September 26, 2013
This morning I stepped out of the gym shower, and before reaching for my glasses sitting on the hardwood bench in the adjacent room, I sniffed. My scent didn't change and I have little hope it will. I can still smell the rotting corpse blood in my red stained fur. At first the steam the surprisingly hot water created made me forget about the smell, but it did little to remove it. When the water changed from hot to cold, only then did I notice the smell.
I looked at my reflection in the lone mirror. Already I miss looking at myself and seeing a dark brown, thin body of fur. My fur is lighter now, but the color of the blood mixed in with my natural brown and created an ugly mahogany. Even though it was refreshing, the shower was just a waste of water in the end. It didn't repel the smell or even mask it. It did little against my fur, coated in dry blood. My opinion: the blood is strong like armor, and impossible to get rid of like dye or ink.
A knock on the door made me jump.
"Come on, furball," Ryan's voice carried through the solid build, "Time to come through and earn your keep." I still have yet to figure out what my job here is going to be, and I've gotten no clues as to what it is. Alvin, with his injured arm, was made a roof guard, but on rainy days like today Ryan said he could rest until his arm was fully healed (if it heals…). Theo was to help with Dr. Rubin and Julie to look after our shelter, fix any way for corpses to get in, that kind of stuff. Brittany was assigned to look after supplies and to make sure everyone got a fair share, Jeanette got the title of "Nurse" but when Ryan told her what she was he didn't sound happy about it. And finally, like I predicted, Eleanor is the cook of the colony.
Yesterday was a day for me, my brothers and the chipettes to rest and recuperate. Outside under a lean-to, it was intimidating to just listen to each drop hit the thin plastic and wait for another corpse to come in and eat us all. I couldn't sleep. I thought about going to the library on the off chance I'd find a book to read, even with no light, but before I could get up and go inside Jeanette shuffled over to me, sinking herself deep into my torso. Her messy ponytail caught in my eyes, but I never objected. Listening to her breathing, her heartbeat thumping against mine, I found myself waking up from slumber. I wish an apocalypse didn't have to occur for me to get this close with Jeanette, but when she crawled up to me I had my doubts if this was all a dream. It wasn't and I was both severely depressed and a little happy.
Now, today, is when the work starts, whatever that may be. I think it's still raining so that means a "lucky" day for Alvin. When I left the changing room I was instantly picked up and brought to the science lab. Not a particularly large room, but bigger than the standard classroom, the science lab had five long islands arranged in rows in the middle, each with a small eyewash station, a set of beakers, and newly added lanterns. This work seems good and I doubt many other jobs here get the perks of artificial light when needed. "Welcome to your new workstation." Ryan stated without any enthusiasm, setting me down on the nearest island. Time for the big question.
"What do you want me to do here?" I asked, glad to be in a familiar room. It's just as cold as the library, but not as big; I feel safer here, though -and I'm just realizing this- I'll be all alone.
"That depends on how serious you are about science." Ryan spat and at the word science I perked up, I know I did. I also know he noticed.
"Erhm, what do you mean?" I coughed, hoping to cover up my unprofessional excitement. I get to study when the world ends… AWESOME!
"Remember that I said I had a little hunch earlier, a theory?" I nodded, "Well I need you to analyze and study a few things."
"Such as?" Analyzing anything without real electricity, laptops, scanners, or other proper equipment is a true challenge. It's tough to do even with all those luxuries. I'm no scientist, and the only credential I have is being top in all my classes… Back when those mattered.
"Blood." He said, "Blood from a corpse and blood from Alvin. Maybe, if you get far enough, we can get samples from everyone else too. I'd ask you to research the brain of each, but we don't have an x-ray, and Alvin can still be useful. Blood is the next best thing." Getting blood from a corpse- easy, but what about my brother? Was he implying what I think he is?
"Are you saying I have to cut my brother?!" I hissed, "Not only is that just awful, but the only thing sharp enough to cut anyone with is his own knife!" He remained still and his breathing was even.
"Calm yourself, furball." He said, "We're going on a reconnaissance mission later today. If we can't find any needles, you'll have to cut him. Deal?"
"What?! No!" I shouted and poked his jacket, "I'm not doing anything for you! Not if it's going to hurt anyone!" Before I knew it, I was pushed back.
"Look, furball," He said fiercely, "that's the deal and if you wanna stay here and not be freak food, you're going to do as I say and earn the safety this school provides, no matter what it takes." He scares me when he's angry. He was a big bully back when things were normal, but he's never scared me like he has now. I gulped, the message is clear- cut my brother with a dirty knife if Ryan doesn't return with a syringe, or take my chances with the corpses. He sighed, "You can chill at the fire pit until we get back."
(With no working clock, I assume this is a couple hours later…)
The fire crackled through the heavy rainfall and with everyone outside in the courtyard I'd never have guessed that this was a safe zone. Shouldn't everyone be working? Am I the only one with a job that requires no physical work? Or had Ryan given everyone a break? Even then, why would everyone want to be outside? Sure, the fire is welcoming, but the rain kind of nullifies that.
I'm back with my original group of six, and after my little "chat" with Ryan I'm more than happy to see them. Looking at Alvin is painful though. He's giving me a reassuring look and he thinks everything's okay, we've found a home, we're safe. But we're not- he's not anyway… I couldn't harm him… A closer look at my surroundings and I now realize that the humans are working, barricading the broken fence. Becca sat down next to us on the bench and took a large gulp from a water bottle. Her hair is plastered to her face and her eyes are dark. I forgot- she never got yesterday to rest, she had to work.
"Simon," She breathed, "you're lucky, you get the easy job." It sounded like it was supposed to be a joke, but I replied anyway, and not with a laugh.
"No, I really don't."
"What do you mean?" Alvin asked, "You get to sit in a lab all day, don't you?" I looked at Becca and she shrugged. She has a big mouth, why was I the last one to know my job? I don't think she, nor the others know the specifics like I do though. Alvin's fur is soaked, and his arm is neatly bandaged. No doubt Jeanette's handiwork. She's a better nurse than I thought. I might purposely get injured so she can tend to me… Alvin sounds ten times better than before, but I know he's still weak.
"I-I'll tell you later." I shivered at the thought of having to cut him, even just a little, and all so I could harvest some of his blood.
"We're going." Ryan announced with Xavier standing behind him as if they were a gang.
"C-Can I come too?" Julie asked, setting down a large rock she was carrying over to the fence.
"Why?"
"The neighborhood you're inspecting… Toby lives there." Julie bowed her head as if she was expecting Ryan to scold her, but instead he blinked. He gave her a bat, the signal of letting her go, and they set off. Julie was already lagging behind the other two by the time they turned the corner of a street. I worry about her; as my former music teacher we had a small, yet special bond. She was fun, but I noticed when we first arrived here in Ryan's pocket that she seemed depressed.
"What's Ryan's problem?!" Alvin exploded, "Julie can die out there and he's just gonna let her go?!"
"Ryan believes that if people want to leave, they leave, they take the risks." Becca said, "Sure, he'll try to protect them, but they're still the ones taking the risks. It's only when people want to join us and want to stay where his over-protective side comes out." Before anyone could ask another question, Becca started telling a story, "When the freaks first came, Ryan and Xavier saved me, they came for me when I was in trouble, just like how we saved you guys. And then we were on the road, hiding in an abandoned house we could find, staying with any families that were still alive. We moved a lot through the past week. We all lost our families and Ryan kinda took over as a father. He did everything to protect us, all the planning, all the hunting. Finally he got the idea that the school might be empty and that it would offer really good protection. That's when we met up with Dr. Rubin and Ms. Orteg- Julie.
"Don't you guys have a plan?" Jeanette asked, and looking around I can see that everyone's lost weight. They must have a low food supply. Surely Ryan knows that this school is only temporary for him and his group. Becca's uncomfortable look as Jeanette spoke made me uneasy. Is this all they had? Sure, survival comes first, but if we stay here too long -a couple of months or so- we'll run out of food, whatever water we have left will vanish, and what if one of us gets hurt? The medical supplies here isn't exactly any better than Tylenol and a bandage.
"When we first arrived we ran into another group of survivors who said there was a small settlement past the forest and that they were traveling there. They said they would send help once they got there."
"They didn't make it?" Brittany whispered.
"Either that or there's no settlement. We would have made the trip there by ourselves by now, but the forest is dangerous. We weren't ready then, and we aren't ready now. We don't have the supplies to get all the way through. We're saving up though. Ryan thinks it's worth it." A settlement… That sounds like a permanent home to me… But it also sounds like a dream.
(An assumed three to five hours later…)
The rain finally let up, giving us time to actually want to be outside by the fire. At around the same time Ryan and Xavier returned, walking through the front doors of the school, sweaty, and carrying duffel bags that looked like they weighed more than the boys themselves. I waited for the third member of their party to walk in through the door, but she didn't show.
"Where's Julie?" I wondered out loud. Looking expectantly at Ryan, who was catching his breath an gave me a ghost-like expression to the ground. He shook his head slightly and I knew what he wasn't saying… Julie's gone.
Ryan and Xavier brought the bags to the courtyard and explained their mission as everyone gathered around the fire.
"We hit the jackpot!" Ryan exclaimed and unzipped his duffel bag, revealing dozens of cans, first aid kits, and plenty of pre-made, dried out dinners. "We found all this while searching some dude's cellar! I guess he was one of those crazy guys who waited his entire life for the apocalypse or something; a lot of good that did him." He pulled out one of the cans, "This is spray-on stuff for cuts and burns. Doubt it'll be any help if we get bit, but you never know."
"Ryan!" Alvin snapped our leader out of his happy state with a sharp bark, "What happened to Julie?!"
After a pause, Ryan replied, his tone completely different than a minute ago, "As she requested, we stopped by this guy, Toby's… Turns out he turned, and he got her. When she first saw him, she was paralyzed, I got there too late- I was searching the rest of the house. That's all there is to it…" How could he put it like that?! This was Julie!
Ryan set the can down a safe distance from the fire and bowed, "I'm sorry she had to die…" He didn't sound remorseful, or even sad. If I were six feet taller and well built I'd bring him down. The way he presented our friend's death; it's making me furious! It was his job to watch her, being the leader!
"Did you find anything else?" Eleanor asked.
"This not enough?" He joked, but no one smiled, "A few dozen bottles of water, a couple bars of soap, a box of shells, but no gun."
"No syringes either?" I said hopefully and he looked down at me pitifully.
"No." He said and I feel like he's giving me his full attention, ignoring the others, "Sorry, furball, but you know what that means."
"Simon?" Jeanette questioned.
"Bro, what's he talking about?" Alvin interrupted. I couldn't find the courage to look him in the eye, but I stepped up and gave him a hug. I'd rather face the horde than cut my brother.
"Alvin, let him borrow your knife, if you'd please." Ryan ordered. Please? Who was he trying to fool?
"Why?"
"So he can get to work, earn his keep."
"Alvin…" I whispered.
"What's wrong, Si?"
"Alvin, he wants some of your blood. He wants me to take your blood. And since he couldn't find any needles, he wants me to cut your arm for it."
"But the only blade around here is Alvin's knife!" Brittany balled, pulling Alvin closer to her, "It's covered in corpse blood…"
"I know." I stifled any tears that tried to make their way out of my body. I turned around and looked our "leader" dead in the eye. He has scary eyes… "A-And I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to hurt him or anyone for that matter just to help you with your 'little hunch' or 'theory'!" Ryan cleared his throat.
"Well, I'm sorry to hear that." He stated, "Get out."
"Wait, what?" Alvin stumbled beside me.
"He can't leave!" Jeanette sniffed, "I-If he goes… I go."
"No big deal." Ryan said with a monotone voice, like he didn't care. I can't let my Jeanette do that. The other survivors are silent, I guess they know that Ryan is the law, but I bet I know what they're thinking.
"Jeanette," I said, "stay. Here, you're safe, you're fed… Stay." A tap on my shoulder brought me away from her.
"Simon…" Alvin spoke softly, "If it means you get to stay… Go ahead, take as much of my blood as you want. Carve me like a thanksgiving turkey if it means you can stay!"
"Alvin…" I tried to say, but my brother's name caught in my throat. He gave me one of his signature smiles and turned to Ryan.
"Let him do it tomorrow so we can at least clean the knife."
Ryan scowled, "Fine, but no later." Forgetting the can he left on the ground, he brought the rest of the supplies to the door.
"Anything to keep you here." Alvin whispered to me. I'm sorry for what I have to do… I don't even know if I can do it. I don't want to. Does he really expect me to go through with it? The best I can do is make the cut as painless as possible. I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…