The Amoeba From The Ash

by Prunty, Mercedes

  He smiled that charming, handsome grin, “One day, Alicia Dawling I’m going to marry you”.

  She felt heat rush all over her face at his comment, “Maybe one day I’ll say yes”.

  8pm The NASA Lab

  Pippa watched Rosetta searching for something but she didn’t bother asking what for, she knew it would be something only the ‘Doctor’ and her ‘Daughter’ knew about. Instead she took to looking around the room.

  “Don’t touch any of the Petri dishes, they contain the Amoeba”, Rosetta warned not even bothering to look in her direction as she said it.

  “Sure thing”, Pippa replied and carried on wondering around. She glanced in at the microscopes and saw the living mutated organism that thrived inside but she didn’t put her hands near the instruments just to be on the safe side. She walked round a small desk with a tablet on it, she picked it up and whipped off a trail of red, crusted dust from the screen and tried to turn it on but there was no life in it so she discarded it back down. “What’s taking them so long?” She breathed.

  “You wanna go check?”

  “Not really”.

  “That’s your daughter Pippa”.

  Pippa sighed and rubbed her tired eyes, “I know who she is Doctor, I’m not stupid”.

  “Really? Cause you seem it to me, not wanting to know her through jealousy”.

  “Come on now Doc let’s not argue, the last time we did someone died”, Pippa teased.

  She watched as Rosetta’s back straightened, she knew she had hit a nerve there mentioning Finch.

  “Don’t you dare talk about him”, she hissed.

  “Why?”

  “You don’t have the right”, Rosetta snarled.

  “See what I don’t understand is why you’re bothering with this whole save the world malarkey? I mean what has the world done for you? For Finch? For all of mankind? The world has turned its back on all of us, yet here you are trying to save it”.

  “Because I believe it is the right thing to do. We have all survived for a reason, that reason I believe is to help others survive”.

  “Even though it could get you killed”.

  “Excuse me?”

  “What I mean is, why don’t we all just ride it out in some abandoned island somewhere. Stay safe. All of us. Why should my family risk their lives to get you to America?”

  “Because we have a duty of care to the people…”

  Pippa cut her off, “No you ‘had’ a duty, we don’t”.

  “Actually, yes you do… As some of the last surviving Britain’s it would be so immoral for you not to warn the rest of the world, to stop all of mankind falling to the sickness. You have a duty as a human being to help your own kind”.

  “I don’t”.

  “Maybe you don’t want to Pippa, but the rest of your family do”.

  “My husband is only helping because he feels guilty about Finch, Alicia would do it just to spite me and poor little Daniel has to go along with whatever we throw at him”.

  “And Glenn?”

  “Who gives a crap about Glenn?” Pippa snorted, “He’s some little waster who is leading my daughter on”.

  “You’re wrong”, she told her, “On so many levels”.

  Pippa felt irritated and now her eye was itching, she rubbed at it hard talking venom to Rosetta, “What would Finch do in your place?”

  “The same thing, he would try to help others”.

  “No… He would do nothing… Because he is dead!”

  Rosetta moved lunging for the woman just as the door opened and Alicia and Glenn returned covered in blood. Rosetta stopped short of strangling the woman, “Oh my gosh Alicia are you ok? What happened?”

  Again Pippa’s blood boiled that this wench asked it first and not her.

  “There was an infected person but it’s dead now”.

  “It? Is that what you call people now Alicia? It?”

  “Ok fine… He… A NASA scientist attacked me but HE is dead now. Myself and Glenn killed him”.

  Pippa pouted, her mouth sucking in at the mention of murder, “You heartless little scab”.

  “You’re the heartless one, mum”, Alicia snapped before turning to Rosetta, “We found this, will it work?” She lifted up a large metal briefcase looking thing. Rosetta took it and lifted it onto a table, turned some special and secure screwed locks she opened it to reveal a carry case filled with padding, padding that could protect the space rock and keep it sealed so it wouldn’t leak.

  “I think this will do”, she smiled, “I think we should leave for America”.

  “Let’s tell my dad, he can ready the helicopter”, Alicia smiled as Rosetta secured the glass cube with the space rock into the case.

  Once ready the four of them headed back up to where Ned and Daniel were waiting. Glenn looked over at Alicia, a massive school boy grin spread across his face, “Home stretch now, soon this will be over and we can all rest, especially knowing we would have helped to save lives”.

  “I hope so”, Alicia smiled weakly back but inside she felt more optimism rising, surely nothing could stop them now.

  8.10pm The Helicopter

  Ned pulled out a map of Germany, they had ransacked the Lab again to find one tucked away in a corner.

  “What do we need?” Alicia asked him as he studied it.

  “We need to refuel the bird if we are to have any chance at all of making over the oceans to America. These things were built for emergencies, pick up and landings, not going over the seven sea’s”, he told his daughter, “I’m looking for a hospital close by that might have a helipad or an army base, anything with fuel”.

  “There”, Glenn pointed out over his shoulder.

  Sure enough the kid had indeed pointed out on the map what looked to be a local hospital, “Let’s hope they have a helipad and when we’re there I think we should look for supplies. Dunno about you guys but I’m starving”.

  The others all agreed that fuel and food were the priority. It had only been a few hours since they had eaten the vending machine food back at the Eastbourne hospital but with no let up or rest they were running on empty.

  “Shame we didn’t bring all the food we got from the supermarket”, Glenn mused.

  There had been no time to think of grabbing any of the looted food. Daniel had just about managed to grab his new toys and keep hold of them, which he’d had close to hand when Finch had bit him.

  “Dad, where are we going?” Daniel had just stirred from his sleep, he looked replenished, healthy and happy… Ned hoped to god that it meant that the vaccine had worked, that his son was truly going to be fine.

  “America, to warn them about the infection and hopefully to start a new life”.

  Daniel looked confused, “So we can never go back home, to my friends? My toys? My school? Our house?”

  Ned shook his head and placed his hands on his son’s shoulders, “You will make new friends and have new toys and will join a new school. It will be an adventure for us all.”

  “But why?”

  “Because we cannot go back home… Home isn’t there anymore”.

  “Will they like us?”

  “Sure they will”, Alicia pipped up, “Well they will like you at least, dunno about us lot though”. She gave a nervous laugh but it worked, Daniel smiled.

  Ned got Alicia, Daniel and Glenn into the helicopter and just waited for Pippa and Rosetta to load up. Rosetta had a briefcase looking box and held onto it tightly as she sat down, “Is that it?”

  She nodded, “The meteorite, yes”.

  “Is it safe?”

  “No… That’s why it’s in here and it will stay in here until we can hand it over to the CDC in America”.

  “Ok”, he eyed it over nervously then he said, “You had a chance to check Daniel over again?”

  She smiled at that, “He’s fine, if he was going to turn he would have done by now… I think it worked, we have a vaccine, a cure”.

  He felt his heart relax in h
is chest, his son was going to be fine, “Well let’s get this show on the road”. He started the helicopter and lifted it in the air and headed towards the nearest hospital.

  ~

  Pippa watched the dark and silent world below them swirl and swim in her vision. She rubbed at her eye again, it itched like crazy, must have an eye lash in it or some grit, something that had scratched it and made it sore.

  “You ok?” Rosetta asked from beside her. Alicia, Glenn and Daniel had all drifted off, having a quick nap before the hospital supply run.

  “Yes”, Pippa snapped impatiently.

  “Want me to take a look?”

  “No I don’t want you near me, it’s just an eyelash or something irritating my eye, just like you are irritating me”.

  Rosetta smiled and looked away, “Whatever”.

  Pippa knew she was being immature and nasty and she really had no real reason to be, Rosetta had saved her son by giving him the medicine, she was now trying to save the world and she was even willing to help her if she would let her, she was a good person… But that just irritated her more.

  Ned turned the helicopter towards a dark towering beacon, emergency lights were alight inside the building but just barely visible. They were at the hospital.

  Once landed he woke the others and gave them each a task, Daniel was to sit and keep lookout, Rosetta and Pippa were to scavenge for medicines and Alicia and Glenn where to look for food. She watched as her daughter sauntered off with her teenage boyfriend, before she walked off with Rosetta.

  They had landed on the roof as that’s where the helipad was located and some fuel, Ned said it would take around ten minutes to refuel and do some safety checks and to not be no longer than fifteen. The door that led into the hospital was lighter than she expected, Rosetta telling her it was so they could transport patients in easier from the helicopter. Pippa just rolled her eyes, she could have worked that one out for herself, she didn’t need to be told things like a child.

  “This way”, Rosetta called out pointing to a map, “Pharmacy is this way”.

  “You can read German?”

  “Yeah, one of my many talents”.

  She trailed behind Rosetta keeping quiet as she walked, this place was creeping her out. Normally hospitals were full of beeping machines, coughing patients, gossiping nurses and stressed out doctors but now it was deadly silent. They both walked down a few sets of stairs until they came to the right level, they had only been gone a few minutes but already she wanted out. On this level blood had been smeared up all the walls and along the floor, like bodies had been dragged along like rag dolls.

  The doctor beside her looked calm as they reached a door with a security code and a hatch were people could get their prescriptions. Pippa walked to the hatch and looked through it, it was just big enough to fit them both through.

  “Should we just use the door?”

  She glanced at Rosetta who held the door open.

  “But the keypad?”

  “Powers pretty much all out other than emergency lighting, either that or someone didn’t lock it properly”.

  Pippa didn’t care for the small talk and barged right in, “So what are we looking for exactly?”

  “Medicines. Just grab anything and everything you can fit in this bag”.

  “Like you did earlier at the supermarket?”

  “Yes like earlier” She hissed. “But it all got left at the house when Finch turned”. Just liked Glenn’s food, she thought to herself.

  “Why was that Doc?” Pippa asked playfully.

  “Because Finch bit your son Pippa that’s why because you wouldn’t let me deal with Finch the right way”.

  Pippa stayed silent and Rosetta had to bite her lip to stop her from smiling. Not about Daniel she felt bad for him but she had now got one up on Pippa, especially since the idiot mother thought she was such a smart ass.

  Pippa huffed and picked up a bag that was strewn on a counter and began to fill it with the stock from the shelves.

  Rosetta was also filling her bag too when she found something and brought it over, another chance to gain a point against her, “Ned told me if I found these to try and make you take them”.

  Pippa looked over the medication, she knew instantly what it was and felt rage boil inside her. Yes she couldn’t read the writing but she recognised the packaging, it was bipolar medication, “I don’t need that anymore”.

  “Really, because I personally think you’re a cow and I think they would make you a much nicer person”.

  She turned to the doctor, “You know nothing about me”.

  “I know enough… Hmm… Actually your right. I don’t think these would help and I don’t think it’s the bipolar that makes you nasty. I think that’s just you. I have met others with bipolar and they are not as spiteful as you are. You are just an extreme version of a bitch”.

  “Maybe I don’t care for your opinion”, Pippa sniffed. “You met me a few hours ago, you know crap about me and my family”, The rage fuelled in her veins making her hot and light headed.

  “I don’t care Pippa take them or don’t but one way you will keep your family, the other you will lose them”.

  “Why? You planning on stealing them from me?”

  “No… I don’t have to steal them, you are giving them to me on a plate”.

  “You bitch”, Pippa hissed shoving the curly haired woman making her bump into some shelves and trays sending them crashing to the floor with a loud smash.

  “Don’t you push me”, Rosetta snapped back and punched her in return right on her eye socket. Pippa fell back, as she did she twisted and smashed her head on the side of the door frame, hitting her already irritated eye again. Standing up she held her head, a few tears escapes without her say so, hot sticky tears that clung to her cheek. Taking her hand away she swayed, blood was intertwined within her finger tips.

  “Oh crap”, Rosetta said dropping the bag and helping Pippa to sit down, “I didn’t mean for that the happen”.

  “My eye, you really hurt my fucking eye”, Pippa said feeling the hot, dizzying sensation fill her body again.

  “It’s fine, here let me put this on it”, she pulled out a gauze kit from her bag and taped it over her eye. “It should stem the bleeding and keep it cushioned”.

  “Why do you have it in for me?” Pippa asked.

  “You pushed me first remember?”

  Pippa’s brain contorted inside her skull, a quick sharp pain and she wheezed with it.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “My head is killing me”, she told her.

  Rosetta handed her some painkillers, “Take these and let me check your other eye”, The doctor tried to peer in but Pippa shoved her off her.

  “Don’t touch me”.

  “I’m just trying to help…”

  “You don’t help anyone, you are worthless…”

  “RA-HA-AH-AH”.

  Both of the women froze in response to the call, the turned had heard them and were coming.

  “Come on we have to leave, now. We have already been too long”, Rosetta said grabbing Pippa’s arm and pulling her to her feet. Pippa wobbled and threw up all down the side of the door.

  “I feel like crap”, Pippa admitted. “Sick… Really sick”.

  “It’s probably a concussion from hitting your head, come on, I can tend to you in the helicopter”.

  Pippa shoved her hand away, “No… I feel sick! Don’t you get it?”

  Rosetta looked at her, “Concussion can do that, you took quite a blow, now come on”. The doctor took Pippa’s hand and led her dizzily through the corridors. The world swam even more now in her vision, faces appeared in doorways and she screamed but she wasn’t sure if they were real or just a figment of her imagination. Rosetta pulled her through the door to the stairs, her face full of fear. Pippa chanced a look behind them and saw all the faces charging after them, bloodied mouths, missing teeth, gouged out eyes, chunks of flesh missing from necks, arms, f
aces and torso’s. “MOVE”, Rosetta screamed pulling her in and just slamming the door in time as bodies piled up against it. Pippa fell to her knees and threw up again, her throat burning with the bile.

  “GET UP!” The doctor shouted but Pippa’s body wouldn’t move. ‘Why? Why do I feel so bad? I’ve had concussion before but nothing like this? This is a bug, a sickness… And my eye it burns… Burns so much’. Rosetta lifted Pippa’s arm leaning her on her shoulder and attempted to haul her up the stairs but she was too heavy, a dead weight.

  “Mum?” Alicia’s voice called out from the darkness, “What happened?”

  “She hit her head”, Rosetta told her, “I think she’s concussed”.

  “Ssss…Ssss…i…c…k”, Pippa tried to mumble but none of them took any notice. Alicia took her other shoulder and together they carried her up the stairs.

  “You have to hurry, that door isn’t going to hold for long”, Glenn said going behind them ready to fight off any infected that might make it through. Pippa could hear the thrum of the banging, the bodies hitting and smashing against the door to get to their meal.

  “Le…ave…Me”, she breathed.

  “No chance”, Alicia whispered, “I might hate you mum but I love you too… I can’t just leave you behind”.

  Pippa smiled weakly, a warmth flooding her chest as she realised her daughter did love her and she loved her too.

  “L..o…ve…” She tried to say ‘you too’ but instead she made them stop as she fell to her knees again, collapsing from the dizziness.

  CRASH!!!!

  “They’re coming”, Glenn shouted.

  Alicia turned to Rosetta, “We’ll hold them off, get her to the helicopter”.

  Rosetta nodded, “Ok”, and carefully dragged Pippa up the stairs.

  Pippa could hear the wails, cries and screams of the hungry as Glenn and Alicia took them down as they climbed towards their food. Please my child make it back to me, make it back so I can say goodbye.

  ~

  Alicia fought off a woman with no lips and half her face eaten away, the smell was horrendous as maggots and decay had already begun to set in. Flies could tell death from a long distance and had already laid their eggs to thrive in the decaying flesh. These people had been the first to be infected and they reeked of it but although hungry they were weaker than the ones back in the UK, these ones were dying, slowly but surely, their bodies giving up, giving in to the Brain-eating Amoeba.