The Infected Rebellion

Chapter 3: Time Runs Out

I ran as far as I could from those two men. Even the man who seemed as scared as I was, he was working for someone. Someone purely evil.

I couldn't risk anything.

I wasn't safe here. Not even thirty minutes after waking up I've been slammed into a metal door, found out I am a human experiment, been chased by a scary man and have nearly been shot in the forehead. I haven't even learned my own name! All I know is that my subject name is E589. That's a start at least. But it still wasn't enough information. I knew there had to be a room full of files. How else would they keep information about the test subjects? I scanned hall after hall but, most of the rooms were just hospital rooms, each bed inscribed with the same message: "Failed Subject."

All the rooms were like this. All the rooms except one. I slowly creaked the door to the last room in hall 112. I scanned the room, like it was a daily routine, and saw the same message until halfway down the row. There was a man lying in the bed. He looked about my age and I was at least fifteen or sixteen. He was gasping for air. He got louder and louder with every inhale. I ran to him and shook him to his senses.

"Hey!" I shouted, "Hey, can you hear me?"

"Yes." He mumbled in between a gasp of air, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can hear you." I answered as calmly as I could.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything you want."

"Am I going to die?"

My throat clogged up. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"Be honest."

"No...no I don't think you will make it."

"That's what I thought." He paused and chuckled a bit, "You know, death has never scared me."

"Death is extremely scary. I don't know how you aren't scared to lose everything."

"I am sad, yes but, I'm not afraid. That reminds me, could you do me a favor? Just a last thing before I depart."

"As I said, I will do anything."

"Tell my family I love them."

My throat clogged up even more. My joints were all tense and I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. I bent down to his bedside and leaned into him.

"Of course." I whispered into his ear.

I grasped his hand, comforting him in his final moments. He chuckled a bit more. His chuckles soon turned to laughter. In an instant, his laughter disappeared. I saw the light drain from his eyes. His eyes were the first bright and hopeful eyes I had seen in this place. I examined the arm I was clutching tightly. I saw the bracelet wrapped on his wrist, similar to mine. The only difference is that his appeared to be much older than mine. I gently took the bracelet from his wrist.

I closely read the inscription. "BA405." I whispered to myself, repeating the only name given to him in this awful place. Now, I was desperate to find those files. Recovering my name and memories was not the priority anymore. My main priority was making sure I found his family so I can tell them that their son loved them dearly.