The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 16

The tension between Daniel and me was obvious to anyone. He watched me with slight suspicion and I kept a wary eye on him. Our zombie instincts were playing havoc with our frame of mind even if we were in control. Nicky was amusing herself with various string tricks using a shoelace she found. Ben was staring at the scenery while pretending that the occasional rumbling noise and resulting odor did not originate from him.

Nina was scribbling in a small notepad. I watched the scenery as it flew past with half an eye on the Terror in the other corner. The occasional zombie stumbled after us. Daniel was watching the road we were heading toward while also watching me for any threatening move.

It was almost as if he expected me to try to attack someone before the day was over. It was equally as obvious that he intended to stop me if I attempted it. I was about ready to say hell with it and leave this group in the care of the Terror while I headed back to the mountains.

One thing stopped me though. I had made a promise to Liz and even if I had become a zombie, I had always kept my word. I intended to keep it this time too. If I had known exactly what I was getting into before I would have simply said I would help them until we met others who would help. I was never going to make another promise without careful consideration.

I had agreed to help them get to the Stronghold. I had not agreed to get mixed up with a Terror and then get stuck in close quarters with him. The walls of that Stronghold could not come into view soon enough for my peace of mind.

Nina interrupted my thoughts, "So what is your story? If you don't mind me asking, when did you turn?"

I turned my head to gaze at the lady. I spoke slowly and somewhat reluctantly. In the back of my mind, I hoped that the longer I took to speak, the fewer questions she could ask. "I turned in the first wave, about a week after the first zombies appeared. It turns out that the flu shot I got had been one of the contaminated ones."

She blinked in surprise, "You were one of the originals?"

I nodded slowly. My workplace had encouraged workers to get the annual flu shot and even brought in a nurse to do it for free every year. Like all of my co-workers, I had also gotten the vaccine as we had every other year. It was just a flu shot to prevent respiratory influenza after all.

Every country ordered the flu vaccine from the World Health Organization and they all originated from the same place. No one had been aware that a large number of the vaccines had been contaminated in the formulation process. The virus had snuck into almost every bottle being sent worldwide wherever basic healthcare was present.

It was a rather slow virus that took three months to finally show itself. At the end of the three month incubation period, the person suddenly started sneezing almost non-stop for three days. After that they went into seizures as the virus re-wired their brain.

Those last three days they were infectious. A huge portion of the population had been exposed to the airborne sneeze droplets without realizing the risk. Three months later they would make up the first wave. If they survived those who turned in the original outbreak.

Those who went into seizures rose with red eyes and a desire for blood and raw meat. The regular zombies were mindless and readily attacked anyone and anything. Those who were unfortunate enough to get bitten turned within several days. Between the bite marks that swiftly turned people and the slow reacting sneeze transmission of the last three days, it was an evil two pronged attack.

Thankfully, once someone turned, a mere sneeze was not sufficient to infect anyone. The virus shifted at that point, becoming much more potent in our saliva and blood and was no longer capable of surviving being airborne.