Fallen World

Tests

  I went back out with Kate to get her car. As we drove back we did not see as many zombies as we would've before. Over half were gone. Sadly there were just too many bodies to clean up so it was taking awhile to bury them. The smell was pretty bad sometimes. I had talked to Elizabeth who was getting to know another doctor she was working with pretty well. I guess I missed my chance. Nick and Selena have been on attack squads who are going around the area and killing zombies trying to make the surrounding area inhabitable again. There has been rumor going around the soldiers that the current President, Secretary of Education, is organizing a mass movement of remaining units to take back the United States. Clearly we aren't the only people who have things under control kind of. I came back a week later to the hospital they have running off of solar power. The natural water level here is high enough for us to well into to get plenty of water too. 

  I opened the door to the building and felt the warm air greet me. The winter is still harsh so far. Maybe it'll let up soon. It snowed nightly too, just a light snow, but snow still. I took off my coat and set it on a chair and walked to the nurse sitting behind the counter. 

  "I'm looking for an Elizabeth and some other people who said for me to come here today," I said dryly.

  "Robert Colin?" she asked looking at a file. Great they already have a file on me.

  "Yeah that's me," I said pushing my dark brown hair out of the way. It's getting too long. 

  "Right this way!" she said cheerfully leading me into a room at the end of the hallway. She closed the door and left me inside a fairly large room. Elizabeth was sitting behind a computer and some other doctors I've never seen before were here. 

  "Oh great, you're here," an older guy said. "Here, sit down," rolling a chair to me. 

  I sat in it and immediately someone was rubbing alcohol on my arm prepping me to give blood.  "That's a pretty big needle," I said eyeing it funny. 

  "You won't feel a thing," another doctor said putting it into my arm. Within a few minutes I was feeling light headed after they took a pint from me. 

  "So um don't you need a strain of the virus to test it on my blood,"  I said.

  "Robert you're rushing this too much," Elizabeth said. "I know you know how to do this, so you can help us"

  "True, lets take a look and see what my blood has that others don't," I said getting out of the chair. I looked at the two samples that were set up. One was a normal looking sample of blood and mine had a mutated form of phagocytes, cells that kill diseases. Amazing. I was naturally born with the ability to fight this plague. 

  "Robert, this is great," one of the docs said. "With this we should have anti-virus solutions rolling out of this base to others in a month or so. The US only has about 7million citizens left. Once it leaves here it will be shipped to another place that can produce more and it should be complete with in 4 months at the most. We need to get started!" 

  I spent the rest of the day helping with the cure and sure enough, by the end of the day we watch the first recorded virus sample become victim to my resistance to it. We tested multiple strains of the virus and every one of them was stopped. It was the most remarkable thing I have ever watched.  

  The second day was like that same except now we had to figure out how to make sure the cure worked for a prolonged time. We tried nasal injections, but the traces of the cure disappeared in an hour. Then we tried a flu type approach that gave perfect results. After 2 weeks of injection of other doctors working on the project both the virus and anti-virus were present. But like the flu, the virus was only there to keep the cure going. I was marveled, we were all marveled at the success of the cure. Within a month spring had come bringing a new hope among our population of 7thousand. We produced 14thousand cures and all were good for a year. An entire year you could be bit, without the worry of transformation. 

  The only downside to spring was it caused the zombies to be slightly more active now that they weren't freezing all the time. There upsides outweighed the down sides by far. We took over, secured, and renovated all of the neighborhoods near the base. I was on many of the missions and we used 9mm as our military's standard. Cheap, easy to make, and was plentiful. The four neighborhoods were patrolled nightly, but slowly as the second month rolled in almost the entire zombie population in the cities were gone. We had stragglers from Shreveport across the bridge, but their numbers quickly dwindled. 

  We had wind power across the entire base almost as what was left of the government sent us plenty to power the base, neighborhoods, and anything else the base saw fit for power. Our grid was reliable even on non-windy days due to the solar panels. Things were blossoming here that no one saw coming. Other colonies and bases across the nation were still in stress, but we enjoyed our freedom as the cure was spread to the other bases. We had fuel to power C-130's across the US. The president was somewhere out there, not in the capital though. D.C. was a red zone, anything north of there was. 

  Nick and Selena married and it was something that everyone saw. Elizabeth also married to the doctor guy she met. They hit it off well tending to the population when it needed it. I was still alone though, my birthday was in 3days and Kate, the woman who's name I didn't find out till a few days ago, said she had something special for me. February 7. I would be turning 24. She was 25 about to turn 26, but I fancied I think. We have had our share of thrilling moments. We went out daily together hunting down zombies and restoring peace to the city. Sadly there was damage that would take a while to fix. The roads, skyscrapers, and other structures were major projects. Houses were being restored slowly but surely. We never kissed, almost did during a mission, but a zombie interrupted by knocking me to the ground. Maybe her surprise will be worthwhile. 

  The next thing that is going around is Operation Manifest. The president stated that we will take back our country from sea to shining damn sea. Exact words too. March 23, 2013. That is the day we will get reinforcements from anyone east of us. Anyone on the east coast, from Louisiana to Florida, and Texas is supposed to come to us. We are manufacturing 9mm guns, and finding anything to work as a weapon. Major bases across the nation were being fitted for attack. The message was being broad casted daily and people were getting it. Lone survivors and family showed up to us seeking hope and we gave it to them. This city grew food and we could produce for  a few hundred thousand. Things are going to get exciting soon.

  I changed into my pajamas and looked at Kate who was also changing into night clothes. A fine sight. I looked away as she turned away, but she saw that I looked.

  "You know, you shouldn't look at girls changing even if they share the same room with you," she laughed knocking me off the bed. I hugged and looked into her brandy colored eyes. I leaned forward to kiss her when she put a finger between us. "You only has 3days till your birthday. I think you can wait," she smiled turning off the lights. 

  I got into my bed and recoiled as my shot bruised arm was applied pressure. We might have gotten the cure passed out to everyone. We had to up our production due to Operation Manifest, but the doctors liked the take samples and such to see if it match the current virus still. I put my arm on my chest and brought up the covers. 

  "Goodnight Kate," I said.

  "Goodnight Robert. Don't let the zombie bugs bite," she laughed before going to sleep. I thought about her and realized that maybe, just maybe. This is what I've been waiting for. Someone to love and hold onto during this. I haven't known her long, but it felt like I've known her forever. I rested in peace tonight letting my mind drift into dreams. Dreams of salvation coming to our nation.