"His eyes are those of a madman, sharp and at the same time focused on things well out of sight" ~ (The German - Thomas Lee)
Some of these Chapters will contain: Graphic Death, Blood & Gore, Vomiting, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Animal death
~You've been warned~
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The surrounding towns and cities are in chaos, and all Parker wants to do is sleep.
No one really expects a sudden sickness to spread in the form of gore spattered faces full of biting teeth, unnerving speed, and unnatural strength. Probably from the constant adrenaline, or maybe it's the virus's desperation to infect as many people as possible.
Parker breathes in lungfuls of smoke from a nearby burning building, weaving through the wreckage of abandoned police cars and fire trucks as distant explosions drown out the screaming and gunfire. The air is sweltering and smells like burning sickness.
Everything's either on fire or abandoned. But all that is just background noise- a giant alarm clock that won't turn off, though wishing it would, because he can't remember being more tired in his entire life. Can't remember anything really, except for the strange sense of abandonment which almost offsets the intense hunger scratching at his skin with an intense ferocity.
The back of Parker's head is matted with blood, and it's hard to tell if he's staggering from a minor brain injury or if the virus is fucking his motor skills. Despite the hazy blend of sound and colors, one sense is naggingly clear.
Curious, he crouches to a partially eaten carcass and delicately scoops out a handful of scarlet viscera.
To his left, a frantic woman tries to start her dented and smoking vehicle after crashing into another. The window shatters and she's yanked outside by her hair, hysterical cries dying out when rabid jaws clamp down on her throat. The infected only gets a few bites in before moving on to another victim.
For a couple of painfully slow heartbeats, Parker simply marvels at the oily red organs glistening under liquid gold sunlight, then, tentively, has his first taste.
Meat fills his mouth, dangling, dripping, and his eyes flutter shut as he chews stringy flesh. What are you doing? A small part of him whispers. Parker's body involuntarily shudders when a jolt of something that makes him feel so alive lights up his nerves. This is so wrong. The feeling fades achingly fast, leaving him hollow when the hunger returns. And now, this corpse doesn't seem very appetizing anymore..
No, he needs new blood.
Slowly standing, his vision sharpens and he's fully awake, fully aware of the surrounding carnage. Blood laces the air like a fine mist and his gut clenches, from hunger or revulsion he doesn't know. The screams and terror on people's faces are like douses of ice water, but the fever pumping hot through his veins is demanding healthy flesh to infect.
Parker melds into the mass of infected, the back of his head becoming a dull throb that barely registers from the rising adrenaline. Disturbing memories begin to flash infront of his dark eyes.
"So, Everlyn," Parker starts as he leans his forearms on the table and clasps both hands together, "you say your boyfriend's been acting strange ever since he went to check out a strange noise coming from your basement?"
Everlyn nods, "I told him not to go down there.." She sits across the table, shaking her head as she tries to keep it together. "My father never let anyone in the basement. Even though he's gone now, it's always been the one place that was off limits. But the noises kept happening and-" her breath hitches as a loud thump echoes within the house, upstairs, punctuated by glass breaking. Parker shares a wide-eyed glance with his friend who startles at the sound.
"I think he's sick," she whispers and glances around as if he might hear. "He's becoming more aggressive and groans like he's in pain. But when I try to help, he just growls at me.." Parker nods as he listens and notices Chester shift uneasily, eyebrows tilted in concern.
Chester..
The name brings a spark of recognition and Parker snaps back to the present. Underneath him lay a blond boy, golden hair splayed within a halo of blood from where Parker has unconsciously cracked his skull against pavement. Dull blue eyes stare listlessly into the even bluer sky, the pale skin of his face tainted with drops of red falling from Parker's chin; who's own eyes widen in horror.
His heart lurches and he retches violently, spilling meat and guts into a pile of acrid smelling sickness beside the body.
But it's not him. Still, he trembles. The image of Chester's face had been so sharp and clear. Feeling nauseous, Parker doesn't want to be anywhere near people. He has to get out of the city.
"What's down there that your father doesn't want anyone to see?" Chester cuts in from several feet away. The white light from his camera casts harsh shadows across the wall.
"Just his lab," she lifts a thin shoulder in a shrug. "He was a scientist. My dad and boyfriend never got along, never respected his things.." She trails off then shakes her head. "I-I'm just scared he might hurt himself." Everlyn's voice is thick with tears and Parker can't help but reach out a hand to rest upon hers for support.
"Listen, I know you're scared, but tonight we'll set up some cameras to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone. Then we'll talk to your boyfriend and find out what's wrong with him." The girl stares at the table, wisps of dark hair hanging limp as she managed a small nod.
"Bro. Can I talk to you please? Alone," Chester urges. "Uh, sure," he turns back to Everlyn and gives a reassuring smile. "Try to get some sleep. We'll install a camera in your room a little later, and hopefully by morning we'll have some answers."
The sky slowly bleeds into dusk as Parker trudges aimlessly through the debris of a collapsing society. So much can happen in one day.
The dead who are dying from this mysterious disease hide in the thickening shadow, brooding over lifeless remains strewn across the ground. An eerie silence has settled like a dense fog. Some stumble around awkwardly as if children caught after dark, blindly searching.
Do they feel as lost as he does? Home. Where is home? Nothing seems familiar. Parker studies his hands and flexes them, the skin feels tight and stiff from dry blood that now begins to flake away.
Hours go by. Exhaustion seeps in, the world seems distant and muted again. The rest of his memories flutter away like startled butterflies as he feebly tries to grasp at them. Then, closing his eyes, he latches onto one.
Overhead fluorescents repeatedly die and come back to life, spilling weak light over abandoned lab equipment. The smell of mildew and faint chemicals pervade the dusty air. Chester emerges from a dark corridor slightly out of breath, his paper white skin glistens with sweat.
Parker is about to ask if he's found anything but a terror-laced scream has them both freezing in place. Another scream coupled with animalistic snarls has Parker rushing to the staircase and only manages to pull the door open before Chester grabs his arm.
"Bro- you can't go up there!" His friend turns to him with confused-stricken eyes. "What do you mean? That was Everlyn screaming just now, she needs us!"
Chester shakes his head vehemently and tightens his grip. "No dude, it's not safe! I figured it out, I think I know what her boyfriend is! He's a z-"...
"A what?" Parker is beginning to get annoyed but doesn't fail to notice the small gasp that escapes Chester's chalk pale lips as he stares up. Parker follows his gaze to see a silhouette standing in the doorway above. For a moment no one moves or speaks. Then, its head cocks to the side, jerks to another, snuffling the air. Its fingers twitch at its sides.
"E-Everlyn? Is everything a-alright?" Parker's eyes widen when Everlyn sways forward under the light of a low hanging bulb, revealing the black holes of her gouged out eyes and caved in jaw. She throws herself down the stairs, the constant thump of heavy limbs and snapping bones growing louder as she tumbles straight towards them. Parker slams the door closed just in time for her body to collide against the hard surface with a wet smack.
"Bro, what the hell was that?!" He exclaims while Chester tries not to hyperventilate at whatever just happened. Parker shoves a hand through his messy black hair, thinking of any possible explanations. The mention of sickness, groaning, aggression, and now the attack all lead to a realization Parker wouldn't of had- had they not been witness to monsters and other inexplicable terrors that come with their job.
"You think her boyfriend's a zombie, that's what you were going to say, wasn't it?" And it sounds ridiculous speaking those words out loud. Chester looks up in surprise, then nods.
Parker glances behind him. "So that means Everlyn's.."
"-Dead." Chester finishes.
Suddenly, Parker feels the door shake as something pounds on it erratically from behind, growling. He lurches away and barely hears a suppressed whimper of fear come from Chester, who looks from the corridor to the door, and back again.
"I don't know how we're going to get out, but the door's locked so we should be safe," Parker assures.
"Parker, there's something I need to tell you," his voice is hushed under the trembling lights and the air seems to grow colder with his next words, "there's something else in the basement with us."
"What.. exactly did you see?" Parker asks slowly, his eyes slide to the opaque darkness of the empty corridor.
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(Words: 1,725)
A/N
I hope you guys will like this story❤️ I worked really hard on it (⇀ ↼‶), and alot happens- so get ready!😅
Next chapter is Chester's P.O.V and later we'll find out what happened to Parker.
I'm working on several stories at once. A Catboy one and a Dark web one~ Feedback gives me fuel to continue, so please feel free to comment and vote!🖤(๑U﹏U๑)
Above each chapter are selected quotes from books I own, that I think can be applied to the story ┐(‶︶ ◡ ︶‶)
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