Her eyes drifted shut as ecstasy overcame her, and she sucked down deep mouthfuls of the warm fluid. Her victim thrashed beneath her, his horrified screams turning into gurgles as his life left him in a crimson stream.
Dylan’s eyes snapped open when he stilled, and his struggles grew weaker and weaker. She tossed him aside like a rag doll, one hand wiping away the blood that ran down her chin.
She turned in a slow circle, surveying the field she stood in. Corpses lay strewn around her feet. More than she could count. Their empty eyes stared sightlessly into the distance. The grass swayed in the breeze, tipped with red.
A field of blood.
A field of death.
Movement caught her gaze, and she whirled to find Ethan standing a few feet away. He pointed an accusing finger at her. “You did this.”
“No.” Dylan shook her head in a futile denial.
“You’re a monster.”
“No!”
“A cannibal.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“A zombie!”
***
“Wake up, Dylan. You’re dreaming. Wake up!”
An insistent hand shook her shoulder, and she shot upright with a gasp. Sweat poured from her brow, and her shirt clung to her damp skin. Shirt? No. It wasn’t a shirt. It looked more like a hospital gown.
She twisted from side to side, taking in her strange surroundings. She was lying in a bed tucked into a small, curtained cubicle. It smelled of antiseptic, and everything came in shades of white.
White curtains, white tiled floors, white linen, and a white doctor’s lab coat. The doctor in question stepped closer, holding a clipboard. “Calm down, Dylan. It was just a nightmare. You’re safe now. I promise.”
Dylan blinked. “Safe?”
“Yes. I’m Dr. Tara Lee, and you’re in the infirmary at Fort Knox. You came here seeking the cure.”
“The cure?” The fog cleared from Dylan’s head, and she nodded. “Yes, the cure.”
“How did you hear about it, if I may ask?” Dr. Lee said.
“I found it written on a note among my friend’s things. She wanted to bring her boyfriend here, but they…they didn’t make it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“You’re lucky, you know? If you’d arrived a few hours later, it would’ve been too late,” Dr. Lee said.
Dylan frowned, focusing on the doctor’s face. The woman was of Asian descent, both exotic and beautiful. “What do you mean, too late? I still had time left.”
“Not quite. The cure needs to administered before the infected subject reaches the forty-eight hour mark. Otherwise, the damage to the brain is too severe, and the virus’ control too advanced to reverse.”
“You mean the psychotic episodes?” Dylan asked.
The doctor nodded. “Exactly. I’ve tried it on a few patients who were over the threshold. None of them survived.”
Tara lifted her arm and stared at the fresh bandages that covered the bite wound. The black veins that used to mar her skin was gone, at least, and she wondered what the wound looked like. “How bad is it?”
“It isn’t pretty. The surgeon had to cut away much of the necrotic tissue and skin. He did the best he could, but you’ll carry the scar forever.”
“I see.”
“You will have full use of the arm, however,” the doctor said in placating tones.
“That’s okay. It’s a small price to pay. I’m still alive, aren’t I?” Dylan said.
Dr. Lee nodded. “Not only that, but you are also immune to the infection now.”
“Immune?”
“Yes. You can’t be reinfected. You’re body has formed antibodies against the virus. You’re one of only three people I know of who won’t succumb to the zombie bite.”
Dylan stared at her in wonder. “Just three?”
“Yes. I only recently perfected the formula. We had a lot of failed attempts before that. You’re our third success story.”
“You invented the cure?” Dylan asked, staring at Dr. Lee with admiration.
“Yes, I’m a virologist, and I’ve been studying the outbreak for months now. With the help of a couple of other scientists here at Fort Knox, I managed to formulate a cure. There were a lot of hiccups, though. Especially in the beginning.”
“The others died?”
“Unfortunately. Someone leaked the story onto the Internet that there was a cure before it was ready yet, and a lot of people showed up looking for help. That must be how you’re friend learned of it.” Dr. Lee’s expression was one of sorrow. “I wanted to save them all, but I couldn’t.”
Dylan felt a stab of sympathy for the scientist. She knew what guilt felt like. The weight of it on one’s shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you did the best you could.”
“It wasn’t good enough,” Dr. Lee said. “But thank you for saying so.”
They stared at each other for a second, a strange feeling of fellowship growing between them. Dylan found it odd. She rarely connected with others, especially strangers. Yet, in the past few days she’d met not only Ethan, but Alex and Amy too. It seems the apocalypse makes for strange bedfellows.
Dr. Lee broke the silence first. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re doing well. You should get some rest. You’re friends will be allowed to visit you soon.”
“Friends?”
“Yes, you came in with a young girl, and her brother?” Dr. Lee said.
“Oh, yes. They’re okay? Alex was hurt,” Dylan asked.
“They’re just fine, both of them. The surgeon cleaned up the wound, and he’s healing well. I’ll tell them you’re awake.”
“Thanks.”
Dr. Lee turned to leave when Dylan stopped her. “Dr. Lee.”
“Yes?”
“Who is the other two?”
“Other two?”
“The other two who survived?”
“Oh. One is a little girl. She came in a week ago with her parents. They live here on the base in the civilian quarters. The other is my friend, Saul Dhlamini.”
“I see. Thank you for saving my life, Doctor. I’ll never forget it.”
Dr. Lee smiled. “It was nothing Dylan.”
“If there’s ever anything I can do for you, let me know,” Dylan said.
“I will. Thank you for the offer.”
Dr. Lee ducked through the curtains, and Dylan was left by herself. After a few minutes, she dozed off, only to come awake with a start when Amy barged. The girl was a whirlwind of happy chatter and girlish
