by Tahnee Fritz
“That is what you desire, so it shall be done.” I say.
He smiles from ear to ear, showing off the white teeth behind his lips, “You really are a miracle, aren’t you?”
That is how people see me? All this time I was forced to stay hidden from the world because the old me was terrified to let me out, yet I am a miracle to these humans. If only I saw this sooner, I wouldn’t have had to stay in the deepest parts of my mind, watching through the eyes of a girl who could barely control this gift that I am. She should have let me out much sooner and because of her failure to do so, this world was unable to see just how truly great I am.
“You have no idea just what kind of miracle I can be.” I say, with the devilish grin creeping across my face.
He nods and says, “I’ll leave you alone to relax and get cleaned up. I’ll come by a little later to check on you.”
I don’t bother replying to his chatter and he leaves the room in silence. The door closes and I am left alone to relish in this master suite he has given me.
* * *
Morning came and just as Trevor had promised, there was a man waiting outside my room to escort me to the showers down the hall. The water in my shower was warm and inviting. I washed away every ounce of deadness on my skin. Blood and dirt runs slowly down the drain and I dry myself off with a large blue towel that was left out for me. I wrap it around my body, then glare at the pile of my old clothes wadded in the corner of the room. I grimace and turn away from them.
I walk through the halls wearing only this towel. Water drips from my hair, splashing onto my shoulders and gliding softly down my back. The guard passes me an odd look as he walks with me to my room and I simply smile in return. He opens the door for me and closes it tightly once I am inside.
The large, wooden closet catches my eyes and I stroll across the floor to it. I pull the door open and admire the apparel Trevor has left for me. I pick out a few things that will be fitting, then close the door.
I let the towel fall away from me and slip into a pair of tight, black-colored jeans. Next, I pull a low-cut black shirt over my chest and the soft fabric clings to my skin. Over the fresh pair of socks on my feet, I slip into black leather boots with silver buckles on the sides of them. They are a little snug, but I smile at them admiringly.
This dark outfit of mine would only be complete with the leather jacket that was hanging at the very back of the closet. It hugs my body, showing off every curve and adding to the menacing appearance I am hoping to show the world. Finally, I turn to the mirror leaning against the wall beside the closet. I stare at the side view of myself and grin, then slowly walk to it.
My hair is still damp in places and I run my fingers through it to smooth it. The wavy mess on my head is soft to the touch, matching the silkiness of my milky white skin. I lean closer to the mirror and fall in love with the metallic silver of the eyes staring back at me. They are simply breathtaking. It is a shame that I am only limited to the night hours to reveal them to the world.
I stroll away from the mirror and head for the desk at the front of the room. My sunglasses are sitting on top of the structure and I grudgingly take them from their place. I carry them with me to the door and reach for the knob.
The door to my room was left unlocked, but my escort remains standing in the hall to wait for me. He tightens his grip on the small pistol in his hands when our eyes meet and he shudders at the sight of me as I step through the doorway.
The morning sun is shining through the windows at the top of the walls, casting bright rays of light to bounce off the marble floor. I sigh as I slide the shades over my nose to hide my precious eyes from the sun’s harmful beams.
We pass the two men standing guard at the door in the middle of the hall and I feel their eyes inspecting my body. I wish I could see what is really going on inside that room. The smell of blood and anguish is strong in this section of the hallway. I begin to wonder if Trevor is holding prisoners in there to torture them for disbelieving in his ways. He does seem like the type of man to go out of his way to whittle a man’s life down until there is hardly anything left.
I turn the corner, brushing that whole prison room off my shoulder and the guard leads me to the cafeteria. He holds the door open for me, then heads for the line of people standing by a table filled with food. Trevor had asked me to meet him there once I was finished pampering myself and I scan the area for him.
I step into the large room and study it for a moment. The sun is shining brightly through the barred windows and the hum of a generator radiates from a small closet in the far left corner. A group of three men and four women are seated at one of the tables eating scrambled eggs and sipping from water bottles. Each of them pass me awe-filled glances when I walk by, but they keep their words to themselves.
Trevor is standing around a taller table by one of the windows that overlooks the street in front of the building. Two men stand with him and they step aside so I may join them. I stand beside a man with a ridiculous hairstyle and he runs his hands over the strip of long hair going straight down the center of his scalp. He steps to my right and glares at me while Trevor smiles and checks me over, giving me a nod of approval.
“I’m glad to see you took advantage of the apparel we have here.” He states. “You look much better than the bloody mess you were earlier.”
“It feels good to change into something more suiting to me. I plan making a lot of changes from now on.” I reply.
“Good to hear.” He says. “I have breakfast waiting for you outside. Two zombies, one male and one female. I believe the woman used to be a nurse before she was bitten. Her scrubs give that away and we could use someone in the medical profession. The man will be another nice addition to my army.”
I smile and nod, my mouth already watering at the thought of the meal awaiting me. There is just something about their grotesque flavor that gives me the satisfaction I need to continue on and the strength I need to take down a dozen more. A shudder runs up my spine just thinking about the taste that should soon be enveloping my tongue.
“What about the vamps in the basement?” the man with the Mohawk asks. “When are you going to cure them?”
I turn my hungry eyes to his and grit my teeth. Being the very core of this creature that I am, I know every tiny detail about myself. I know what is good for me and what is not. The blood of a vampire is not even the tiniest bit appetizing to me. With just one taste, I will slip into an unconscious state and I do not have the time nor the patience to deal with that.
“Bridget?” Trevor’s voice catches my ears. “The man asked you a question.”
I snap my head toward him and reply sharply, “I cannot bite them.”
“Yes, I know this, but we need to find a way to cure them too.” Trevor replies.
“If you can’t bite the fucking vamps, then what good are you?” Mohawk snaps.
I devour this man with my eyes as he scoffs at the mere thought of me. There is something about him that is irritating. I would love to rip his damn head off and see what drives him to be so annoying. He stares at me with those senseless blue eyes, that out of style Mohawk on his head, and a look that screams how worthless he is. If I weren’t trying to fit in with Trevor and this group, I’d happily take this man out with my bare hands. I think I would even smile while doing so.
Finally, the third man standing with us speaks up and suggests, “Neil might be able to come up with something we could use to shoot the vamps from a safe distance. Would that work?”
Trevor rubs his chin and raises an eyebrow, “That’s not a bad idea. A dart gun might actually do the trick. We can drain some of your blood, just enough for a few darts, and shoot them into the vamp cage downstairs. It’s brilliant!”
“What if that don’t work?” the annoying man speaks, making me want to kill him all the more. “What if that only kills them instead of bringing them back?”
“It will work.” I bite my tongue and keep myself from saying what
I truly want to say. “I don’t need to bite them in order for the cure to work. Are you that big of a fucking moron to understand that all it takes is a little bit of blood in order for them to come back?” I guess I am not so good at holding my words in after all.
Mohawk clenches his hands into tight fists and keeps his steely glare fixated on me. I can hear his heart racing and smell the tension on his skin. He might not be afraid of me while he is surrounded by his peers, but leave me alone with the man and I will show him the true meaning of fear. I would grant him a death so swift, he will fall before he has the chance to beg for mercy.
Another shiver of delight passes through me as that image plays through my mind.
“Alright, we’ve got a plan. Bridget will go to the science lab and meet with Neil. If anyone can figure out a way to get her blood into a dart gun, he’s the man for the job. Then we’ll get the guns ready to go and get to curing some vamps.” Trevor orders, then faces me, “I’m so glad that you made the decision to join me. So far it’s turning out to be quite the asset.”
I smile and keep my eyes on the Mohawk and reply, “In time you will see that I am more than just an asset.”
* * *
After my morning meal, I was escorted down another hall to an old science lab by the bodyguard Trevor assigned to me. This guard is a massive fellow with a truckers’ hat on his head to cover the bald spot between his greying hair. Without his hat on, what few hairs are left up there look like a horseshoe. I can see why wants to keep that covered.
He brought me to a large room that stinks of chemicals. Three fluorescent lights flicker on the ceiling which casts enough light to see through the boarded up room. Eight rows of tables are set up neatly for the class that used to take place here and a few wooden stools are pushed under the tables.
A short man wearing a white lab coat stands by one of the tall tables. His dark framed glasses stick out on his pale face and his red hair is a tangled mess on his head. The odor emanating from his skin and clothes tells me that he hasn’t bathed in a while. Considering that this place is equipped with running water, it is actually surprising that he doesn’t take advantage of it.
This man is older than I am, probably in his early forties. He looks up when the door behind me closes and the guard stands watch next to it. Quickly, the scientist drops what he is working on and steps around the table and stands in the aisle. His gawking eyes look magnified through the glasses and they move up and down my body. I can tell he is thrilled to be meeting a creature as unique and amazing as I am. The grin on his face is practically screaming with astonishment.
“You must be Bridget.” He states with excitement in his voice.
I nod, “You must be Neil.”
He rushes down the aisle towards me and says, “I am indeed.” He takes my hand and shakes it quickly, although I did not offer it to him. “It is such a pleasure to meet you. I have heard and seen the wonderful things you are capable of doing. I’ve been looking forward to studying your blood ever since you got here but Trevor hasn’t granted me the pleasure of doing so until now.”
“That Trevor is such a card, isn’t he?” I reply, not hiding the sarcasm to my voice.
He seems taken aback at my comment and says, “I guess so.” He then spins around and walks to a table with a cardboard box in the middle of it. “They brought me this just a moment before you walked through the door. It will take some time and concentration, but I will be able to extract your blood and fill all of these.”
I follow him to the table and peer inside the box. Covering the bottom of it are a few dozen empty syringes that will were made to fit the dart gun resting on the table beside the box. I stare at the tiny needles at the very ends of them and smile just thinking of how easy it will be to cure the vamps. So long as I still have the privilege of killing the zombies, then this life will be a piece of cake.
Neil proceeds with taking a few of the darts from the box and sets them neatly on the table, “Tell me something, what’s it like?”
I raise an eyebrow and ask, “What do you mean?”
He chuckles and says, “You are the only known member of the undead that still has the capability to speak and remember who you are and what you are meant to do. What is it like being a creature so different that you can actually save the world?”
I pass him half a smile and run my fingers through my hair. I like the way he smiles at me as though he truly believes I am the savior of all mankind. I get that look from a lot of people around here, but this man seems obsessed with it.
“It is actually quite amazing.” I reply and his smile grows wider, “I can do things I never thought were possible; jump higher, run faster, see for miles, and hear things across a crowded room. I can fight a zombie and not get a single scratch that won’t heal. And believe it or not, I feel more alive now than I ever have before.”
“Hmm, I wasn’t expecting that for an answer.” He states.
I shrug, “I was not expecting an interview.”
“Is it ever lonely?” he asks quickly. “I mean, I’m sure you had to leave a lot of people behind when you were bitten, don’t you get lonely and miss them?”
“Not anymore.” I answer simply.
I have no reason to feel lonely or sad about anything anymore. That was the old me. She couldn’t handle this life or the task she was given and that’s why she passed everything along to me. She knows I can deal with things without a problem and let her live in peace with the people she chose to forget. I might not know who any of them are or why she chose to care about them so much, but that’s not why I’m here. I am the monster she was afraid to let loose and I am the one here to live the life I was meant to have.
“You seem so different than what I was expecting.” Neil finally opens his mouth again. “From everything Trevor has told me about you, I thought I would meet this girl stricken with loneliness and hatred. You are more put together and I can see just how strong you are. I guess I just don’t understand why you don’t have anyone to miss.”
“There is no point in wasting energy on the useless act of missing or thinking of people that are dead. In order to be strong, one must forget the past and allow themselves to transform into the creature designed for the sole purpose of staying alive. Memories and sadness only get in the way.”
He lowers his head and says, “That’s not always true. Sometimes it’s the memories of our loved ones that help us stay alive.”
“Not for me.”
“I understand.” He says and starts to fidget with the darts on the table. “Don’t you want to be a normal human being again though? Wouldn’t you ever want a cure for yourself?”
I cock my head to the side and say, “A cure for me does not exist and I would not accept one.”
“Why wouldn’t you accept it?”
This man is getting on my nerves with all of these questions, “Because I do not need one. I am perfect as this being and I would not change my life for anything.” I snap, hoping to end the interrogation.
“I see,” he says and goes back to focusing on the darts, “I’m sorry I brought that up.”
He doesn’t seem so interested or excited about me anymore. Whatever stories he’s heard of me belong to the weak person trapped inside the deepest, darkest pit in my mind. A place she will never escape from.
Neil stops fidgeting with the needles and darts and looks back up, “Can I ask just one more question?”
“What?” I snap.
“Will you show me your eyes? I’ve heard they are mesmerizing.” The smile across his lips is forced but I hear the sincerity in his voice.
I nod and reach for the sunglasses on my face. I slowly slide them down my nose and away from my ears. I fold them neatly and set them on the table beside the darts. His eyes open as wide as they will go as he stares at the silvery hue of my irises. He looks like a kid in a candy store and his parents are letting him pick out whatever he wants. I am probably the rarest candy on earth and he will never see a
nything like my eyes again.
“Beautiful.” He whispers, “Simply remarkable.”
He leans forward and examines my eyes up close. I can smell the sweat and see it beading on his brow as he moves his head closer. Beneath the sweaty exterior of this man, I can smell the blood flowing through each and every vein below that skin. My hands shake as I stare at the pink flesh that would be so easy to break through and devour. He is so close to me, it wouldn’t take much effort at all to bring him down. I clench my hands into fists and fight through the hunger I must save for the undead.
Neil backs away from me and smiles. He turns around and pulls open a drawer from the table behind him. He comes back with a pair of latex gloves and an empty syringe, “Let’s get started, shall we?” Neil states.
He stretches the gloves over his hands, one at a time, then snaps the latex against his wrist. He plunges the air from the syringe and reaches for my arm. I lift the sleeve of my leather jacket, showing off my pale skin and blue veins. His eyes light up and he carefully slides the needle into my skin. I don’t feel a thing but I can see the crimson cure being sucked from my arm, filling the thin vial.
This small amount of red stuff is what the world is waiting for.
* * *
Neil filled enough darts to take care of the vamps in the basement of the school. It took him a couple of hours to get the darts ready to go. He chose to test one on an old mannequin that was stored in a closet. The cure was released into the soft material the thing was made of and it seemed to work perfectly. We just need to test it on the real thing.
While sitting in that classroom with Neil, I suffered while he told me his life story. Apparently he used to be the Chemistry teacher at a high school a few towns over. He never had a family, which meant it was easier for him to cope through the loneliness of the apocalypse. Trevor found him about a year ago, wandering through the streets practically begging to get himself killed. He made himself comfortable in the school, keeping to himself in the lab and doing his own experiments. He begged me to let him examine the cure under a microscope. I reluctantly agreed simply to end his annoyance.
