AM13 Outbreak Shorts

Quarantine - Three

I blink a few times as the orangey, dawn-like sun filters through my window, trying to work out why my neck aches so much. I usually have my pillows arranged in the perfect way to avoid Torticollis, so this hot pain is unusual. I rub it roughly before I pull my head upwards.

That's when I realize that I've face-planted in my books at some point during the night. I never even fell asleep on my work during my years at school which just proves how dedicated I am to this cause. I have to do it, especially as I know for a fact that Hannah won't be the only doubter I face.

"What was I reading?" I ask myself quietly as I flick through the drool-covered pages of the closest book to me. My legs hurt, my back's in pain, I could really do with standing up but my head's still firmly in the game. "What was I so fascinated about?"

Bleep, bleep.

I glance around rapidly as I hear my phone blast through the room. I'm not sure exactly what the time is but it feels too early for someone to be texting me. My heart hurts with terror as I try to locate my cell phone in the mess I've created around myself. Honestly, why did I have to chuck papers everywhere? It's only me that'll have to clean it up. I was so inconsiderate last night.

Ah!

I grab it, and click open the message, noticing Dave's name at the top of it. It's addressed to all of the staff at the specialist medical facility.

'Just a head's up, guys, today we're hooking patients up to the 'death support' machines. I know some of you aren't comfortable with this but arguing is futile.'

Almost instantly, the three dots which shows typing pops up under the majority of people's names. This will cause an endless argument that I just don't have the time for. I switch my phone to silent and set it down on the table, with my mind whirring desperately.

I'm not totally sure how Dave gets his hands on this information first, and I also don't totally know what he means by 'death support' machines, but I am aware that this has to speed things up tenfold. If I'm going to cure this then I need to start right now before the dead bodies start piling up. Without any samples, it's an impossible feat, so as scary as that is for a starting place I don't think I have any choice.

Blood...it'll have to be blood.

Somehow I'm going to make it seem completely natural that I need to take blood from a variety of the people strapped down to the beds. That way I can at least get something to work with. Luckily I have a lot of testing equipment in storage from my education days so I can grab hold of that too.

Maybe I'll figure out where I'm going with my plan, maybe not, but at least it's a start. Now that I know I want to do this I'll feel much better being proactive. Doing something is always better than taking no action at all, even if it's only to rule the idea out.

Right, get to work, get this done!

***

"So, it's poison?" I hiss at Hannah as she hooks up a drip to someone who, quite frankly, doesn't seem infected to me. "That's what we're doing now?"

"You saw the message from Dave this morning, didn't you? And the arguments that followed."

"No, I didn't." I'm only half-lying with this one. I only saw the first declaration. "And how is it that Dave always knows everything?"

"He's nosy." Hannah shrugs. "And obviously good at it." Hmm, that could cause issues for me if I'm going to do something in secret. I'll have to keep an eye on him. "This is our way of killing off the patients slowly and humanely. It's the only way."

"But...children?" I glance around the room with a bleeding heart.

"I know, but it's for the greater good. It's the only way to stop it spreading."

"Right well, I better get on with my own thing."

I already have the syringes in my pockets, I 'borrowed' them this morning. Now I just need to fill them with blood.

Simple.

I know it's easy, I'm sure I can get away with it, so why's my heart trying to burst out of my chest?