The Infection

Chapter 4: A Zombie In The Pizzeria

‘So, we’ve got another Antisepticeye?’ Patton Sanders slowly asked, a concerned, but soft, frown on his face.

Chase and Henrik had decided to travel to the Sander Sides area first, as that was nearest from the exit they ran out of earlier. Their own area would take longer to get to now that the hospital had been destroyed. The three were sitting on beanbags that Patton had brought out to the common room that the Sides shared. Henrik was trying to distract himself with the coffee that Virgil had made him; he was too shaken to speak, so was letting Chase do the talking.

‘I guess…yeah.’ Chase mumbled, thinking the question over as he talked. Patton nodded, but slowly exhaled. Virgil was sitting on the floor next to Patton, while Chase and Henrik were sitting opposite, and the anxious side looked at the brothers nervously. He’d already bitten most of his nails off and had started biting the edge of his hoodie sleeve.

The brothers had told them everything that had happened: the new ego, the eye colours, the manipulation, the abnormal souls, the rabbit creature. Patton couldn’t help but put his hands over Virgil’s ears as Henrik described Dawko’s terrified outburst; Virgil was already panicking even before then.

‘So where is he now?’ Patton then asked. The brothers blinked and stiffened. Chase looked at Henrik, as if asking for permission to answer. Henrik deliberately starred into his cup of coffee. Chase then cleared his throat and looked at the worried Sides.

‘Well…we don’t know…’

Patton blinked, a stern expression coming across his face as he took in the response. Virgil, however, looked terrified.

‘Are we going to die?’ he muttered breathlessly, staring at the brothers with wide eyes.

The two looked at Virgil, stunned, before Chase quickly responded, hoping to calm him down.

‘No no. I mean, he hasn’t done much at the moment so everything should be ok-’

‘Mr Brody, I appreciate what you’re doing, but you said that this purple guy just destroyed the doctor’s workplace deliberately.’ Patton interrupted sternly, then gently shook his head, ‘That’s not an action of a good person or creature.’

Chase opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of a response that would help, ‘Well…er…’

Patton watched sympathetically as Chase mumbled and started fidgeting. He understood what the Septic ego was trying to do and, while he appreciated the effort, he didn’t want to be given false hope. A clearing of throat pushed his glance away from Chase and, surprisingly, to Henrik, who had put his coffee cup on the floor by him. Even Chase looked surprised; Henrik hadn’t said a word since the building collapse.

‘Patton’s right. Zat iz not a good action at all. But ve don’t know vhere he went; once ve were out of ze building, he was gone.’ Henrik started with quietly, then looked up at the trio sternly, ‘but zhis area and Ethan’s are ze furthest areas in ze whole Void. Therefore, you’ll be safe.’ Henrik paused for a breath, his expression staying the same. The trio just listened quietly, giving him their full attention.

‘He doesn’t know ze Void, so he’d probably go for ze more populated areas-’

‘Which is yours and Marks…’ Virgil muttered slowly, looking unsure. Henrik nodded in agreement.

‘Ja. But, because of zat, ve have a backup plan. Vhen Anti first came here, I had to keep him locked away until he could be properly rehabilitated. I vill do ze same for Dawktrap.’ Henrik finished with confidently and went back to his coffee.

Patton and Virgil exchanged uncertain glances while Chase looked at them, as if waiting for their approval.

‘And the host?’ Patton asked, frowning. Chase blinked and looked unsure. He slowly looked over at his brother, awaiting a response, but Henrik looked just as clueless. However, he opened his mouth to answer-