The files gave us information about the hospital staff on the assignment as well as the patients. Twenty-seven coma patients received a mix of chemicals – we were still looking for that file – that would have awaken them from their coma. The first patient to show signs of zombie behavior was Patient 23, a forty-three year old male who had been there for five months. At first they thought he had recovered before they noted his glassy eyes and an odd stench coming from his body. He would foam at the mouth occasionally, moved slowly yet had quick reflexes, and he was then tied down to his bed for further investigation. The other patients started showing similar signs, and when one of the researchers – there were six in total – went to examine closer, they got bit. The researcher then developed symptoms similar to the flu, suffered a seizure, foam at the mouth and after their seizure, had the same glassy eyes as the patients. All patients and the infected researcher also shared incredibly pale skin with prominent veins. None of the patients had a pulse or signs of brain activity. While testing this, another researcher was bitten, leaving only four. One of them tried shooting at the infected researcher, only to discover that it was only effective when struck in the head.
Ryan, if you get this… I am so, so sorry. For everything, really. I've done nothing but lie to you for the past ten months now since I agreed to take on this project and everything has been going so horribly wrong. I'm so sorry, Ryan. Really, I am. I'm so scared, Ryan… I hope you can understand me despite all this crying, I'm such a mess. I'm scared, and we're trapped here, and I'm nowhere near you, and I just want to be with you and our baby and I can't. I wish I never signed on for this. This project isn't anything like I told you it was. I'm so, so sorry for the lies. And I'm so, so sorry for being part of this problem. I love you, so much, and I miss you and I wish I was with you right now. I have to go now, but I love you. And tell Sam that mommy loves him.
"So this whole thing has been going on for at least ten months," I noted, getting the confirmation of dates from the paperwork. "And they're completely responsible. Great. What's the next one labeled?"
"Claire Erwin," The Doctor read off the front of the cassette. "Let's put this one in."
Alex, I pray to God that you get this. Oh, Alex, I'm so scared. I wish I was with you and my ma and papa right now. Alex, listen to me, get in your truck with all of your guns and your family and run. Just drive away, get the hell out of here. It isn't safe. The whole country won't be safe either. Just drive far away and find a random airport and get on a random flight out of here. I may be your ex-girlfriend but I still love you and need you to stay safe. I knew I shouldn't have taken this damn internship. The other intern got infected and the head of the research department for this case is dead. We've been giving the zombies this weird batch of chemicals, I don't even know what it is, they wouldn't tell me. But it got them out of their comas and now they're zombies and I'm so scared. Alex, whatever you do, get the hell out of here. Stay safe… for me. Please. This will spread soon, I can tell.
A silence struck The Doctor and I after listening to Alex's ex-girlfriend's recording. I was heartbroken that he came so close, but never got to hear it. "Put in the next one," I broke the silence. We had to move on. I listened as I continued to search for the file that contained information about what they had given the patients.
Lisa, I wish I told you how much I love you. I've had a crush on you since we were young and now I'm gonna die. Remember how we always said you'd be a bad ass apocalyptic leader? It's time to be one. I'm not supposed to know, but I think I know what they're doing. I think the mix is a massive adrenaline shot, like that one in Pulp Fiction, but with heavy amounts of amphetamine and some other chemical that I watched Doctor Arden mix up herself. This whole thing was an accident, it really was. It's terrifying! Head-shot wounds kill these zombies… that's the only way I can describe them. They're zombies, Lisa, but I know you can handle them. I know you can.
"Adrenaline, amphetamine, and mystery drug," The Doctor repeated. "Probably another stimulant. Something that would have heavy effects on the brain or the nervous system."
The Doctor began to ramble off what it could be, but I never was the best at understanding chemistry so most of what he said just went in one ear and out the other as I continued rummaging through the files. I was getting frustrated and when I threw Doctor Arden's file down, a paper slipped out of it that hadn't been there before. I picked it up, slowly examining it. Based on the texture of the paper, you could tell that it had been stuck to another page. "Doctor!" I cut him off.
"What, Runner?" he stopped mid-sentence. I held up the file and found myself smiling out of victory.
"Look what I found," I looked him in the eyes. As he ran over to read the document with me, The Doctor's smile matched my own.