Zombie Guy

Chapter 2: 4 Weeks before Turning

It's Monday. I walked into the break room, the hum of the fluorescent lights above barely registering as I moved to the table, my usual spot. It was my routine coffee break, but today, something felt... off. I sat down, stretching my back, and my eyes drifted to a stack of papers on the table. They didn't belong there unlabelled, but there was a faint outline of the word "Project" visible on the edge. I couldn't resist.

I pulled the papers toward me and flipped them open, heart racing just a little faster than usual. At first glance, everything seemed normal-scientific jargon, sterile diagrams. But then my eyes caught something that made my stomach twist.

*Phase III: Genetic Modifications and Biological Enhancements.*

What the hell was this? I didn't recognize the project name, and I definitely wasn't briefed on anything like this. I stared at the words, trying to make sense of them, but all I could do was feel a sinking feeling in my chest. My fingers hesitated, hovering over the pages. I could feel something in the pit of my stomach telling me that this was a line I probably shouldn't cross.

I quickly closed the folder and glanced over my shoulder, making sure no one had seen me. The break room was quiet-too quiet, almost-but it didn't stop the paranoia from creeping up.

I shoved the files under my arm, pretending to be engrossed in something else. Just then, I heard footsteps behind me.

"Hey, Kev. You alright?"

I looked up, startled, to see Linda standing by the door with a coffee cup in her hand. She had that look-the one that said she knew something.

"Oh, uh, yeah, just..." I stammered, mentally scrambling for an excuse. "Just tired. You know how it is."

She raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You've been acting a little distracted lately... and I saw you eyeing those files." She pointed to the stack of papers under my arm.

My heart skipped a beat. Crap!

"Oh, no. It's nothing," I muttered, shifting in my seat, trying to act casual, but it felt like she could see straight through me. "Just... catching up, you know?"

Linda didn't seem convinced, but she shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "Well, if you're sure. But I've been hearing some weird stuff going on in Lab 7 lately. They've been keeping things hush-hush over there, and people are saying they're working on something... dangerous. But who knows?" She smiled like it was a joke, but I could hear the unease in her voice.

I felt my brow furrow. Dangerous? That caught my attention. "What do you mean by dangerous?"

She leaned against the doorframe, still smiling, but there was something in her eyes. "I dunno. Just the way they're talking about it. Can't say I know much, but..." She trailed off, as if realizing she'd said too much. "Anyway, I better go."

She turned to leave, and I was left there, feeling like I'd just had a brush with something I didn't quite understand. My mind raced. Lab 7? Dangerous?

I couldn't shake the words. What exactly are they working on there?

I looked back up and caught a glimpse of Linda walking down the hall true the window.

Linda had been the first real friend I'd made here, though our connection was unconventional. On my first week, I'd managed to knock over a delicate stack of test tubes that everyone was counting on. It was the sort of blunder I was known for-completely accidental but very much my fault. As the tubes shattered on the ground, I felt every eye in the room on me. Most people looked ready to strangle me on the spot.

Except for Linda. She was the only one who didn't sigh or roll her eyes. Instead, she crouched down to help pick up the mess, giving me a small, sympathetic smile as she handed me a dustpan. "It happens to the best of us," she said, as if I hadn't just disrupted the workflow for the next several hours.

From that day, we had an unspoken understanding. We didn't chat daily, didn't need to, but she always seemed to know what I was thinking. In an office full of people who barely looked up from their screens, she noticed things.

Over the years, she became my silent support-a constant presence, but one that didn't demand much. We'd exchange quick glances or subtle smiles, our own language, and that was usually enough. There was no need to explain the day-to-day frustrations; she got it. She got me.

When she'd asked me if I was okay, standing in the doorway of the break room, it was like she'd already known something was weighing on my mind. That was the thing with Linda-she didn't pry, but somehow, she was always right there when I needed someone to remind me, I wasn't completely alone in this place.

I glanced down at the papers I had tucked under my arm. *Genetic Modifications and Biological Enhancements.* It sounded like something out of a science fiction novel, not a research facility.

I stood up, trying to shake off the unease. But I couldn't. I had to know more. I had to figure out what was going on, and why I was getting the feeling that I'd just scratched the surface.

But for now, I had work to do. I placed the papers back into the table, trying to push the feeling of curiosity aside, at least for the moment. I wasn't the type to stir up trouble, but something about this place-it was starting to feel wrong. I couldn't ignore it. Not now.

As I walked back to my desk, my eyes were drawn to Lab 7. I hadn't really thought much about it before, but now, it felt like it was calling me. I caught a glimpse of the researchers going inside, talking in low voices. I couldn't make out any of the words, but I could see that their expressions were tense, like they were dealing with something they didn't want anyone to know about.

I stopped for a moment, watching. But before I could process anything more, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, expecting an update from Dr. Elias.

Sure enough, the message flashed on the screen: "Kevin, I need those reports by end of day. Don't get distracted."

I let out a sigh, slipping the phone back into my pocket. I rubbed my temples to ease the slight headache I was having. As much as I wanted to know more about what was happening in Lab 7, I had to focus on the reports. But the seed of doubt was planted, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

The whole week felt like one long game of hide and seek with Lab 7. I'd get close-really close-and then, without fail, something would pull me away.

Tuesday morning, I finally worked up the nerve to take a detour past Lab 7, trying to catch even a glimpse of what was going on inside. But just as I rounded the corner, Dr. Elias popped up, clipboard in hand, with a new stack of files he needed "reviewed immediately." I barely even got a glance through the frosted glass.

Wednesday, I tried again, this time planning to linger near the door after my shift. But right as I was about to make my way over, a sudden alarm sounded down the hallway. An equipment malfunction or something, but it sent everyone-including me-scurrying to a different part of the facility. It felt like some kind of cosmic joke.

By Thursday, my curiosity had reached a breaking point. I'd started lingering in the hallways, hoping to pick up stray conversations from any of the researchers coming or going. I even tried asking a few careful questions around the break room, but everyone seemed just as in the dark as I was-or they were playing it safe and keeping their mouths shut. Linda gave me a knowing look once, catching me loitering a little too long by the vending machine.

"You alright, Kev?" Linda asked, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Yeah, just... you know, curious about what they're doing over there," I muttered, trying to sound nonchalant.

She raised an eyebrow but didn't press. I had the feeling she understood, though, in her own way. But curiosity or not, I hadn't gotten one step closer to the answers I wanted.

Friday rolled around, and I had another plan. I waited until late afternoon, hoping the lab would be quiet, maybe even empty. This time, I made it to the doorway, feeling the cool metal handle under my fingers-and then my phone buzzed, loud enough to break the silence. It was Elias again, summoning me for yet another last-minute meeting. I cursed under my breath, glancing one last time at the door before I turned and walked away.

By the end of the week, my curiosity had only grown. I couldn't get past that feeling that something was just beyond my reach, and if I could only get one clear look into that lab, I'd finally understand what this place was hiding.