sherbet - a stosuh fanfiction

Announcement

Until a news announcement on the TV caught my eye.

"- This new illness was discovered this week, but researchers say that it has been going around for almost a month now. It -"

"Hosuh," Stephen snapped his fingers in front of my face, making me blink. "Are you even listening to me?"

"No," I directed my gaze towards the TV. "Listen."

Stephen pulled a confused face, but turned his attention towards the TV anyways as the news reporter droned on.

"It seems that the disease started off as two similar viruses that mutated into one," the TV went on. "The first reported case was a minor at the Laneway Carnival, -"

"That's the girl we saw at that carnival!" Stephen exclaimed as I stayed tranfixed on the TV screen.

"Shh," I shushed him.

"- This virus shuts down skin cell growth, permitting the remaining skin cells to decay. It also sends an unknown hormone to the brain. The hormone seems to be manipulating the brain's way of thinking." 

The news reporter paused for a moment, shuffling the papers in her hands.

"With the help of this unknown hormone, access to the brain is granted, and the virus spreads to the brain. Brain metabolism is increased."

Stephen scoffed.

"That being said," the news reporter continued, "this virus does not create new systems, but hijacks new ones."

The news reporter shuffled her papers again, flipping one page over. "It's quite like turning into a zombie, except you don't die in order to become one, -"

"- It's exactly like turning into a zombie," Stephen said aloud.

"Shh," I shushed him again.

"The only way to become contaminated," the news reporter continued. "Is by coming in contact with someone who has the virus. The pathogen is not airborne, and animals are resistant to the disease."

 "At least animals can't get infected," Stephen pointed out.

"Shh!" I shushed him for the third time.

"There are already 23 cases in Canada, and all 23 have been quarantined in asylum hospitals and kept close watch on. The experts that are keeping watch say that the individuals infected are, ' slowly going insane'. Updates on the 23 cases will be expected in the future."

"I'm betting the whole hospital's gonna be infected sooner or later," Stephen countered.

"Shh!"

"That's all the updates for today, make sure to -"

The screen froze.

"At least we got the important information," Stephen shrugged, taking his eyes off the frozen TV screen.

"Oh my gosh, how old is your TV?" I questioned, eyeing the paused news lady.

"I don't know, actually," Stephen scratched the side of his nose. "I got it from a thrift shop, they didn't tell me."

We stayed quiet for a while, trying to process what the TV just said.

After a minute of stillness, I broke the unsteady silence. "So... Zombies, huh?" I let out a nervous chuckle.

Stephen immediately snorted. "You actually think it's real? Hosuh, no one even watches this news channel."

I stayed silent.

"Besides," Stephen scoffed. "It's only one channel anyways. Clout chasers, am I right?"

"Go to other news channels," I offered, trying to sound calmly as I could. The slight crack in my voice gave my fear away.

Stephen skeptically grabbed the remote besides him, switching the frozen channel. Every single other one he switched to was about the new outbreak, except for one (it was playing an ad about hand sanitizers).

I saw Stephen's face vaguely morph into shock, just a little. His eyes slightly widened and his lips parted, just barely.

"So... Zombies, huh?" I repeated my statement, proud of finally being right.

"Fucking shit?"

urggggh chapters might start getting shorter