Season 1, Episode 13 [Doctor of the Dead]
The stage is set, trees line the back wall and it looks very much like a forest, aside from the fact it's fake and inside a highschool's auditorium. The actors are prepped, the lost boys look dirty and everyone looks perfect and accustomed to their costumes. I, however, fidget in my dress- I hate dresses with a passion- they're not practical! I pull on the sides of the skirt and desperately wish for a pair of pants, even shorts would do! But no, it's the night of the show, and the clock on the wall tells me we'll be starting in fifteen minutes.
Realization dawns on me and my stomach lurches and twists in knots. I look around the crowded backstage to try and see if anyone feels the same as I, but no one shows it. Probably because they are wearing pants. I take a deep breath and rehearse my lines in my head, I'm playing the female lead; Wendy- both young and old, I took the part because I didn't think the nerves would get to me. Boy, was I wrong.
Suddenly someone in lost boy get-up rushes over to me and puts a hand on my forearm; "Elle, you're on in five," he tells me, and I silently applaud our costume team, he wears what looks like animal skin and leaves, his raven black hair is messy and it has twigs in it, his face is dirty- but his blue eyes still shine bright.
"No, it was-" I stammer, looking over at the clock, but there it is- 10 minutes have passed and I'm to get set on stage for the curtain to open. "Oh, god," I say turning to the entrance to the stage on the left. "Thank you-" I say, turning back to him.
"It's Thomas," he smiles at me.
"Thanks, Tom-" I start but Mr.Bevers- a short, plump, balding man without a nice bone in his body sporting wire-rimmed glasses perched, as always, on the tip of his droopy nose- yells my name.
"ELIZABETHYL MOEN," he calls the name he's used for me since I was in his grade nine science class.
"That's not my name!" I yell back at him as I've done many times before.
"ON STAGE NOW," he commands.
I saunter on stage and take my mark, and I watch as the curtains slowly glide open to reveal a full house, not an empty seat- there are even people standing along the sides of our auditorium that fits 700 odd bodies. I gulp before taking a deep breath, pushing my butterflies down and belting out the first line.
I sit up from my slumber, accidentally waking Cassandra, who was fast asleep- her head in my lap. I place a hand on her forehead and feel her temperature. But her forehead feels like asphalt mid-July on a day where there hasn't been a cloud for the past week, the grass is dry and you could fry an egg on your head if you wanted to. It's that hot. Warren looks back at me through the rear-view mirror and I shake my head. She's really not doing good.
Warren looks back at the road before pulling over; "We're gonna take a little break," she announces and everyone gets out.
I help Cassandra sit up before shifting over and opening the back of the same van we left the Pharmaceutical warehouse in. I hop out, breathing in the fresh air- we'd been stuck in that cramped, hot, box for over seven hours and it was due time for a pit-stop. I turn around and offer a hand to Cassandra who slides out with my help. Once her feet are on the ground, though, she almost collapses.
"Woah there," I say, catching her before she even touches the ground.
"Sorry, my legs are asleep," she tells me- but I know it's a blatant lie, she's weak- the infection has spread and if we don't get meds soon Doc says... who am I kidding? We all know that she's past saving, we got some treatments for the infection from the warehouse, it didn't work. But I'm sure there's something out there... somewhere... I know it...
"It's alright, here... let me help you," I say as I help her stand, my arm around her waist and her arm around my shoulders.
"Thanks," she says, she sounds exhausted.
"Let's go sit in the shade of one of those trees," I offer, motioning to the trees lining the road.
Cassandra just nods and I help her walk weakly over to the ditch where she collapses.
"I can't go any farther," she whines.
"Okay, let's just sit here then," I say kindly, kneeling next to her and putting a hand on her back.
She leans over and hacks up what's left in her stomach, which is just watery bile since she can't hold anything down, I brush her hair back before holding onto her shoulder and rubbing her back as she heaves. When nothing is coming up anymore she wipes her mouth with her sleeve and leans back into me, sitting between my knees, as she does so I wrap my arms around her protectively.
"Feel better?" I ask optimistically, but she doesn't respond and I sigh. "Just hang in there okay? We're going to find you something to help and you'll get through this. We'll get through this," I say, not sure if I'm trying to convince her- or myself.
She just nods and I look over at the rest of the group- save for Murphy who sits in the truck. They all look over at us, sad looks on their faces, Doc holding a hunting rifle- a knowing look on his face, Roberta with the walkie in hand, something ominous spread across hers, then there's 10k, who holds his rifle- despair evident in his eyes, even from far away. I turn back to Cassandra who has seemingly fallen asleep. I bury my face into the back of her shoulder gently, letting a single tear slip from my eye and into her wild hair.
"We'll get through this," I whisper.
I hear footsteps advance and I lift my head, Doc comes over and crouches next to us; "how's she doing?" He asks me.
"Fine," I sniffle.
"She's the one that's supposed to lie about that Cap, not you," Doc says, putting a kind hand on my shoulder.
"She'll live," I take a shaky breath.
"Alright," Doc says, dropping the subject, "we're going," he informs me.
"Okay, give me a second," I tell him before shifting to the side of Cassandra and picking her up- she's as light as a feather.
As I stand she rouses and looks up at me, blinking slowly. I carry her back to the van and slide her in to 10k who makes sure she doesn't bang her head as I lie her down. I slide in after her, lifting her head into my lap once more. 10k shuts the doors and Warren starts the van up, then we begin to rumble on our way. I brush her hair out of her face, it's wet with sweat from her forehead which burns like a hot iron. Once she's asleep I look up at 10k who looks sadly at both of us.
"She'll be okay," I tell him with more aggression than I intend to.
"I know," 10k says softly and I look back down at Cassandra.
We'll get through this. She'll be okay. We'll get through this, she'll be okay. I repeat like a mantra. We'll get through this. She'll be okay. Maybe if I repeat it enough it'll come true. We'll get through this. Karma and all that right? She'll be okay. Positive vibes work, right? She'll be okay. Right? We'll get through this. Won't we? We'll get through this. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. We will get through this. She will be okay. We have to get through this. She has to be okay. She has to... we have to... right?
Once we're well on our way Doc speaks up from the driver's seat; "well Murphy, I think I'm gonna miss your sorry ass," he turns to the man who looks like a Z.
"I... I appreciate the sentiment," Murphy says awkwardly.
"We've run some miles together brother," Doc reminisces.
"Amen," Murphy agrees.
"Starting to feel like a damn family- y'know what I'm saying?" Doc asks.
A pretty freaking dysfunctional family, I think to myself.
"I've never said this to anybody before... but I almost consider you... a friend," Murphy tells Doc.
"I mean I don't envy you man- once we deliver you all bets are off. You're going to have more needles stuck in you than the damn tomato in grandma's sewing basket," Doc discusses.
"They're just gonna take some blood-" Murphy starts but Doc cuts him off.
"Oh trust me they're gonna have some type of tube or rod rammed in every spare orifice or my name ain't Sally," Doc says and Warren looks at the man- weary of the words coming out of his mouth and the fact that they might spook Murphy like a gunshot spooks a deer. "You know I once had a catheter- dude, you better hope they don't go that route," he says.
"Doc," Warren warns him.
"What?"
"How much further?" She diverts the conversation.
"I don't know- 65 miles or so," Doc informs her.
"Anyway- I'm gonna miss you, dude," Doc finishes.
"Yeah... right," Murphy trails off.
"What about you kid? What do you have planned?" Doc asks 10k.
"Uhh... I dunno," 10k shrugs, arms crossed and resting on his knees which are pulled up by his chest, he looks at me and I divert my eyes from his to the face of a sleeping Cassandra in my lap. "Still got 6998 to go, might take a break, though- head up somewhere cold, the Zs don't fair to well in the cold."
"Yeah, I don't fair to well in the cold myself," Doc comments. "Roberta?"
"Umm... I don't know- maybe follow the sun west. Never been to California. How about you Doc?" She reflects his question upon him.
"Go buy a boat, sail around the world, find me an island where there's not even a Z in their alphabet," Doc says and Warren chuckles. "And you, Cap?" Doc asks.
I look up and clear my throat. "Me? Survive, like I always have," I tell them.
"Anything specific?" Warren looks at me from where she sits by Cassandra's feet.
"Might go back home..." I trail off.
"Where's that?" Warren asks me.
"Parishville, New York- but I don't know about that, maybe I'll find myself a new home. Somewhere I feel safe," I tell them.
They all nod and I look back down at Cassandra, brushing my fingers through her hair gently. We continue to the new destination, somewhere closer than California, I didn't bother to ask where specifically. I continue to watch Cassandra's breathing, making sure it's there, making sure not to let her slip away on my watch. Time passes quickly and everyone sits in silence until Warren speaks up.
"This must be it, Citizen Z said to look for a metal shed with a roll-up door," Warren says and I dare to draw my eyes away from Cassandra and look out the windshield- there it is, a large metal shed with a roll-up door, like that of a garage, it's all white. But what catches me off guard is the crowd of zombies standing in the exact same, alert stance- facing the door.
"Like this one?" Murphy asks.
"What are they all looking at?" 10k asks.
"Our entrance," Warren tells him.
"You think we're in the right place?" Murphy asks. "Looks small."
Warren slides open the van door and hops out, opening the passenger side and letting Murphy out. "Let me see your hands," Warren tells him.
"My hands- why? Is this that hygiene thing again?" Murphy asks, stalling.
"Just let me see them," Warren orders.
Murphy quickly shoves his hands towards her and flips them- palm side up then palm side down then there are cuffs around his wrists. "The hell you doing?" Murphy demands her.
"They're looking for a group of civilians transporting a prisoner. I don't want anyone mistaking you as a zombie," Warren explains.
"Bullshit," Murphy growls. "You don't trust me, after all the times I've saved your ass."
"Trust has nothing to do with it. I don't want anyone piking you after we got you this far," Warren replies in the same tone.
"Let's just get this over with," Murphy says before heading towards the shed at a brisk pace.
"Hey!" Warren calls after him and Doc steps out of the van, rifle in hand.
"Murphy!" He calls after the man, some Zs turn to us and Doc cocks the shotgun- drawing all the Zs attention.
Murphy gives us all a double-thumbs up as he walks towards the door, then all the Zs charge. Warren and Doc both rush back inside the vehicle and Doc rolls up his cracked window as the Zs bang on the side of the van.
"What's going on?" Cassandra asks- rousing from her sleep.
"Nothing- everything is fine," I say soothingly, stroking her hair.
"Are those Zs?" She asks, pushing herself up to sit next to me- slumping against the wall of the van.
"Yeah."
"Where's Murphy?" She asks.
"Over there," I say, pointing through the Zs and to where Murphy stands at the door, staring our way.
"How much ammo we got?" Warren turns to us.
"Two bullets," 10k tells her.
"Five in my handgun- none in my sniper," I tell her, I've gone through a lot of ammo these past weeks- months? Who knows how long it's been, feels like years.
"I got... one," Doc announces.
"One?" Warren asks.
"I told ya!" Doc tells her and I look towards the zombies that are banging on the windows.
"I'll go out and take care of them," I tell the group.
"No," 10k says, looking at me adamantly.
"That's suicide!" Cassandra says, grabbing my arm.
"How long have you guys known me?" I ask them, studying the group. "And how many times in that short while have I done what seemed impossible?" I ask.
"Almost every day," Doc sighs.
"Let me go out, I can do it there's what- ten of them? I can take out five with the ammo I have left and pike the rest," I tell them.
"That's risky," Warren observes.
"It's a risk I'm willing to take for the sake of humanity. Whatever happens, you guys have to get Murphy in there, he needs to make that vaccine and save the world- alright?" I look at them all, my eyes lingering on Cassandra, who hasn't let go of my arm.
"Whatever happens?" 10k repeats.
"Nothings gonna happen, I'm just saying..." I trail off on my futile attempt.
"I'm coming with you," he says.
"10k-" I start but he cuts me off.
"I'm coming with you," he repeats stubbornly.
"Fine," I sigh.
"Wait," Warren orders and we do. "MURPHY!" She yells through her slightly open window.
"WHAT?" He yells back and Warren gestures for him to come closer. "OH, YOU WANT MY HELP?" He calls mockingly before sauntering over. "Keep all of your pants on," he tells the Zs as he passes through them to the van, he slides open the door next to me and I cock my gun, pointing it outwards. "Don't," he tells me and I slowly lower my gun, "follow me," he then tells us.
"How do you know?" Warren asks him.
"I don't," Murphy admits.
"Well that's comforting," I say sarcastically.
Murphy turns to the Zs that growl and thrash their heads- but make no advances on him. I'm the first one out, a hand resting on Murphy's shoulder. "Alright, quick- group hug," he tells us and I turn, helping Cassandra out of the Van with one hand, I move her before me where she links her arm with Murphy's, I hug her around Murphy and I feel 10k wrap his arm around my back, pressing me into Cassandra who I press into Murphy.
I look to see that Warren has linked arms with Murphy and Doc stands behind him with 10k, a hand on 10k's shoulder and the other on Murphy's. "Maybe one day you'll learn to trust me," Murphy says smugly.
"Man, I hope nobody sees us," Doc groans.
"I don't think they can through the Zs," I say, commenting on the circle of Zs that surround us and moves with us. "Don't worry- what dignity you have left is safe."
Doc laughs and I risk a small smile which makes me feel like a traitor based on our situation. My best friend and the closest thing I've ever had to a sister- is dying. I'm moments away from sending this guy who has saved us multiple times to what I can only assume is a life of being a pin-cushion. I'm also close to the time when I'm meant to leave this group of people that I've come to call my little dysfunctional family.
We make it to the door and Cassandra drops Murphy's arm, but I don't drop my arm from her waist, and I notice that 10k doesn't drop his from mine either. We turn to the group of Zs as Warren enters something on a keypad and the door opens. I sling Cassandra's arm over my shoulders and I help her into the small room, walking away from 10k's arm.
Murphy walks in backwards and watches the Zs until the door closes and the floor begins to descend. "You know, before the apocalypse- I had the same effect on the ladies," he comments.
"Sure you did," I cough.
Cassandra lets out a light laugh and I feel her body shake with the effort to let it out, for me. The elevator reaches the ground and Warren lifts up the cage door, there are bodies on the floor, bullets in their heads. I drop my grip from Cassandra's arm that is slung over my shoulder and I grab my gun, the five precious bullets sitting in the magazine.
"Sure doesn't look operational," Warren comments as she ducks into the hallway before choosing to go left.
"All those zombies up there must've wanted something down here," Cassandra deciphers as we all leak out of the elevator, following Warren.
"Yeah, but what?" Warren takes the words out of my mouth.
"Same thing they always want. Brains," Doc comments.
"No," Murphy interjects- stepping out last. "Something else. Something inside is attracting them like a magnet. I can feel it."
"Well it's great to know that we're inside a great big zombie magnet," I say sourly, looking around at the dimly lit place- trying to see anything.
Warren reaches down and unclips an ID card from one of the dead bodies and swipes it, opening the glass doors before us, we all walk in to see a table, set up with cake and plates on it- to top it off there are five dead bodies with party hats on and bullets in their heads sitting around the table.
"Well happy damn birthday," Warren comments.
"Aww, reminds me of my 50th," Doc coos.
"How old are you?" I ask him.
"Somewhere over sixty- I stopped counting when the Zs started roaming the earth," Doc tells me, sass etching his every word.
"Happy Birthday Doctor Kur...?" 10k reads the icing on the remaining cake.
"Dibs on the last rose!" Murphy calls, snatching the last candy rose from the cake and shoving it in his mouth, we all look at him and I raise an eyebrow. "What? I can't help it- damn vaccine makes me crave sugar," he shrugs, licking the icing off of his fingers noisily.
"Well if you start craving brains- let me know," Doc tells him, and I'm not sure if he's serious or not.
"Ha ha," Murphy says dryly.
Suddenly the sound of a Z and what sounds like chains makes most of us jump- I tighten the grip on my gun and raise it in the direction of the noise.
"Puppies and kittens," Warren warns, using her code for Zs.
10k and Doc join me in aiming towards the noise as something happens behind us.
"Murphy," Warren calls him over. "Considering the situation... how did you?"
"Pilates," is Murphy's snide, one-word answer, and it makes me assume that he made it out of the cuffs.
"Here they come," Doc warns as the first of the no doubt many Zs shambles into sight.
"Let's take cover," Warren tells Murphy and Cassandra, who she grabs from me and hides with.
The first Z shambles in and 10k shoots it directly in the centre of its head. "3002," he counts off.
Another one speeds forward in scrubs and Doc takes it out. "I sure hope that was a zombie," he comments.
"Incoming at eleven o'clock," Warren warns.
"That's all you kids- I'm out," Doc says as he retreats with Warren, Murphy, and Cassandra.
10k takes the shot but it bounces off the shelf the Z is behind. "Damn."
"It's okay kid," Doc tells him.
"Got it," I say before taking five steps towards it and taking it out with one bullet.
"Down to four," I comment as I check the mag.
"Watch out!" Cassandra calls as another Z runs towards me.
I pivot and take it out with a single shot to the eye, "make that three."
Suddenly an eerily familiar sound echoes through the halls.
"What is that?" Murphy asks.
"Sounds like a phone," Cassandra comments and I make my way towards where she sits, slumped against one of the boxy metal machines in the room.
"Let's go find it," I hear Warren say as I help Cassandra up.
We follow Doc down a couple of dark halls to one with a couple of flickering lights, "over here," Doc says, walking over to a desk where a dead female Z in a lab coat lies on a dead man in a blue shirt. The phone in question is in the dead man's hand, Doc leans over and picks it up; "there must be twenty text messages here," he comments. "Looks like this guy was texting his wife or somebody when it went down," he says as he scrolls through. "Something happened at the lab today, can't talk now I'll call you later," he reads one. "Can't go home tonight, won't tell us why- putting us under quarantine, starting to get scared, something very wrong- something infecting us, we might not get out of here- tell the kids I love them," he says the last one as he looks up.
The phone emits a little sound and Doc chuckles; "what? There's a new message here from Citizen Z," he informs us. "Operation Bite Mark, if you get this message, please respond, hacked and searching lab mainframe, discovered some files, really weird stuff, find working computer, search HZN1 test results backslash, backslash codename: level nine, password; red death," Doc reads and Murphy rushes to the computer, shoving the bodies off the chair and onto the floor before typing away.
"What's the password?" Murphy asks.
"Red death," Warren re-informs him.
A video pops up, a slow-motion one of a monkey with eyes like a Z, horrible screeching monkey sounds coming from it, a heart-rate monitor in the bottom right corner. The monkey has an open mouth and I'm beginning to clue in when the video changes to a similar monkey, larger in size, smacking its lips. Then another of a tiny brown monkey with blood red eyes and a silent, open mouth.
"Not surprised they were doing animal testing," Warren comments.
"Yeah, but what were they testing?" Murphy asks, "look at the date on these videos- it's a year before anyone was infected," Murphy points out the date at the bottom of the screen, and he's right. "How did they know to be working on a vaccine before anyone was infected?" Murphy asks, turning to Warren.
"Unless they weren't working on a vaccine," I say the words on everyone's minds.
The window suddenly changes to what looks like a document on a female doctor- one Doctor Merch. "That's her, that's Doctor Merch- that's the bitch that did this to me!" Murphy says, clearly agitated.
"Okay," Warren says, putting a calm hand on his shoulder.
A video begins to play, it looks like it's been taped from a camera in the upper corner of a white interrogation room. There's someone in a lab coat standing in the large window- presumably Dr Merch, and there's a man sitting on a stool in a turquoise shirt and pants combination, like that which nurses wore.
"Let's start again from the beginning," the woman in the window tells him.
"Doctor Merch- I just got through telling you," the man says, clearly agitated.
"Tell me again- we're just trying to help," Merch tells the man.
"Don't believe her!" Murphy yells at the screen.
"I took the suit off after my shift," the man explains.
"At what time?" Merch asks.
"7:15, like I said."
"And then what?" Merch prompts.
"Tossed it in the incinerator then went straight to decontamination," the man relays to her.
"Let's back up a second," Merch says.
"How many times are we gonna have to-" he says but she interrupts.
"When you took off your suit what order did you remove your items?" She demands.
"I followed protocol," he insists.
"Which is?"
"Boots, then I unzipped my suit, removed it, then gloves," he lists.
"Then what?" She provokes the interrogation.
"Tossed it in the incinerator."
"Then went straight to-" she starts but he interrupts.
"To decontamination," he snaps.
"Did you notice anything different on this day when handling your samples?" Merch asks.
"I-I did as I've always done, I left the samples right where I found them," he explains.
"Did you come in contact with anything in the lab- anything sharp that could have punctured your-" she poses but he stands up and snaps at her.
"I told you this ten times!" He snaps at the woman in the window.
"Well, something happened. There's no denying it," she reasons.
"Something happened- the contamination alarm went off, that's what happened."
"That's right."
"No, but that's wrong!" He says, growing more agitated by the second. "That's what needs to be investigated- why the alarm went off!"
"We're trying to figure out what form of pathogen set of the contamination alarm," Merch explains, trying to calm the man down.
"This is a false alarm, the sensor made an error- because I didn't touch anything!" The man insists, taking a seat once more. "I didn't puncture my suit- I didn't remove any items out of order. I followed protocol."
There's a moment of silence before the man opens his mouth; "am I gonna be sick?" He asks weakly.
"Well, I'm guessing it didn't end too well for old Doyle here," Murphy huffs.
"Okay, who's for getting out of here right now- show of hands," Doc asks. He, 10k, and I raise a hand each, my other hand still gripping Cassandra's waist. "Okay- it's back out to the apocalypse it is."
"Nobody's going anywhere," Murphy growls before standing up abruptly and turning to us. "This is not a god damn democracy."
"No, it's the fucking apocalypse- your point?" I snap.
"We came here to find Doctor merch and that is exactly what we are going to do," Murphy says, his eyes scanning the whole group.
"He's right- if she's down here we just can't leave her," Warren reasons. "She's still our only chance at a vaccine."
"You're right, I just thought we might- y'know- live?" Doc sighs.
"That would be nice," I agree with him.
"Yeah, well quit your dreaming and let's go," Murphy orders before pushing past Warren, down the hall.
Warren rolls her eyes and follows him, we all trail behind her- Cassandra, 10k, and I in the back of the pack. 10k guarding our backs. We all reach some glass doors and just as we near them the phone in Doc's pocket goes off.
He picks it up and answers; "Zombie apocalypse- how may I direct your call?" Moment of silence. "What's left of us- this is Doc speaking," moment of silence. "Correctomundo, nice to hear your voice. So what fresh hell awaits us?" Moment of silence. "Well, that sounds great to me because I haven't had a good shower since... let's see... New York?" Moment of silence. "Deafcon one? Isn't that some kind of nuclear term?" Moment of silence. "Why am I not surprised," moment of silence. "Yeah what's that?" Moment of silence. Doc turns to us and puts the phone back in his pocket.
"So?" I prompt him.
"Z says we have to go through some type of decontamination," Doc explains.
"And what was all that about deafcon one?" Warren asks.
"If we don't decontaminate on the way in and out a nuke is going to be sent to blow up the lab," Doc informs us.
"Great," I groan.
"Let's go in then!" Murphy says, heading into the glass-doored room, we follow him but once we're in Doc coughs.
"There was one thing I forgot to mention," he says.
"What?" Warren asks.
"We have to do it naked," he says.
"Naked?" She repeats, not happy with the news.
"That's what he said! Naked. And we gotta put our clothes in this shoot over there so that they can get decontaminated with some liquid nitrogen," Doc explains, just as happy with it as Warren.
"I'd rather take the nuke," I groan sarcastically.
"So what are we waiting for?" Murphy asks before undoing his shirt quickly.
"For y'all to turn around. And no peeking," Warren orders.
"Let's all just stand with our backs to each other, sound good?" I ask the group.
"Sounds fine with me," Doc says before we all turn our backs to each other.
I turn to Cassandra, "you okay?" I ask.
"Yeah," she says as she unbuckles her belt, I nod and turn away.
After I've unbuckled my belt and holster from my thigh, unlaced and taken off my blood-stained boots and socks, peeled my jeans off my skin, shrugged off my flannel and shed the tank top that used to be white but has since been stained red. Then removed my bra that is now a cup too small and stepped out of the boxers I can't remember the last time I changed, I fold up all my clothes and pile them neatly on my bag where they're passed them down the line and thrown in the shoot.
I see Cassandra swaying and teetering in my peripheral so I grab her arm and place it on my shoulder so that she can remain balanced. She leans most of her weight on me, but it doesn't really phase me. What does though is the worry that she might collapse during the decontamination.
"Eyes up front young man," I hear Warren snap.
"Sorry, sorry," 10k apologizes and I can't help but glance over at him- he's staring at the ceiling. I stifle a laugh- boys.
"Cassandra, you okay?" Warren asks the girl that leans on me.
"I feel like I'm gonna pass out," she says in a drowsy voice.
"I got you," I whisper to her, she nods and I close my eyes.
"You hang in there," Warren tells Cassandra. "Doc what next?"
"Oh well we gotta put these on, and then you gotta hit that button marked decontamination, in front of you there 10k," Doc explains.
"Murphy, your scars. It looks like it's spreading," Warren says, almost entranced. I don't dare look, I keep my chin up and my eyes closed.
"I know, that's what I want to talk to Doctor Merch about. Now put your goggles on and quit staring- I'm not the elephant man! I'm a human being," Murphy snaps.
Someone taps me on the shoulder and I look over, 10k is holding out two pairs of goggles- head tilted up and eyes facing forward. I take them and hand a pair to Cassandra before putting mine on. "Are you ready?" 10k asks everyone.
"Yep," I answer for the rest of the group.
"Just do it," Murphy orders.
He does and suddenly a bright light goes off and we stand there in it for what feels like hours, but what must have only been a couple minutes at most. When it's over no one talks, we just hand the clothes and items around the circle clockwise to their owners. I slide my bra over my arms, buckling it up in the back with practiced fingers, I then step into my boxers and then slide my socks on, my pants go on next, then my boots, my tank top, my flannel, my jacket and then I slide my bag over my shoulder and turn to Cassandra who has her shorts, belt, boots, and socks on- but is struggling with her bra clasp.
"Here," I offer as I walk over to her and do it up for her.
"Thanks," she sighs as she lifts her purple shirt on.
"Anytime," I smile kindly at her. She slaps on her bracelet and then slides her sweatshirt on lazily, arm by arm.
"Man, I think I fried my gonads," Doc complains as Cassandra leans on one on the half-walls and slides down it. I rush over to her side where I kneel and grab her left hand with my right. I hold her face with my left. "Hey, hey, stay with me," I tell her. Warren kneels to my right and 10k to my left.
"I don't think I can go much further," she tells us.
When no one objects I look at them as if they're insane. "We're not leaving her here. I've got her alright? I'm not leaving her- I'll carry her if I have to. I'm not leaving her behind," I insist.
"Okay, sure," Warren sighs and stands up.
I turn back to Cassandra who stares at me; "c'mon," I tell her as I go to scoop her up.
10k puts a hand on my shoulder. "I've got her," I snap at him and he nods, standing up, leaving me to wrap one arm under her legs and another around her waist. I stand up with her in my arms and she wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispers to me, I silently nod- choking down my emotions, repeating to myself. We'll get through this. She'll be okay. We'll get through this, she'll be okay. I repeat it like a mantra. We'll get through this. She'll be okay. Because it has become my mantra. We'll get through this, she'll be okay. I hope if I repeat it enough it'll come true. We'll get through this. Karma and all that right? She'll be okay. Positive vibes work, don't they? She'll be okay. Won't she? We'll get through this. Right? We'll get through this. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. She'll be okay. We will get through this. She will be okay. We have to get through this. She has to be okay. She has to... we have to... I have to.
We walk down several hallways, I'm not looking, not keeping track, repeating it in my head, focusing on repeating that in my head. I look down at her, repeating it in my head as we walk through hallways that get darker and darker until we're in one with only a flickering light. Warren opens a door and I look up towards the rest of the group.
"Can you see anything?" Doc asks.
"One second- It's a little too dark," Warren says before clicking on her flashlight and shining it into the room that seems to be lit by only a blinking red light.
I look back down at Cassandra, my heart becoming heavy at the sight of her frail body in my arms, she looks asleep, the only thing differing that from dead is the slight rise and fall of her chest.
"Just some kind of emergency lights flashing," Warren tells us.
"Dude, this is quarantine- can't we just believe them?" I hear Doc ask, almost beg.
"What are you- high? We're infected already, remember?" Murphy snaps before heading into the door.
10k turns to me and Cassandra and motions me ahead of him, I nod before walking through the door sideways, making sure that Cassandra goes feet-first and that she doesn't bang her head. We walk into the new area, Doc and Warren lighting the almost pitch-black way with their flashlights.
"What is this place?" Warren asks.
"This isn't a hospital- it's a god damn hall of horrors," Murphy notes as he looks in one of the circular windows in one of the several white, metal doors in this room, disgust, and horror edging his voice.
"Hey look," Warren calls us over to another one of the doors but I'm watching 10k who draws a flashlight out of his pocket and goes the opposite way.
"I hope god doesn't know about this- cause if he does-" Doc is interrupted by Warren.
"We should give her mercy," Warren cuts him off.
"If we open this door those flies will be feeding on us," Doc reasons.
I watch as 10k shines his light into one of the doors and jumps back, revealing a Z with something metal holding its mouth open by the sides. 10k walks away, investigating a different door and I watch him, he finds nothing interesting in the first door he looks at but when he turns to the next one he calls us all.
"Over here, this one's open- it's gone," he says as he nears the door.
Everyone walks over and shines their lights on the open door.
"What was it?" He asks.
"Nothing good," I answer, adjusting my grip on Cassandra.
"Better question is where'd it go?" Warren asks. She's replied by a gurgling groan.
"Whatever it is- it's still here," Doc says, looking around, I look around too- my hand itching to go to the gun on my hip. But I refuse to let Cassandra go.
10k shines his light on a Z that crouches beneath the large machine in the centre of the room. Doc shines his light on the same one but something moves in the dark to the right of it and Warren shines her light on it to reveal that it's another Z.
"There's another one," she points out.
I back up into 10k who grabs my upper arm with his free hand.
"Murphy go talk to them, do that thing you do," Doc shoves Murphy towards the Zs, stuttering nervously.
Murphy walks forward with feigned confidence and crouches before the Zs. I notice that the one on the left is larger and has a bunch of boils on the left side of his face, while the one on the right has a very pointed face with a white mane and beard, the beard with a stream of blood going right down the center, like a long snake tongue.
"Guys, these aren't regular zombies," Murphy warns as he stands up. "They're some kind of mutant thing-" he explains as the zombies skirt around the machine. "I DON'T THINK THEY LIKE ME!" He screams as he backs up into us and the zombies run forward, 10k puts himself before me and I have an idea.
"10k my gun!" I yell at him and he turns to me, clueing in he grabs the gun from my thigh holster and kills both Zs.
"Good thinking Cap," Warren nods to me and I nod back.
10k goes to give me back my gun but I shake my head, "you keep it- I kinda have my hands full," I tell him, he nods and holds onto it as Murphy kicks the bodies off of him and stands.
"Let's go find Merch," he says ominously before heading out of the room.
"What's he gonna do when he catches up to Merch?" Warren asks.
"I don't know, but I'm glad I'm not her," Doc says.
"Be ready for anything, let's go," Warren says and we all take off after him down yet another hall.
As we near a hall with light Cassandra's breathing becomes more laboured and she looks up at me; "I can't do it," she whispers to me.
"It's fine, I can carry you," I tell her, looking down into her eyes.
"Stop," she whispers to me.
"You're going to be fine, just a little farther," I tell her.
"I'm going to get us all killed," she tells me.
"I'm not leaving you," I tell her stubbornly.
"Please Cap," she begs me and I feel something inside of me shatter- seeing her so helpless, so weak, she was once so strong, smart, brave, unstoppable, I look away from her. "Cap," she pleads.
I close my eyes for a second and push back the tears that I feel creeping up on me, I sigh and sit her back on a wall. I kneel next to her and grab her hand, looking into her dull eyes. Her head lolls to the side and I catch the sides of her face, keeping her head up, I hear footsteps and Warren and 10k near.
"Hey," Warren says as she nears.
"She made me stop," I tell her without looking away from Cassandra.
"Is she?" Warren asks.
"She's alive if that's what you're asking. And she's going to stay that way," I snap, whipping my head to face her.
"Of course," Warren cradles my fantasy.
"She just needs some rest," I tell her as I turn back to Cassandra.
"There's a room up here with a stretcher she can lie on," Warren offers.
"Perfect," I nod and gulp down my emotions before picking Cassandra back up.
When I stand Warren and 10k look at me with saddened eyes, I look between the two, a harsh expression on my face; "she's going to be okay," I insist with more aggression than I wanted.
"Of course," Warren repeats, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Where was that room?" I ask and she leads us to a room a few meters away.
I enter and see that all along the right wall is a metal shelving unit full of chemicals and along the far wall is a sink. I deposit Cassandra on the stretcher that sits in the centre of the floor, the stretcher has some sort of padding on it and I slide her out of my arms and onto it, as soon as she hits the bed she wakes up.
"What happened?" She asks.
"You fell asleep," I say as I grab her hand.
"You can stay here and get some rest, we'll come back for you," Warren tells her.
10k puts a hand on my shoulder and turns me. "What?" I snap accidentally.
"I just- nevermind," he says.
"Spit it out," I tell him.
"I just thought you might want your gun back since Cassandra's gonna stay here for a bit," he puts it gently as he extends me my gun, the handle towards me.
"Oh, yeah, thanks," I say and take the gun from him, holstering it before turning back to face Cassandra.
"Hey, hang in there darling- we're gonna find you some antibiotics. We're gonna get you straightened out in no time," Doc tells her before leaving, I take a step into the corner of the room and watch as 10k hugs Cassandra then stands up and leaves.
Cassandra turns her head to me and I take long, slow strides towards her before sitting down on the edge of the bed. She grabs my hand and I put mine on top of hers. I laugh as tears start to sprout from my eyes. "What?" She asks me.
"You don't know my real name," I smile as I gaze down at her.
"I don't need to know it," she tells me.
"But I know yours," I point out. "Mine's Elizabeth, but most people called me Liz."
"Cap suits you better," she smiles at me.
I smile as tears drip down my face for the first time in two years and I lean down and hug her, my arms holding me up from crushing her. Her arm wraps around my back and the other my neck until I pull away, hovering a couple inches above her.
"This isn't goodbye- I'm coming back and you'll be okay, I promise you."
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she tells me.
"I promise you," I repeat firmly before kissing her between the eyebrows. "I promise you," I repeat before standing up and exiting the room.
Everyone looks at me dismally and I look at all their faces; "she'll be fine," I snap at them before pushing past Murphy heading back down the hall, gun in hand, one bullet left in the magazine.
"Guys, c'mon quick- I think I found something," Murphy tells the group as I storm away. "She not gonna make it?" He asks.
"Quiet your voice!" Doc hisses at him, for my sake, I think- he really shouldn't have. I'm smart enough to put the pieces together.
"You might want to say your goodbyes," I hear Warren tell Murphy behind my back, then the door opens and shuts.
I rub my face as I walk away, rubbing the hot tears into my skin, but when I round the corner I lean back on the wall and choke out a sob, We won't get through this. She won't be okay. We won't get through this, she won't be okay. I repeat it like a mantra. We won't get through this. She won't be okay. Because my fears have overcome my hope. We won't get through this, she won't be okay. I hope if I repeat it enough I'll jinx it. We won't get through this. That's a thing right? She won't be okay. Those things work, don't they? She won't be okay. But what if she isn't? We won't get through this. What if we don't? We won't get through this. The more I repeat it the truer it becomes. She won't be okay. Why do I keep on repeating it? She won't be okay. Maybe because it's the truth. She won't be okay. Maybe because I have to accept it. She won't be okay. It's almost impossible for her to recover. We won't be okay. She won't be okay. We will not get through this. She will not be okay. We can't get through this. She can't be okay. She can't... we can't... I can't.
The sound of the door opening and shutting snaps me out of it. "Let's go," I hear Murphy say and many pairs of footsteps come my way, I wipe the newly fallen tears off my face as the others come around the corner.
"What took you so long?" I ask sarcastically as I tag onto the back of the pack while we head down another hallway- I swear this place is all hallways.
"Check this out- this trail of gore-" Murphy points to the path of blood smeared across the white tile floor, "-leads to here," he points to a pair of red-lit doors, "biocontainment."
Warren draws her machete and I click the safety off my gun as we head through the doors to the first well-lit room in this whole compound. There are several metal things in this room, they look almost like caskets. Warren steps in first, then Murphy, then Doc, then 10k waits for me to go so I begrudgingly enter. The trail of gore continues into this room and we follow it slowly.
"Could this place get any creepier?" Doc asks.
"Yes..." Warren says warily as she continues to follow the trail of gore as it takes a turn to the left side of the room.
It ends at a stretcher where there is the top half a body that looks to be made of grey mud, the bottom half of its ribcage and spine can be seen through the deteriorating grey slime. One of its arms is up by its head and the other rests on the keyboard of the computer next to it. Its hand is tapping on the keys slowly, one by one. It emits a low gurgling growl.
"Oh my god," Warren gasps. "It's alive."
Murphy pushes his way to the body, where he stands by its head. "Is that Doctor Merch?" Doc asks.
"No," Murphy says, examining the grey slime between his thumb and forefinger. "Somebody else," he says before looking at us, "it's the lab tech from that video."
The creature makes some type of bubbling noise and we all turn to its hand, which moves across the keyboard slowly, the fingertips bloody and disgusting. Murphy crouches by the thing and looks into its eyes. I turn away and lean on one of the metal caskets nearby, facing the doors with arms crossed. "He wants us to watch something," Murphy tells us and a high pitched beep emits from the computer.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Asks someone in the video that has begun playing.
"It's for your own good Brendon, you've started to react to the virus," replies a female voice.
"Don't give me that shit you've been giving the monkeys! I've seen the side effects!" The first voice says- I pinpoint it as the lab tech from the previous video.
"We can't take the chance- the virus has jumped to humans! We need the first human trial of the vaccine- we can't wait any longer," the female says- if the previous voice was the lab tech this must be Doctor Merch.
"What's gonna happen to me?" Asks the lab-tech.
"We don't know," Merch tells him.
There are some horrible sounds of gagging and suffocating that come from the computer and I draw my knife and begin to spin it in my hand. I do it to keep my mind focused on something other than Cassandra as I continue to listen to the computer and I stare at the doors.
"Hold him down," orders Doctor Merch. "Hold him down!"
There comes a loud and quick beeping and a man with a coarse voice speaks; "hold him steady and turn off that camera," he orders and the video cuts out.
"The vaccine must have worked- it kept him from turning zombie," Doc points out.
"But it won't let him die," Warren observes.
"Did Merch do this to you?" Murphy asks the thing, there's a quiet sloshing sound before Murphy speaks again; "he's trying to tell us something," he tells us.
"Kill me, kill me," a small voice whispers and my hand stops spinning the knife for a second. "Kill me," it repeats and I resume flipping the knife.
"We're getting the hell out of here," Murphy says.
"You've got company," says what seems to be Citizen Z's voice from the computer. "Looks like Doctor Merch and two soldiers headed your way, they should be there any second," he warns.
"Heads up," Warren alerts us as the doors crack open.
Three people walk in wearing gas masks, the shorter of the three with a blue hazmat suit, the other two without hazmats in military fatigues and kevlar vests. All three carry an automatic gun of some sort. We all walk forward, Murphy at the point, Warren and Doc directly behind him with 10k and I in the back. I draw my gun with one bullet and click off the safety, gripping it tightly.
"Doctor Merch, we meet again," Murphy confronts the shorter of the three.
The shorter of the three bends down and puts down a black briefcase and lifts up their gas mask. Under the mask is a short, old, hairless man- not just bald, but clean-shaven too. "Doctor Merch didn't make it, I'm her boss Doctor Kurtz," he informs us. "I'm here to help you save mankind. We've gone through a great deal of effort to find you Mr.Murphy."
"I've been on a little road trip," Murphy snaps sarcastically.
"Well your journey ends here, you're safe now. And your friends are to be commended for their bravery and commitment," Doctor Kurtz says and I snicker at the word 'friends', Murphy was anything but that to me, 10k looks over at me, concern washing his face when I snicker- but I pay him no mind. "Your country- all mankind, owes you a great deal."
"What's going to happen to him?" Warren asks Doctor Kurtz.
"Well, we'll take him the rest of the way to the lab in California where we will sequence his genes and clone the antibodies in his blood. With any luck, we'll be able to recreate the vaccine that is keeping him alive," Doctor Kurtz explains.
"What if I don't want to be your guinea pig?" Murphy asks.
"Well, then you'll eventually end up like Brendon Doyle- patient zero over there. Speaking of which someone should really give that creature mercy," Doctor Kurtz says without a hint of pity or mercy in his tone, like someone would speak when reading a math equation. It bothers me that that's the way he speaks, without any hint of emotion, like a robot, monotone.
"I'll do it," Murphy says and puts out a hand, I nudge Warren with the butt of my gun and she takes it, placing it in his hand. He takes it without looking away from Doctor Kurtz. He then makes his way to the man of grey slime and bones where he leans down and sniffles; "I'm sorry," he tells the creature before putting his hand over its slimy grey one, "I'm sorry about all of it," he says. The creature makes some wispy sounds before Murphy puts the gun to its head, "I give you mercy," he says before using up my last bullet. He turns with the gun in his hand, "I'm not going," he announces.
"Murphy," Warren says before sliding to his side, "this is why we came this far," she reminds him.
"Explain to me again why I should believe anything you say," Murphy demands the Doctor.
"Let's start with; you have no choice," Kurtz says as he advances, my hand draws my knife and I grip it tightly. 10k grabs my wrist, a motion telling me to stand down, to stay calm- but something is off about this man, I know it.
"What are you doing?" Warren demands as he walks forward.
"Just a precaution," Doctor Kurtz says eerily.
"Now hold on a minute, there's no reason to jump bad- he's just nervous, right Murphy?" Doc says as he takes a step forward. "He's actually very civic-minded."
"Delta-X-ray-Delta do you copy?" Citizen Z appears back on the monitor. "Delta-X-ray-Delta come in," he says, sounding rushed. I turn to the monitor slowly. "Oh my god oh my god!"
"Really this is so unnecessary, no one is going to harm you mister Murphy," Doctor Kurtz is saying while I focus on Citizen Z who is panicked, 10k turns to see what I'm looking at.
"Delta-X-ray-Delta do you copy? Kill the Doctor!" He tells us, holding up a paper that reads; Kill the Doctor, in a messy scrawl. I turn back to the Doctor and bare my teeth and 10k drops my wrist.
"Liar," I snap viciously and flip my knife so that the blade is pressed against my wrist lightly, ready to be thrown. Suddenly there comes a banging on the door that interrupts me.
"It's just a zombie, give it mercy so it won't attract more," Doctor Kurtz says, without looking away from me, but he has this look in his eyes, something insane.
"Zombies can't open doors can they?" Asks one of the guards that faces the door, his gun pointed towards it.
The door swings open and I drop my knife in surprise. Cassandra stands there, there is a deep bite mark on her cheek and her irises are yellow and look like they've been shattered, her hair is draped across one side of her face and she's breathing heavily- her hair rustling with her breath. My knife clatters to the ground and my mouth goes dry. I stand, paralyzed as she walks in.
"Don't shoot," she says in a voice that is not her own.
"She's a zombie- mercy her," Doctor Kurtz tells his men.
"I'm not dead," she says in the same voice as she paces forward slowly.
"Kill 'em," Murphy orders and she looks over at him before springing into action.
She grabs one man's gun arm and spins around, killing the other man with the gun, 10k grabs me and ducks behind one of the metal things and I watch as she kicks the man she had been holding, snaps his neck and turns to us, roaring like an animal. Doctor Kurtz shoots her and I turn to Warren; "Where's my gun?" I demand and she slides me the .45 without question. 10k grabs my hand, keeping me from doing anything stupid as we watch Murphy rush to the door.
"Murphy wait!" Warren calls and Murphy turns, but Doctor Kurtz takes his opportunity to shoot at him. Murphy ducks the bullets and Doctor Kurtz ducks behind one of the metal caskets. Doc shoots up and goes after Murphy, but he doesn't get far because Doctor Kurtz turns and shoots him. Doc falls, clutching his chest.
"Doc!" 10k calls and he turns to the older man.
I stand up and go to run after the evil bastard but Warren grabs my arm and turns me to the case of our friend who has just been shot. She kneels by his side and 10k rushes to his side too. "Doc, Doc, hey, hey- look at me," Warren tells the man as she grabs him. "Look at me, look at me," she begs him.
Sirens begin to go off as Warren starts compressions, my ears are ringing with fury and I can't hear anything. But I know that Warren is saying something because her lips are moving. I stand up and grab my gun, 10k looks up at me and I turn to the doors, no one is gonna stop me from going off after that asshole now. I think as I head towards the doors. But the two guards have turned and they stand up with me. I lean down and scoop up my knife, running forwards and plunging my knife into the first one's eye, Cassandra jumps up and slams into the second.
"Get out of here!" She yells as she wrestles with it. "Get out of here!" She repeats and the others rush by me, 10k pulling on my hand as he and Warren carry Doc by the arms. He drags me out of the room and out of sight of Cassandra where I snap back into reality.
I run to the front of the group with my gun in one hand and my knife in the other as the alarms go off and a voice comes over the speakers; "five minutes until detonation." I gulp as I try and navigate them down the halls, which isn't very hard because there are no halls that branch out of the first. We make it to the elevator in good time and I open it up, ushering them in. Once we're in I hesitate to close the door.
"Close it!" Warren orders.
I nod and close it, I was thinking of Cassandra- but whatever saved us wasn't her anymore, she was gone. It pains me to admit it to myself, but I'm not an optimistic person and honestly- what kind of person can survive several gunshot wounds to the torso and be able to fight a huge Z after that? Nobody can, at least no one human can. "Three minutes until detonation."
Note to self: You lost her, you idiot! She's gone and you're alone now, she's gone forever and you'll be alone forever.
"Look," 10k says, ducking out from under Doc's arm and making his way to the corner of the elevator where there's a pile of what looks like dead skin. "What is it?" He asks as he picks up a piece that was obviously over whoever's eyes and nose.
"Is that all that's left of Murphy?" Doc asks.
"It's his skin, he shed his skin," Warren observes in awe.
"Keep it," Doc coughs, "you can make some really awesome boots out of that."
"Where's Murphy?" Warren asks as 10k drops the skin.
"And where's the Doctor?" I ask, grip tightening on my weapons.
The elevator reaches the top and I open the door once more, we rush out and the first thing I notice is that the white Mesa Pharmaceuticals van is gone, the second thing I notice is that there's a black one instead. "Where's the van?" 10k asks.
"Murphy," Warren answers shortly. "Let's take this one," she tells us and I run over, opening the door for Doc to get in as she opens the driver's side and attempts to hotwire it. Doc attempts to push me in before him but the push is weak and I shove him inside instead, lying him down across the back seats. I run around to the back of the truck and swing open both doors.
"Look," 10k says hopelessly, looking at the sky.
There, arcing towards us is what I assume to be a missile- though most of my family was military I've never seen one before now. The missile races towards us and I take in a deep breath- this might just be it for me, for us, 10k, Warren, Doc, and I.
"Let's go," Warren orders as she jumps in the driver's seat.
I jump in the back and close the doors behind me and 10k as we speed away, a nuke bearing down on us. We will get through this. We will be okay. We will get through this, we will be okay. I repeat it like a mantra. We will get through this. We will be okay. Because that's all I can do now. We will get through this, we will be okay. That and hope. We will get through this. And hope some more. We will be okay. I hope that hope pulls through for me for once. We will be okay. But what if it doesn't? We will get through this. What if we don't? We will get through this. We will be okay. I have to keep repeating it. We will be okay. I'll repeat it until it's the truth. We will be okay. Or we're dead. We will be okay. We will be okay. That's not impossible. We will be okay. We will get through this. We will be-...