The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 1

The original rough draft of The Virus Within is back! Here is a line for those who like to note if they are First Time Readers (FTR) or Re-Readers (RR).

*        *        * 

I shifted silently through the trees. Despite the dark night, my red-tinted sight allowed me to see every blade of grass and leaf as if it was noon. The wind gently blew strands from my waist-long braid behind me.

The wind also blew hundreds of scents at me. I could identify each of them with ease. I considered my choices. A rabbit would be sufficient for tonight. I darted silently through the brush in a hunting crouch as I followed the scent.

I passed a small pool of water and caught a fleeting glimpse of a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes in the reflection. Such a sight would have had any of the remaining humans shaking in their boots. That was if they even spotted me at all. Like the ninjas or assassins in the Hollywood films, if someone spotted me, they knew that it was too late to escape unless I let them.

The scent of the rabbit was stronger now and I knew I was quite close to it. I slowed as I looked around. The rabbit was just ahead of me as it napped under a shrub. It was sleeping, and if I had my way, it would never wake up.

~

I returned to the old log cabin since the sun would be rising very shortly. Even if I hadn't known exactly where I was, I could have easily followed the smell of wood smoke back. This cabin had probably been a small hunting lodge at one time. There was one queen-sized bed in one corner, a petite kitchen, a wood stove, and a chair. It was small, but more than enough for one woman.

The rabbit I had caught would hold me for a day or two before I would have to hunt again. I opened up an airtight container and took out a dehydrated apple slice. I munched slowly on it as I cleaned up a bit and checked on some other fruit on the drying racks.

I peeked out the window blinds. The sky was just starting to get light. I squinted against the brightness. Even the earliest stages of a sunrise were too bright for me to look at. With a sigh, I dug out my pair of special sunglasses and put them on.

Technically, they were not actually sunglasses. They were welding glasses that looked like wraparound sunglasses. Their snug fit and shape was more suited to a man's face, but I didn't care since they protected my eyes without creating too many blind spots. No light came in around the edges, which was the only reason I could go outside during the day.

I went outside and considered my options. There wasn't much to do here and some of my supplies were starting to get a bit low. I decided to head to town and settled my backpack on my shoulders. I ran in the forest alongside the road. I had preferred to keep a low profile even when I had been human and my zombie instincts preferred it as well. Besides, if other zombies saw me running, they would try to follow thinking I was chasing something.

Some of the Runners would probably snap at me. I didn't have the ambition or tolerance to deal with that drama today. It was easier to just stay out of sight when I traveled.

I paused to examine dozens of zombies roaming around the town. I wasn't overly bothered by their presence; I was no more human than they were. I just had more control. Most were the common mindless zombies that were barely able to move faster than a jog. About as bright as a brick, all they knew was to chase and try to attack. They rarely bothered me and if they did, a quick growl usually made them change their minds.

Roughly one in a ten thousand zombies were Runners. Not much slower than their previous human selves, but they were still a long stone's throw away from intelligence. They were stronger and more aggressive though. Like feral dogs, they would try and test other zombies to establish a spot in the pecking order.