Zombie Soap 2: Conspiracy

Zero

Beep. Beep. Beep.

What was this noise and why was it so loud?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

A heart monitor. Wires and tubes were attached to every part of her body, minus one part that was missing. Her arm throbbed but when she tried to lift it, she found herself restrained. Not only that, but when she flexed her left hand, her heart raced as she tried to do the same with her right, unable to accept the truth.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Where was she? How did she get here?

"Hello?"

The monitor drowned out her parched throat, her voice was raspy from dehydration, and the only thing staring back were the fluorescent lights overhead. Her eyes burned, forcing her to squint. Still, nothing answered back except for the equipment to her left.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The high-pitched machine became louder until it echoed across her mind, and her restraints constricted against her, holding her firmly in place.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as her breath came in shadow gasps. Pain was the last thing she remembered—something so unbearable, it had blocked out everything else as she cried for the one man who could make it stop. Emerald eyes beneath dark blond hair beckoned to her as he reached out and smiled. Whoever he was, he watched her with nothing but love.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

She wanted to reach for him, but her struggle was useless.

"Help me," she croaked.

He didn't answer. Instead, he approached her until they were only inches apart and sat beside her, brushing her hair aside. Except she couldn't feel his touch, nor could she remember his name. All she knew was that she loved him beyond any doubt in her mind.

"Where am I?"

The man leaned down and whispered in her ear in a familiar, yet foreign voice. "Stay strong, Jean Bean."

"Who are you?"

He only smiled before fading away, leaving her alone again, confused and trapped beneath straps covering her arms, legs, and chest.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Something hummed overhead, and a breeze sent goosebumps all along her arms and bare legs. She tried to lift her head to get a better look around the room, but even that was restrained, leaving her unable up turn left or right.

More tears slid down her cheeks, wetting her hair.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The noise was her only companion in the empty room. Whether minutes, hours, or days passed, the beeping continued until she thought she'd go insane. The blond man made no reaapearance and every memory deserted her.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Why was she so cold?

Who was she?

Why was she being restrained like this?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

She bit her lip, sniffling as she realized she would most likely die here in a slow and painful death.

Finally the door opened, and footsteps echoed across the floor. Warmth radiated from the body beside her and his deep breathing indicated it was a man. A chair rolled across the floor as a gloved hand gripped her arm.

She immediately tensed. His touch was unfamiliar and unwelcome. While his voice was pleasant, it was shallow and apathetic. "Try to relax, Miss Adams. I'm only taking a blood sample."

Was that her name?

And who was this man?

"Please let me go," she whimpered.

"I'm truly sorry, but that's not possible. Now please ball your fist so I can draw your blood."

She splayed her fingers against the starchy, sterile sheets beneath her. She didn't like this, especially when their skin made contact. "No. I don't like this."

"Miss Adams, please," he said, gripping her elbow so tight, she thought it might bruise. Something pinched the skin in the crook of her arm, digging deep into her flesh. She squeezed her eyes shut, only for white dots to flash behind her red eyelids.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"

"I don't question my orders, ma'am. You're here to provide us with answers and a cure."

"A cure for what? What answers?"

The pinching sensation continued, draining her of all consciousness as the lights above spun and blurred. When it stopped, something else replaced it—cold liquid crawled through her veins and weighed her down until her eyes fluttered closed.

The beeping faded into the background and the last thing she heard him say was, "A cure for humanity."