Just One Bite

[1] Contagion

CONTAGION

"The source of the contagion must be discovered in order to then dispel it from the gene pool. If left to spread, it will contaminate otherwise healthy cells until the whole system becomes corrupt."

Dr Morgan readjusted the settings on his microscope before he stepped back and gestured enthusiastically for me to take a look.

I stepped forward and peered down the lens, my eyes catching the mutated cell in my gaze which he'd plucked from our testing pool.

"As you can see, the cell is perfectly healthy itself, but is passing on the disease to any and all cells around it."

I watched as with every healthy cell that came into contact with it, they too became corrupted.

"That's what is known as a healthy carrier. A diseased individual with dormant symptoms in themself but who can pass it on either willingly or unwillingly to others."

We'd been working on genetic alterations in cells for a project funded by the Queen Mary University, but were suddenly thrown off track when a mutation appeared, spreading swiftly through the testing pool like a blazing fire in a barren forest.

"Finally," Dr Morgan said with a sigh, pulling the slide from the microscope stage. "Our culprit is caught."

I managed to chuckle but on the inside I was jumping. Finally we could move on. Lab work was monotonous and strict regardless of if the project was heading in the right direction or not, but since the appearance of the mutation our work had been focused solely on finding the source, one in a million.

My phone buzzed against my thigh and I checked the clock hanging above the door. It was five o clock and the end of our session for the day. I figured it would be okay to check it. The rapidly familiar national alert notice flashed on my lock screen.

WARNING: CURFEW BEGINS AT 7:00PM

I breathed out through my nose. There had been a string of murders that started back in May. As far as the news were concerned, the police didn't have any suspects or leads, no motives or even how many people were involved. The only thing connecting all the victims was that they were drained completely of blood.

They'd been aptly dubbed the Vampire murders and it was starting to feel like a pandemic again for the first time since COVID, people straying away from large crowds, isolating, bulk-buying to avoid leaving the house.

London was the main source of the murders, which didn't help settle my nerves at all considering we were in a popular area.

"That's time, sir. Curfew starts in a couple hours." I went to the coat station and removed my PPE then turned to the sink to sanitise my hands.

"5 o'clock already?" He asked, looking at the clock over his half-moon spectacles. "Would you like me to drive you home? You can't be too careful out there, nowadays."

I swung on my coat and backpack. "I'll be okay, sir. My flat is only a ten minute bike ride from here."

"Alright, if you're sure," he said uncertainly.

I watched as he set down their diseased culprit and came over to remove his own gear for the day. "What do you make of these murders, professor? Given you studied haematology, do you have any theories on who could be behind such a thing? Or what they're using to drain the victims?"

He slipped his lab coat off of his tweed suit and frowned. "A little bit of a macabre interest I must say, Lyla."

He obviously disapproved. "I'm sorry, professor. I was only curious, given the police have shown no signs of leads or motives thus far. It never helps to be informed, right?"