by Candice Lim
The cloud of dust stirred up by the aircraft cleared, revealing the abandoned town. The cabin door slid open, a gust of warm air brought in the odor of dust and poverty.
Vaxine emerged from the cockpit and quipped, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for flying Silver Line.”
“I almost died.” I gasped, still harnessed to the seat.
“You wanna selfie now?” A wry smile curled Vaxine’s lips.
“No!”
Vaxine unfastened the straps over my chest.
My breathing came easier as my legs regained feeling. My hand massaged my sore chest. “You should trust me by now.”
“I let you handle the Genex, didn’t I?”
“I’m not one of your experimental subjects.” I peeled myself from the leather seat and marched towards the door. “Or someone you won’t think twice about taking out if necessary.”
“You are right.” Vaxine pulled out her gun and aimed it at me, squeezing the trigger.
I froze in fear. An anguished scream seared my ears but it wasn’t mine. I turned around and a girl with bulging bloodshot eyes appeared next to me. Saliva drooled out of her mouth, trailing down her neck and forming dark stains on the tattered shirt. She hit the ground with uncontrollable spasms.
“Ah!” I cried and jumped a foot away. I hadn’t expected someone behind me. What more, someone in such condition. Showing no fear, Vaxine crouched next to the body that begun to stop convulsing. Only the chest rose and fell as the face regained color and eyes cleared. The terrified girl looked as though she’d awakened from a long nightmare. She stared at us, her gaze softened as her look of fear vanished.
“Reaction time: two minutes.” Vaxine took a pulse. “Heartbeat normal.”
“Sorry…” the girl spoke, her voice ragged from exertion.
“It can speak!” I cried.
Vaxine turned to stare at me. “She’s still human. Go and fetch some water.” She helped the girl sit up. The human girl’s face twisted in anguish as though it hurt her to move around.
I bolted towards the tail of the jet into the pantry. I glanced around and grabbed a glass. I poured a full glass of water and scuttled towards Vaxine, who pressed the rim of the glass to the girl’s lips. She gulped the water as though she hadn’t tasted it for years.
“Want more?” I asked.
“Yes.” The girl rushed to swallow every drop. I ran to the pantry for more water. After five glasses, the human girl was satiated.
I stood near the windows and watched the two guardedly. My hand was on the Zapper. If something should go wrong, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
“We expect news,” said Vaxine. “But first, what’s your name?”
The girl bowed her head as though she was deciding if she should trust them and gave in. “Latoya.”
“And how many are there of you?”
The girl shook her head and stared at Vaxine again. “I don’t know…I cannot tell.”
“Why?” Vaxine’s frown deepened, her patience exhausted.
“We’re all cursed―”
“You are not cursed,” snapped Vaxine. Latoya’s eyes widened, twinkling with hope. “You were infected. Whoever told you are cursed is a fool. You were infected by a virus called Cranax. It has plagued Graybridge. Now I want to know how many more people are infected here.”
“You mean, I was never cursed?” The human girl’s eyes crinkled as she grinned. “I am so relieved. To be cursed is to bring shame to the family. The cursed people are abandoned by their friends and families.”
“How many?” Vaxine asked again.
The human girl looked up at her blankly.
Vaxine sighed, her face dim with weariness. “We’ve wasted enough time.”
Latoya’s face clouded with confusion as Vaxine sprang to her feet.
“I’m sorry to inform you the cure hasn’t passed human trials. We’ll have to secure you for safety purposes.”
Vaxine grabbed the human girl by the arm and hauled her up. She grimaced as Vaxine shoved her into the leather seat. The two metal clamps on each side of the armrest snapped her wrists in place. Vaxine pulled the harness over her chest.
“The seat is actually for prisoners?” I was slighted to be treated like this girl.
“Yep.” Vaxine nodded. “An instrument has many purposes when one has a creative mind.” She turned to Latoya. “You will be safe here.”
Vaxine glided past me and headed for the door. “Let’s go exploring, ‘Experimental Subject.’”
I bit my lip in ire and danced to her tune when Latoya called, “Are you from the Community?”
☣☣☣☣☣☣
The afternoon sun filtered through the holes in the roof of the vacant building. Warm air blanketed my body, making the descent along the crumbling brick stairway more difficult. Our footsteps echoed off the remains of moss-covered walls. Our eyes scanned over the empty floors like an eagle hunting for its prey. Wielding guns, Vaxine led the way, I followed close behind. We hadn’t spoken a single word since stepping into the building. Ready to fight, ready to die.
Our first target appeared, screaming as it detached itself from the shadows and pounced in our direction. Its mouth was wide open and baring chipped teeth.
Vaxine aimed her Genex at the beast, squeezing the trigger. The gun went off and hit its target. The creature screamed and fell into violent spasms.
“Let’s go.” Vaxine hurtled down the stairs to the ground floor. Her coat swirled behind her. I glanced at the shuddering creature. It lifted its head, malicious eyes drilling into mine. It seemed to be pleading for release or death. I shook my head and joined Vaxine downstairs.
The tang of rotten vegetation was heavy on this floor, bushes grew wild in corners like miniature forests. Grass carpeted the cement, its blades crushed under our feet as we walked towards the ruined wall. We climbed through a hole out onto a quiet street bordered by twin rows of abandoned shops.
We were not alone. All heads veered in our direction, their bloodshot eyes glinted with hunger. By the amount the Infected were drooling, Vaxine and I would soon drown in saliva.
“The time is now!” commanded Vaxine, the ferocity in her eyes matched the Infected’.
Guns fired in all directions as the feral creatures kept coming. I saw only their gigantic mouths gaping at us. I couldn’t aim and fired at will. The creatures hit the floor with sickening howls and spasms. A pile of bodies grew into a barricade of flesh and flailing limbs. Somehow it helped to hold back the other Infected.
A crowd started pouring in like black tar from the end of the street. The Infected’ howls attracted more of their kind. They filled the street faster than we could fire. We would be subsumed before running out of ammo.
“How much more do you have?”
I had only so much time left before being devoured alive by one of these beasts. “Half a bar!”
“More than I expected.” Vaxine had already started using her Zapper on those less fortunate. The smell of burnt flesh permeated the air.
The Infected continued to pour in and we couldn’t hold them back for much longer. We had, at most, twenty minutes left. My fingers were raw from squeezing the trigger. Even if the ammo lasted forever, it would be my fingers that gave in first.
The healed Infected rose from the ground and scrambled out of the building with terrified screams. A sudden realization struck me. They escaped effortlessly, without a single hair unharmed. As though the Infected couldn’t be bothered about them. Or they had appeared invisible to their crimson eyes. The ones from the street charged us like maddened bulls, their eyes blazing with hatred.
A wild idea popped into my mind. I threw myself towards the horde and clambered over the wall of shuddering bodies.
“What the hell are you doing?” Vaxine’s voice was drowned out by the howling.
“Distracting them!” I squeezed the trigger harder and faster. The gene bar plummeted so quickly as though
racing with the pumping of my heart. The ruse worked. The crowd broke into two parts; one enveloping Vaxine and another swarming behind me.
I lowered my Genex as the ammo bar reached zero. Vaxine’s muffled voice echoed in my head, desperation dripping from every word. The stench of corpses seared my lungs. Their claws would be soon on me, scratching and scraping my skin.
Warm tears spilled over my cheeks as I fought to retain my composure. I chewed my lips raw, not wanting to scream like they did. Not wanting to be one of them though I knew I would soon be infected. The heat was gone as a chill froze my body. Shivers jittered me.
I was losing strength and control. Perhaps this was what had driven the Infected to behave in such an animalistic manner. They had no control, like I did now. My legs gave in and I tumbled onto the ground with a loud thump. Dark clouds disappeared and the bright sunlight shone over my face.
I fought to open my eyes and found myself among the bodies. They had regained consciousness and were crawling to their feet. The fiends regrouped against Vaxine, who was still fighting strong. She moved as though choreographed.
My heart pounded in my ears. Grab the friggin Genex!
I clenched my fists and realized I’d lost both my Genex and Zapper. I fought to roll over. As though someone else was controlling my mind, every fiber of my being refused to work.
I opened my mouth to call Vaxine but blood loss had made me giddy. With great effort, I tried to scream. Vaxine turned to me, her face contorted in horror. “Blot my gel, Roxy!” She aimed her Genex at me, oblivious of the Infected behind her.
Alarm bells rang in my head. I made another sound as Vaxine squeezed her trigger. But it was too late, sharp teeth had bitten into her shoulder, a distressing cry ripped from her lips. Vaxine’s face grimaced in pain as she turned around and fired her Zapper at her attacker. The anti-Cranax gene hit me right in the chest as frenzied spasms overcame me. The last thing I saw was Vaxine fall to the ground.
I never knew darkness could be so soothing until the screams came pouring into my ears again. I rolled over and got up. The Infected had begun to clear the area, ambling away as though nothing had happened. Screams and cries waned with the fading footfalls.
As the horde pulled back, I saw Vaxine lying on the ground, a cobweb of black veins bulging on her pale face as though she had been poisoned.
“Vaxine!” I crawled over as fast as my legs could move. Grabbing both her shoulders, I shook her with all my might. “Get up!”
Vaxine’s eyes flew open, her dark brown eyes turned red as blood, drilling into mine. She’d become one of the Infected. I screamed and let go, falling on my back. Vaxine howled and started to convulse. I made my way to the guns lying on the ground. I bent down to pick up the Genex when a strong tug hauled me from behind. My fingers were only an inch away.
Vaxine howled again as she tugged my hair back. Her breath scalded my face.
“Let me go, Vaxine. It’s me, Roxy!” Tears pricked my eyes like acid, jumpstarting me into action. I kicked Vaxine in the chest, sending her a foot away as I freed herself. Vaxine looked at the footprint on her chest in disbelief. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to―”
With another loud cry, Vaxine pounced on me. She rammed her needle-sharp nails into my skin. “Vaxine, control yourself!” Vaxine growled as she reached into her coat and pulled out a knife. She held it up, the silver blade glimmered in the sunlight, and tried to stab me.
I sidestepped Vaxine, who missed and tripped, making the blade plunge straight into the ground. Vaxine let out another yowl as she plucked her weapon from the ground and went straight for my heart.
I caught Vaxine’s wrist and twisted the knife out of her grip. Blood from a cut on my hand dripped onto the ground. I tossed the knife away. Vaxine’s eyes followed the knife as it spun a few feet away and landed with a clatter. She gnashed her teeth at me, raising her hand and slashing her sharp nails across my chest.
I saw Vaxine’s fist before it landed on my face. Fireworks and stars exploded in my eyes. “DIE!” That was the last word I heard from Vaxine.
A large shadow fell over us. The roaring of the engine tore past, drowning out all the wailing voices of the Infected out on the street. All heads snapped skyward where the military helicopter appeared. The trees swayed as though in celebration of rescue. The helicopter mesmerized everyone. All eyes followed its massive shadow. A stampede shook the ground as the Infected howled and followed the helicopter. They poured out of the street like an emptied drain.
I seized the chance. I pushed away Vaxine and reached for the guns. It didn’t matter now which one I got hold of. I grabbed the nearest one and narrowly missed four sharp nails scraping my back. Turning around, I pulled the trigger hard. The gun went off, tearing a squeal out of Vaxine’s throat as she fell to the ground.
My chest heaved and fell rapidly. I looked at the gun in my hand. It was the Genex.
“Are you okay?” A throaty but concerned voice echoed in the distance. I cocked my head up, the hot wind blowing through my hair. His lab coat flapping around him like a flag announcing his arrival. A shiver of panic vibrated in my core. He closed in on them, urgency in every step.
Vaxine was still convulsing on the ground. The anti-Cranax gene was working but taking too long time. Two minutes, Vaxine said. But now, every second was too damn slow.
“Are you okay?” The man asked again. He was dark and tall, his hair black and eyes brown. Funny how I was more petrified to see him than the Infected. Perhaps because the creatures were only driven by pure hunger. No second-guessing required. But it was different for the members of the Community. I never knew if they were friend or foe.
I aimed the Genex at him. “Stay back!”
The scientist threw his hands up in surrender. “Whoa, calm down. I mean no harm.”
“I’ve heard it all! Don’t come any closer or I’ll shoot!” I shouted again when Vaxine spoke up.
“Derrick?” Vaxine had regained consciousness. Her hand was rubbing her temple. “What on earth are you doing here?”
☣☣☣☣☣☣
Cozy wasn’t the exact word to describe the tent, but it provided sufficient protection from the elements and the Infected, for now at least. We sat around a small camping table.
“I was doing National Service. With Prof. Juan…” Derrick Lee’s head bowed. Derrick and Vaxine happened to be childhood friends who had met up again during a seminar. Both never thought the other would end up in the same field.
“What happened to him?” Vaxine asked, although they all could have guessed.
“Succumbed to Cranax,” said Derrick followed by a hush of grief. “Only a couple of us are left. The rest are dead. I contacted the Community for help. The senator wants us to stay and keep things in Graybridge in control. Actually, he doesn’t want to panic the other states. He put me in charge. In return, I get to dodge the Infected and play with lots of gadgets.”
“They’re not gone, Derrick,” said Vaxine. “We have the cure. All we gotta do is―”
“You’ll be dead before you get to all of them.”
“We’ve already been infected. And healed.” I glanced at Vaxine and suppressed a laugh at the footprint on her chest.
Exasperation seeped into Derrick’s voice. “You don’t understand―”
“Wait and listen, Derrick. My mentor has been working on Cranax for five years,” protested Vaxine.
“I’ve been here for five days. I know what they are.” He muttered, “They hate us, Vaxine.”
Vaxine’s eyes widened a little.
“Why?” I remembered losing self-control but not a bit of resentment towards anyone.
“Because we are members of the Community.”
I glanced at Vaxine. “I don’t remember hating her when I was infected.”
“All right,” said Derrick. “Let me tell you about Cranax. This virus acts like a hacker. It enters your bloodstream through any open wound, and travels to you
r brain where it sets up shop. But it doesn’t stop there. It continues to toy with your control system.”
“I know that,” I said.
“It favors those with weaker control of their own minds. Those vulnerable to emotional stress. Like these peasants.” He waved his hand in the air as though trying to summon a holographic display. “Due to the way Asia Nova society is structured, the peasants have been living in abject poverty. The Community have conditioned them to hate us. The peasants believe the Community are the cause of their suffering. This belief burns deep in the back of their minds. Now infected, they have been stripped of their social conditioning. The hate-filled animal in them is unleashed by the virus.”