DNA

Vampire, Wolves, & Humans

-2004-

The lab was always chilly at this time of day but the young scientist kept working. Others were busy, bustling around him. He had just been hired on the new project spearheaded by the US government. War was upon them and they wanted the upper hand. After all the guns and bombs they wanted to surprise attack their enemies, infect them with a virus that would kill them all off in one fell swoop. Afterward, a counter virus would be released in order to contain the outbreak. They had been at it for years. No more than that was explained to the lower level scientists such as himself. Only the higher-ups knew what the virus did. It was all hush, hush. Especially since it was still a prototype. Even family members weren't allowed to know. He sighed and turned away from the sterile metal table of his work station just in time to hear someone swear loudly to his right. A tinkle of glass followed, and then chaos.

"We have a contamination breach!" someone to his right shouted. He stumbled back to lean on the table while others ran around in the process of protocol should this happen, but his eyes were stuck on the scientist whose fault it was. He was clutching his hand where blood spilled from his palm to join the blue liquid on the floor. The broken glass must have cut him. He was breathing heavily and slowly crumpled to the floor. The young scientist glanced around to see most of his peers were already evacuated. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving the man behind, so he knelt next to him with a rag to staunch the blood.

"Can you get up?" he asked the older scientist. Silence was the only reply. He tried to lift the man but he was dead weight. Instead, he set him back on the floor. The man fell forward to lie there, body motionless.

"Um, sir?" the young scientist called to him. A guttural noise met his ears this time. A chill ran down his spine when the man sat up, ghostly eyes on him. He had a pale complexion, pointed ears, sharp nails, and black eyes with white irises. The man hissed and bared sharp teeth. The cuspids and first premolars of the top row of teeth were pointed like fangs, the cuspid slightly longer in length than the first premolar. It was enough to send the young scientist scurrying away. The thing, no longer a man, was quick to catch him by the leg and drag him back. Those teeth aimed right for his neck and tore. He tried to fight back but it was too strong. He could feel his blood spread, hot and thick. In no time his vision dimmed and he blacked out, body drained. The creature roared in triumph and then darted from the room in search of more prey.

In the next hour, the lab would be a scene of massacre and only a third of the scientists would survive long enough to warn others of the outbreak.

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Breaking News

Mass hysteria is sweeping the nation. Warnings of a virus spreading through the US has people fleeing their homes. Sightings of the creatures created by this virus have been described as pale with sharp teeth. The eyes are black with white irises. Authorities urge civilians to avoid anyone contaminated and to be ready for evacuation taking place at the city limits. Actions have been taken to try and quell the threat including extermination and multiple tests. If all else fails, extreme measures will be taken.

,~,~,~,~

-2008-

The head scientist in charge of the creation of the counter virus strode into the lab, warmth permeating the room. They had captured a few infected and studied them from all angles until they understood its workings. It would provide the answer to stopping it, hopefully, for good. Months have slipped by them with countless test subjects dying. They just weren't compatible with the injections they concocted. It wouldn't stabilize. But he refused to give up. He walked over to the two long tanks lined up at the back. Each was hooked up to wires and tubes, a breathing mask on the subjects' faces. Another had been taken apart and lied dead on a metal table nearby. It had been a failure. He examined the corpse and then turned to the two scientists stationed there. They were busy trading causes of possible death when he interrupted them.