Love and Other Diseases (ON HOLD)

Chapter 2 - What's happening?

Panic arose in my chest. I was panting. I felt sick to the stomach. I was in bewilderment to what was happening out there. My biggest fear was the unknown. The unknown made me want to cry and curl up into a tiny ball. The unknown has always been my biggest fear, I found it scary not knowing the outcome nor knowing what will become of you.

The wails of the New York citizens did not die down but they just increased in intensity and pain. I heard the loud bang! 's of gun shots and blasts of the grenades that caused my apartment to shake.

I felt the gentle touch of a shaking hand upon my shoulder, I turned to face Cassie instantly I could see the worry in her eyes.

"What do..you..th..think..it is" She stuttered. I shook my head and quivered, words would not escape my mouth.

"Shall we...look?" asked Cassie. I slowly nodded, I had no desire to see this disaster but we had to know.

I stood up, my back still in pain from the fall and precariously walked to the window. I squinted my eyes closed until I felt the coolness of the window's glass beneath my palms. Slowly my eyes opened but nothing could of prepared me for what I saw.

Cars on the narrow roads had crashed with one another, glass was shattered across the ground, one of the trains carriages had become derailed and was engulfed in flames. The walls of the tacky chinese takeaway had crumbled to it's foundation as with many of the other surrounding buildings had done. Yes all of this was horrific but it was the least of my worries. For the most horrifying sight of all, was these...these...creatures chasing the crowds of people. What is it? Maybe at first glance they could pass off as a normal human. They had a head of hair, two legs, two arms, two eyes, and clothes nothing out of the ordinary but you take a closer second look at these creatures and they became anything but ordinary. Their skin was a sickly pale grey, their eyes were pure white and bulging, blood oozed from their mouths and caked their bodies. They dragged weak, bent, dead limbs behind them, however, this did not slow them down no these were fast manic beasts. Crazed, wild, scary beasts. Blood spluttering beasts.

The most haunting characteristic of this creature was the killer streak inside of them. They would forcefully bring an innocent being down to the ground, dig their sharp gnashers into the victims fleash, rip the bodies to pieces, and greedily engulf the internal organs in a ferocious manner, and as if without another thought they moved on to the next victim. The creatures were attacking the people so rapidly and so swiftly by the dozens, I could see countless numbers of people who laid in their blood with torn limbs and organs spilling out of their poor lifeless bodies. Dead. Completely and utterly dead.

I could not bear to watch anymore of this, I broke my gaze and turned to my left and saw tears gently trickling down Cassie's delicate cheeks. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as she leant her against mine.

Cassie sniffed in and silently spoke. "It's only a matter of time before they reach us. Before we die too."

"No, don't think that please. We are safe up here on the 19th floor and I am sure the military will arrive soon and shoot the bastards down." I wasn't only trying to convince Cassie, but me myself. I could I know we would be safe? I don't know what they are capable of, they are heartless killing machines.

"Fi? Do you think there is anything on the news about this yet?"

"Sure, this is 'breaking news'. Can't imagine an American news station that wouldn't be broadcasting this attack." I wasn't particularly bothered about watching the news it wouldn't be showing me anything I didn't know, it just confirms to me that the worst is happening. However, I was certain it would calm Cassie.

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10:00 pm

I sat at a kitchen stool eating a warm bowl of Chef Boyardee's tinned Meat Ravioli, a childhood comfort food there was not time when I have needed it more. Cassie is crashed out on the couch, softly snoring and silently mumbling in her sleep. For four straight hours we gazed at the TV screen flicking through CNN, CBS, Fox, and NY1. For the most part our attention was on New York 1 news, they seemed to recieve updates faster plus my parents worked at the station so it has always been the one to go to.

According to the news the cause of this uproar was due to a virus released by bio-terrorists. It was reported the virus was released by an injection of the poison into an uknown victim somewhere within the city and from then on it continuously spread. A group of scientists from Columbia University had been invited in to discuss the issue. They said the virus was unknown, how it was created was unknown, and confirmed no virus with these horrific symptons have never been recorded in the past. The scientists predict that once the virus enters the human's body system it mutates all cells, the reason for the change in appearances and the reason for the change in how the brain controls the body. The virus also will start to destroy and weaken various tissues, the cause for all the limping and various missing fingers, ears, toes, and noses. Nonetheless they were sure of one thing; how it spreads. Not through touch, not through air nor water, but through biting. Absurd right? This diseased human will either tear you apart leaving you with no possiblity of living or if you are lucky you escape after a couple bites. But I don't believe you're lucky at all if you escape as you become one of them.

The news anchor later leaked information on how far the virus has travelled; from New York City it has travelled South down to Boston, and out West to Detroit. This is only the beginning, next the whole of the US, and then the entire American continent, somewhere within the mix it will be me and Cassie.

It was a little of an hour ago when the news stopped and turned to a bleary static screen. NY1 news had been invaded. I gaped in horror as one of those infected creatures soared across the screen and attacked the news anchor who was eaten alive on live TV, a few minutes later the static screen appeared. I presumed the infected had ambushed all those who worked on production, filming, broadcasting, and producing of the channel. Everyone who worked there, my parents included would be dead or be one of them. If they were alive they would have been home two hours ago.

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Sat 1:30am

I angrily threw my rubber ball against the wall and promptly caught it when it bounced back. I had been lying on my bedroom floor doing this for the past hour I had to release my hurt somehow, I've never been much of a crier. I felt so guilty for not crying over my parents death, of course I love them and I'm painfully sad they are gone but no tears will flow. I think maybe a part of me believes they are still alive and they escaped therefore there is no use in crying. But it's impossible they survived they're gone, how could they outrun these creatures? My parents are the most least athletic people in the world; which makes me wonder why I am such a skilled runner. I wish I was on the track right now so I can just freely run and forget about all this, I want to feel the wind in my hair and the rush of adrenaline I crave.

I mentally slapped myself; how could I be so selfish! Here I am wishing I was out running when my mom and dad have just be taken by these creatures. I miss them, I want them here to tell me everything will be fine, they can't have gone, they just can't. Cry Safia cry. why can't you cry? You're their only daughter!  But no tears came not even a drop. I hurled the ball at the wall with all my strength and it bounced back at Cassie who was asleep in my bed unfortunately it woke her up,

"Ow! You cow!" exclaimed Cassie sulkily massaging her arm,

"Sorry Cass, I'm just upset." I envied her, I truly did. When we knew her mom and older brother weren't coming home she wailed for all she had. For hours she was screaming, sobbing, and cursing everything who may have caused this. She was a true griever, a true daughter and sister; the one who deserves happiness after all this ends, that's if it ever ends, There was no doubt Cassie's Mom and brother had passed; her mother worked at the laundromat next to the chinese takeaway - that was long gone - and her brother worked at the Starbucks one block away - long gone too. I wondered how many New Yorkers were left? I presumed everyone who lives high up in an apartment building have lived, the revolting creatures probably are too dense to work out that there are people living high up, locked away in apartments. Hah idiots...

But I spoke too soon. The frightened screams resumed but these screams were closer than ever before. And at my door was a loud manic hammering...

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