The Erruilion Plague: Book 1, From Roots of Evil

Chapter 9 - The Pervasive Pestilence

The tanks filled with the virus must have been pressurized to all hell and suspended in non-flammable gasses. We could only hope it's brief adventure with fire killed it as the shockwave knocked us onto our backs and winds whipped over us with the momentary fury of a thousand suns. When we stood, we saw rubble everywhere, and Onyx removing himself from the tree he presumably had been knocked into. He looked banged up enough to have been, anyhow. The haze had desended upon us in full and everything had taken on a slightly greener hue. I took a cautious breath and felt a rush of feelings as I did. The air seemed to be thicker now, and I felt it rush through my unfamiliar body inch by inch. It calmed my aches, sealed my scratches... just generally made me feel like I was invulnerable. Hell, it even got rid of the places where the bindings had worn my fur thin with little but a slight sting as strands of fur returned. I knew it was no hallucination, as I watched the same happen to the gash Onyx had sustained from the tree. It seemed that reexposure to the virus was a boon to us now, and I decided to file that one away in the back of my head for later. Never know what could be useful when it comes to knowledge of the unknown.

As we finished dusting ourselves off, Onyx reached us looking like he just accidentally killed his new puppy. I offhandedly wondered where we were. If there was any city within about an hour's flight by plane, I could guarantee that it was going to be one of the first fully populated by vulpen. I shuddered to think about what it might do to children born and yet to be, with a shift such as this. Only time would tell, unfortunately. Everyone just stood and stared at the horror that had just been unleashed upon the world for a few moments of silence.

Boomer was the first to speak, saying "Dex is going to kill us when he finds out we caused this." In the most defeated, broken down tone I'd ever heard a being croak out. Onyx just punched the nearest tree and shouted "It's just not fair! We did every single thing perfectly, and everything still went to hell in a hand basket! I just hope that quack didn't get it to become communicable yet..." We stood like that for a moment before a small motley troop of about twelve vulpen led by a well equipped one resembling an Arctic fox came into view and quickly reached us. He looked thoroughly pissed, and stalked over to Onyx with a stare of daggers locked onto him. They began a quiet argument as the rest approached us. There were a few that were solid colors such as grey or brown, but most of them held the appearances of various species of foxes ranging in age from what looked like mid childhood to later 40's (or at least that was my best guess, fur makes it hard to tell.)

They looked very uncertain in all of the world, as if it would just snap away and have them awaken again in a bleak cell to another day of torturous monotony and great pains. I must have looked the most composed, as one of the older ones walked over and asked a question "What year is it?" I felt a pain in my chest at that and replied with a grim expression "It was July of 2018 when I was taken not long ago..." The man looked like I just punched him in the gut and whispered something unintelligible as I refocused on the argument between Onyx and who I assumed was Jax. They seemed to be winding it down now at least, but it was still pretty heated... Best to let that inferno to just burn its self out. I walked over to Boomer and questioned him "What's with mister lighty over there," indicating the new arrival with a jerk of a thumb. He sighed, and said "Jax was supposed to be the planner and lead for this mess. I suppose he's grilling Onyx on why the hell there's an epidemic afoot. After all, he's going to have to report to Dex, the leader of our little pack... We're all escapees from places like this one... We just wanted to get everyone out before he has a chance to turn us into those things and make sure they couldn't just abduct a few more to experiment on."

I cocked one ear to the side in confusion and thought back to the monstrosities in those cells... All of them looked like they had nothing but murderous intent in design now that I dwelled on it a bit more. Could they have been... No, there's no way that you could just flick a switch to do that... We can't be... He cut off my train of thought saying "The bastards were trying to figure out a way to make us just turn into lycantrophic monstrosities via a gas he could spray. Problem was that it wasn't reliable enough yet, only about 25% reacted to it." Welp, that settled it... I was a failed bioweapon. And to think, mom said I'd never become anything greater than a gas station clerk, look at me now! I cut off my internal grumbling, it wouldn't do me any good anyhow. Onyx and Jax finished their now cooled discussion and approached us. Jax looked like he had been put through a thorough amount of abuse these past couple of hours, but it definitively did not show in his voice as he started "So this is the guy you said helped you with your mission? Good. I'm Jax, and if I remember correctly you're Ben. Pleasantries over with, we need to talk. Us three are the only three of the vulpen who have stepped up to fight on missions against these heinous maniacs, and we could use a bit of help. You impressed Onyx back there with the quick thinking, at least for someone untrained you did quite well. I hate to ask you so soon, but... Would you join up? We've got plenty of room back at camp for you and your other half there, and if we're not careful, The Corporation will finally finish their gas experiments."

That put a huge weight on my already heavy mind. I wanted to stop the madmen for all they've done but... This was a lot. I looked back at Tracy, and she looked torn as well. I didn't have any thread to tie me down, but she... She had a family that actually cared and she cared for. I wasn't going to leave her alone to do this, she was the only chord that could bind me to anything. It looked like a million things ran through her mind before she reluctantly gave a small nod. That was all I needed, as I turned to look Jax in the eyes and replied "It looks like you just earned yourself a fourth." A tension I hadn't realized was there yet dispersed with those words, and the staff affixed to my back felt heavier than it had just a minute ago, but it felt good knowing that things just might start going our way. Onyx turned to the group of newly emancipated vulpen and said in a loud voice "Alright, you are all free to go wherever you please, however, there is another option. We have a camp set up for people like us. It's safe there from The Corporation and we could use a bit of help, you all would be welcome with us there. We'll be heading off to our transportation now if you wish to join up..."

All of them followed after us in a loose column as we set off to where Jax said he left the trucks. They were nondescript enough, two pickups painted blue and black respectively and a cargo truck with the back modified to hold communications gear and act as a mass transport for at most twenty. Everyone piled into the truck, me and Tracy sitting adjacent to one another. She cuddled up to me, and we got ready for a long ride...

(Tell me, am I making it worse, better, or the same? I can't tell, but I hope you all are enjoying the longer chapters. Love you all, it's an honor to be your quick read!)