Seeds Of Hunger

Chapter 3: Feeling Rough

Dr. Allen Rich wrote the time and the date of the sample being extracted from the plant down on the label of the container. They were recording the time and date to make sure they had the freshest samples possible and that they were stressing the plants out. The plants, the scientists have taken to calling the plants Sunglow because of the massive gold yellow flowers that they produce, were thriving. They were producing more than enough pollen for the trials and experiments. Only two weeks and we've made a tremendous amount of progress, Rich thought, clamping a lid on the container. The serum they've created with the pollen, used on rats with Alzheimer's, had improved their conditions far more than they had anticipated. Now if only we can stop the rats from eating each other, Rich thought. Well they were animals and such things happen in nature.

Rich went back to his desk and stared down at his paperwork. Just looking at the amount of paperwork was already giving him a headache. Actually, now that he thought about it, I've had a headache for a few days. And sometimes his head itched and every time he itched it seemed to never want to go away. Probably the long hours but the results were just so impressive; even he had had his doubts about the experiments but they had breakthrough after breakthrough. He popped a Tylenol in his mouth and downed his favorite Diet Coke.

He looked at the clock after what felt like an eternity.  He'd only been at his desk for roughly an hour and had almost completed all the paperwork. He made a mental note to also call Michelle to update her on the processes of their research. She went home ill two days ago complaining of a headache and a bout of nausea. Poor thing; it must have been something she ate.  Rich hoped she felt better; he knew she wanted to be here but she would be of no use if she was hundred and ten percent. Rich tided up his desk and stood up stretching. Quarter after eight isn't a bad time to head home. His wife had passed away a few years so he had dedicated his life to his research now. She knew how much it meant to him and she had been a supportive wife. Until her Alzheimer's got so bad she got confused and wandered into the front of that city bus, Rich thought. She had been out shopping that day and she had forgotten where her car was parked and had wandered into the street. Silvia, Rich thought, was a wonderful wife. She was everything a wife was supposed to be and she was wrongfully taken from him. He had had no ill will towards the bus driver that day. But he did have a goal; to make sure that Alzheimer's would be cured before his time on Earth came to an end. And with this new plant discovered, he was sure he could accomplish his goal. He had started to call the project, Silvia, in honor of his late wife. Soon after everyone started to call it Silvia as well. His eyes beamed with pride every time progress was made. Now if only he could get home at a decent time.

Michelle was sitting on her couch watching some show on TV when her husband came to check on her. She didn't remember what exactly happened next, she just knew she was covered in blood and Dwayne was covered in blood and bite marks, with pieces of his flesh in her mouth. She thought for a split second he tasted delicious when she screamed.

Jack Casey ducked under the DO NOT CROSS tape around the crime scene. Fairly new to the department, he was enjoying his time as a cop as his father had done and as his father had done before him. Casey took out a notepad and his pen and walked to the officer who first responded.

"What happened, Sergeant?" Casey readied his pen.

"Domestic dispute. Crazy broad attacked her husband and tore pieces of the guy off, literally. The house is a blood bath. Watch where you step." Sergeant Eugene Rolf lead him into the house. Rolf had been on the force for going on ten years but this was the first time he had to fight back bile. Casey noted the blood on the walls that were still dripping and saw the pieces of what looked like pork on the floor.

"Did they have a food fight Sarge?" Casey asked as he tried to watch his footing, trying not to disturb the scene.

"That's part of his arm you just stepped over, son. Over there's a few fingers" Rolf pointed to the bedroom where Dwayne had fallen and would never get back up, "And back that way," Rolf pointed to the living room, "You'll find the rest of his hand."

"Jesus..." The Academy hadn't trained him for that. "Was she on something?" He bent down to look at the dismembered hand. It only had the pinkie finger attached. Everything else was a bloody nub.

"Too early to tell. Toxicology will have to run tests. The only thing we know about Markarth is that she's been complaining of headaches and a itchiness that just wont go away. They're taking her to Johns Hopkins for a evaluation and to run a few tests. Then when they deem her fit to be moved, they'll take her to the station for booking." Rolf was looking around the living room with his flash light to see if he could find anything else. Besides the overturned chicken noodle soup, there wasn't anything else that they could've missed.

"Its quite a mess Sergeant. Hell of a way to end a night, you know?" Casey said as he stood up. The evidence boys would bag the hand and the other extremities.

"Agreed. Well, we'll let Forensics do its magic." Rolf stated as he ushered Casey out the door. The Forensics people could work magic with just about anything they find at a crime scene. I hope they brought their book of spells, Rolf thought, as he walked out the door.

Dr. Benjamin Farmer, PhD, walked into the patients room, a Dr. Michelle Markarth, wait, THE Dr. Markarth? Farmer thought to himself as he looked at her charts. He knew she had worked at the research facility but had never met her. Different fields, different places, Farmer thought. The patient was sedated after complaining of a violent headache and a itchy feeling on her scalp. They had taken a few vials of blood to do an analysis and then had put her to sleep. But even asleep, she still fumbled at her head scratching it enough to have bloody fingernails. We may have to restrain her so she doesn't rip her own hair out, Farmer thought, as put the chart back on the hook at the end of her bed. Dr. Farmer hovered over the patient with this stethoscope and  listened to her heart beat. It was strong but erratic. He put the stethoscope around his neck and shined a small flashlight into the patient's eyes. They dilated but not my much. Farmer thought he saw something in her eye and when he tried to get a closer look, the patient's eye focused on him. Farmer backed away and shook the feeling off. She was heavily sedated, no way she could be conscious enough to look directly at him.

"Dr. Farmer please come to the lab." The PA announced. Farmer looked at this patient and shut the door behind him, heading to the lab. He walked down the hall, avoided a gurney with a patient heading to the ER, and walked into the lab.

"Dr. Farmer we got back her results and I've never seen anything like this." The head nurse on the shift, Nurse Brown, handed the data sheet over. "Her charts are showing everything is low; internal bleeding, necrosis of the vital organs, her body is rotting and breaking down but she's still alive somehow. This seems like a case of hemorrhagic fever Doctor. Are there any reports of an Ebola outbreaks? Also we found evidence of something in her blood and organs. I think its a parasite, sir but as to what class, we can't figure it out. Her blood cells are populated with the little bugs. Has she been out of the country lately?"  Brown had been in the department for many years and it took a great deal to rattle her; she looked absolutely frightened.

"I know that she works at the Carnegie Institute and they had a big discovery a few weeks ago but other than that..." Farmer trailed off. He needed answers. "Ms. Brown, please follow me." Farmer hurried out of the lab and practically ran down the hall as he gave out orders. " I want full containment on Markarth. Full compliance to Level 4 diseases, lets move people!" Referring to the CDC's procedures, anything requiring Level 4 diseases were to be fully suited up at all times around the patient. Farmer opened the door to Markarth's room and saw her standing there at the edge of her bed.

"Dr. Markarth, I don't know what has happened to you but we will do everything in our power to make you better. Please lie back down on the bed." Farmer started walking to her when she turned and saw the look in her eyes that no longer showed signs of life. Farmer turned his head and shouted, "Call 911!", as he felt Markarth's teeth sink into his neck.