Caught in the Riptide {Unedited} {Watty Awards 2013}

Chapter Thirteen

 Caught in the Riptide

Chapter Thirteen

“We do know the cause of the virus and we can classify it as a fungi,” A man walked forward with big, fat glasses and a white doctor’s coat. He had a broad smile on his face but it didn’t reach his eyes and huge bags and pigeon feet were also under his eyes; it was obvious that this man had been working nonstop for a long period of time and I can only imagine how tired I would be if I was him. “I’m Doctor Marcus by the way.”

I smiled at him, “I’m Maykaylah and this is my husband or fiancé, Colton. It’s nice to meet you but uh, how could it be a fungi?”

“You’ve interacted with the infected I’m guessing?” Doctor Marcus paused and we both nodded. “And I’m sure you noticed their bulging skin then?”

We both nodded again.

“I’ll be as simple as I can then but in South America, there was a virus that affected the bugs that lived in the Amazon rainforest. It was a fungi species that was designed for each particular type of bug species and in the end, eliminated the infected bug. We are still unsure how but the fungi virus was thought to originate from there and adapt to humans; the virus takes over the mind of the infected and you would be basically hacked into and reprogrammed by the fungi to infect an uninfected human being, only our guess was that they had to be of the same blood type. Anyway, once they have infected someone successfully, we believe they go off to die and the fungi literally takes over and grows out of them.”

“Now the reason we believe it is someone from the same blood type is because the fungi, when only transmitted through bugs, although was related, was specifically designed for one species of bug. However every bug species had it’s own specially designed fungi for it so basically none of the fungi interbred. So basically, we predict that you are basically invisible to any infected creature that isn’t your blood type.”

I gaped at Doctor Marcus and I felt Colton shudder involuntarily next to me and he took a step closer, obviously finding it comforting having someone familiar near him when he heard news like this –I wasn’t about to argue though because I was shocked too.

“So the bul-bulging stuff? Does that mean that it will like explode when they contaminate someone? But what if they like, don’t find anything? How many are infected?” I shivered but I tried to keep myself under control –this probably wasn’t the best time to have a breakdown.

“4 million we believe and so far, we think they just go dormant. They don’t die but our patients so far haven’t been kept in long enough to tell,” Major Frank said gruffly, standing next to Doctor Marcus, leaning against a table.

“Patients?” I squeaked and Colton’s hand tightened around mine.

“Test subjects. How else would we find a vaccine?” Major Frank glared at me and I whimpered.

Oh god. Test subjects?

In a way, I knew that if we wanted to beat this virus or fungi, we had to have test subjects but it just seemed a little worse then the test subjects magazines had to test perfume. And unfortunately, even my imagination couldn’t come up with the kind of things they would be doing.

“But it’s ok,” Doctor Marcus attempted to soothe me. “They have no reaction to pain or blood, it appears that they only thing they react to is smell.”

“Oh god,” I gasped and buried my head into Colton’s shoulder. “Oh god, oh god, oh god.”

What were they doing to them? I get that I had killed quite a few zombies but that was in life or death situations! I didn’t just attack or torment someone because I could –and I did realise they weren’t human or even animals anymore really, but it still seemed so inhuman. So horrible.

“Hey, it’s gonna’ be ok, alright?” Colton murmured, rubbing my back in circles with his hand. “How was that meant to help her?”

“Oh please, she needed to hear it. She was going to find out anyway and it’s not my problem if she can’t handle it,” Major Frank said angrily and I shoved my body closer to Colton’s. “It’s not like she’s even meant to be in here.”

I felt sick and if I did throw up, I wasn’t going to have a problem aiming for Major Frank.

“Well at the moment, she deserves to be in here more then you do because at least she’s not a sexist asshole!” Colton glared at Major Frank and I whimpered. “Now, thank you for your hospitality Doctor Marcus and informing of us of the situation, we will do everything we can to look into this but we’d prefer to do this from the privacy of our own home.”

Doctor Marcus glanced at Major Frank nervously before looking back at us and smiling he said, “I’m very sorry Maykaylah and thank you for listening. I wish the best of luck out there and you are welcome to stay here when ever you want; also I’m sure we’d be happy to give you a contact device so we can keep in contact with you, if you want?”

Colton nodded, “Thanks a lot but don’t worry, we’ll be off now straight after we collect our friend, Rylie.”

Doctor Marcus smiled at us again before waving as Major Frank sauntered past us and we turned around; I was ducking into Colton’s side, his arm wrapped around my waist as I staggered forward. I was still felt sick but I was almost certain I was going to be fine until I heard a loud thump and then a loud groan coming from behind us.

Colton’s arm tightened around my waist and I whimpered again, finally not able to hold the rising bile in the back of my throat; I darted out of his arms and ran forward out of the building before collapsing on the ground and emptying my stomach –which was already empty.

I groaned as I sat on the ground, panting heavily, I felt someone lift my hair up, away from my face and a figure crouch done next to me.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, my cheeks flushed red with shame and embarrassment.

“No, baby it’s fine ok? We’re fine. Can you get up?” Colton soothed.

 I nodded wearily and Colton linked his arm under mine to pull me up. I staggered into his side wearily and smiled at him before turning away so we could go get Rylie.

“Hey,” Colton stopped me and placed his hand on my cheek. “We’re going to ok, alright? We’re going to figure this all out and we’re going to survive this. All three of us.”

“Yeah,” I coughed. “All three of u-“

“You’re really hot,” Colton interrupted me and moved his hand from my cheek to my forehead. “Shit, May, you’re burning up.”

“Oh.”

“Oh? What do you mean oh? We need to get you something to drink or medicine or something,” Colton looked up worriedly. “Stay here, ok? I’ll help you sit down and then I’m going to get Major but don’ move ok?”

I nodded and blinked as black spots flashed across my view –how did I not notice this before? Colton gently sat me on the ground before saying something to me I didn’t quite catch and running off to go get someone. And here was I getting excited that he called me hot.

Rolling my eyes, I laid back onto the cool, hard ground and closed my eyes. No one would care if I went to sleep would they?

I sighed and that was the last thought I had before I was consumed by darkness.

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So it's 1:45 on a school night and I should totally go to bed by Happy Halloween!!! And sorry for any mistakes because I'm really tired and I should be asleep right now but I'm not so yeahh... 

Anyway hopefully you can read this and PLEASE VOTE!! because I'm putting it up for the Watty Awards so I need you to vote but anyway that's it so yayayay

Love you guys,

Sally

P.S the next chaoter will go up tomorrow (or today, I guess).