapter 1 here is done and I can finally go to sleep (not being able to because these scenes keep popping into my head forbidding me to not scribble something down). So leave me a review on whatcha think? What could be improved and what did you guys think of this weekend's episode! I freaked out and wanted to shoot bullets into my TV all due to Carl. Let me know!