Godead

LXIX

Suddenly, Abby's eyes grew wide. She paused, skin tingling as the vaccine made its way through her bloodstream. As Claude and Reuben looked on, Abby's body slowly began to twitch. She went into convulsions, bones cracking and popping as she violently clenched her fists.

"Grr... damn that bastard! What the hell was in that vile needle...?!" Abby exclaimed.

Suddenly, her head shot back, voice screaming as her body stood wracked with pain. She then hunched over, eyes glowing a deep, crimson red. Just then, her body began to grow, tearing from her clothes as her skin shined a faint shade of silver. Claude and Reuben stepped back, watching as Abby transformed in front of them.

The vaccine in her veins fought a desperate battle against her tainted virus DNA. While it reached a stalemate in Debra, it quickly lost its fight to Abby's superior cells. Abby's body won in the end, and the vaccine in her system was neutralized, forcing a metamorphosis. Her body continued to shift and change, dark clouds rolling in as they slowly began to form on the horizon.

After several moments, Abby stood motionless, silently looking down at Claude and Reuben. She stood perfectly still, eyeing them with a calm look of euphoria. Abby stood ten feet high, her wings transformed from insect-like to fleshy and chitinous. Where once there were two now rested four massive wings, casting a frightful silhouette against the overcast landscape. As Abby quietly stared them down, Claude and Reuben stood motionless, thunder rumbling off in the distance.

"...Abby...!" Claude said, watching along with Reuben as Abby coldly stared them down.

"Claude. I feel...," Abby said, voice echoing with an otherworldly vibration. "...Magnificent."

As Claude and Reuben watched in shock, Abby spread the four of her massive wings. She had a nine foot wingspan, raising them high in the air as they slowly began to vibrate. Just then, a piercing chirp filled the air, Claude and Reuben covering their ears as they fell to their knees from the deafening sound.

As Abby's high pitched chirping filled the air, zombies from miles around all stopped in their tracks. They slowly turned their heads, moving toward the direction the noise was coming from.

Abby then ceased her chirps, eyeing Claude and Reuben from a distance. She leaned her wings inward, creating a powerful oscillation toward them. Claude suddenly shot to his feet, grabbing Reuben as the two narrowly dodged out of the way. Abby's attack created a stream of destruction, tearing a line through the street before slamming into a building. In seconds, the three story structure crumbled and fell, Abby calmly turning to them before charging a second attack.

As she prepared to fire, Reuben cringed, losing Reed's bulky lab coat before rushing naked at Abby. He raised his hand, firing a volley of quills in her direction. Abby made no effort to run, standing perfectly still as Reuben's attacks bounced off her. She created a second oscillation, Reuben leaping as he avoided the attack. He then released a second wave of quills, firing them all from his body as they fiercely rained down on Abby. Not even one pierced her skin, Abby stoically staring up at him as he fell.

Abby then spread her wings, creating a massive oscillation toward the boy. Suddenly, Reuben's eyes went wide, the boy screaming as he soon broke apart in countless pieces, falling to the ground in a rain of bloody chunks.

"Reuben!" Claude exclaimed.

As the rain of blood ceased, a second boom of thunder rolled in from the distance. Abby slowly turned around, facing Claude as the two were now all that was left standing. As a light drizzle began to fall, Abby stared down at Claude as she towered above him.

"Claude," she said, her echoey voice sending chills up the boy's spine. "You tried to kill me. Why did you try to kill me...?" Claude grimaced.

"Why do you think?" he replied angrily. "You're a murderer! That's why! You do nothing but kill! Lucy... Zoe... Reuben. The list is endless!" Abby stood motionless.

"I only do what comes natural," she said. "Survival of the fittest is the one true law of the Earth. Even the lowly animal kingdom knew this. It's kill or be killed. Such is the way of the world."

"No!" Claude retorted. "We aren't animals! We're human! We can rise above such barbaric behavior!" Abby stood still, stoically staring at him with crimson eyes.

"...No, Claude," she said. "You are human. I am something much different." Slowly, she stepped forward, her tall, slender, fit frame approaching Claude. "...I once cared for you, Claude. In fact, I even loved you. But now, you're nothing to me. You're not a lover. You're not a friend. All I see in front of me is a weak little ape. A maggot, in fact. One that must be crushed for the betterment of the world. I will enjoy ripping you limb from bloody limb."

As Abby crept closer, the rain intensified, turning to a heavy storm. As Abby towered over Claude, Claude looked up, warily stepping back. He edged away, soon realizing he was pinned against a building. As the rain came down hard, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating Abby's icy stare as her eery eyes calmly stared down at Claude.

"...At last. This is goodbye. Darling," Abby said coldly.

As Abby prepared to attack, a pair of headlights suddenly appeared from nearby. Claude and Abby looked over, watching as a group of three exited a car, each pointing guns at them.