Charged (Electric)

by Casey Harvell

  “Our first priority remains to remove all of the infection possible. Until we completely destroy it, we’re just prolonging the inevitable. First, we have to figure out how to defeat them, and work with other countries to launch a world-wide attack.” The captain says, looking at me pointedly.

  “What?” I ask.

  “At this point, Kat, you’re our most effective weapon.” Dr. Ford says.

  “Oh.” I guess I should’ve known that.

  Brie turns to me, her face troubled, then back to the doctor. “You can’t just extort her.”

  “That’s what we’re trying to avoid.” Dr. Ford reassures her.

  “That’s what General Carch wants to do.” Mason says tersely, and it’s not a question.

  “Yes.” Dr. Ford confirms softly, “She has no regard for Kat’s well-being, only her usefulness. Luckily, others in high places are more reasonable and compassionate.”

  Further discussion finds me agreeing to a plethora of testing over the next few days. I trust Dr. Ford, although I know from past experience that the next few days will be boring and annoying, full of unpleasantness. But with all that’s going on, I’m sure I can find plenty of things to occupy my thoughts throughout it. How could I say no to helping stop all of this?

  Chapter Fourteen

  Testing is making me testy. I’m trying really hard not to snap at Dr. Ford and Mason, but my arm is sore from giving blood and I have a headache. The only thing I’m not lacking is energy. It seems the more samples I generate for doc, the more pumped I become.

  We’re on day three now, and all this testing certainly hasn’t been in vain. Dr. Ford confirms our suspicions that the lightning seems to have changed something, but assures me it’s for the better. Apparently, I don’t have the same recharging problem as before. I guess I’m the freaking energizer bunny now.

  Mason had gotten very worried when doc disclosed this piece of information, scared that if I no longer needed to recharge that something bad would happen if I didn’t let the energy out. This led to another round of tests, after which Dr. Ford was able to rule out that possibility, much to our relief.

  Dr. Ford must notice my impatience today, because he tells me and Mason to go out to the mess tent to get lunch, instead of eating in his lab/office like we have been.

  “You sure, doc?” Mason asks.

  “Yeah,” He looks at me. “You guys could use the break. This will keep me busy for an hour or so.”

  “Thanks, doc,” The relief in my voice is more obvious than I mean for it to be.

  No sooner do Mason and I turn the first corner of the hall, that the lights go out and we’re left in darkness. It only takes a few seconds for the backup generator to kick in, bathing the hall in the eerie red of the security lights.

  “This can’t be good.” Mason says, and we spring into action.

  We tear through the corridors, hand in hand as an alarm starts to buzz. All I want is to find Brie, Jared and Baby bear. Once I know that they’re alright, then I want to know what the hell is going on.

  We make it outside to discover total pandemonium. I look over to the east wall, and see the metallic fog beginning to rush down over it, like a deranged waterfall. “Get everyone back!” I yell to Mason. There’s no time to be inconspicuous now.

  Mason begins attempting to organize people. He isn’t having much luck, but thankfully, people are instinctively getting as far away from the fog as they can. I turn, and to my relief see Brie, Jared and Baby bear by Mason’s side. At least that’s one less thing to worry about. Now that my path is clear, I turn to the fog and unleash my energy into it.

  This fog is different. It doesn’t flinch; shy away like it did before, which is puzzling. I’ve gotten used to it doing that. The overall effect remains the same though, and it doesn’t take long before the fog is completely gone, the wall behind it singed in remembrance of its invasion.

  “What the hell was that?” I demand, turning back to the others. My question answers itself, as I see my friends surrounded by armed soldiers.

  “I had a feeling I’d find you here.” A rough female voice calls out. I have to shield my eyes from the sun, in order to find its owner. It doesn’t take me long to find the uniformed woman making her way down the stairs of the main building, emerging behind the soldiers threatening my friends-no, my family. She’s older, her hair gray, her face pinched and her body belying some extra pounds over the years.

  I see Captain Jennings and Dr. Ford appear behind her, also being detained by armed soldiers. I know who she is before she introduces herself. “General Carch, I presume?” I can’t help the acidity in my voice.

  “So you’re smart, too. Good to know.” Her pinched face contorts into what I guess is supposed to be a smile.

  “What do you want?” I ask, slowly inching my way closer towards the soldiers surrounding Mason, Brie and Jared. Baby bear is obviously distressed, attaching himself to Brie’s leg. I wonder if I have enough control to hit the soldiers and miss them. It’s too risky to try, if I miss…I can’t even think of it.

  “Shouldn’t you know that already, too?” She sneers. “I came for you. Technically, you’ve been a fugitive since you escaped the Columbus facility. I could charge everyone involved with treason for helping you. It was easy to find you, you know. All I had to do was find the area that the infection was being pushed back by.” The ugly sneer turns into an even uglier smile.

  I feel my glare harden. I try the same calculations at hitting her, but she keeps Captain Jennings and Dr. Ford too close.

  “Basically, it boils down to two choices here.” She says. I can tell that she’s enjoying this. “Either come with us willingly, or we start killing people until you change your mind, starting with these three.” She gestures to Mason, Brie and Jared.

  It’s becoming hard to contain myself. The rage coursing through me is mixing with the energy, my body recognizing a great threat and wanting to defend itself, and my loved ones. I take a deep breath, trying to keep it in check. With all the people within these walls, it would be a slaughter if we began to battle. “Fine,” I say. I see the pain in Mason’s eyes, know that it matches mine. “Let’s go. There’s no reason for anyone here to get hurt. And you have to give your word that you will leave them be, that no harm will come to anyone here.”

  She seems to consider this. “That kind of wrecks my fun, but I suppose as long as I have you, it really doesn’t matter all that much. You come with me now, I’ll leave them alone.”

  I look around at all the faces, not only my friends, but others we’ve met, worked beside and become close with over the past weeks. I see the rage in Mason, Brie and Jared’s eyes shared in the eyes of some of our own soldiers. I figure I better go now, before somebody snaps. Looking at Mason, I mouth to him ‘I love you.’ I think he does it back, though it’s hard to tell through the tears that are forming.

  I hear him as the soldiers lead me past, gun butted against my back. “We will find you, Kat.” I just nod. I can hear Brie weeping softly.

  I feel bad for ever complaining about Dr. Ford’s tests. They were nothing, a cakewalk compared to what these scientists are doing to me. They’re all nameless, and even addressing me as ‘Subject 109.’ I feel awful for the first hundred and eight subjects.

  I wish I knew where I am. As soon as we left the gate of the compound, I felt a sharp prick in the back of my neck. When I woke up, I was here. I guess they figured that it was the safest way to transport me. I can’t try to escape, if I’m unconscious. I’d certainly be happy to zap all of them, should the opportunity present itself.

  I’ve never seen anything like the cell they keep me in, when they’re not running their tests. An impenetrable fiberglass like box, suspended a few dozen feet off the laboratory floor below. There’s no privacy, and of course, no metal to carry a current. I have to admit, this bitch certainly planned ahead.

  I haven’t seen General Carch since I arrived. I can only guess that she doesn’t want to press her
luck, as far as I’m concerned. Or possibly, she just doesn’t care, now that she has what she wants.

  The lack of privacy goes both ways. I can always see what’s going on below me. At first, I thought this was an oversight on their part, that when I escaped, I could tell all their secrets. Then the realization hit. It didn’t matter to them, because they have no intention of ever letting me go.

  Since I’ve been here, I’ve had plenty of time to think about things. I realized that the fog within the wall must have been the weaponized version, meaning General Carch was successful in her venture. At first, I was just outraged. Here I am, trying to force the infection back, and she’s out there spraying the stuff all over. Once that passed, I realized that if I ever do get out of here, I’m going to have a lot more work on my hands.

  I find it interesting that the cloned fog couldn’t communicate with the main infection. I’m sure this information can be used against them, if only I had some way to pass it along. This makes me think of Dr. Ford. He would surely know what to do.

  I try very hard not to go down this mental road. This is not a healthy place for me. It’s horribly broken, and whenever I begin, so does the tears. But I can’t stop, I can’t forget why I have to keep going.

  Brie. I miss her so much. This is the longest we’ve gone without speaking ever. I know she’s probably worried sick about me. If she’s even okay…she has to be okay. I have to believe that the General kept her word and left them alive and well. But a nasty little part of my subconscious can’t let it go. I have no way of knowing for sure.

  I turn the pain up full blast. Every time I allow myself to think of Mason, it feels as though my chest may explode. As if our being apart is going to kill me. All I can see is the look on his face when I agreed to come here. I hear his promise to save me. I pray that he doesn’t try, doesn’t get hurt trying to find me. If I survive this place, I will find him somehow.

  I miss my mom. She could always make me feel better. I hate not knowing if I will ever see her again, if she was infected. Will we ever find where they are located and if we can cure them? I never got the chance to try…

  My thoughts turn to Baby bear, and I wonder how big he’s getting now. I think I’ve been here a few weeks, maybe a couple of months? It’s so hard to tell. I’ll bet he’s bigger now, he’s been growing so fast.

  Bring stuck with only my own thoughts for so long is very disarming. I’m not feeling well, physically or mentally, and I’m not sure how long I’m going to make it in here.

  So it turns out that with all this energy in me, I heal a bit faster than everyone else. Not superhero fast or anything crazy, but maybe twice the normal rate. The scientists here were excited to learn this. Healing twice as fast means they can increase the frequency of their tests and procedures.

  I haven’t exactly been a model prisoner/test-subject. It took quite some time before they were able to get a sample of energy from me. Unfortunately once they learned how, they had no problem utilizing the method.

  See, at first they tied me down, took blood samples. That wasn’t fun, but it wasn’t heinous. It was the tissue sample that did it. They plunged a three inch long, hollow tube into my thigh and I almost passed out from the pain. All of my control lost, my energy flung out around me defensively.

  So, they got their sample. And they continue to do the same incredibly painful procedure anytime they need more. Every time I see a white-coated figure begin the trek down the hall to my cell, I know why they’re coming.

  I know that I have to come up with an escape plan. It’s the only way I’m ever going to make it out of here. They’ve only taken me out of this cell one time. That was before the testing began, before I knew what I was in for. If I had known, I would’ve unleashed hell on all of them and ran while I had the chance.

  I suppose that’s the best plan I’ve got. Wait them out, fake compliancy, defeat. And the next time they remove me from this prison, zap the hell out of them and run. I don’t like to think of what a monster this will make me. More uninfected casualties and blood on my hands. Can I handle more than what’s already there? It seems like I have to, or surrender and accept that this is my life now. My new life as Subject 109.

  I hear the sliding doors and know, even before I look, what’s coming. My body can’t control the charge now, my fear is too great, the memory of pain too clear, and it’s purely defensive as the electricity thrums around me. In comes the first scientist, in a protective suit. In front, they hold the thin machine that will drain some of my charge. Only then will they risk getting close enough for the tissue sample.

  Should I fight? Can I? I know that I can. And as the faces of the people I miss flicker through my mind, my anger grows. Who knows what’s happened beyond these torturous walls. By keeping me here, they’re not just hurting me, they’re hurting everyone.

  Maybe it’s because I just can’t stand the pain again, or maybe I’ve finally snapped and lost the last shred of my humanity. I don’t want to become a monster, but they’ve left me no choice. The scientist approaches with his machine. Let’s see just how much that thing can handle. I blast it, sending the melted remnants and the scientist into the far wall. The entire room shudders in protest.

  I start down the hallway, barefoot, in the same tattered medical gown that has been my uniform since arriving. The scientist that was prepared to take the tissue sample, fumbles with the main keypad as I approach, trying to escape. I see the soldiers begin to file in the lab below. Weapons raised. Maybe I am becoming the monster I fear, because a small smile crosses my lips. I’m looking forward to the fight.

  I wait until the scientist gets the door open, and I hit them with a sphere that should just knock them out for a few hours. She’s unarmed, so it really would make me feel awful later if I kill her. I still battle with it for a moment. This woman and procedure has caused me so much pain. Perhaps she was just doing her job, but what kind of job is it? Do these people know that they are basically trying to destroy what’s left of the world?

  I remember vaguely how Dr. Ford told us that the general was extorting scientists, using the lives of their families as collateral, and my choice is made. I leave her be, and walk through the doors, one step closer to freedom.

  The stairwell is empty, and I know as soon as I open the door to the lab at the bottom that I will be crossing a line. This is different than the men at the gas station, or the metal heads in the field. This is premeditated, and even if they are technically bad guys, my enemies, I know there will be no turning back once I open that door.

  Even with this knowledge, a small part of me wants to bring them the same pain and suffering they’ve been inflicting on me, for however long now. I grab the handle, and through the small vertical window, I can see the soldiers raising their weapons, steeling themselves. The energy within me seems to have its own sense of anger and wrath. It only takes a few seconds after I open the door and unleash my fury, for the room to be devoid of life, smoldering and destroyed, as I pick my way through the broken pieces that are left of it.

  I eye the door, but a small crack in one of the walls catches my attention first. I put my hand up to the warm glow, and a slightly hysterical laugh escapes from my lips. The sun. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see it again. I blast a bigger hole, stepping outside, giving a moment for my eyes to adjust.

  It’s hard to tell what’s going on, wherever this place is, it’s the middle of nowhere. All I know is I have to get out of here, quick. I take off in the direction of the nearest trees, hoping they will provide some cover. I have no idea if the soldiers in the lab were all of them, or if their buddies are hot on my trail. I run for as long as I can, until there’s no choice but to stop and rest, then I climb high into a tree and hope like hell I don’t fall.

  It’s the rain that wakes me. The sun is gone, telling me I must have slept for some time. My back is stiff from sleeping in the tree, though I’m just happy I didn’t fall out of it while I was asleep. I hop down from the tree. It’
s harder to see at night, but it should be a little safer for me to cover some ground. I ignore the chill creeping into my bones from the thin, wet gown, the only thing between me and cold night air.

  I walk for what seems like forever. My feet are scraped and bloody from the forest floor. As dawn breaks over the horizon, I notice a sign. A campground. Maybe I can find people, or at least some clothes. I continue stumbling down the path.

  The closer I get to the camp, the heavier my heart grows. I have no idea what occurred here, but it certainly doesn’t look good for the unlucky campers. Charred remains of tents litter the landscape. I see only one tent still standing, and I pick my way over to it. I pull out the pack inside, finding at least a pair of pants and a t-shirt. The jeans are loose, but I’m happy to swap them for the gown that I now ball up and toss on the ground. I poke around a bit more and find an ill-fitting pair of running shoes and a bottle of water. I doubt there’s anything else left here that would be useful, and I’m sure I’m running out of time. I have no idea if soldiers are looking for me after my escape, and I don’t want to give them the chance to find out.

  I start back off through the woods, leaving the campground behind me, and now knowing I’m heading west, using the sun to guide me. I still have no idea where I am, or what’s left of the world for me to return to. I keep Mason and Brie’s face in my thoughts, using them to propel me forward. I’m not sure how, but I will find them. I might not be sure of anything else right now, but I’m sure of that. Holding my head a little higher, I quicken my pace through the trees, leaving the memory of scientists and tests far behind me.

  The End

  Keep reading for a sneak peak of Shocked, coming Spring 2014

  Shocked

  Walking aimlessly through the woods is highly frustrating when you have no idea where you are. In jeans two sizes too big, and sneakers one size too small, it’s not all that comfortable either. About an hour ago, I finished off the last of a fou