By the late 21st century, flying cars and android servants were being made available to the public. There were also two companies performing genetic experiments, one working on a way to stop the rapid growth of a form of the Flesh-Eating Virus. The other was working on a way to make communication between humans and other animals easier- mainly so that search dogs, and other such animals, could tell their handlers/owners what the situation was.
Sadly, the human trials portion of the tests had some very drastic outcomes- Those who had volunteered to try out the cure for the flesh-eating virus lost all sense of humanity, becoming very violent and dangerous, needing to be locked up. They also developed a craving for raw meat- any raw meat.
As for the Handlers who were testing out the human-animal communication injection- they ended up turning into humanoid versions of their partners, or any other vertebrate-type of animal they’d last been in contact with- even if it was part of their meal, or clothes- one who’d worn a set of wool socks turned into a sheep-like creature, and another who’d eaten a hamburger before the experiment turned into a cow-like creature.
The experiments were halted as a result, the vials put on ice, and the test subjects isolated from the rest of the public, with those who had tested the Flesh-Eating cure in solitary confinement, though those who had tested the animal-bonding formula were allowed to roam their complexes.
However, a group of terrorists found out about the Flesh-Eating virus experiment, and stole a vial of the “Cure”. They made some alterations, making it waterborne, and communicable, especially through saliva. They released it in several cities around the world, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and even in the underground cities of Antarctica. The world’s militaries and health organizations could do nothing to halt the infection from being spread, until the case of John Fillard and company.
John Fillard had been a K-9 handler for the San Diego police department. In an attempt to get a closer connection to his K-9 partner, he had volunteered for the Humanimal-communication injection. Because of the injection, he ended up turning into a humanoid German shepherd. During the initial stages of the Flesh-Eaters’ Outbreak, he and the other humanimal hybrids were still at their facility when one of the scientists came in with a bite from an infected. Despite the best of efforts, others became infected. Seeing what was going on, John and other hybrids with police and military backgrounds, or with training in hand-to-hand fighting, took on the creatures, saving the remaining scientists.
By the time rescue finally came, John and most of the other hybrids who’d engaged in the fighting had been wounded by the creatures, and placed into isolation as a result. However, unlike with regular humans, they hadn’t become rabid. Subsequent testing revealed that the hybrids were immune to the Flesh Eaters’ virus, due to their own transformation. Armed with this information, the scientists went to their fellow scientists in the field of biogenetics, especially those in virology, and offered a shocking proposal- turn the humanimal injection into a contagious virus in order to save what was left of humanity. Problem was, most of the world leaders had, by this time, been either killed, infected, or had fled to some hiding place. However, most of the surviving high-ranking military officials agreed with the scientists, and gave the go-ahead. Less than a month later, the humanimal virus was released into the world. Humanity had been saved, at the cost of the human race itself- or so it seemed.
It wasn’t long before people realized that there were humans who were immune to the humanimal virus. When doctors examined their blood, they found it was due to a rare genetic mutation- of which, less than one percent of one percent of the total population had. Coincidently, these people were immune to the Flesh Eaters’ virus.
It is now the 23rd century, and the undead outnumber the living by at least two to one. The surviving human population is largely immune to the viruses. The war against the undead is at a standstill- the armed forces are having trouble retaking the land for the living, especially in the Arctic regions. The military forces, and scientists, are currently searching for a way to finally win the war- like better weapons and tactics, or something that speeds the decomposition of zombies.
Most cities are built like fortresses- stone walls around the urban areas, at least twenty feet in thickness, and at least twenty feet high. One of the requirements most cities have is that each person over the age of 18 is to spend at least week on wall duty- watching for others, and to maintain the wall itself. As for armament, the Weekly Guards are armed with crossbow-type weapons, while the Professionals are armed with bolt and lever style firearms. For close-up work, a special shovel-ax is used mainly, though there are other items.
Then there are the Nomads. They wander the area, acting mostly as a mixture of Scout and Traders between the cities. They are armed with a mix of weapons.
Of course, there is also bandits, which are highly dangerous.
Now, who is the person the future follows? | Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
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