Infected

Infected

Kera gabbed a seat next to a fat old man with stinky breath.  She avoided looking at him almost afraid of what she would see.  She spent the entire bus ride muttering to herself.  She ignored the looks  from the other passengers.  She wasn’t crazy...no matter what anyone thought. 

On Tremont street she exited the bus along with several other passengers and she fearfully wondered if they were following her.  Head down she quickly made her way to the corner of Tremont and Gleason. 

Don’t look, don’t look.  Pretend you don’t see them she muttered softly as she stood at the crosswalk.  Traffic buzzed by and the noise thrummed insider of her head.  Glancing up she caught a woman’s eye.  Quickly she averted her gaze but not before she caught a glimpse of the monster behind the woman’s smile.  It was dark and shadowed...floaty things just below the surface of the woman’s skin.  She called them ‘Dark Matter’.  The floaty things...they scared her and she noticed more and more people were affected by this horrible entity.  It was taking over the entire city. 

“Watch out!”  The man snapped as he side stepped. 
Kera had almost run smack into him.  Looking up she stepped back, her blue eyes wide and frightened.  He, the man, was full of the Dark Matter.  It was oozing from his skin, out of his eyes and nose.  Dripping thickly in a black and congealed mass. 
“Are you sick or something?”
“No, leave me alone.” Kera stuttered as she stumbled away.  Fear tied a hot knot in the pit of her stomach.  Pulling out her bottle of pills she quickly swallowed two.  They scratched her throat as they went down dry. 

Everywhere she looked she saw the Dark Matter.  It was in every face, young and old.  She began to run.  Heaving sides and painful breaths tried to slow her down but she knew if she slowed she’d be dead.  She had to make it to Jamie’s office.  She had to get out of the flow of foot traffic and away from all of these infected people.  Clutching at her side she willed herself to sprint the remaining two blocks. 

Jamie met her in the outer office.  Head down Kera mumbled and stuttered.  “I need to see you..we’re not safe.”
“You are safe here Kera.” Jamie said soothingly.
Kera looked up and a scream exploded from her lips.  The Dark Matter had gotten Jamie.  Kera saw the floaties beneath the doctors skin...mottled and gray....mocking her.  She backed up toward the door.  Her eyes were wide and her face white with fear.  “Get away...away from me!” she hissed as she moved further away.  She felt the door knob hit her back and she fumbled her hand behind her trying to open it.  She watched as Jamie moved behind her desk.
“S’okay Kera.  Just calm down.” she said quietly.  “I am going to get you some help.” 
Wrenching the door open, Kera lunged out into the hallway.  Two men advanced toward her...and they too had the Dark Matter floating behind the skin of their faces.  “Nooooo...” she cried as they grabbed her and she felt the sting of a needle as they plunged the drug into her arm.  As darkness descended Kera heard Jamie mutter.
“Take her to Memorial General. “ 
Kera struggled against the drug....Memorial General...that was where it had all started.