Broken Cells

Race

We tread through the desert like place for hours without tire just boredom and redundancy from the feeling that we're getting nowhere with our biggest worry being the hunger that's quickly growing within us.

On the bright on side of things, we had some pretty good conversations as we all bonded during our long journey, and the endless energy of our bodies allowing us to power walk constantly without getting tired.

Despite not being tired I'm still an incredibly lazy person from the apocalypse so I opted for someone to carry me seeing as though it shouldn't be to hard with my long lost weightlessness. Jackson carried me. "Why thank you very large man." I told him. Jackson laughed and blushed slightly "of course, it's like I'm holding a newborn baby." I then chuckle "I'm flattered."

—- 4 Hours Later. —-

Finally after so long in the dead of night we saw a light, spinning around as if it were a lighthouse guiding us to a desired location. Since the apocalypse lights like these are now used for survivors to find refuge and shelter.

That was the weird thing about the last camp because it was much smaller and run down and didn't have a light so there was already something suspicious about it.

After seeing the light we all celebrated that we finally found somewhere that we can survive. From Afar I could I analyze the huge camp and recognized it was somewhere middle and upper class citizens lived with huge big dark iron walls surrounding it, far more optimal than the last camp.

Upon seeing this we were all filled with excitement that we were finally done walking around with no were to go like zombies, no pun intended. Tanner then smirked immediately knowing that he had a dumb idea.

After staring at the light for some time Tanner then says "Test number two, speed. Let's all race to the camp from here and see who can get there first and see if we run faster than we did before the virus."

I originally thought he was gonna say something dumb but that wasn't a half bad idea it's good to fully understand what we're capable of especially going into a place full of normal humans. Eric happily agreed boasting about how he would smoke all of us to which we all denied insisting we would beat him.

After all of us agreeing to his challenge we all lined up preparing to run. Jackson was really particular about all of us being lined up evenly but eventually we all assumed the proper positions.

Jackson was the one to count us down, at this moment excitement and adrenaline rushed through me as before the apocalypse I could run really fast so I couldn't wait to find out my speed now. "3.. 2.. 1.. Go!"

We all broke out into a really fast pace, probably fast or even faster then the most seasoned runners of all time. Jackson fell behind quickly due to his size which was kind of expected but he's still holding his own. Eric and Tanner and I were around the same level. And after running as fast as we could, we began to realize even though we were really strong now, we still had a limit I could feel my body slowing down and it was harder for me to move my legs.

With Eric and Tanner being in the lead suddenly Eric does something crazy. He leaps into the air jumping extremely high jumping into first place. Tanner then yells "is that even aloud!?" Eric then shouts "There's no rules during the end of the world Tanner!" Tanner then decided to try to do it as well leaping into the air, not nearly as high and Eric but still inhumanly high.

I then try to leap myself jumping pretty high but not as good as either Eric or Tanner.

Jackson and I were falling way behind and Tanner proposes a plan for us to win as we run beside each other "How about I pick you and and toss you with all of my strength, your pretty light so you will go far enough to beat them!" I then look at him "what about you Jackson?" He then smirks as I study his body and notice swollen veins that shared the same colors as bruises spreads throughout his entire body as his muscles rip and tear growing larger, ripping his shirt as he grows slightly in size.

"How'd you that?" He then tells me that he will explain later but for now I needed to focus on the race.

He then holds out his hands to me as grabs me at my sides and tosses me into the sky at really fast speeds I quickly gain lots of ground over Eric and Tanner as they both watch me from below take first place with ease dropping to the ground without any strain.

Then suddenly from last place, Jackson leaps really fast over all of us, almost simulating the same form crushers take when they leap, quickly and easily Jackson took first place leaving behind in second and before we know it we made it to the refuge.

I then lean against the walls and drop to my knees feeling my muscles ache and my limbs tired. All of us could barely stand except for Jackson standing there with his enhanced frame. Eric then says as he lies there on the ground in his defeat "it almost.. it almost feels like I'm out of breath!" We all agree with him as Tanner looks at Jackson and his body "what happened to your shirt? How'd that happen to your body.

Jackson then closes his eyes focusing as he then shrinks back to normal with the veins dissipating. Eric's eyes then widen fascinated about how Jackson did that.

Tanner and Eric then flood him with questions before he sits down with is and explains.

"I don't know it was weird, it was like when I pushed myself to my limit I realized that there was so much more I was capable of us and I was really nowhere near my limit and after realizing that mid race I learned that I could amplify myself even more then I already am, almost like a-"

Tanner then quickly cut him off "crusher." I then gasp "you guys don't think we have variant genes in us?" Jackson then says "we all saw the way my body looked it looked like a toned down version of a crushers body, and even crazier is that I could still feel that I could push myself further so that was probably just the surface of what I could do.. if what WE could do."

Jackson then continues "Shit, I didn't even know that leap would work I just knew that crushers do that often so I tried it and it payed off."

I then say "so if this is all true, what types of variant do the rest of us have, what if one of us can mutate, or oh my god what if one of us has acid spit." Eric then laughs "I think we'd know if one of us are slobbers so we can rule that out, and screamers only manifest through female vocal cords so that's a no."

Tanner then says "so that leaves us with Mutator, Crusher, and Butcher."

I then add "there's also a chance one of us might not have a variant, it could all be by chance."

Tanner then shakes his head "No, no I don't even wanna think about that." Eric then says "anyways, I feel a lot better now I think it's time we go in."

After finding the entrance an officer points his gun at us ordering us to put our hands up and that we'll be searched for bites I kind of had a burst of anxiety because what if my bite didn't fully heal and they would find it! Luckily they didn't and they tell us that we're lucky because there was only a little more room for us before telling us..

"Welcome to Area 5."