Disclaimers: I do not own any character in the 3 ninjas universe. Or any mentioned plot from the franchise. I also make no money from this, just your kindly reviews, so please do if you can.

...

Rocky opened his eyes to the colorful sight of floating ducks. He isn't dreaming or hallucinating, there really are floating ducks before him. They're imprinted onto a curtain. As he rubbed his eyes, he wondered why every time he read about people waking up in hospitals that it's always to some stark-white? The rooms are actually rather colorful, even the lesser patient rooms where they just stick you on a gurney to wait around to see a doctor or get rush treatments. They have happy pictures on curtains, colorful equipment, and touchscreens always flashing images or medical information for some condition or problem a person might have. His favorite of the five was the one with the drawing lying on its side, holding its stomach to showcase something called

GERD.

Where is everybody?

The eldest of the Douglas children has been in the hospital for a full week now, going on two. The doctors said they wanted to make certain that the virus was out of Rocky's system before they released him. They were right to do so. When Rocky recalled everything that happened in that mansion, he got chills. Cold blooded night terrors would plague him, and keep him up at night. He never wants to experience anything such as that again.

His family was usually in the room with him, when he woke but right now he's alone. He hated being alone, it gave him time to think. I remember. It made his skin itch. Hearing a sound, Rocky looked at the curtain surrounding him as if he could see through it.

"Is someone there?" he called.

"Hhhuh.."

The voice sounded familiar. "Emily?"

The curtain pulled over revealing exactly her. Except she wasn't herself. She is.. A zombie! Emily lunged at the bedridden patient, all digging fingernails and biting teeth!

"Aaah!" Rocky shot up the bed; his mother was at his side in a hurry.

"Rocky, you're ok. You're safe." She calmed him.

His eyes wide and frightened looked around uncertain that this wasn't just another dreamland. But, he gradually calmed down, he could feel the warmth of his mother's comforting hand rubbing his back rather than just seeing it or knowing it's happening.

"Mom, where's Emily?"

Confused, Jessica wondered why her son would suddenly be wondering about Emily Hart. They are long times friends, possibly more, as the floating teases and heckles from his brothers exclaim, but she's fine. Why worry?

"Mom?"

"She's at home, I imagine. Why? Should I call her here?"

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Yesterday. Rocky… what's wrong?"

"It's something that we found out in that mansion," He took the offered cup of water, drinking it greedily. When he set the cup down, nerves fully calmed, he went on with what he was saying. "When we were in that mansion lab, we found these papers about some products made by this corporation called Umbrella. They produced a line of different products, including diet pills, the same ones that Emily takes. If they are doing shady experiments, she could be in serious danger.." He doesn't even know what. Death? Turning into one of those things? Either one was a horrible outcome.

"Rocky, you're not joking about this are you?" Jessica grew very still.

"No. So, please, get Emily on the phone and have her come here to be tested for anything suspicious."

Jessica got up from her chair and hurried to a phone. Emily had been complaining about cramps a few days ago. But… it couldn't be because of some defective pills. Nothing can happen to her, she's a dear friend of the family. Jessica often teased Emily as being her daughter-in-law. It would seem the immature teasing gene her other two sons have was inherited from her.

"Pick up, pick up.." She said to the ringing that replied to her dialed number.

Rocky waited patiently in the bed, despite his wanting to get up and be at his mother's side while she called Emily, he could feel himself swaying on his feet just at the thought of walking. It has been an exhausting many days; the virus really did a number on him; however, he couldn't imagine having to stay for too many more. Rocky would go crazy not knowing what's going on back at home. And any of the times that he's woken up, he was either too tired to talk or his family was too closed-mouth about what's happened since they were rescued from the mansion. His father was released three days before him; they once shared this room. So anything going on in the world, he's good and caught up on.

Looking at the IV in his arm, Rocky then looked over at the saline bag hanging from the pole. It's almost empty. His dual-colored gaze then shot to the bathroom. Blowing out a breath so that his lips flapped like a horse's, the bedridden teen carefully gathered his tubes then he slipped out of bed. Pacing himself he walked to the bathroom, returning just as steadily as he'd gone.

"Rocky,"

His mother's voice nearly startled him to slam into the bed frame. "Did you get a hold of Emily?"

"No, baby, but I told your brothers to go look in on her."

...

Colt was the one who'd answered the phone when his mother had called. His nerves were pricked enough to be a cacti's cousin. He wondered if maybe he shouldn't coax Emily Hart from her home, save himself the struggle because what if the pills she's taken were from a tainted batch? What if all the pharmaceuticals are? What then? Hundreds of consumers who've taken them could have turned by now and are on the move! What if he knocked on the door and was instantly greeted with a bite?!

Colt realized that he'd stopped walking and is currently standing outside of the Hart's home across the street. He should have brought backup, a tasty little kid over a more mature meat, the zombie girl might ignore him for his brother.

'Colt, stop being a wuss and knock.' Raising his fist he rapped on the door, then he rang the bell. He took 3 steps back and waited. "Emily! You home!?"

The door pulled open after a three minute wait, and out popped not a zombie ready to cannibalize on him but a normal, healthy human girl. Relief washed over the Douglas child visible enough that it was questioned by the witness.

"Are you ok? You seem... I wanna say shaken but better now. Is something wrong?" Her voice took on a panicked concern. "Is it Rocky? Did something happen at the hospital?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. No, Rocky's fine. He wants to see you.. I was asked to come and get you."

Why tell her the truth? She's just an innocent. Besides, if she's gonna panic, let her do it where she'll have better help during a faint. Colt waited for a fight of rejection, maybe she is busy and can't right now; he would have to use force if that's what it came to.

Emily suddenly whirled a 180 and gone back inside her home, when she emerged she was wearing a different shirt, it's covered in large artsy-printed pink and white flowers so it looks more like tye-dye than a zoom in of foliage. She told Colt that she called a Lyft service and they used it to get to the hospital.

...

"We have your blood work back, Miss Hart," Dr. Weston said once he entered the room with the patient.

Emily was beyond surprised to find out why Rocky had wanted to see her. Being informed that she might have been ingesting contaminated pills was not something she coulda hear with a calm state of mind. She nearly had a panic attack, especially when she told the doctor she'd taken one just yesterday before her workout!

"Am I gonna die of poisoning or something?" Her hand gripped firmly to the bedding. She didn't think the whole song-and-dance of a gown was necessary, but they wanted to run through every checkup they could to ensure the killer virus was not in her.

"You are lucky, you're a very healthy young lady. Even the urine sample came up negative."

Colt took his leave, decidedly uncomfortable with hearing such things about a friend and neighbor, besides his mother is with her, and Mrs. Hart should be arriving at any moment to be at her daughter's side. He can go tell Rocky the good news, he's sure his strong and solid brother is waiting on the crumbling cliff with anticipation.

"Rocky, the doctor said Emily's fine." Colt informed when his brother came into view. "Are you ok? You look green.."

"I was just thinking, other people are taking those pills and using other products from that company. What if they're contaminated?"

Colt walked farther into the room taking a seat on the leather armchair beside the bed. "Rocky, that's a sick thought but.. if luck is on our side those creeps at that company have only started messing with their products and none of it was released yet."

Rocky took in those words and smiled. "When you're the voice of optimism and reason one can't help but upgrade worry."

"Rocky, I'm never wrong." Seeing the look on his brother's face, he scoffs. "Name one time."

"I can name a dozen times forty. Starting with us at four and five," Imitating his brother he quoted. "Sam we only need twelve balloons to float, let's just blow up the whole bag and fly. Boom! Grounded." They got off easy actually, they had intended to jump from the staircase. That movie Up can really badly influence impressionable minds. "Then when we were eleven and twelve, you said..."

Colt held up his hand to cut his brother off. "Why do you have to bring up old stuff?"

Rocky smiled, feeling somewhat better though he's still worried. "I hope you're right, and this whole thing blows over." Laying himself back against the pillow, he kept awake in assumption that Emily would come see him, which after another ten minutes of chatting about nothing with his brother it finally happened. Rocky took in his longtime friend's appearance for himself, as if his eyes could spot truths missed by machines and labs. But she looked as per usual. It was such a relief.

Emily laughed off the examination, it was so embarrassing, and chose to wrap her arms around Rocky for a hug. They both needed the comfort from the momentary scare.

"I still can't understand what's going on. You guys really battled with the undead?" Emily looked from Rocky to Colt then fixed her attention to the eldest Douglas brother.

Colt blew out a breath. "They sure seemed undead."

"Maybe they really weren't. For all we know they were terrible mutilated by the experiments or a gas leak." Rocky mused. His mind blurred the events in the residential lab. His dreams didn't help the mixing pot of confusion either. Maybe it was victims of an accident, and they only seemed dead by appearance. He was glad that he would never know, there is no place to go back to for answers. They are home. Free. And the situation being handled by the proper networks. He needed only to go home and this whole mess can be put behind him.

September 10th, 2017

"Where are my sneakers?" Colt muttered to himself as he dropped to his knees for the third time in order to glance around beneath the very messy underside of his bed. It wouldn't look like a heavily in-use construction site if it weren't for Tum Tum and his many worldly possessions being stored beneath it. "Tum, you're seriously plucking my nerves sticking crap under my bed; use your own space, dopey little squirrel." Seriously! It's like searching through piles of winter stored nuts. "Well here's one, where's the other?" Looking at his little brother's bed, he wondered if he could quickly locate a hazmat suit. "Think of me not as a fool who's glutton for punishment.." on his knees he walked over to the other bed. "But as a brave explorer, possibly about to find a new species."

Reaching around under the bed, through the mess he located his other sneaker. Successful air then anger flashed across his face, he was about to reprimand the younger sibling, who just walked in from having been downstairs demolishing 'second breakfast' but he let it go. What'd be the point? He's been telling Tum Tum to clean the room for ages and the younger has yet to do more than shovel it all away whether it be under the bed or in the closet. It's hopeless without mother or Rocky to step in and say something.

It was the greatest day of their lives when Rocky was finally able to leave the hospital. It was the final slam of the door in the face of the horrific mansion incident. The police had not mentioned anything, not even a don't worry, about it. Good. Don't mention things that were not asked after. Keeps the public safe. It's the situation that is classified as an Area 51. The guys are actually surprised some men in black haven't showed up to wipe their memory. Guess they figured trauma was enough for that.

Colt marched from his bedroom, fully clothed and carrying his heavy backpack via dragged method. It thunked noisily down the stairs behind him, emphasizing his own feeling about going to school. It's wet out and he'd rather be in bed, snack in one hand and the TV remote in the other. He sniffed at the scent that drifted through from the kitchen. Waffles and sausage, yum.

"Colt, where's Tum Tum?" His mother handed him a plate and designated place to sit at the table by setting his food down there.

"Knowing him he got sucked down the drain in the tub. He's more dirt than boy from one night's rest." If the ring around the bathtub was any indication.

"What, are you Mr. Chops Buster this morning?" Commented the youngest Douglas child. He forgot his bitter feelings when seeing two crispy waffles set down before him. Three sausages, a glass of juice, and a raspberry yogurt. Perfect. "Mmm. How can wet flour taste like this?"

"Bye sweeties." Jessica kissed her sons atop their head one by one. "I'll be showing houses until four, so Rocky can you start dinner for me, four thirty, or Tum Tum?"

"Sure, mom." The youngest looked at the chicken thighs thawing on the counter. Did somebody say smothered chicken over rice? Life is officially good.

The Douglas children finished their breakfast, double-checked their backpacks for books, homework, and laptops, then they left for school.

...

Colt was sure he was going to fall asleep. Mr. D'Grasso is so boring he could make a statue uproot and leave. And he actually likes language class! How's that for cruel? This man is hurting his best grade by being uninteresting. Droning. He must have leaped out of the window mentally six times! Colt's hazel gaze swung out the window indicating a seventh jump. It was because of this that he saw a handful of people running across the track field, however, it wasn't running in the usual gym class manner, they seemed to be sincerely speeding away from something.

Watching with full interest he leaped up from his seat going quickly towards the window. "Shit! He's getting eaten!"

"Language, Mr. Douglas,"

But Colt, nor anyone in class for that matter, heard the teacher over the sudden declaration that someone was being eaten. How? By what? A rabid dog or coyote? Maybe even a fox. Or maybe something naughty. It was hard to know without looking for their self, even Mr. D'Grasso, for all of his reprimand was at the window trying to get a peak around the swarm of students.

A flurry of gasps and cries went around the crowd, another classroom must have caught sight as well, but their response was less reserved as a girl screamed and there was a distinct few sounds of weight suddenly hitting the floor after hitting a desk. It was appropriate; a student was being treated like a chew toy by a teacher and a man who may or may not be as well.

PA: Christina Hershel, to the front office. Your mother is here to pick you up.

The relief that girl must have felt hearing that. And she wasn't the only one as the PA system crackles to life calling several students to be picked up by parents who must have ESP, otherwise how would they know to come and collect their child from a volatile location.

PA: Students, this is principal Downey, I want you all to stay in your classroom, seated, and await instructions. Teachers are urged to close the shades and resume your lessons.

Was he serious? Colt paled as a thought ran through his head. Trapped in school until someone comes for them. His mother is showing houses to clients, his father is a ghost most of the time. He glanced at the door. The exit. Freedom. He made his way around the room while other students were being told to sit back down at their desk.

PA: Students, we need you to stay where you are, a few of your parents will be joining you. You must remain in your classroom and await further instructions. We urge those on the first floor to stay away from the windows, don't open any doors, or listen to anyone who is asking to get inside.

Sick. Colt felt his breathing become shallow. He was going to be sick. This isn't real. This is a dream!

The students and teacher jumped when a bang from below startled them, especially when it was followed by a scream. He dropped into the nearest desk. His legs gave out on him. What if this isn't a dream? What if it's what he thinks it is? The laboratory incident, happening all over again.. on a much larger scale. If he's right... this could be city wide.

X x X

Commentary: Lousy stinking writing contests keeping me distracted. But, thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to. I'll update when I can because I'm doing two stories right now. Thank you for any review, alert, or favorite you give this I appreciate it. And as for a first chapter it was so tough, I did it over four times and this one captured the mood to me.