(Backstory chapter - five month prior)
Disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional, I don't know all the fancy terms, please be patient with this chapter!
_______________________________________
Most researchers preferred to stay in labs, mixing up chemicals and studying lab-grown samples, but Clay - medical scientist and researcher - knew that the only way to find a cure for the virus was to get hands on with it.
His discoveries so far had been successful in saving lives, but the cure was only 24% effective in most cases - merely prolonging death of most patients.
Sadly this was the best cure that people could get.
Dr. Clay turned his curiosities to the monsters (aka 'mobs') that appeared the same time as the first reports of the virus: there was no way this was a coincidence, and they could possibly hold the answer to a successful cure and even a vaccine!
His mother was obviously upset by Clay's idea to go out into the field; it was dangerous, and severely increased the chance of Clay getting sick. Despite this, Clay's mum was supportive of his work, and wished him good luck.
Sofia was devistated by this news, and it hurt Clay to see his little sister cry, but it had to be done. "But Dream, you can't go! I'll miss you too much!"
Clay smiled fondly at the nickname, and retaliated with one of his own, "It'll only be for a little bit Drista, I'm doing really important work you know"
Sofia stuck out her bottom lip and waddled over to Clay, wrapping him in a hug, "Yeah. I know," she acquiesced, "But I'm still sad you're leaving"
Clay hugged her back, "I'll miss you too"
_______________________________________
Clay's expedition was planned to be a month long. Three weeks in, something... Awfully strange happened.
He woke up one day, and everything was bright, like painfully bright. Clay had to squint, even in the confines of his tent, yet his eyes still watered. Finding that he'd neglected to bring sunglasses (I mean come on, who brings sunglasses on a medical research expedition), Clay had to improvise.
Using some cloth as a makeshift blindfold, he was able to obscure his vision enough to stop his eyes from stinging. Clay stood up and found his joints aching terribly; it reminded him of how his grandfather used to always complain. Resigning himself to the fact he was not going to get much done today, Clay went back inside and took some paracetamol to ease his pain.
_______________________________________
The next day, Clay did feel a lot better, but his eyes were still as irritated as ever.
Anyone who knew Clay knew he wasn't the type to rest often, so they wouldn't not have been surprised to see him don his makeshift blindfold and head out to work.
Something odd was going on though - his limbs felt unnaturally light, but not in a bad way. Ever the scientist, Clay decided to experiment. He found his athletic abilities greatly enhanced.
Slightly shaken by his discoveries, Clay went back to work on some chemical experiments instead.
But yet again, something strange had to happen. Working with the antibody tester, Clay accidentally cut his thumb on the glass. What he saw made his heart stop.
This couldn't be right. He must have something wrong.
The solution tested positive - Clay knew then he wouldn't be going back home in a weeks time as planned. No one knew how long people stayed contagious for, but they did know it was quite a while.
_______________________________________
That was three months ago, and since then Clay learned a lot about what came to be known as 'mutations'.
In fact he'd met four others; two had been cast out of their homes from prejudice against them.
The human world was changing, and Clay wanted to be at the forefront of it all.
Clay abandoned his old name, as he abandoned his old life, but still dearly missed home. An idea came to him - he would be known now as Dream to keep a piece of his past self close by.
_______________________________________
Another apology for the butchering of medical science in this chapter! I think I'll leave that stuff to professionals from now on 😅
Sincerely, James Bond