Infected

1

"It wasn't my fault!"

Terror looms the streets. Screams bounce on the pavement. The air stilled- as if everything is frozen. It feels like a dream, looks like reality. Stuck between two different imaginations, trying to discover which one is real, and which one isn't. 

An epidemic has escaped from a nearby laboratory, and it's feeding on its prey. It inserts itself into one's mind, and torments its host until the point of insanity. Only one is responsible for these horrible acts, and everyone believes it was her.

Lei laid on the floor, her breath hitched. Trying not to make any sound, she stilled herself, not daring to move a muscle. Someone was in her house, she noted, and they weren't happy. 

She lay under her bed, bearing a small package she needed to transport. She wasn't sure how to, but she didn't have much time. Eventually, she heard the footsteps getting louder and louder until she heard the door open. She knew she had to act now, but what to do?

The figure approached the bed, and slowly lowered their head. Lei acted quickly, tackling the intruder immediately. They both tumbled to the floor, and began brawling. 

They were interrupted when they heard a crash downstairs. They looked towards each other. Lei noted that the figure was in fact another woman, a strong woman. They didn't trust one another, but they snuck down the staircase silently to investigate the scene. 

There was a plant pot knocked over, and the fridge left open. Once they reached the kitchen, they discovered a small note hidden on a seat. The note read;

This is not over! It will never be over! And all because of you! Watch your back, Lei, there's a storm coming, and it's coming fast.

Lei wasn't surprised. She got death threats similar to this all the time, but something about this one changed her opinion. The handwriting was familiar, as it was similar to that of her brother's. She found that odd, seeming as though he died a few years back from the virus.

 As Lei continued to scan the note, the intruder retreated out the front door, and escaped into the virus-infected world. Finally, she put the note down, having no clue what to do. She hadn't noticed earlier, but she was bleeding from a scratch on her arm. 

She slowly moved to the bathroom, and washed the blood off. She couldn't find any bandages, so in replacement she used a small towel. She washed her face as well, hoping it would wake her up from this nightmare. Sadly, it didn't work.

 Lei ran upstairs and started packing her stuff. Her location had been compromised, she needed to evacuate immediately. Luckily, she packed lightly, so she was out of her 'safe haven' in no time. 

She headed into the city, taking shortcuts and alleyways to not be seen. The screams were loud, but by now Lei had already drown out the sound. She entered an alleyway, not far from town, where she heard rustling. 

On instinct, she went into battle position, listening intently for the rustling to reappear. She heard it again, and charged towards it, but when she arrived, nothing was there. Right when she was about to turn around, she felt a punch drive into her cheek, and all she could see was darkness.