Tag #8 – Instinct
The smell of blood and the sounds of snarling sub-humans dragged Daniel from the depths of unconsciousness. His body ached all over, and he painfully pried his eyes open. He was sprawled out on the ground a few feet away from a large bonfire, around which sat a group of Touched. Daniel shuddered at the sight of former humans, tearing away at raw bloody meat and devouring it whole.
Shifting, he attempted to get to his feet, but before he could even make it to his knees he was stunned by an inhumanly forceful blow to the back of the head. Vision swimming, he hit the dirt again, instinctively curling up away from the fists that continued to pound at him. Harsh waves of primitive malevolence battered him as strongly as any physical pain, disorienting him farther. He cried out as he was brutally kicked in the ribs, defensively covering his chest and head with his arms.
Finally satisfied that he would behave, the Touched moved away. Daniel lay there, trembling from the pain and mental trauma of the assault. He slowly became aware that the cool night air was caressing far too much of his skin, and he carefully peered down to see that his BDU pants were practically rags, hanging off his hips with barely enough left intact to satisfy modesty. Not that it mattered here. He felt absolutely filthy, practically caked in dirt, but couldn't think of why that should matter either.
That's probably a bad sign, he told himself, suddenly becoming aware that something seemed very…off. He was hurting far worse than the beating should've allowed for, and there wasn't nearly enough blood near him to be able to smell it that strongly.
But…Doctor Fraiser said I was immune…
He shuddered as he realized that somehow, he'd managed to become infected by the disease. Already he could feel his headache worsening, feeling like his skull was becoming too large for his skin. The grunting of the Touched was becoming less and less foreign and frightening, and more familiar. His mind was fogging over, words deserting him as a sense of belonging began to insinuate itself in his consciousness.
The Touched ignored him as he writhed in pain, skeleton contorting unnaturally as he became one of them. His screams became animalistic howls, senses sharpening even as his mind deteriorated. And then it was over.
He raised his head and sniffed the air, aware of his brethren all around him. He felt only hunger as he rose to join them, becoming one with the Touched.