I'd been back at school for over a week now and the attention was finally waning. I had become quite the celebrity and it had been pretty cool the first day and even the second. But after you've told the same story like a hundred times it just gets rather boring. Especially since there wasn't much of a story to tell. But in other news I finally got the letter from National Rails, it included the investigation results and a sincere apology, even compensation. They had found that the driver, who sadly was the only person to die, had a seizure and basically lost control over the train because of it. The rest is quite self explanatory. When I'd told this to Eve she'd found it quite odd. Sadly Eve and I have had little time to spend together outside of school since the hospital but it was going to ask her if she wanted to go to town sometime this week. But at this moment in time I was resting in the common room watching the news.
"You seen the news recently Daniel, everything seems to be going very weird."
"You got that right, your train crash wasn't the only accident caused by someone having a seizure."
"Really?!"
"Yeah there are loads of them popping up and an increase in violence. The press are having a field day, and all this conspiracies of people saying it's part of that virus the life stock have been getting."
"They've started burning the cattle haven't they?"
"Beginning of the week, have you seen the price of meat? My mum's always moaning about it."
"Do you think the two thinks could be linked?"
"What the cattle and the seizures, I don't know. Things have just gotten weird recently, with all the people skipping off school and the news talking about plane crashes here, burned farms there. It's worse as the days go by. I don't know what to believe anymore."
"Neither do I, but I think it's rather cool."
"We can only sit and wait to see what happens."
"I still don't think a tomato is a fruit, defiantly a vegetable!"
"Oh Soap give over, it's scientifically proven that they are in-fact fruits, like Pluto's a dwarf planet." Sarah fought back.
"There are dwarfs on Pluto?!"
"You're doing A levels, are you really that stupid?!" Tom joined in.
"Hay Sarah said it not me!"
"It just means it's a really small planet, not a planet full of little people!" Sarah defended.
"Your such a stupid idiot!"
"Wow Tom, calm down!" Sam exclaimed. "There's no need for that!"
Something hasn't been quite right with Tom over the last couple of days, he's seemed really agitated and twitchy.
"Well it's not my fault she's thick headed!"
"What has been with you recently Tom?"
"Nothing, I'm fine!" he lied scratching viciously at his hand, drawing blood.
"Tom, stop that! I think you need to calm down!"
"I think you should shut up and mind your own business!" blood was starting to flow freely now but he just kept on digging deeper into the wound, he didn't even seem to notice.
I looked at Tom wide eyed completely taken off guard, he looked viciously back, his eyes blood shot. He defiantly didn't look well.
"Okay Tom now your scaring us STOP IT!" screamed Sarah.
I was on my feet now and grabbed his hand trying to stop him from harming himself.
With out warning he punched me hard in the face with his free hand. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!"
One of the girls screamed. I don't know which one but everything suddenly seemed very distance and I staggered back. I could taste blood in my mouth.
In an instant Sam was on his feet trying to restrain Tom but was having great difficulty, Blood from his hand was going everywhere! Since when was Tom this strong?"
There was a flash of ginger and a reassuring hand, "Are you okay!"
"How come.. you're here? I asked, steadying myself.
"I heard the screams. Are you okay?" she repeated.
"Yeah yeah, I've been through worse."
"You don't say!"
With a roar Tom broke loose turning on Sam. I rushed back over but before I even lifted a finger he had fallen to the floor in a full blown spasm, white froth spilling out of his mouth. I took a step back in shock. There were cries of disbelief even screams coming from all around.
"Somebody call an ambulance!" I shouted, coming back to my senses. I began to run towards the Goldfish bowl (Six-Form Office) to fetch a first aid kit and teacher.
"WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE?" Boomed Mr Clements as he strode into view.
I came to a holt in front of him, "Its Tom sir, he's having a seizure. I was fetching the first aid kit?"
"Not another one," I heard him mutter. "Well off you go then boy!"
It didn't take me long to get the box and rush back. Tom was still twitching slightly and Sir was doing his best to clean up the wound on his hand."
"So you're telling me he did that to himself?'
"Just look at his nails! We tried to stop him but he lashed out."
"That's alright I believe you." He reassured me. "You should get that nose checked out!"
In all the commotion I had completely forgotten about my bloody nose, I thanked him and walked away trying to find where everyone went.
I eventually found my group hanging around in the picnic area. I could see Eve waiting impatiently for me with Sam much to Sarah's displeasure. Eve frowned when she saw me shaking her head but her blues eyes looked relieved.
"Have you seen the state of your face!" she pulled out a tissue and a bottle of water.
"Oh no no no!" I backed away.
"Get back over here or I'll get Sam to hold you still!"
"Okay," I sulked, dragging myself closer.
"How's Tom, Is he okay?" Daniel asked.
"I don't know, he looked in pretty bad shape when I left him. You got all that blood off of you yet Sam?"
"Just about, but it stained my top. Think some of it went in my mouth as well!"
"That's just sick. Ouch, Eveee It's tender."
She shook her head. "Then hold still you baby." She continued to dab at my nose lightly.
I could see her friends standing in the garden not to far away sending death glares my way, I just smiled back giving them a wink.
"Do you guys have any idea what just happened?!" Sophie was still panicking.
"He's just sick, don't worry he'll be better in no time." Sam reassured her. He gave me that look as if asking me if he would. I just shrugged my shoulders, trying to keep still.
"All done. You can get rid of that." Eve passed me the bloody tissue, admiring her handy work. Her face swiftly paled as she saw something behind me.
I turned just in time to see a guy from my chemistry class hit the floor jittering abruptly. There were several gasps and I could hear everyone was starting to panic at the sudden turn of events, I myself was feeling a little shaken up.
"That the second one in a row!" Exclaimed Eve.
A teacher ran up to the pupil, trying desperately to control the situation but there was little to be done but wait it out. She looked as terrified as we did.
But what chilled me the most was the ear splitting shriek that came from back inside. It suddenly became very quiet outside in the picnic area but then another howl came from inside and another, getting closer and closer until a bloody Mr Clements came shooting out the door, a bite mark tattooing his face. And in hot pursuit was Tom, very much alive, blood dripping down his chin. Student's screams filled the air and all chaos broke loose as everyone tried to escape the monster that used to be Tom. The boy who had dropped only moments ago was left behind as even the teachers ran for their life's.
Eve grabbed hold of me dragging me back to reality. "Seth we have to go!"
I'd never seen her so afraid in my life, nor felt so terrified in mine. I nodded, grabbing hold of Eves hand and bolted for it as if a horde of demons were after us. Looking back at the six-form block, I noticed the guy from my chemistry class was no longer on the floor. We made eye contact for a second, his blood shot eyes staring back into mine, like those of a wolf challenging its pray. I snapped my eyes back to the path in front of me, trying to get that image out of my head.
"What's happened... to them?" Eve asked breathlessly.
"I don't know... but I don't want to find out!"
"It's that virus isn't it..."
I didn't respond I didn't need to. My silence answered her question.
We eventually came to a stop outside the school gates, collapsing against the wall trying to catch our breath back. She rested her head against my shoulder, tears forming in her eyes.
"What's happening to this world?"
"I don't know but whatever it is it's going to be okay, don't worry. I'm here." I put my arm over her, drawing her closer.
"Did you see Sir, Tom had bitten him, bitten him!"
"He's just sick..."
"Yeah with that virus, for all we know we could have it now."
The reality of the situation was slowly hitting me, for all we know we could be infected...and end up like Tom? If this was the virus that they said wouldn't spread to us humans then we are in trouble, especially since they don't believe what was staring at them in the face. And then it occurred to me, didn't Sam get a bit of Toms blood in his mouth when he went all violent. I held Eve a little closer knowing that there was no escaping what was about to happen. This was the beginning of the end that much I knew for certain. What I didn't know was how bad it would get or what we'll have to do to survive.