Chapter one: Desolation From Unknown Sources.
The day started off windy and desolate like a cold abandoned mine. The birds still chirped outside of the windows waking me up as if they were my every day alarm. I hopped out of bed realizing I was late for my job.
"I'm late, oh i'm late." I scurried to the closet throwing on my blue knit sweater my black sweater vest, lab coat, black pants,and black non-slip shoes. Nothing could hold me back from achieving progress with the new strain of the flu that has appeared out of thin air lately. We have had an unreasonable raise in flu over the years and they have multitudes upon multitudes of deaths and suicides. Raises in the suicides are known to be caused by the illness, people depressed that they are so sick they can't take it and it lasts too long it causes psychosis. This type of psychosis is hard to defeat and hard to face; families losing moms and dads left and right, some suicides right in front of the children. People bleeding from the mouth, nose, ears, or falling unconscious, have other symptoms like a fever, insomnia, and paranoia. People just have trouble keeping up with small tasks and not being able to focus on one single task at hand. It was more than that though. People were becoming different versions of themselves, parents who would never raise a voice to a child now hitting them, people who were too meek to stand up for themselves now bolder than ever. But after the personality changes they would start to decline heavily, "Mom is breakfast ready. A loud explosion heard for miles erupted the thoughts in my mind. I rushed downstairs to see my adoptive mother, long gray hair pulled back into a bun, tattered worn out jeans, an overworn shirt stretched out of style, wrinkles like an old apple, kneeling down cleaning with the news on the tv.
"Today has been a whirlwind of chaos. The Georgia steelix HQ has gone up in flames as you can see behind me." The news anchorwoman spoke out loudly as chaos revealed behind her.
"That's not possible." My mother turned in relief as she realized I was late from work.
I was not happy though, because my right hand man and lab partner, Benson, had to have been in that explosion. He was one of my best friends and I only have had two friends since I've lived here. There wasn't really anyone who could stand my working schedule and sleep schedule, besides him and my next door neighbor, Jackson. While speaking of the devil I glanced out of the window on my front door and saw Jackson, a tall man about 6'4", ripped skinny jeans, rugged facial hair, my same look, crystal blue eyes, chiseled facial features, a sweater vest and long sleeve whit button up buttoned up to his collar like he was going to a job interview, he always dressed to impress, running over to make sure I wasn't in that blast.
"Venus are you okay?!" He shouted.
"Yes, but I've gotta go." Screams erupted in the streets, people lost loved ones in that blast, over 1,000 people worked there for mornings and cries were overheard, thinking nothing of it. I grabbed my winter coat and left. Chaos ensued in the streets, fires were burning in trees, and angry mobs were forming. I started up my 2010 Kia Sorento blowing blazing heat to combat the icy cold breeze from the Georgia winter air. The neon lights brighten the afternoon light, leading a path straight to Steelix. Air whistles past my car as I drive 70 mph. The menacing blaze of flames roared high and beyond the lab reaching the forest behind them causing them to set a flame. The acrid scent coming from it was far too powerful for any human to handle. I stopped dead in my tracks, Benson, my right hand man crawled from the flames, face charred, skin melting, clothes burnt off. Taking my shirt to cover my mouth and nose, I hopped out of my parked car to run to him.
"Ve-Enn-Venus," His voice quivering and shallow breathing.
"I'm here buddy. I-I'm here…" I choked back a few tears as I held his burning body in my arms, a blister forming on my forearm where he laid.
"It-It's bad isn't it?" He asked like he didn't already know the answer. It was unbelievable he was already gone, no help in the whole world could save my partner.
"No, of course not, I'm sure they can save you." My lie was hard to hide. He now knew there was no saving him, I didn't want him to worry.
"There is something you ne-need to know… I'm so cold...you ne-" I interrupted him before he could finish.
"Shhhh just enjoy your last few minutes." He looked at me with a half melted face, but with sternness. His breath is getting shallower, and more raspy. "What?"
"Yo-you need-need to know-know, Steelix is e-evil, They d-id something they ne-ver shou-should ha-"He was interrupted by another explosion causing us to both be flung back the impact killed him instantly I held on to his lifeless body for dear life finally shedding tears that felt like they had been bottled up for ages. What was he trying to tell me? I thought as I mustered up the energy to stand back up, a large gash left on my right cheek by a piece of shrapnel from the wreckage. Trickling down my face was tears combined with the thick incarnadine blood. He's gone, he's really gone.
"FUCKKKKKKK!" My scream could be heard for miles. To my left I saw a charred man decaying flesh and a putrid smell emitted from his body as I walked closer to see if he was alright, "Hey dude, are you alright." His head cocked back and he slowly turned towards me. Something's not right he doesn't look right. He started sprinting towards me, his eyes icy blue as if all the color had been drained from him, he's missing a foot but still sprinting at me, the stench getting stronger. "What are you doing?!" I yelled as he grabbed my armand went to bite it. I narrowly missed his teeth as I pulled my arm away but still his arm, detached, stayed holding my arm. With my ungrappled arm I flung his arm off. "Shit man I'm not sure that's good, maybe you should see a doctor," I laughed nervously as I hopped back in my car and backed up driving myself back home. Driving back up to my driveway the first thing I saw was a fire forming around my house. Jackson… MOM! Thoughts raced through my head causing my anxiety to skyrocket. "Really!? Just what I needed." I hopped out of my car as I put it in park running up to my two story townhouse, rushing inside to see if anyone was there. "Twenty minutes is all I have been gone… right, i couldn't have been gone long,RIGHT!?" Smoke filled my lungs as I ran in hoping for something that I knew was impossible….. A lifeless body sprawled out in the foyer right in front of the tv face down. But not dead because of the fire. A knife wound to the back as if there was remorse for what was about to happen and the killer didn't want to see their face. Turning the body over I came to discover… "JACKSON!" Horror ensued as i have been through a lot today already did i really have to lose my best friend too. Smoke was rising too high to where I could barely see. Tears once again streamed down my face as I said goodbye to my best friend. I didn't even have a chance to check to find mom but I'm sure she shared the same fate as he did. The thought of all my loved ones being dead is eating me alive and I can't believe any of what is happening. Rushing out the doors crying I was shot forward, due to the propane gas explosion from our fireplace, road rash from sliding all the way to the other side of the road. Tears just fell as I curled up into a ball devastated and also in pain. Something shimmered under the rock in our yard that caught my eye. Choking back the tears and holding both arms to my chest as blood ran down my forearms I made my way to see what it was. My medicine?
"What the fuck is this? Why was this so cautiously put here as if whoever caused this knew I needed it? Or… MOM she had to have done this. No one else knew I took medicine. She was the cause of this, and she got herself killed. Why, though mom?" What was the purpose of this? I just couldn't understand. Ring ring ring. Ring ring ring. Pulling my shattered phone out of my pocket I answered, passing a piece of glass from my phone into my cheek. Damn it can i please stop hurting myself today i'm going through way too much. "Hello, who is this?"
"It's James Mathis, I'm a friend of your mom's'' she told me if something ever happened to her to get in contact with you. Which right now i think is the best ti-"
"Hold up, it just happened, how did you know something happened?"
"Honey, you're on the news. They are broadcasting the owner of Steelix's death right now. But before we go into that. The town is having a meeting in 20 minutes. You got a way to get there or should I pick you up, you probably shouldn't be alone right now."
"Now listen here, i don't know you first of all what makes you think i want a ride from you. It's also creepy just calling to talk about my mom's passing and then a town hall meeting so ill pass." Click. Creep. Looking back over I see the camera crew and news van. Along with my destroyed Kia Sorento. How did I not notice either of those things? Guess I'm walking to town hall. As i thought that i could hear the rev of an old F-150 Ford truck driving up. "Oh come on! You've gotta be kidding me, I don't know you, dude." It was the dude on the phone. I only know this because I've seen him in pictures with my mother. Silver unkempt hair clumsily hanging over his sunken cheeks, Expressive gray eyes, and an ungroomed peppery beard that compliments his hair and cheekbones.
"Just hop in, I saw your car on the news, that's why I asked if you had a way." I reluctantly got in the bed of his truck not daring to go on the inside. What if he helped my mother do this? No one can be trusted, not my mother, no one. The ride to town hall was bumpy like he didn't care I was in the bed of his truck, or like he was trying to fling me out and kill me.
He is bad. I just know it, I have this feeling in my gut. I'll ditch him when I get the chance. Nothing about this trip felt right even the air was ominous around him. Town hall gave off a scent of sorrow and agony, the same scent a funeral gives off. The smell of salty water and ashes. Sounds of crying and screaming could be heard for miles. So much chatter filled the town hall that nothing could be heard until the mic screeched over the noise.
"Everyone, Everyone please quiet down so we can get started." Silence fell over the crowd. White noise was the only sound heard after the deafening silence broke through the crowd. Crickets and birds chirped as a way of breaking that silence. "Now that you have settled in we must talk about something very important, something the news won't report. Do not PANIC! I repeat. Do not PANIC! There is a new virus going around that was released into the public earlier this morning by the company known as Steelix corps, If you have any of these symptoms the only hope is through death, Fever, nausea, vomiting, if you have been scratched bitten or came in contact with the blood of the infected you will start to notice a hunger for human flesh, whether or not be family or friend the head is the killing mark and the only way of survi-" Before he could finish he was attacked by a woman with a bulging belly, I assumed she was pregnant, that came from the crowd, her skin rotting off from the inside out, her veins a purplish blue color, her teeth rotting out of her head and her fingernails a cigarette stained color. Chaos ensued on the crowd when all hell broke loose. The man grabbed me by the arm, throwing me back in the bed of his truck. As he started the truck, I noticed a man, spiked up hair sides, shaved dull blue eyes, chiseled yet full facial structure, muscular build about 6 feet tall with ragged clothes and a tattered winter cap struggling to get out of the grip of one of those things. The thing had to have been a bodybuilder in his 'past' life. Before I knew it I was hopping out of the car cutting through the chaos and making my way towards him. A strength came from me that I had never felt before as I pulled a post from the ground and aimed for the head. His brains gushed out almost liquified as I helped the man up, he followed me as I led him to the truck.
"Whoa i didn't agr-"
"Who said you had to agree? You're the one who was persistent on helping me now get us the fuck outta here."
"Who are you," the man asked cautiously.
"I'm the woman who just saved your life, my name is Venus Sphen, I would say nice to meet you but under the circumstances i don't think that would be appropriate."
"You're not wrong, I'm Castien Alpheion. I'm thankful that you got there when you did. If it weren't for you, I'd be dude buddies lunch right now."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah we are all thankful for our lord and savior, Venus." His smartass remark was facepalm worthy.
"Okay smartass. By the way, this is James Mathis. He's a creeper," I softly chuckled as we drove off from the Chaos.
"Creep-" As Castien began talking we were stopped on the road by a woman with gorgeous dirty blonde hair, veiny muscular slim structure, beautiful oak colored eyes, her hair was shaved only underneath her long ponytail that reached her butt. Covered in blood almost 6 feet tall not quite though. Her jeans were torn for a purpose and her black shift had holes ripped into it. She was in trouble.
"Help me please, I don't understand what's happening. My friends just started to eat each other." Her voice trembled as if she were about to break down tears trickled down her face like an artist painting a picture she was devastated.
"Hop in, we've got plenty of room." She hopped in the passenger seat as I finished speaking.
Castien's POV
Venus was a beautiful shade of peach with crystal blue eyes and lavish blonde hair luscious pink lips with a slim fit body type, you could tell she worked out but not to the point to where she had washboard abs, she wore her hair hair up in a bun so i was sure how long it was. She wore a low cut army green v neck with skin tight jeans that shaped her ass just right. All of this is insane right, It's just Stockholm syndrome or something, right. I mean she is cute but that doesn't mean anything, Man we are in the freaking apocalypse and i'm over here thinking about how cute a girl is.
Venus POV
Why on earth is he staring at me like that? Do I have something on my face? The silence was not fillable as they all just sat in their own minds waiting for one of them to have the courage to talk about what was was chaos as we drove, businesses had broken windows people taking necessities and even non necessities as if the world wasn't about to go up in flames around them, tv's, washing machines, toilet paper, don't even get me started on toilet paper as if it was about to become the new currency.
"So are we not going to talk about 'this'." It was as if Castien could read my thoughts. He nudged my arm and opened the back window to the truck to talk through it. "Anyone wanna elaborate on what's happening." I sheepishly tried to ignore the question as I remembered something. My mother had a secret invention a few weeks back that she said she had been saving. I thought nothing of it because she said it could save the world. I thought it was good… Was it this? It must've been this that's all it could have been.
"Why do you look like you know something?" I snapped out of my thoughts and quickly iterated,
"No sorry i was just thinking and i've been through a lot today, my best friend, my right hand man, and my adoptive mother died today." With that being said everyone sat in silence for a while until we arrived at James' House.
Chapter two: Science-napped
His house was a dirty brown color, two story house, it might once have been nice; it might once have been the home of an actual family. But scrub and tall weeds now had overtaken the bottom half of the house, a now yellowed lawn, which clearly hasn't been cut in years. A wire fence bordered the property, sagging at spots the wind had previously knocked down, a pine lumber wooden fence hanging from it's post.
"You live here?" The girl chimed into the silence, No one dared say anything else. We waltzed up to the front doors as he continued to stay in silence as if he didn't want to talk about why it looked this way. The silence was unbearable and awkward. He began unlocking the door but it seemed he was having trouble as he fumbled with his 50 different sets of keys on his key ring.
"Why do you have so many keys, James?" He looked flustered. For a man who did all the talking when it was just me he sure seems quiet now. Thoughts raced as I began remembering something else… it was him, He was the mastermind behind the virus with my mother, I knew he seemed familiar. My thoughts were interrupted as a family of five walked up to us begging and pleading for help, just then a horde of those things raced towards them.
"James! Best time to get that door open would be now!" I ordered as they got even closer. He swung the door open viciously and slammed it in the face of the family. As we entered his home from the inside it was beautiful, Marble set floors, a granite island set smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, Ivory shade walls, an onyx black sectional sat greeting us in the foyer, as we stepped closer i could smell Pine needles and embers from a fireplace. "James, what the fuck?! We could've helped them. Move out of the way, I'm letting them in." He refused and barked back,
"I know you felt it too! Two of them had already been infected. Couldn't you tell?" His words confused me.
"What do you mean? Could I tell? I'm not God. I can't just look at someone and read them."
"What that is impossible, the two kids are about to turn on their family. How can you not see it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, I couldn't even see a bite or scratch. Did they come in contact with blood from one of those things? But how would you know that?" He looked appalled by my words and the air in the room became sinister as he looked me up and down.
"You were taking the shots your mom gave you everyday right?"
"Yes, but I don't see how that has anything to do with this. Those were diabetes meds." He laughed, an evil chortle. Scaring the girl we picked up, Castien and I.
"What you were taking is called the zega strain, a mixture of all of the viruses together meant only to boost the human immune system in wa-" He was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot. Everyone ran to a window to look outside and what we saw was mortifying. Blood splatter on the windows two of the three kids were dead. Another 6 gunshots rang into the heads of the horde of zombies. The father was horrified by what had just happened, the mother shaking, gun in hand. Morals were no longer upheld; it was now everyone for themselves, no safety in numbers, only horror. We had just witnessed the change in the air and it was horrifying, but none of us budged from the double set windows. These people have been through some shit and who could blame them, this world is cruel and unforgiving, especially now. A cool breeze came from behind as we realized the back door was wide open. A toddler slipped in, couldn't have been older than 3, but was infected…
"James, what do we do?" I shouted as he hurriedly grabbed a baseball bat hidden in the umbrella holder next to the door, the next part I couldn't bear to watch. No hesitation just bashing the brains in of a used to be kid. That made me sick to my stomach as he finished and went to go close and lock his back door. I rushed to his umbrella holder to throw up my breakfast. As the chunks began to spew I felt a calloused hand reach for my hair and hold it out of my soon to be puke ridden face. When I turned around it was Castien, he had protected my long hair from getting dirty. Everything finally began to settle as James discarded the baby's body.
"Can we please go back to the conversation we were having earlier?" He returned back down stairs and immediately rushed to the kitchen.
"I uh- Well you see, we wanted to help the world, help the need for food, help the need for common necessities, Air water and food. This was just supposed to help not do this. But a few weeks ago I was kicked off the project. Your mother told me I wouldn't be strong enough to follow through with the plan because we started the experiments with… you…" He paused and cleared his throat. Things just keep getting worse, my panic sets in and I begin rocking softly back and forth waiting for him to finish. "Your first test you don't remember because we put you under when you broke your ankle a year ago, about the time you got 'diagnosed' with diabetes. That was just to get you to continue the dosing without causing suspicion. We helped you, you technically have no need for food you just think you have to eat, Do you remember a time since last november that you've actually had an appetite?" His words rang true, i haven't been hungry since then or thirsty, and honestly i can hold my breath for as long as i want but i just thought i had strong lungs. "After your experiment was a success, I was next. I offered myself as a guinea pig because we needed one more success to open it to the public for testing. I also was a success and haven't eaten since January, We finally opened testing to the public and we held 9 research groups out of those 9 only one person from each was a success, something about the type of rare blood we have that bonded with the virus, We all had AB Rh- blood and that is among the rarest in the world. Not very common, so of course the research groups of 20 people only one of each was safe and stayed human. Your mother pushed the virus and pushed me to release it to help the world but i refused to back it, she knew she wouldn't get it off the ground without me too. We tried in Maine, Massachusetts, and Florida. Then again in Tennessee but that was covered up far too well. Your mother kicked me off the project and fired me, I had to sign a nondisclosure agreement." All of this was far too real now, I couldn't believe it. But now she's dead and jackson… Everything I used to believe was a lie and I just couldn't believe it. Just then banging was heard at the door, the same family. The parents and their one last kid still wanted in. The knocks could be heard echoing across the acres of land James owned. "I guess since they won't stop knocking we have to let them in." When he got up to open the door gunshots were heard again and armored vehicles were driving past taking out the family at our door. "The military already?!" Then nothing but silence.
"There is no way the military has already rolled through. Turn on the news." We sat on the couch sinking into its welcoming cushions and began to watch the news in horror as the borders around Georgia were sealed. No way in, and no way out… The pain set in from being launched back and forth all day and my body was now aching with excruciating pain. As I doubled over in pain everything began to turn black and I commenced to fade out.
Castien's POV
The air had grown unbearable in the room as everyone was overwhelmed with an awkward silence. When I looked over for reassurance from a girl I had just met, Venus. She was Doubled over, in what looked like pain. Thud! She passed out right next to me. Without hesitation i rushed to her side and propped her head up onto my lap, how had i not noticed the multiple fresh trauma wounds she endured today. She must've been through literal hoops of fire getting where we are now.
"James, Do you have any heating pads? Maybe a warm wet rag?" I pleaded with him, as I picked her up into my sturdy muscular arms. Her weight against me made my heart flutter. Her scent almost intoxicated me, as I laid her gently on the couch. Her hair fell carelessly over her face covering her rosy, perfect, cheeks. Her arm dangled off the side of the couch, as I carefully placed it on her chest. Her legs were lifeless as could be jiggled onto the couch.
"James? James, Where did you go? I need help." He rushed back as I demanded his return and the girl we picked up sat silent having a panic attack not knowing what had happened to our friend. "What are you doing? You could be help-" Before I could finish a window smashed and something had been thrown in from the outside. "Wh-what was th-that?" I began to feel tired, as i could tell so did James and the girl. Our eyes slowly flutter shut.
"They're here… Th-ey found-found us, Venus…" James vaguely answered.
"Who… who is here?" With that being said, Thud Thud Thud! All three of us were out like a light.
2 weeks later
Venus POV
Voices caused me to wake from my deep relaxing slumber. Familiar voices at that. Not the ones I remembered before going down in james' house but these were eerily familiar. I woke up in an all white bright room with x-ray diagrams on the wall and iv bags hanging from the wall behind me. Am I in the hospital? Maybe I am, maybe that whole thing was just a nightmare, an awful surreal dream that crept in while I was in a coma, or something. The voices are getting closer. Maybe I can get some answers.
"Venus..?" The voice… of my mother! But she was dead or so she wanted me to think. This was her plan all along. Make me believe she is dead and then take me when I'm down? "Oh Venus, honey, you're awake. That's great! And all your wounds are healed, it seems the strain works on healing as well!" Her words bubbled inside of me, like an anger had built in me that I could no longer contain. Every word from her was like a knife dug deep into the same bleeding wound, almost as if she was trying to make me bleed out and explode.
"You are dead, you are dead, you're dead to me. I don't even know who you are anymore." She looked hurt but I didn't care. I wanted her to hurt the way I did when I thought she was dead. All I want is death; To die or be killed by one of those things, my depression is at an all time high due to these unforeseen circumstances. Nothing makes sense, did she kill Jackson and make her death and his look like an accident, or murder. She did this to me. She basically made me one of those creatures. Without the hunger for human flesh.
"Venus, I had to. Jackson knew too much, he knew what you were. He was planning on killing you. He didn't believe in what I was doing." I was right she killed jackson, her voice made me angry her words made me seethe in pain over him.
"He would've never killed me, you bitch. And I never said anything about his death. I thought it was an accident, but look who walked into that one. Now I KNOW what you are, and what you would do to keep a secret." With those words I yanked the iv drip from the wall asi pulled it out of my arm. I ran at her slamming her head into the side table of my bed and bolted out of the room. Within 5 minutes alarms were blaring and all I could think about was finding them. I ran past a door of a man yelling his old raspy cigarette voice. I recognize that anywhere I flung open the door and saw he had been strapped to a bed, but his iv drip was a purplish-pink color. His silver shackles cling-clanged against the bed as he tried to get out. Running over, I had no hesitation as I ripped them wide open.
"That's what you got? You got super strength, that's dope."
"What are you talking about james?" I asked as I ran to his other side to take the other shackle off and ripped both straps in half.
"Earlier I saw a cloud around those kids that was purple and that's how I just knew they were gonna turn. You got Super Strength." What he was saying was true. It was like I felt this surge of strength inside of me. Was this really happening, was it really changing me. Because of the 'Zega Strain' I'm officially a freak. Things were changing for the better though, the ability to heal and i have Super strength, James has the ability to see zombie turns before they happen. I wonder what else it could do.
"We've gotta find the others." I say as I drag him out of bed and to the hallway again, bolting out the door and passing a room of silence. "No one is there." We made it to the end of the hallway, getting trapped by scientists, and doctors. Castien must've heard us coming because he swung his door wide open for us just before locking it behind us.
"Hurry, I know where they're holding the girl she's just above my room. I heard her yelling earlier but it's been very quiet for a minute and I'm getting worried." He pointed towards an air duct above his bed.
"What if we run into more of those things they took my gun?" He said that and without thinking I took an i.v. pole and broke it in three separate poles. Castien just looked in awe at me as if I was a golden apple of something.
"Just accept it, that's what I had to do." He stopped for a second,
"Your wounds they're all healed? How?"
"It's Zega, I think I can heal myself now." He looked down at the floor pitifully and jumped onto the bed to get the vent down as the doctors began banging on the door.
"Let us in." They shouted. We continue up and into the ventilation shafts to continue our search for the girl. We shimmied to a vent upwards above our heads where talking was overheard.
"Well Asphen Royale you're in luck because we are letting you go today," It shocked me to the core to find out that they would be releasing her. We waited for the doctor to leave the room before climbing up and into her room.
"Guys i never thought yall'd come for me. Hell yall dont even know my name."
"Your name is Asphen Royale." She looked at me in shock.
"Ho-"
"The doctor said it
"The doctor said it before we came in. So I may have listened in." With that being said she smiled and welcomed us in with a heartfelt hug. Everyone engaged in the hug and continued out the double doors to her room. Just then all the doctors turned toward us and ran at us, making us all bolt to the elevator. The alarm blaring made it hard to hear when anyone spoke so we didn't really talk much. Finally we made it to ground level, where we were greeted by doctors. As the doors opened one swift in sync movement the two doctors were knocked unconscious, however mine was dead, for I had yet to control my strength. Everything was getting worse as we heard sirens in the distance and explosions. Georgia was being thrown into chaos but little did we know just how bad everywhere else in the world was getting.
"How long have I been out? I didn't really give my mom time to explain. I'm not even sure she survived that bash against the supply table." I let out a small chuckle, as James began to laugh uncontrollably. "Shhhhh!" James went silent and looked around. "What are you looking for?" I ask in confusion. He stayed silent until he spotted a 2024 Nissan Sentra, nice candy red paint, 4 cylinder.
"A car you were looking for a car, well that's just perfect, as if one of these idiots would leave car keys in the car." James smirked at Castien's words. He went over to the car looking inside to see if the car was unlocked, lucky for us it was. He searched for something. He found a screwdriver in a tool bag in the back seat.
"Maybe just maybe…" He mumbled under his breath pushing it into the ignition of the car, and started trying to turn over the ignition with the screwdriver when that didn't work he began fumbling with the steering column and I stayed on the lookout to make sure we were alone. A horde of creatures had heard the commotion and began stumbling this way.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are gonna get something done now is the time, damn it." He popped the trunk as he noticed the horde.
"Look for something to kill them sons o' bitches with, I need more time!" I dashed to the back and found a smith and wesson 9mm luger.
"Well maybe there is ammo in it." I cocked the pistol back and started aiming, deadshotting all but three of the horde. "Shit i don't see any more ammo." I shouted as I threw the pistol back in the trunk. I raced at them with the partial pole I had left fighting them off left and right. But they weren't interested in me. They just kept trying to walk past me but I couldn't let them. Taking the pole I started to knock into their heads making it hard for them to continue their journey to the car. Chkkk Chkkk chkkk bppppppttt. The car finally started, the engine finally turned over and it was music to my ears. As I ran back one of the zombies tackled me and as I hit my head on the concrete I blacked out.
Castien's POV
Venus took a good tumble from the zombies tackling her to the ground she made them quite angry causing her to hit her head really hard. I again rushed to her side to pick her up and effortlessly I pulled her into the car with me into my lap her head went, Asphen hopped into the passenger side, James pulled into the driver and drove over the three zombies smashing their brains into the hard concrete.
Chapter three: Infected survivor?
The car drove miles through the countryside taking us through multiple farms and backroads. There must be a way to stop this. Or maybe even fix it. We sat listening to news station after news station reporting the chaos. It was as if a new world war had just started. But of course the apocalypse had just begun soon, billions of people would roam the streets, the funny thing is, they won't be alive. We finally drove into the city. Cars were piled up ten cars high, people were running, screaming, and looting, those that are still alive, that is.
"James there is a gun shop called big bubba's up the street if you can make it past that pile up. We definitely need guns of some sort." The car pulled to a screeching halt, as James looked for a way around the pile of crashed cars, and dead bodies. We maneuvered our way onto the pavement driving past screaming mothers and crying kids, watching as they struggled to understand what was happening. Mothers telling their kids 'shhh shhh honey it's okay' followed by a gunshot. The sight was mortifying, blood curdling screaming and crying from kids who lost both parents due to the virus. I wanted blood. I wanted revenge for what happened today. I need to get back to the lab as soon as possible.
"We are here, you need to see if you can wake Venus up." I tried shaking her awake but that failed to even make her move. "We need water. I have a water jug for my washer fluid in the back, maybe that'll wake her up." I hopped out in a hurry to make it to the trunk and grabbed the water jug. I made my way back to the back seat but was intercepted by a 3 year old little girl.
"Daddy?" She asked.
"No, honey, I'm not your daddy."
"No, my daddy is coming behind you trying to hurt you." When I turned around a man turned zombie with a half-broken off hand was stumbling towards me. I felt bad for the little girl and pushed her into the back seat of our car, only to be grabbed by my shirt backwards. I fell flat on my ass, and the zombie plopped on top of me taking a huge bite out of my leg.
"Fuck you, Motherfucker!" I shouted as he tried taking another bite. I grabbed the heavy jug, bashing it into his head making it burst, with water splashing everywhere. "Fuck… Fuck… Fuck…"
"Bad word." The innocent girl chimed from the back.
"Castien." The angelic voice of our passed out passenger called for me.
"Venus, you're awake?" She popped her head out, noticing my bite… "Don't look at me like that…" Her eyes pitifully glanced up and down as if she could see right through me. The cheery girl I first met was now saddened, not by the death of her friends but by the sight of me being bitten. She cared, she truly cared.
Venus POV
"Castien?" I asked, as I hesitantly leaned up, I noticed a small girl sitting next to me. "What's your name, and where are your parents' little one?"
"My name is Clara Tivens and um my parents are sleeping… Daddy put mommy to sleep after she bit him. This nice man saved my daddy from being mean." The little girl pointed out the door as I popped my head out and I noticed Castien had been bitten. My mood suddenly changed as if nothing else from today made me more sad than finding out that Castien was bitten. "James, can you come look at Castien?" James looked back at me confused, as I sullenly shoved my head down into my knees, saddened by the feelings I was noticing. He made his way, opening the front driver door, to the back of the car.
"What'd you need me to look at?" He then noticed the bite.
James POV
When I notice that people are about to turn normally, the aura around a person is red if they are about to turn. Castien's aura is black like Venus' though I don't understand. Unless… He is like us.
Venus POV
"James?"
"Yeah… Uh we need to talk, Venus." His voice was a little shaky but he tried to hide it with his masculine verbrada. He then took me aside, away from the car as two zombies walked their way toward us, completely walking past us, we noticed another thing. The zombies didn't want us just Asphen and the little girl now.
"Close the doors!" I yelled, getting the attention of every other zombie on the street. They began racing toward the car as they closed the doors. "Get inside. Castien and James I'm talking to you! Move, Move, Move." We headed for the doors and made our way inside. Almost all of the guns were taken, all the ammo short on stock. The last guns were gonna have to do. Castien grabbed an LMG the mg-40 with three drums of ammo, James grabbed an AK-47, and finally I grabbed a marksman rifle, an M25 with another smith and wesson pistol 459. While I grabbed my ammo I noticed a lonely bow in the corner with 20 arrows for asphen along with a quiver to store them. Rustling noises came from the back room making us silent. Out came a survivor, Long pink dutch braids, a pale complexion, rectangular menacing face, with expressive violet eyes, and a scar reaching from the bottom of her right cheek across her nose and ending at her left nostril, who was also bitten… She started walking toward us smiling.
"Guys, it's the owner of, big poppa's gun store. But she's bitten…" She stopped dead in her tracks making a saddened face.
"I was bit 4 hours ago… but I never changed…" With hesitation I walked towards her. If what she said is true then nothing could stop me from trying to study her… Oh god Venus the scientist in you is still talking. The air in the room got colder as the door opened ringing the bell above the door. It was Clara, the little girl.
"Oh no sweetie you shouldn't be in here." I stumbled, as I ran towards her, I knocked over a run through shelf. Alerting the zombies to the run down store, broken out windows but still they only paid attention to the car that held Asphen. Why aren't these things attracted to this little girl; obviously they don't care about the shopkeep, but still why this little girl. There is no way there are this many rare blood types close together. But I need to know everything about them, which means they all have to come with us. Wait when James was talking earlier he said there were 9 others that took to the virus. We must find them if we want to rid this world of those things. But the only place that has the actual paperwork is right back where we got kidnapped, but we would have to be stealthy which means Castien and James would have to have silencers or different guns. But this whole place is cleared out.
"Maybe we need to find you guys different weapons because… And hear me out, we have to go back to the lab. But this time we are shooting our way stealthily. I need the paperwork for all the people that were tested on. It's strange that all of us with this rare blood type are all in the same area." With that being said the girl who owns the store chimed in.
"Okay so what are you talking about? You mean the tests Steelix was doing was this?!" I was confused and James spoke so I didn't have to.
"You were a part of the testing? That's the only way you would know." Even more confusion set in.
"But I thought you said it was open to the public? How would no one know?" My voice shakes as I get more nervous watching the things shake the car Asphen was in but she was gone.
"They were but when they went horribly wrong another cover up was launched and they denied any testing was actually done."
"My name is Camille Terrell and I was born in Nevada but moved to Mississippi when I lost my family. I'm not ready to talk about that though. So are the tests the reason I won't change or what I don't really understand." Her voice got serious and I just kept looking outside trying to find Asphen but it was like she disappeared. Drizzle began falling from the sky as the world noticed all the chaos going on. The drizzle was peaceful in a way that was like a rain on a tin roof that made the pitter patter sound on the roof.
"She was a part of the Mississippi trials then. Has there been anything unique about you?" Her face went blank as she looked at me.
"'What do you mean by unique? I mean I am unique in my own way but…"
"No hun I mean have you noticed being able to do stuff someone else couldn't do?"
" I don't have to breathe. I don't need food, ohhhhhhh you mean." She went silent and her body slowly began to fade from sight. She could turn invisible, this is incredible. I walked over to her and she still had an outline, but she was perfect for stealth! Maybe she could do it without us going in. Just then, in a flash, she was back falling to the floor, physical exhaustion written all over her face.
"Sorry it just tires me out to do it. I've been practicing and the longest I can do it is 2 minutes and 30 seconds." The disappointment from James everyone noticed.
"You had the same thought didn't you?" He nodded and sighed.
"Well at least we have zombie sight, super strength, invisibility and whatever Castien has."
"Me?! Oh yeah so wait, because I didn't turn, that means I'm like you guys?" We all looked at him with pity as his dumb question shouldve answered itself. "Well excuse me for still not wrapping my head around this." His confusion was made silent when walked out of the store with a plan on bombarding the lab. "We keep Camille safe and she makes her way inside invisible, planning a helpless diversion once she becomes visible again, allowing you and James to sneak past to the room where all the records are held. I get that one right." We look at him smiling and nodding.
"And if you are wondering what about you.." He interjected with,
" Yeah actually I was," I sighed and continued.
"You will be waiting for things to get hairy and shoot up the place if we get caught. Now remember we must be stealthy, we don't need or want to be caught. My mother is scarier than those creatures right now." When we walked outside the zombies from the car had dispersed, and we still had no clue where Asphen was or if she was safe, all we can do now is hope we meet back up. The streets are so lifeless and barren all the people gone and scarce so quickly. I never thought this is how fast it would happen. I surely thought the guns blazing south could hold them back better than this but boy am I mistaken.
"Well camille oh shit i left my gun in the store, James can you go get it." James looks at Castien like he has lost his mind. "Fine, fine. Sorry, I asked." He ran back to the story quick paced before turning back around LMG in hand and chucking it to the trunk.
"You know you don't have to be too scared? We dont get messed with." He looked up and stomped his foot like he had forgotten. I squeeze in next to him, putting Clara in my lap and making sure she is safe. The heat from his body made me start sweating a little, but honestly I didn't mind if I was next to anyone. I'm glad it had to be him. We drove off for what seemed like hours, until we finally arrived at the lab.
"Now Venus this lab is different from the one you are used to working at. The records will be on the top floor. So it will be harder than the HQ that had them on the bottom floor." Disappointment took over my body as the plan had to be changed.
"Okay new plan. They don't know your face camille, get on the elevator pull the emergency stop shimmy up the cords and then pull the closest floors fire alarm, everyone even my mom will evacuate but just know zombies will be heading this way once it is pulled due to the sound it makes, they won't mess with you but will take some of the innocent scientists lives. If you're not up for this, that is okay." Without a second thought she looks at me and smiles with a nod. The eerie feeling I got from her smile made me unsettled.
"I've got this Venus, don't worry." She reassured me with a softer smile. She made her way inside as we waited in the car out back for her to pull it. BRRRRRR BRRRRRR BRRRRRR. As the alarm sounded we rushed up the stairs to the fifth and final floor of the building to head to the records room. The record room was a mess, papers everywhere, boxes tipped over, crates empty.
"Someone has been in here trying to find something before us." There out on the front table closest to the door was all of the reports from the experiments. But there are thirteen papers, not eleven like it should've been. And written on the back was a timeline of every experiment's life, from birth till now.
"James, there are thirteen papers here, not eleven." He looked at me in disbelief. As I showed him he facepalmed and dragged his hand down his face with anxiety ridden worry. "What lemme see?" I said now worried by his face.
"Castien… oh no. She knew about him and she knew he would be great for testing… He was next on her list to experiment on." The air from the door opening made the room freezing cold. It was my mother.
"TSK tsk TSK, Oh Venus how lovely of you to join us."
Chapter Three. Five: Detailed reports
Castien POV
Everything was quiet, almost too quiet, it unsettled my stomach and made me on edge.
"How are you feeling, Clara? Think I should go in?" She looked up at me and with a serious look said,
"Castien, they are in trouble. You must hurry, if she gets Venus we are all screwed." Disbelief rivaled in my thoughts as concern also took hold of me.
"Clara, I don't think you should be saying that." She looked at me now angry, the pebbles on the ground loose from the paved gravel began shaking and floating around the car. "Okay… I'll go." The little girl went from devilish to innocent angel in five seconds flat.
Venus POV
So this is it. This is how I'm gonna die. My mother had grabbed me by my arms along with three others who held James, patting us down and taking our weapons.
"You, sweetheart, are the only one I care about." She drugged me to an empty, just sterilized room and strapped me to the table. I need to distract her or stall. Maybe just maybe Castien will come for us.
"I thought i was your daughter, i mean you chose me, you chose my name when going up to the orphanage. You CHOSE me!" I yelled as loud as I could, all the pain in my heart pouring out at the seams. "You made me feel so loved, so happy I felt like I had a family finally."
"Oh honey, bless your little heart, No one loves you anymore, Not even Jackson can save you now, ya know your brother. I've been planning this since you were in diapers. I took you in because you were what I needed to perfect it. A guinea pig. But you took the virus better than anyone ever did, at first it was a little pill I made you take to help you 'sleep' at night. Then after those stopped being effective and started to wear off, what better way to take medicine than an injection but i had to wait until you were older. Finally we are where we are at now. And your blood sweetie…. Is -" She was cut off as the door swung open and slammed her into the wall.
"I heard her talking and I wanted that bitch to shut up." With that i smiled and sighed in relief as my knight in shining armor was finally there to save me.
"Castien.. You came." He unstrapped me and helped me up. When I got up from the table I hugged him tightly not wanting to let go. After about a minute I released him and blushed intensely realizing how good it felt being in his arms. I've been thinking all this time all i needed was myself… but now i know i needed the others too… Benson… Jackson… JACKSON WAS MY BROTHER! Oh no oh no oh no… What if he never knew?
"I found out something… Something that really hurts, Castien." He looked down at me concerned, but we were interrupted by a man yelling.
"Get your grubby little baby hands off of me, you prepubescent child." James yelled at the scientists who held him.
"Hold that thought, Venus." He grabs me by the hand and we rush into the other room saving James' ass. Castien grabbed our weapons, tossing James his AK and me my pistol as we took out all three of the scientists. When everything was done we had to change out of our blood-ridden clothes so we just stripped the scientists to blend in with all of the others.
"I'll be back for you Helen." With her name leaving my mouth for the first time we dispersed out of the building.
"Helen? That's really your mother's name?"
"Yeah so fearful I know she should've been named Karen." To brighten the mood I let out a small laugh and look around noticing everyone else chuckling silently. "Oh come on guys, y'all can laugh. I'm okay I promise." With that being said they all smiled and laughed out loud. We hopped back in the car with the reports and headed out, not knowing where we would be led next; all I could think about was Asphen, hoping she was safe. All of a sudden a ratty looking girl, with bloodied hair and ripped to shreds clothing, hopped in front of our car.
"Asphen!?"
Chapter Four; What Are The 'ODDS'?
I hopped out of the car to help the newly busted up Asphen into the car. Wounds drug up and down her body. Blood pouring from all of them.
"Does this car have any gauze or paper towels or anything to stop the bleeding?" I placed my hand palm down on her wounds and when I removed them to grab paper towels from James it was like the wounds had healed themselves. Did she get bit? Is she also a rare blood type?
"Are you bit?!" I shouted over all the commotion and concern about asphen.
"No should I be?" Her face looked at me puzzled wondering why I would ask that.
"What is your blood type?"
"O positive." Then what was it that made her heal?
"Venus, I think you did that." I looked up confused, but it all made sense to me. The blood from Asphen's thick wounds had suddenly dried up after I touched them. Is this another ability?
"Healing abilities wow?!" Asphen looked at me astonished by the power i had exerted.
"This virus not only bonds with my blood but it does more. I need a cat scan machine, that's the only way I can see what happens to the brain when we use our abilities. It'll give more of an idea of what's going on in the brain when we use them."
"Back to the fucking lab really?"
"Wait wait wait… What happened to you, Asphen? You disappeared when we were at the gun shop?" Castien turned around and agreed with what I asked.
"These men came from behind, luring the zombies away and kidnapped me… They weren't very nice and they had told me they wanted you. You Venus, they want you…" Her voice was shaking and she broke after saying they weren't nice. Something happened, something she isn't ready to talk about…
"What… what happened while you were there it's been about 7 hours since you've been gone and why did they attack you? I would've thought people would've been handing it together this time?" The words slipped out of my mouth; it was too late, everyone is going to think I'm in on it.
"Wait."
"Wait."
"Wait a minute.
"Wait." Four synchronized waits and everything was going to crash if they thought I was lying. Except Clara who sat in my lap like an angel.
"No I didn't lie. I've seen zombie land and other movies. In none of those movies do you see people fighting other people." The silence really spoke volumes about everyone's headspace.
"But with what you just said you countered everything you said before about knowing nothing."
"No I did not, I just explained something I thought would be the case jeez guys." The crickets couldn't even cover the deafening ringing caused by the tension in the car, even Castien couldn't look at me. The car came to a brief fast halt as we almost flung through the window. "Wh-what's wrong damn it?" Fingerprints were left on Clara's shoulders in red blotches of protection. I held onto her tighter than I've held my keys on a dark night alone.
"Wh-whats wrong, damn it?!" I covered Clara's ears, hiding her innocence from my mouth. Red blotches where my fingers held to her arms leaving a memory on her pale porcelain skin, she looked up at me with her emerald gleaming eyes.
Her hands were ice cold, almost lifeless still she remained breathing.
"Are you okay, Clara?" Asphen looked at me and then Clara with an evil smirk.
"Her, they want her, Venus."
"What?"
"The odds they want her, they want a lil girl named Clara and you, Venus."
"Maybe it's just a coincidence."
"They said her name was Clara, beautiful long blonde hair, green eyes, fair skin, And they even described exactly what she was wearing, A pink puffy jacket, a pink power shirt, and blue jeans with red and black converse." She reached to grab Clara and I calmly handed Clara over to Castien.
"Let's get one thing straight Asphen. You can have Clara over my dead body. Once I'm dead and gone is when you can have her until then she is my responsibility and I will take on anyone who has anything different to say about it. You want me to beat your ass right now right here i will, no sweat off my back but if you don't want that back the fuck off." Blood boils inside me, heat radiating off my body. The anger I feel is incredibly strong over a little girl I met not too long ago. Her face dropped and she dropped her arms quick, after knowing about my super strength i don't think anyone would want to fuck with me.
"They have eyes and ears everywhere, Venus. That's how they know what she looks like and they also think she is the cure to all of it. Everything began closing in. I felt like everything was shrinking. Nothing felt real, could she really be the cure. I mean earlier the zombies would not even mess with her. As everything was said, I looked up at a menacing view of a 20 ft high mountain of monsters not even a day in and a mountain of people just turned into flesh eating zombies. Bloody limbs everywhere, guts pouring out; Some were still moving and the literal cherry on top was dead monsters spelling 'ODDS', all contorted with poles sticking through them to spell out the word.
"HOLY fucking shit," James' southern accent was prominent in his exclamation, everyone seemed to be taken aback because of the very sight left by the odds.
"Are these the kind of people we are dealing with? Monster killing machines, deadly marauders?" Castien spoke infuriated by just the thought of these people. His hands trembled, his body heated up. His anger was taking control of his body.
Castien's POV
These people want Venus, and Clara, nothing could control my anger. It felt like metaphorical smoke was blowing out of my ears. They can't have them, they are mine to protect for right now.
Venus' POV
The ominous air, foreboding our meet with the odds making this journey almost unbearable. Who are the odds and why would they want me? I'm nothing special. They have to have been thugs outside of this apocalypse we're in. Dirty marauders who had nothing better to do than be gangbangers. Continuing that lifestyle, but why? Dropping bodies and making sure everyone knows their name. The sky got dark, clouds rushing in out of nowhere. Fog filled the air, so thick that there was no visual sight.
"Thugs, wanting a fight. No one can contain what's about to happen now. There will be hell to pay. I may not know this lil girl as well as I would like but I will be dead before anyone decides to do anything with her." Everyone was in unity except Asphen who just looked at Clara like a piece of meat. They want me, they can have me, but they can't have her." The air in the car almost got suffocating as I began to fade in and out again, like earlier. Without hesitation I jumped past Castien and out of the car to make my way to the menacing mountain of building blocks in my way. Leaving Clara and the others behind, I knew what had to be done, the question is can I do it? I can do it, they're all counting on me and I can't let Castien… I mean the others down. What is wrong with my head? I can't let a boy distract me from my work, these people need me, everyone needs me. My knowledge of steelix could stop this before the world actually ends.
"Venus that's a suicide mission you're going on come on now?! Are you seriously just gonna leave us like that?"
"I'm not leaving just taking a break, besides we will catch back up later. I need to do this, they want me." Before I could finish James and Castien joined my side and we helped each other climb the mountain. On the way up I felt a stinging sensation go all the way up my leg, I had been bit. "These motherfuckers aren't playing around when you mess with them." They look down at the healing bite mark and notice how quickly my skin regenerated.
"Guess that healing shit isnt just good for others but yourself too, keep ya away from a lot of infections."