The Awakened: Infection(Scrapped)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

January 1st, 2016

Richard Hauber rather enjoyed his drive home after work that day, the streets were mostly empty now, spare the few cops and straggling party goers along the streets. Once parked in his numbered spot, he made his way up the stairs to his second floor apartment. The key turned in the lock with a click, allowing the man inside his home where he could finally relax. He removed his coat and hung it up, the door swung closed from the push of his foot.

It wasn't until he had flicked the light on that he had even thought someone else might have been in there with him. But there was. Howard, the boy that had been his closest friend from his time in the orphanage was sitting in the single chair seated at the dining table. Needless to say, Richard was surprised. “Howard? How did you-? Shouldn't you be in witness protection still? How did you get inside?” These questions and more racked at Richard's tired mind, but he was still happy to see his friend.

Howard stood from his place in the chair, ignoring Richard's questions in favor of making sure the door was locked first. “Before I answer that, have you been watching the news the past few days?” Richard shook his head, which led Howard to pick the remote up from the glass coffee table, clicking the tv on and changing it to one of the news stations.

“5 more deaths occurred late this evening where people seemed to just collapse without reason. The authorities have yet to make a statement to the growing number of people who seem to just be dropping like flies. More on this when we retu-” Howard clicked the tv off before the announcer could finish speaking, looking at Richard to see his reaction.

Richard didn't really know what to make of the report. He'd heard around the office that some kind of new bug seemed to be cropping up, but that kind of rumor was an annual thing. “I don't see why that matters. Isn't it just some new strain of the flu or something?” Richard questioned his friend. Howard sighed and ran his hand down the front of his face in response.

“I wish it were as simple as that,” Howard stated, gesturing that Richard might want to sit down. “You trust me, right Rich? Cause it's very important that you do.” Richard found this question odd coming from the older man. “Of course I do,” He sat down on the couch while Howard dragged forward the kitchen chair. Richard couldn't help but wonder why Howard was asking that.

“You know about me getting into the witness protection and all that, and that I couldn't send you anything from the same address twice right? Of course you do, that's a dumb question. Well, the protection program put me up with a job to help with my cover. The only issue, god what were they thinking?” Howard cupped his hands to his forehead, trying to gather his thoughts and how to go about this. “I can't tell you everything right now, but you're involved now so it's too late for regrets.” Howard seemed to be talking more to himself than to Richard now, causing the younger to loft a brow in question. “You aren't making any sense Howard. What's going on?”

Howard peeked through his fingers to look at Richard, sighing one more time before removing his hands from his face, steepling his fingers. “I'm going to be frank with you. My coming here might get you killed, and I don't mean by that mob boss I pissed off. The reason why people are dying. It's not some flu like everyone thinks. The government, it's them. They made this virus and that's what's killing people off.” He paused for a moment when he saw a look of hesitation on Richard's face. This all sounded like some sort of conspiracy theory to him. Richard shook his head to try and clear away the rabble of doubt. Howard had never lied to him before, so why would he now. “Okay, so say this is true. How do you know about it?” Howard smiled wiry, “That's just it. The job I was given was as a janitor for the place they were doing the tests at.

“At first, I didn't know what they were doing, but soon people started feeling like I was just someone to ignore, and they started to talk. Something about a drug to keep the United States in power. All I really know about it is that the human trials they ran all ended up with the people dying.” He paused once more to let this all sink in for his friend, before continuing, “Just when they stopped the human trails, a bit of the virus got out. No one knows how, but they know one thing. I was the only one there when it happened. They know I didn't die, and they've been after me since then.”

Howard stopped talking, his face growing dark as he looked back at the tv. “Those people that died.... It's my fault. Because I ran. But not all of them are dying Rich. Whatever the drug is supposed to do, sometimes it works on the people I get in contact with. Those people vanish though. The government is taking these people, and I need to figure out why.

“The deaths are only going to grow, and I have to do something to stop it-” Richard held up his hand to cut Howard off. “What do you mean this is your fault? How is this 'virus' getting around? Do I have it being in the same room with you?” Richard's panic was growing. No one wanted to die, not without a choice at least. Had his best friend really just put him in so much danger? How was Howard not dead? His mind was racing, though at least now he was awake.

Howard waited till it seemed Richard had calmed down some before answering. “Yes. The virus is air born, so the chances are you have it now, and I'm sorry for that. But I didn't have anyone else to turn to Richard. You are the only one I can trust with this, the only that can help me.” Howard was desperate. He wasn't going to be punished for the government's mistake, let alone killed for it. “And there is a chance you won't die from this. You've got to help me.”

Richard sat quiet for a long while, Howard allowing him the time to think, glancing every once in a while to the door and windows. Finally, “How long? How long before this thing would kill me?” He was already infected, so he may as well know. Howard's response was quick, “I don't know.” He had just been the janitor there after all. He didn't even know what the drug was supposed to do. And neither of them would really know until weeks later, when the company that made it finally came clean about what was killing everyone.

Richard let out a low, shaky sigh. He didn't seem to have much choice, but even if he did, he knew he couldn't leave Howard on his own in this. “Where do we start?”