The Outbreak

by Shetty, Krishan

  THE OUTBREAK

  Krishan Shetty

  This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  Rain poured heavily as the survivors taking refuge at the University of Hale closed the heavily fortified gates of the campus. “Any of ‘em get in?” yelled a pale faced man draped in a rain coat. “I don’t know!” replied a man drenched and barely audible over the sound of the battering rain and the howling wind. The two men proceeded towards the gate with calculated steps which separated them from the outside world. As they neared the gate, they saw a body lying on the ground motionless. They strained their eyes to notice that the body wasn’t human. A man lay next to the corpse, gasping for each breath as he tried to cling on to dear life. But what they saw next made their blood run cold.

  It all began on a peaceful day in Hale City, A gorgeous city blessed with ample sunshine, blooming fields, endless greenery which seemed to stretch for parsecs in every direction, friendly folk and a sprawling University in the midst of it all formed the apotheosis of all the structures made by man in Hale City. The University was the pride of Hale City as some of the brightest minds in the country would come to perch. Located about 60 miles from the nearest major city, Hale City was what most people would call ‘rural’. The campus sprawled over an area of 1000 odd acres with numerous buildings making it a landmark in the city. The University offered courses such as Business, Education, Social Sciences & Law, Engineering, Mathematics & Physical Sciences, Medicine & Health and lastly the pride of the University of Hale, Biological Sciences.

  There weren’t a lot of places to explore in and around Hale City except for maybe Landlock hills which was downright gorgeous and a favourite make out spot for hormonal college students in midst of the shrubs and the herbs, Halestrom mall which provided bounteous amount of options to the denizens and the numbered watering holes which well, primarily served the purpose of drowning misery courtesy of the healing amber liquid. Although termed a city, Hale was barely big enough to be one

  A biotechnological research facility of the Harbinger Group was situated approximately 10 miles from Hale City, south of Landlock hills.

  Graduates from Hale often found employment with the Harbinger Group, mainly because they had quite a few tie ups and also because they were the two most prominent names in and around Hale City. Some students even regularly interned at the Biotechnology facility and there were many frequent joint studies between the Harbinger Group and Hale’s more prominent figures.

  “That’s it for today class. I expect you to hand over your assignments first thing in the morning tomorrow.” croaked the elderly professor Nathan Broad after the bell. The class sighed almost in unison.

  The elderly professor’s round rim glasses sat on a rather sharp nose. His scruffy white beard did an adequate job of eclipsing the wrinkles that time had bought upon him.

  “Randy, you look like shit. What’s up?” asked a lad with a cheerful gleam in his eyes. He was about average in almost every aspect. Average height, average build and a chocolate brown hair. His eyes though were a calm blue, the personification of tranquillity and his chords produced a rich creamy tone. He wore a blue polo shirt complemented by khaki cargos.

  “This place is so boring, there’s nothin’ interesting to do,” answered Randy without giving Greg a second look, just staring off at the blackboard. Randy had soft black hair and was around six foot tall. His eyes were light grey forming a penumbra around his pupils with an immeasurable depth. Randy covered himself with a deep red hoodie and greyish black chinos.

  “Well, we could go to the big city during the weekend for some fun if you know what I mean,” said Greg cheerfully with a wink with a tinge of wickedness.

  ”You ought to learn to keep it in your pants Greg. Your sleaziness might rub off on Randy here,” interrupted a blonde. Joanne wasn’t the prettiest girl in the world but she was pretty pretty. She carried herself well, exuding an air of confidence around her. Her golden locks reached out to her back with a bouncy softness. She was five foot six and curvaceous. Not overly but enough to be noticed. Joanne adorned herself with a purple cotton shirt with three fourth sleeves paired off with a cream trouser.

  “Well well, if it isn’t miss know it all, Joanne!” quipped Greg throwing his hands in the air. “Shut it Gregory. Another word and I-“

  “Get a room you two. Why do you guys have to fight all the time?” interrupted Randy now looking at them visibly annoyed. Joanne opened her mouth to protest but was cut short by a news broadcast from a classmate’s Smartphone.

  There was an explosion at Harbinger Biotechnologies last night. There have been 2 reported casualties as of now. The explosion is believed to have come from their research centre where it is believed Harbinger Biotech was supposedly working on a new kind of a drug. An unknown man is said to have been fleeing the scene right after the explosion and is thought to be the perpetrator. The company has sealed off the area and men in hazmat suits are said to have contained the situation. There has been no official word from the representatives of the company as of yet.

  “Harbinger Biotech’s research facility is 10 miles from here. Do you think it’s something dangerous?” asked Joanne wide eyed shooting Randy a quick look.

  “Doesn’t Josh’s dad work at Harbinger?” asked Greg scratching his chin thoughtfully.

  “The stuck up dude from our class?”

  Greg nodded still scratching his chin.

  “If there was a fire, wouldn’t anyone have noticed it? I mean the facility isn’t all that far,” said Randy joining in.

  “Could it be a zombie outbreak? Like the walking dead or something?” enquired Greg, his face lighting up.

  “I hope you become a zombie, and then I can bash your head in!” answered Joanne barely able to hide her laughter.

  “Alright class! Settle down!” announced a short man with a squeaky voice. Professor O’Hare or ‘Mr. squeaky’ or quite simply ‘squeaky’ was a short, stout man with a distinct magnum moustache pasted above his lip. He wore a floral pattern sweater over a white collared formal shirt and black slacks finished off with black oxfords.

  “Ah man, I hate this dude’s class,” complained Greg.

  “In today’s class, we will be learning in depth about Mechatronics,” The class settled down and was an ocean of silence in a couple of minutes, The news broadcast started to run in Randy’s mind as he began to ignore the squeaky man’s supposedly boring class.

  Randy although not the brightest bulb when it came to academics, his practical skills were exemplary, evident by his workshop skills backed by a muscular frame. His father was a soldier, a survival expert in the military and had educated young Randy in the harsh ways of survival. Greg on the other hand was brilliant but it never really translated into much on paper. Randy knew his childhood friend very well. Greg wasn’t really an attention seeker and hence chose to hide under the guise of an average performer. Joanne well, she was the role model student that everyone envied save Greg and Randy. She particularly chooses to target Greg knowing very well that he doesn’t give his best in anything he does, a sort of a rivalry if you will. But as with everyone, People have their faults and they were no exception.

  Randy was lost in thought about the news broadcast while Joanne listened intently to everything the squeaky man had to say. Greg on the other hand dozed off. The mundane ramblings of professor squeaky were interrupted by a blood curdling scream that ripped through the silence, rattling the class. People looked at each other in confusion and professor squeaky asked the students to remain seated. He opened the door and moved into the hallway to loo
k for any sort of activity in the halls as if to locate the source of that ghastly scream. All he saw were his fellow colleagues moving into the halls completely baffled by what they heard. Sounds of whispering and discussions grew louder before professor squeaky spoke up “Alright, That’s enough of that. Let’s get back to class.”

  The monotonous class resumed but Randy was in particular disturbed by that scream. When Randy became anxious he had a tendency to tap both of his index fingers in a certain rhythm. He began to look out of the window to quell the anxiety only to be renewed by the buzzing of helicopters as it passed over the university. “Probably a helicopter to evacuate the wounded,” he muttered under his breath. But the state of uneasiness refused to disappear. Why do I have this bad feeling? His thoughts trailed off when he noticed something near the entrance of the block. A man lay on the ground still and another person was on top of the man, a person wearing a white coat. The man lay still, very still and he seemed familiar. The person on top seemed to be moving strangely. His movements could be best described as animalistic. “What the hell’s going on? What’s he doing to him?” He rubbed his eyes and squinted “Is that blood? No way.” Sweat began to trickle down his forehead as he began to hyperventilate “Calm down, It’s your imagination, Calm down Randy!” he murmured trying to compose himself, He took a couple of deep breaths and looked outside again and this time the person on top wasn’t there anymore. The man was still on the ground. He definitely wasn’t moving. And the blood was definitely there. There was a cavity in the chest where the red stuff oozed out from. The face however was very familiar. Randy squinted at the motionless man’s face and his eyes grew bigger and his face turned purple. The man lying on the ground was none other than Professor Nathan Broad.

  “Holy shit that’s Professor Broad!!” screamed Randy pushing himself away from the window almost reflexively, falling to the ground landing on his back.

  “Randy what’s wrong?” asked Greg waking up from his veiled slumber, surprised at Randy’s sudden outburst.

  “Lo- Look, Professor Broad is on the ground...dead!” blurted Randy pointing towards the window, the sight which to the rest of the class appeared hysterical.

  “Dead? What are you talking about Mr. McReed?” asked professor squeaky clearly startled at this outburst.

  “Just look out of the window man!!” yelled Randy with trembling lips. Professor squeaky and a few students, Greg and Joanne included moved to the window to look at the body of Professor Nathan Broad that terrified Randy McReed. A moment of silence grasped the classroom as they looked through the spotless windows.

  “See?” he said his voice breaking the silence.

  “See what, Mr. McReed? There’s nothing there. Is this your idea of disrupting class? Taking advantage of that scream earlier?” enquired professor squeaky irritated.

  “Yeah Randy, There’s no one there. You sure you okay?” enquired Greg raising his eyebrows in concern. “You were probably day dreaming. You kinda seem out of it today. Rest up, you should be fine.”

  Randy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Unable to accept what he’d just heard. He managed to pick himself off of the ground and pressed his face against the window to look once again. The sight left him speechless. There was no one. No weird animalistic acting person or the dead Professor.

  “I’m telling you guys, you have to believe me. Why would I lie?” said Randy in a firm yet doubtful tone.

  “That’s enough out of you Mr. McReed. Another word and I will make sure you face suspension for this ridiculous behaviour,” said Prof squeaky in his loudest, squeakiest voice. “Now go wash your face, gather yourself and then get back to class.”

  “Yes sir” replied Randy after a gap of silence with a voice of defeat. He excused himself from amidst the whisperings of his amused classmates.

  He dragged himself slowly across the empty hallway towards the men’s restroom of the first floor, the same floor on which his class was located. In frustration, the base of his fist met with the hard granite counter top of the wash basin with a resounding thud

  “Goddamnit, was I seeing things?” said Randy with anger, small beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. “I know what I saw. But if the Prof was dead, His body wouldn’t have disappeared, at least not on its own,” closing his eyes, he let out a sigh of derision. Turning the tap, he gathered water in his cupped hands, the cold water met with his warm skin, evaporating the tension and providing him with a much needed sense of relief. Before he could close the tap, another scream pierced the silent day.

  “That scream didn’t sound very far away,” muttered Randy, water still dribbling down his face, his heart began pounding. Hastily he dried his face on the sleeves of his shirt not wanting to waste time. He pushed the door open and dashed towards the source.

  “Sounded like it came from the ladies restroom,” muttered Randy under cyclic breaths as he ran towards the ladies restroom on the more secluded portion of the first floor. Taking a sharp left turn, He threw the ladies restroom’s door open only to find to his disbelief, Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

  But before he turned to leave, a weird grunting noise caught his ears. He proceeded with cautioned steps towards the grunting noise. His mind was in a tussle with his heart of what was to come. He walked slowly past the individual restroom stalls and the sound grew louder, only marginally though. He noticed some water gushing from the last stall. Not a lot of water, but it was strange. He definitely felt the sound was coming from the last stall too now. Maybe he was imagining it but he proceeded with cautioned steps towards the last stall. A loud gulp thundered down his dry throat as he reached the last stall. Before he could open the door with his shaky hands, another liquid along with water met the tip of his sneakers.

  B...Blood!! He yelled in his mind. No way. Shit, I’m sure somebody’s fucking with me. But who? Mustering some courage, He slowly opened the stall’s door slowly. It creaked in protest and what he saw next left him speechless.

  A man, A being, something was hunched over a girl sitting on the toilet. The man didn’t bother turning around. Blood continued flowing down her body onto the floor and on to his shoes. Randy swallowed and swallowed hard, “H-h-hey” He muttered, the words straining his vocal chords. The man turned around and his eyes met Randy’s. What he saw was beyond terrifying. The man’s face barely looked like a man’s face. It’s pale skin was splashed with blood. It’s eyes were blank. Like the abyss. He stared into it’s eyes for just a moment. He felt the abyss staring back at him. Its white coat, stained with blood. There was a logo on the coat but it was covered in blood and was barely visible. It’s hair was dishevelled.

  “F-Fuck!!” Yelled Randy terrified out of his mind, he moved back only to fall into the pool of blood that now surrounded him. He caught a glimpse of the girl on the toilet seat. Her chest cavity had a gaping hole with her intestines slopping onto the ground messily.

  Randy wanted to barf but held his hand over his mouth to suppress the urge. He had no time. The man now, was interested in him. It’s sinister hand reached out to grab Randy. He was able to gather himself and scrambled on all fours before regaining his grip and made a run for the door. The man grunted again but this time, was louder and more menacing. It sent a chill down his spine as he flung the ladies restroom door open with all his might and ran as fast as his legs could carry him towards his classroom. What the fuck was that? Is it chasing me? What do I do? All these questions raced through his mind as he raced across the hallway not wasting a second to look back should it slow him down.

  “Get out of here, There’s a monster chasing me right now!” yelled Randy throwing the class door wide open. Much to his dismay, there was a pause before the class erupted into laughter upon hearing him.

  “Randall McReed, I’ve just about had enough of this-” before the professor could complete, Randy butted in angrily “I’m not joking! Greg, Joanne you gotta believe me, there’s a frickin’ monster or some damn creature making it’s way here! We are w
asting time talking!” Joanne wore a tensed look, worry lines ran across her forehead whilst Greg’s face remained stern. Randy quickly peeked outside the class to see if the man was after him and surely enough it was, It’s gazed fixed at him and it left behind a trail of fading red on the white floor. Slowly making it’s away through the lengthy corridors towards the classroom. Randy judged by it’s pace and the length of the corridor, that it would take at least a minute tops for it to reach them and drag them all to the abyss. The grunting was now barely audible to his ears. He had to somehow convince them that that thing is no joke. “Look it’s here already! Guys, please believe me!” The class now clearly intrigued began to pour out into the corridor lead by professor squeaky.

  Professor squeaky observed the man approaching them at a gentle pace which made the students and the professor uneasy. Gathering some courage and desiring to display his authority as a professor in front of his beloved students, “That’s enough son, you ought to take off that ridiculous make up and those clothes,” said the professor with a nervous voice. The man unperturbed by his words continued to walk towards them at a gentle pace.

  Red with anger, he said, “I’ve had it with you kids! What’s your name? What class are you from? I’ll make sure you get expelled from the college you indignant-” but the man had already reached and the man took hold of the professor’s neck and proceeded to take a bite, sinking its teeth deep into the professor’s neck. It must’ve hit an artery because blood spewed from the professor’s neck akin to water from a fountain.

  The sight was met with screams and disbelief from the students who witnessed their professor being chomped like a piece of beef jerky. The professor slumped to the floor, gargling in his own blood, his blood draining out to stain the pure white floor. Students began to run. Some students remained put, believing this to be some sort of a practical joke and the professor was in on it. The commotion surely enough drew other teachers and students out from their classroom to witness this gruesome site. People poured into the corridor and surely enough there was a stampede. Confusion reigned as shrieks and panic filled the air as students and teachers alike rushed towards the nearest stairwell to get away from the man. The man added a couple of more victims to his list as some people who had crowded into the corridors were unlucky as to not escape from it’s deadly grasp. The sheer sight of blood and the sound of screams interspersed with fear echoed through Randy, Greg and Joanne. Randy saw the terror in their faces but was now seemingly calmer than when he first encountered the man.