"This is Dr. Suzume Saito from the CDC, it is D-Day +2 August 27, 2010. Two days ago, Wildfire was declared a Global Pandemic. We have been working around the clock in the containment lab, this is the first time I have stepped out of the lab since I made my first report.

"The virus has reached cataclysmic levels worldwide as the standard mortality rate occurs in the population and the people that have been unfortunate enough to contract the active virus begin to succumb to it. According to our data, no matter how strong a person's immune system is, we have yet to document anyone surviving beyond 48 hours after exposure.

"We lost Test Subjects Three and Four today. With Test Subject Three I had them placed into the Enhanced MRI machine to record the process. We were able to see the virus progress as it spread up the brain stem and into the brain. The active virus causes a cytokine storm in the subject, targeting the brain The adrenal glands are targeted and begin to hemorrhage, leading to the brain and major organs shut down. When TS-3 succumbed to the virus it took 4 hours 17 minutes and 43 seconds to reanimate. When a subject reanimates the virus reactivates the brainstem and cerebellum only, so that the sensory input and movement remain, but there is no sign of higher thinking. The senses seem to remain intact, but I theorize that as time progresses and as the body decays so will the senses.

"I had to convince Candace to do this, but we did not terminate TS-3 when they reanimated, wanting to document its behavior and characteristics. We tested its sense of smell, keeping the subject in a dark room, and put 2 mice into the room, one that was covered in the blood of deceased TS-2 and one that was not. It ate the clean mice within seconds, and the second mouse was left unbothered, however, when it began to make noise it was found and eaten as well.

"We received multiple reports of people drinking water that had been contaminated with infected blood, instead of becoming infected with the active virus they developed cholera. We have been able to confirm that the active virus can only be transmitted through blood transition. If someone is bitten on one of their limbs it has been documented that in immediate application of a tourniquet and amputation, the subject does not contract the active virus.

"When in the lab I kept my head down and shut out everything going on in the outside world. We have new residents here at the CDC, the military deployed troops to reinforce the CDC. They know the only fighting chance we have is to hold this location for as long as possible. This is the only Level 4 Biosafety lab on the East Coast. We need to hold out until the last drop of fuel is consumed and the HITs are activated.

"The civil unrest has spread, turn on any news channel and you can see that due to the panic, rioting and looting have escalated. Martial law has been called in the US and most countries worldwide. Due to all of this, a group of the staff here have approached Candace asking to leave and be with their families. Which, while I do understand, I can't help but feel that they are abandoning us to the inevitable. The more people we have working on this the better our chances are…and tomorrow we are going to lose half of our staff.

"The reports coming from the La Biomedicine DDMI are alarming, to say the least. They are experimenting with the virus left and right bypassing all safety protocols. The French government arranged to provide them with more test subjects with prisoners with life sentences. They are terminating them as if they were mice, conducting experiments, if they keep following this path, they are going to create mutations. The one thing we don't want to do is make this beast of a virus more deadly. If they keep this up…I didn't survive foster care without developing an instinct, a sense when something bad is about to happen, and right now my gut is screaming. Candace and other labs have tried to get them to stop this, however, we are unable to stop them as we are in other countries and the French government is allowing this.

"My next shift in the lab is in 6 hours and seeing as I haven't slept in 48 hours, my next date is with my coach. This is Dr. Suzume Saito signing off."

Author's Note

Hello everyone,

Thank you for choosing to read my Walking Dead fanfiction. My original female character, Suzume Saito, is a doctor. I myself am not a doctor or even know anything other than pretty basic medical information. I conduct as much research as I can but there will be inaccuracies so bear with me.

The first few chapters of this story are short but they will grow much longer as we get further into the Walking Dead timeline.

Please leave a comment, letting me know what you think and follow and favorite to join me in this story's journey.