Love Bites ~ Craig of the Dead au ~ Tricia x Karen fan fiction [COMPLETE]

40

"Are you ready for what we have in store for you today, my sweet little experiment?" Maphesto runs a finger down my tear stained chin, tipping my head up to face him. There's a glimmer in his eyes that suggests he is enjoying my pain and the fear plastered on my face. "We're going for a walk. Not so far you'll tire yourself out before our surprise though. No... you will need all of your energy for that."

"You're a monster." I croak.

A smile pulls at his lips but he holds it back to maintain his calm and emotionless look that he's known for. Glinting with glee, his eyes scan my face again, taking in all of the tear stains and scratch marks.

"My, you've really ruined that pretty face of yours, haven't you?" He comments, swiping his rough thumb along one of my fresh scratches on my cheek. "It's nowhere near as pretty as your girlfriend's though; dimpled cheeks, gorgeous brown eyes, sharp jawline... she'll give me some beautiful children."

When my jaw drops, his entire face lights up. I don't think I've ever seen someone so happy.

"Oh, you didn't know?" He asks, feigning innocence, "She's going to be a mother to an entire generation of strong, handsome young men."

"And the women?"

"Necks snapped the second they're born." He says, "We don't have time for feeble women in this lab."

"This isn't a lab, it's a fucking torture chamber! What you're doing isn't science. It's murder!"

Maphesto laughs. His belly shakes like he's Santa Claus.

"Every experiment that takes place in my lab is scientific and for the greater good, my dear. How else do you think I perfected the virus to only target adults? Had to get rid of those pesky geniuses with their high IQs and fancy technology before they did something to my disease."

One of the lab assistants pulls me to my feet and another lines up one of those hand truck / fridge mover things for the first one to push me onto. The second my body hits the metal, my sore arms are grabbed and tied behind my back then my legs are tied to the metal bars. Without warning, a needle is stuck into my neck and fluid runs through my veins, so cold it feels like it's come straight out of the freezer.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see my mom and Kevin watching me as I'm wheeled out of the room. With all of my strength, I try to force my head to turn and face them, but my body is too weak, maybe momentarily paralysed.

After 17 turns, eight doors and 25 corridors, we reach a weird chamber with thick metal double doors that require a fingerprint, and two armed guards by each door who look as thrilled to be there as a dog on the way to the vet. One of them shakes her head sadly at me but I don't know if it's out of sympathy or disgust, since I'm drooling all over myself due to the fact that I cant control my own mouth anymore.

"Sir, she's too young to go in for this. He'll kill her!" The other guard whispers, loud enough for me to hear.

"That's part of the experiment," Maphesto says, "Trial and error, boy! Now, do your job and let me in."

The guard looks unsure, but presses his finger to the touchpad until a light on the door flashes orange. Maphesto presses his thumb to the pad until the light flashes red, and a woman's voice over some hidden speakers declares that "Access is authorised. Doors will open momentarily."

And, just like the woman says, the doors open, revealing a wide room with two doors. One is in the middle, another set of double doors which require a fingerprint to be accessed, the other is a single wooden door with the words "A-Z seating" painted on in cracked black paint.

I'm wheeled towards the double doors and let in almost immediately, like the door knew we were going to head straight for it. I almost puke when we get inside.

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of scientists in pure white lab coats are sat in 26 curved rows from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. Each and every one of them cheers, claps or stamps their feet loudly as soon as they lay eyed on my drooling, paralysed self. Some look uncertain, but cheer on anyway, others look smug as they're handed money from those around them. Are they making bets about me?

Among the faces, I spot some familiar ones. Christophe's friends Marvin and Chidike (who I'm sure is actually Stan) are sat with some others who are probably from the same survivor group as them, all wearing white cloths around their genitals. Marvin points at me and the group laugh uncontrollably. Did they bring us here on purpose? A few rows above of those guys are a group of scared looking teenagers from Gregory's group. I can't quite remember their names, but a look of horror washes over them as I'm wheeled past them and into the middle of the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Maphesto yells at the top of his lungs. The cheering immediately stops, "We have a new test subject to offer for your entertainment. Tiny Tricia here is going to fight the beast!"

My stomach drops so low it could fall on satan's head.

"Her paralysis will wear off in a matter of minutes, which gives us just enough time to release the beast," He gestures to a barred gate on one wall of the arena. A loud roar erupts from the space, loud enough to make the ground beneath me vibrate and my whole body to shake, "Men, take off her restraints."

Once he has finished speaking, a rope ladder is thrown down the arena's walls for Maphesto to climb up and a group of men approach me. They are hesitant, hands shaking. They look around my age, maybe a few years younger unless they've got a good skin routine.

"You don't have to do this." I whisper.

"I'm sorry." One mumbles in return.

They claw at the ropes binding me to the wheely thing which makes my recovering skin tingle. I'm recovering from the paralysis, but not enough to fight back or move, which is unfortunate given the fact that I'm meant to be fighting a fucking beast! I'm seriously hoping they're exaggerating when they say beast.

Within a few minutes, my ropes are off and my immobile body lies on the floor, staring up at the harsh ceiling lights. My mouth is wide open, jaw not recovered enough to close.

"Release the beast!" Maphesto screeches.