5%

CAT

The world is infested with a new cancer. One that can never be treated or killed. Once it spreads there is no saving you. This is not what the world was expecting for a zombie apocalypse to say the least.

    The doctors weren't prepared when patients whom they presumed dead sat up on their slabs and tore them apart. There are very few who are immune to the bite. 5% of the population to be exact. I am part of that 5%. People would kill to be me, would kill to have what I have. And they have. Countless experiments have been done to those of us who are immune to replicate what keeps us heathy and countless times they have failed. Hence the 5%.

     My given name is Stella Elizabeth Barns, but everyone calls me Stel. The doctors have a name for me too, patient 1342, anomaly patient, bite survivor. That's why I know so much, I went to the quarantine area after my family was attacked, luckily my brother and sister weren't harmed. But the same couldn't be said for me or my father, we both had nasty bites  in several places. They couldn't save my mom. My dad and I however are part of the 5%. We were taken to "refuge" along with my siblings where the scientists took over.

     My mom is slowly losing her self of sense as the cancer grows and as soon as she becomes a zombie she'll be shipped off to a zombie holding house. Luckily the doctors can pay her expenses, otherwise we'd have to kill her. At least now if we find a cure she is safe and we can bring her back.

     So enough with those nasty introductions. Let's go to me in the now. The me getting ready for her first CAT Scan.

     My dad grips my hand abnormally tight as he slips off his shoes to get in the huge piece of medical equipment in front of us. I look into his eyes and see he is racked with fear, the fear of being enclosed in a place where many others have ventured only to be killed in experiments later on. It was probably much more simple to my dad, as he is claustrophobic but to me this machine signified some greater difference between us and the 95% outside these walls.

    I give him a reassuring smile and nudge him forward. Stepping out of the main room, I slip on a weighty protective vest on and look over the calming teal room with peeling white linoleum floor tiles. There are only four things in the room a huge window for the observing doctors, two grey plastic chairs, and the huge white and grayish CAT scan machine. Not very welcoming, I think to myself. My dad steps up to a doctor who sticks a needle with a "DNA finder" - or at least that's how it was explained to us - and a calming medicine straight into his bloodstream. The doctor then guides my dad to the machine and lies him down. I am harshly guided out of  the room.

     "Ready? Commence procedure." I hear the head of the lab, Dr. Fanro say as I walk through a boring tan door to the waiting room from hell.

     "Do I have to say here?" I question the burly security guard. He grunts, taking off his sunglasses, why do security guards even WEAR glasses inside? looking me up and down he gives me a glare. 

     "I'll take that as a no then." I mutter. Walking over to a brightly colored vending machine I place my lanyard equipped with ID in the machine and punch in D 12. A Snickers bar slowly rotates closer to the edge and drops. Bending down with a huff I grab it. Munching on the chocolate bar I think of how scared dad must be in the room. This isn't what we want to be doing, not in the least. But my mom is  dying and if this will help find a cure I'll go through any machine, get as many shots as they give, and let them administer as many tests as they want.

     After about an hour of pacing the room and three more candy bars the door opens. My dad emerges with a shaky smile. Dr. Farno beckons me in and I oblige.

     "We're going to give you a few more shots than your dad Stel." he informed me. His comment barely registers so I just nod slightly. Two doctors I've never met before march over to me and administer the shots. The first three have no visible or mental effect on me, but the last one puts me into a daze. I suddenly have no idea where I am or who I am and it feels nice. The assistant doctors lay me down on the machine and tell me to lay still. I do as they tell me and wait for them to get done prepping me.

     "Ready? Start procedure." commands Farno. The machine moves forward until my head is through the harsh circle of light. I wait as they scan and inevitably talk about my whole body. I start to get bored and my fingers twitch. I sigh. 

     "Hold on for a second." Farno says. I hold still once more and then finally as my drugged daze wears off, the machine moves slowly back out of the light. I hoist my body off the table and struggle a little to pull off my vest. How dare they tell me to wait. Tramping over to the door, I wrench it open and stalk out. I really have no patience with these people. These annoying insensitive humans. I never want another CAT scan, although I know its not the worst thing they could do to me here. 

     "I'm going to my room," I growl "don't bother getting me for dinner I want to sleep."