The Outbreak

Chapter 11

Scott POV

Eventually, we arrive back at the entrance of the hospital. We walk inside, back towards the weapon room. Despite only being here a day, everything already feels so familiar. What I have also noticed is that everyone looks a lot more cheerful here than they do back at the warehouse. I can't even hear any babies crying. I've seen a few of them sleeping in their mother's laps, which is a cute sight. This whole place seems to be filled with hope and determination to find a cure. To beat this virus. I find that quite admirable. I also notice that this place is a lot better off than the warehouse though. There is a lot more room and a lot more supplies. Although, that might just be because there are more people that are able to scavenge for supplies. Stiles continues to lead me down to the room where they keep all their weapons.

"So, Scott. What do you know about the infected?" Stiles asks curiously as we walk.

"Uh... Not much. All I know is that the virus is very contagious and is spread by blood, hence why being bitten by the infected is the easiest way to also attract the virus. I guess you could drink water with the virus in it or something, but that's rare. Sometimes the virus mutates, turning the infected into even worse monsters. No creature, supernatural or not, is immune or safe from virus. Werewolves, kitsunes, sorcerers, druids, kanimas, you name it. They can all be infected just as much as humans." I say after a moment. I know I don't have as much knowledge on the virus as I should, but I know enough to survive... Well, mostly. Stiles laughs a little and looks at me incredulously. "Really? That's it? That's all you know?" He asks as we walk.

"Well... Yeah. I don't exactly have time to study the creatures." I reply. I leave out the fact that I wouldn't even know where to start. "You really should have. Then, you might have known not to go wandering through the valley in daylight. Also, you might know how to defend yourself a bit more against them, especially the infected that have developed mutations. Or perhaps you could have come up with stuff that could heal otherwise deadly wounds, like an infected's scratch for example. You would have died if we didn't come up with that." Stiles tells me in a serious voice.

"Yeah, thanks again for that." I reply gratefully.

"Wait, you have studied them?" I ask Stiles with curiosity as we enter the room full of weaponry. We place down the firearms and the crossbow and leave the room again, closing the door behind us. "Of course. Well, sort of. I tried my best, anyway. I usually watched the infected from afar, but sometimes I manage to capture one and study it without the fear of it hurting me. It has taken a few years, but I think I have gained some basic knowledge on them. It also helps to have done some research on what the virus actually is. A few years ago, Meg, Bradley and I broke into an abandoned government facility and the evidence we found there was horrific just as much as it was informative." Stiles explains to me while I listen in fascination. Stiles leans against a wall and faces me as he talks.

"Well, what is this virus then? Why does it make people go so... So crazy?" I ask curiously.

"Well, from the paperwork I saw, the virus attacks the brain and eats away at it, along with other vital organs. It rushes through the bloodstream fairly quickly. Basically how this all started was just an experiment gone wrong. From what I read and watched, the virus was found in some water from a lake in a radiation zone, although I'm not sure if that had any effect on the outcome. The virus still could have been in the water. Anyway, one thing lead to another and... The outbreak occurred." Stiles replies with sadness in his eyes.

"Stupid government." I comment, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, they always seem to stuff things up somehow..." Stiles agrees.