Slightly Undead. || Glenn Rhee || DISCONTINUED

6.

Jenner had us all piled in the big room again, "Give me a playback of TS-19." the computer started a playback, "2 people only got to see this. Very few," Jenner said, "Is that a brain?" Carl said, looking over to Jenner, "An extraordinary one." Jenner said, making Carl smile, "Not that it matters in the end." he muttered. I walked over to Daryl, and he glanced at me slightly. The camera angle rotated and we were viewing a brain from the side. The brain was lite up like a Christmas tree, "What're those lights?" I ask, "It's a persons life," he started, "Experiences, memories; its everything. " he was quiet for a moment, "Somewhere in all that organic wiring, in all those ripples of light- is you." I took in a breath, "The things that make you unique, and human." everyone looked at Jenner, and Daryl glanced to me and back to the screen, "Do you ever make sense, ever?" Daryl snarled, crossing his arms, "These are synapses. Electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does or thinks from the moment of birth," I stared in awe at the screen as he continued, "to the moment of death." now Jenner was looking at the screen, intrigued, "Death? That's what this is? A visual?" Rick stated, walking toward Jenner swiftly, "Yes," Jenner gave us all a simple answer, "or, r-rather the playback of the visual." Jenner said, turning to look at Rick, "This person died?" Andrea spoke up, "Who?" Jenner looked pained by this, "Test Subject 19," he said, his voice dull, "Someone who was... bitten and infected, and volunteered to have us record the process." Jenner explained, "Vi, scan forward to the first event." Jenner spoke loudly. Something black grew from the brain stem, expanding like tree limbs, "What is that?" Glenn ask, leaning against a dead computer, "It evades the brain like meningitis," I zoned out as I was watching the 'person' on the screen wiggle, the mouth moving furiously. Then, the whole brain faded black and the struggle stopped, "Then death." was the only statement that I heard, "Everything you ever were, or will be; gone." I looked to my feet, gaining a kiss on the top of my head from Daryl. Glenn also walked over and I wrapped my arm around his, "Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia ask, looking at Carol, "Yes," Carol nodded, grabbing her daughters hand. Andrea began to cry, "She lost somebody two days ago," I spoke up, releasing Glenn and walking over to Andrea, wrapping my arms around her, "Her sister." I said, feeling mourn for her. Jenner walked over to us and spoke to Andrea, "I lost someone, too. I know how bad this feels." he said, his hands behind his back. Jenner gazed at her for a moment before speaking to Vi, "Scan to the second event." I glanced up from Andrea and focused on the screen, "The resurrection times vary widely. We've had reports of it happening in as little as 3 minutes. The longest we heard of was 8 hours." I took all this information in, "In the case of this patient it was 2 hours, 1 minute and 7 seconds." he sounded as if he was gonna break into tears now, glaring at the screen. Small, orange colored lights flickered near the brain stem, expanding outwards and growing. It was sending streaks of little, tiny lights, "It restarts the brain?" Lori said, leaning toward the screen, "No, just the brain stem." Jenner said as if it was obvious, "Basically it gets them up and moving," Rick then spoke again, "But they're not alive?" I was wondering the same thing, "You tell me," Jenner said, throwing his hand up, "It's nothing like before." Rick shook his head, "Most of that brain is dark," he stated again, "Dark, lifeless, dead. The frontal lobe, the human part; that doesn't come back. The you part." he explained, "Just a shell, a mindless instinct." he said, going quiet. The body lay there and began to move again, this time looking as if it was trying to break free from the restraints that was holding it down. A white object appeared briefly, then a flash of bright light, and I knew the test subject had been shot. I cringed at this thought, "Oh god," someone said, "What was that?" Carol ask. This time, I spoke for Jenner, "He shot his patient," I muttered, walking away from the crowd and to the back of the room, "didn't you." I ask Jenner, "Vi, power-down the main screen and work stations." The screen disapeard at his words, my question left hanging in the air, "You have no idea what it is, do you?" I ask, the Dixon side of my anger coming through, "I-it could be microbial." he stuttered, "Viral,fungal," he got cut off, "Or the wrath of God?" Jackie stated, tears at the brim of her eyes, "Or that." Jenner sighed, looking at her, "Somebody must know something!" I said, a smirk played at my lips, "Somebody, somewhere!" anger was laced into every word I spoke, "I mean, there have to be others! Other facilities!" the look Daryl gave me made me know it was time to shut up, "There may be some, people like me." he got cut off, "but you don't know. How can you not know!" Rick said, getting harsh, " Everything went down! Communications, directives, all of it." Jenner said, looking at Rick like he was stupid, "I've been in the dark for almost a month." Jenner said. He was so calm to be in this situation, "So its not just here," Andrea said, "Theres nothing left anywhere. Nothing. That's what you're really saying, right?" she smiled a bit sarcastically. It was quiet, Jenner's mouth moved as if he wanted to say something, but no sound emitted, "Damn it," I muttered, hearing other mutters of 'Jesus' from Jackie, "Man, I'm gonna get shitfaced drunk... Again." Daryl said, walking toward me. He ran both his hands through his hair, "Dr. Jenner. I know this has been taxing for you, and I hate to ask one more but that clock," he pointed at the count down on the wall, "It's counting down... What happens at zero?" Dale ask, looking at Jenner, "The... Basement generators... They run out of fuel." Jenner said, walking the opposite direction, "And then?" I ask, well, more like shouted at him. He kept walking, "Vi, what happens when the power runs out?" I ask, my voice shaky, "When the power runs out, facility wide decontamination will occur--" the voice said. You could feel the sadness and anger in the air. Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog ran down to the basement, flashlights in hand. Daryl and I went into my room, as I took a quick shower.. I stepped out, wrapping my hair in a towel. I slipped into clean clothes. As I walked out, the lights faded and not-so-bright lights came on. Daryl was drinking from a bottle, which I snatched from his hands and took a swig. I walked into the hall, met by everyone else, "Why is the air off?" Lori ask as Jenner walked back, "And the lights in our room?" Carol followed. I peered out as Jenner walked past me, "What's going on?" I ask as he snatched the bottle from my hands and took a long drink, "Energy use is being prioritized." Jenner said, taking another drink, "Air isn't a priority? And lights?" Dale ask. Jenner shook his head, swallowing some beer, "It's not up to me," Jenner said as the lights faded out in the hall, "Zone 5 is shutting itself down." Jenner said. Daryl stormed behind him, "What's that mean?" he yelled. When Jenner kept walking, Daryl almost knocked me over to get to him, "Aye, man, I'm talking to you!" he was getting mad, "What do you mean it's shuttin' itself down? How can a building do anything?" I could tell Daryl was angry now, "You'd be surprise." Jenner mumbled as we seen the men enter below us, "Rick?" Lori peered over the side. We followed Jenner down the stairs to the flat floor below is. I jogged up to Glenn, "What's going on?" I whispered. He shrugged at me, kissing my forehead lightly, "Jenner, what's happening?" I ask, on the verge of tears, "The system is dropping all the non-essential uses of power." he said, walking on, "I understand that part!" I said, scoffing. Daryl motioned me back and Rick pushed past me, "It's designed to keep the computers running to the last possible second." Jenner said once more. He took another drink of the bottle, it now half-empty. He held the bottle out to me, which I yanked out of his hands with anger, "It was the French," he said to me, "What?" I ask, "They were the last ones to hold out as far as I know." he said. I froze in my tracks, "While our people was bolting out the doors and committing suicide in the halls, they stayed in the labs until the end." he said, looking down with his hands in his lab coat pocket, "They thought they were close to a solution." the words made my heart leap, "What happened?" Jackie ask, her sweet voice sounded concerned, "Same thing that's happening here." he said, making me want to break his neck, "No power grid," he shook his head, "Ran out of juice." I looked around at the rest of the group, trying to connect the dots, "The world runs on fossil fuel. I mean, how stupid is that?" Jenner said, motioning with his hands, "Let me tell you something," Shane started after Jenner, but pulled back by Rick, "Leave it, Shane. I don't even care. Lori, grab our things. Everyone get your stuff, we're getting outta here. Now!" he yelled the last part, causing me to jump. I turned quickly and went to gather my stuff. An alarm started, lights flashed red. Everyone froze, "What's that?" I ask, "WHAT'S THAT?!" I screamed, quieting everyone, "30 minutes to decontamination." Vi's voice said, a screen brought up with a clock, "Everyone, y'all heard Rick! Go get your stuff!" Shane started. T-Dog was motioning everyone through, "Daryl! You stay! I'll get your stuff!" I yelled at him. I ran past the group and into my room first. I grabbed clothes and shoved them into my backpack and putting it on my back, strapped my machete to my back as well,and got my gun. I glanced around the room, checking for anything else. I ran to Daryl's room and grabbed his bag, his clothes already packed. I grabbed his crossbow and hunting knife off the table was was met my Glenn in the hall. He followed me back out, "HE LOCKED US IN!" Daryl was yelling. I was the only one who had gotten all my stuff. At the sound of this news, I got pissed and threw my stuff on the floor. I picked up Daryl's crossbow and loaded an arrow into it. I positioned it to shoot and ran up to Jenner, "YOU LET US OUT, DAMN IT! I WILL KILL YOU!" I was screamed. Glenn ran up to me and grabbed my arm, knocking me out of shock. I lowered the cross bow, and unloaded it. I threw it over my shoulder, and fought to walk off the platform and gather my things off the floor, "Jenner, open that door now!" Rick said, walking over to him, "Theres no point. Everything top-side is locked down, emergency exits are sealed." he breathed, "Well open the damn things!" Daryl said, his voice rough, "That's not something I control, the computers do." he said, "I told you, once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that." Jenner's voice was strict, "It's better this way." Rick exploded now, "What is? What happens in 28 minutes?" Rick pleaded. I walked over to Jenner and smacked him, "What happens in 28 minutes?!" Shane yelled, "Do you know what this place is?!" Jenner said, his voice loud, "We protected the public from VERY NASTY STUFF." he got in my face. I pushed him off me, "WEAPONIZED SMALLPOX!" He yelled again, "AND VIRUS STRAINS THAT COULD WIPE OUT HALF THE COUNTRY!" I flinched, "STUFF YOU DON'T WANT GETTING OUT EVER!" It was quiet for a moment as I walked over to Daryl and hugged him. He held me in his arms tightly. Jenner walked in a circle, then back to his chair. He sat down, "In the event of a catastrophic power failure or a terrorist attack, for example; HIT's are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting in or out." Jenner said, his voice quiet, "HIT's?" Rick questioned, "Vi, define." Jenner said, looking down, "HIT's; high-impulse thermometric fuel-air explosives are released which produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive except nuclear. The vacuum presser ignites the oxygen between 5,000 and 6,000 degrees and is useful for the greatest loss of life." Vi finished. I'm crying now, having collapsed to my knees. We were gonna die. I smiled a little, "Sets the air on fire." Jenner summarized, "No pain, an end to sorrow." Painless death? For once, I don't feel pain, or sorrow. I honestly feel... Normal? Everyone except Jackie, Andrea, and I are looking at Jenner as if he's evil.

"An end to everything."