Disease X

by Garrett Williams

  Danny stared at the jack-o-lantern with his soot coated face as though watching a bonfire. He watched and watched until he fell onto both of his knees over the shell. He stared down into the earth on his hands and knees, then let out a mighty cry down into it.

  The humming and the loud roar of the pavement and rubble sounded the later return of Alex and his keeper, Delsin. Alex sat beside him, looking out front in of him. Over the horizon of the sky grew a small blotch of grey in the otherwise clear blue. Behind them closely followed the herd of cars. He turned his head to the side and looked out his side window at the passing building remains. The two were silent; Delsin sat in front of the wheel, directing their automobile. His eyes glossed over and without turning his head away from his front view, looked at Alex curiously. His eyes wandered back to the road ahead and he stated without looking at him.

  “Well, I guess you didn’t do it.” Alex quickly turned to his stoic face staring out to the distance.

  “Do what?” Delsin’s eyes gazed to him then back to the blue reverse horizon overshadowed by the hard pavement.

  “Kill the boss.” Alex looked back out front and asked meekly.

  “How do you figure? What if I did?”

  “You had the perfect opportunity to make a run for it the entire shift. Why would you want to go back to someone as unstable as Dan?”

  Alex looked back over to him and then down into his lap broodingly. “What’s that guy’s problem with me? I didn’t do anything to him, yet he treats me like I did do it.”

  “He just gets that way. You don’t know him well enough to understand.” Alex looked back up out the front window.

  “But how do you live with him?”

  “The truth is, we got used to him through Merrick.”

  “Was that your leader?”

  “Yeah.” Alex looked over to the side of Delsin’s face.

  “So he was his dad or something?”

  “No, he lost both of his the day it all began. He raised him the entirety of his life. Now that he’s gone who knows what might be in store.”

  Alex felt a twinge of sympathy. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean were leaderless and we have a loose-cannon now. If Merrick were still around he’d already have Danny be in charge. But a lot of us still aren’t willing to even so much as walk up to him about it. Ashley’s probably the only thing keeping him from taking us all out.”

  “He really likes her doesn’t he?”

  “Yep. Other than Merrick she reminds him what we’re fighting for.” Alex gazed down at the console of the jalopy and finally dared to question.

  “Why do you fight anyway? This is why people don’t like you.”

  “Why did patriots fight those tea sippers way back when?”

  “They wanted freedom from a tyrant. The government wants to keep you here to protect other people from psychos in the zones.”

  “You mean those loyalists out there who discredit us as inhumane? We may be different, but were people too. It was wrong to put innocent people in the same prison as killers then and it’s still wrong now.”

  “It’s a precaution though. Healthy people don’t trust us.”

  “That so? Well if that’s the case I may be more insane than the sick.”

  Alex asked what he meant but was cut short by his own intruding acumen. His mouth had fallen slightly at the shocking revelation nulling any of his previous impressions of the man. His eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re not infected.”

  “That’s right. So, do you think I’m no different than those judgmental parties?” Delsin asked inferring awkwardness in Alex.

  “But…why are you with these people? Why would you make an enemy out of yourself?”

  “The truth is, I used to be a part of the military, and I defected because what they were doing was wrong. I was one of their many strategists. I give insight into assaults on bases and such from a military standpoint for the Immortals. But really, I actually didn’t join because of my dislike of the government. I joined because I admired them the most out of any gang in the zones.” Alex stared at him with growing curiosity; he swallowed nervously as he heard. “Unlike the others who were just trying to make it by, they tried to fight for something. They were patriots fighting against tyrants. Do you know why Danny carries that symbol on his jacket?” Delsin’s eyes glance over to him and watched Alex’s head shake in confusion. “It shows our fight for freedom and rebirth. It means that when we are reborn we will be stronger, even as we die our example lives on in others. We will never truly die, that’s why we are Immortals. The bird struggles for freedom from its master. Freedom is an infectious thing, that’s why others will rise even after our time. They may not see it now, some may even see it as paradise living here, but the idea will spark in the young children we house. Who knows, maybe the real problem doesn’t even lie with the struggle. Maybe it’s our thirst for power that lets us do evil things. Now that we have those abilities, it’s up to us to decide what we are. The Immortals aren’t perfect, but we’re family nonetheless.”

  Alex looked at him and thought about everyone he had met in the Immortals. Delsin was right, whether or not they liked it, they were in some way related through their own powers and weaknesses. “Hey, you said not to hurt some girl. Who were you talking about?”

  “I meant the girl that was looking at you. Who else would I be talking about?”

  “She looked at me weird. But what did I do?”

  “Well for one you killed her mother, the last genetic family that she had. I would say she’s a bit peeved at you.” Alex looked down into his lap again but this time in embarrassment and heart stopping guilt.

  “What’s her name?” Alex asked meekly.

  “Elizabeth,” Delsin answered. Alex stared down with the name Elizabeth rattling in his mind. He then thought back to the woman that he had absorbed and stolen his spark abilities from. He could also then understand why Danny nearly murdered him for Merrick’s death. His accidental homicide of Elizabeth’s mother sparked distrust amongst everyone around him. People looked at him with disgust for his debauchery. Alex shut his eyes for one brief moment and re-opened them; he had come to a final decision. He wanted to make amends with Elizabeth. He looked up at the streets ahead of him and knew that he did something terrible. The weight of Delsin’s words fell upon him. If he wanted to survive, he needed to gain their trust, which meant acceptance into the family. Alex thought to himself as he stared out into the blue through the window. As soon as we get back, I’m going to speak with her.

  The gentle sound of two voices brought about light to extinguish the darkness in Heather’s mind. Her eye lids slowly lifted and gave way to blurred walls and picture frames hung around her. Her dilated eyeballs regained focus and took note of the photos of her and her two parents. She was an only child to an accomplished business man and woman. She had begun to weakly rise from the object she was laid upon, her blanket sliding off of her. She glanced down uneasily and saw that she rested on a small sofa with her head cradled by a small pillow.

  She looked back up and then around the mysterious room. It was no longer a mystery to her where she was. She was in her home again. The blood had been cleaned from her face and she found herself in the clean living room. She lifted her hand to her face and touched her mouth in disbelief, lowering it again to find no trace of life fluid. She looked forward and quickly and nervously stood. Her legs nearly gave out when she stood but she caught herself on the ottoman. She regained her step and stumbled toward the voices in fanciful shock, regaining her nimble balance as she steadied her breath.

  She walked into her simple dining room. It was square and wood with only three chairs. Outside she heard the roaring of daily patrolling military vehicles, making their rounds around her neighborhood. She stopped dead in her tracks and her mouth fell open, her eyes widened. She was frozen in place at the sight of two humans that stood in front of her. They were conversing to one another. A man sat down at the table loo
king at a newspaper. The front page showed a small picture of the Times Square attack mere days ago. A woman stood over him touching his shoulder. Heather caught their attention and the woman looked over to her and gave a comforting smile. Heather could not believe the very thing that stood in front of her. Her hands trembled as the man looked away from his stories and gave her a quick and whimsical smile.

  “Hi sweetie,” The man greeted her happily. Heather stood still, closed her mouth, and swallowed down her dry esophagus. She stared at them and did not reply.

  “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” The woman asked concerned. Heather said nothing and shut her eyes tightly. She reopened them and she then knew that she was not in any sort of hallucination. She tightened her hands into passionate fists as her eyes filled with moisture. Without hesitation or any warning, she rushed after the two and embraced them both.

  “Are you okay, Heather? We were just gone a week,” The man at the table stated with her arm wrapped around his neck in love.

  “I’m fine,” Heather said through her distorted and quivering voice and damp eyes, “I love you guys.”

  The man and woman both put one of their hands on her. The woman put hers on her shoulder and the man placed his on her arm that wrapped around his throat like a snake. The trio dwelled in that single state of affection as though and eternity had passed, and they had finally been reunited. Heather shut her eyes and buried them in the woman’s shoulder. She stained her fancy black dress sleeve with her own tears of joy. She rested her eyes on her for a moment and looked past her over the woman’s shoulder.

  Her heart had stopped then and there at the sight she had witnessed behind them. A mound of meat stood before her eyes. It was blackened with crimson and dripped from the wooden table down to the floor. It gestated as though there was still life within it, but no safe haven for it. It was unwanted, unloved. It had begun to give the faint moaning that gave way to a vicious cry of children in pain. Her heart sank in despair, not because of what she had witnessed or out of horror of the sight, but rather out of the helplessness of the crimson mound that soon gave way to a childlike face.

  She gasped…then gasped harder as she awoke on a stained mattress lying on the ground with no ceiling above her. She stared at the sky. Her face felt dry as though she had been dried from a bath. The blood had been cleaned from her recently. She lifted her head and stared down her stained dark red body. Her chin pressed just above her breast as she looked around her, there were no walls. The sky had begun to grow grey with nimbus clouds.

  “It’s about time,” A voice rang and she turned her head toward it.

  The voice gave way to a being clothed entirely in pitch black with goggles blocking his eyes. The boy had unusual weapons on both sides of his hips and he lifted the eye wear and rested them on the top of his forehead. He wore a black tee shirt and black shorts with a grey scarf wrapped around his neck.

  Heather hesitated and stared at him for seconds. She then rose from her mattress and sat on it. Her knees came up to her chest as her feet touched the ground that was not far from it. The figure stood arms crossed with a stern face and confident eyes.

  “Were you… the one that attacked us when I passed out?” Heather asked cautiously and disappointingly by her ultimate realization of reality.

  “I prefer the term to be more like ‘damsel in distress.’ Seeing as your buddy made off with your stuff and left you.” Heather then remembered those last words before she never heard from her again, I’m sorry.

  “What were you planning on doing with us? Why did you surprise us like that?” Heather asked choking up and burying her face into her jean covered knees.

  “I don’t know,” The boy raised his eyes and shrugged as a gesture of false confusion and ignorance. “I guess you both just looked so pathetic.”

  “I mean,” The boy continued. “If I wanted to I could have killed you both, or violated you, or both. You were already dying as it was, and your buddy seemed pretty afraid of me. I suppose when I saw, I just had pity on you and – ,” He was cut short by soft whimpering and sniffing as the blonde girl of his age wrapped her arms around her legs and kept her face buried. The boy looked at her, softening his disposition. It was a trait not found within the zones. He uncrossed his limbs and slowly walked over to her. He had pity on her as she was dying in the street, waiting for the first traveler to finish her off. Even now he did not know why, but he pitied her ever more so now. He became curious of her pain.

  “Hey, what’s your problem?” he asked lowering his hand down to her attempting to grasp her shoulder. She swatted him away like a mere fly. She behaved as though nothing he could say or do now could ever ease the pain of what torment she endured. She sat on her run down bed and sulked and sobbed her heart out. The boy then cautiously tried to sit beside her. To his surprise, she allowed him to do such.

  “Look I don’t know what happened to you before I found you guys, but the zones ain’t a place for crybabies.” He spoke trying to sound sincere and understanding but to no avail. She ignored him as though he were invisible and she continued to cry for the life that she had longed to reclaim. She never killed anyone, she never stole, she never even lied about something, but she was there nonetheless. Nothing could be done to change that. The boy then stared at her disgusted and somewhat drawn to her emotion, as though it hurt himself.

  “Well, I guess should have let you die then,” He spoke harshly. He stood up and wandered over the extent of the ground.

  “What?” Heather raised her red eyes stained from tears as she spoke sullenly. She was appalled by his sudden change of heart.

  “If being in the zones are too hard for you, if this new life is too much for you, then letting you die would have been a kindness. You’re weak,” He spoke to her as he looked out into the grey oblivion facing his back to her. Heather stared at him. She stood up like an angry child.

  “Bastard.” The boy slowly faced the girl in front of him as he apathetically turned his head to look at her. “If you saw a dying dog would you leave it like that?”

  “I’d kill the mutt,” The boy said coldly.

  “Then why didn’t you?” Heather asked harshly as though she were betrayed by the person she had met mere seconds before. The boy turned all the way around, surprised by this accusation. The girl frowned with sorrow as two final tears streamed down her dried face.

  “Why didn’t you finish me? How dare you have pity! Couldn’t you see I did nothing to stop the bleeding? I suppose you were right, I just wanted to die.” Her tirade brought quivering to her lips and made her snort her nose in sorrow. “I thought no one was human in the zones anymore! How dare you let me live!” She collapsed to her knees suddenly coughing and gasping for air. The boy rushed to her side attempting to console her. He instructed her to watch her breathing and she pushed him away and calmly tried to breathe deeply.

  “You’re an asthmatic?” The boy questioned curiously. Heather gasped and finally exhaled,

  “Yes.” The boy saw that the girl was not herself. She had lost all sense of hardened reasoning and thus suggested a different approach.

  “Levi,” The boy stated.

  “Who?”

  “Me. And you are?” Levi asked calmly. Heather sighed and then spoke.

  “Heather.”

  “Well Heather, why don’t you stay here. You must be hungry, do you want some food?” Levi hadn’t extended such an act of kindness to anyone in years. Yet there was something about her that gave him such a feeling of wanting to do good for her. Heather looked up at him with somber eyes.

  “Would you like that?” Heather slowly nodded, unsure of him. The boy then moved over a gargantuan stash of papers and pulled a large bag from inside it. He reached in and pulled a large, saran-wrapped bag. He opened it and gave it to her. The aroma of salted potato slices moistened Heather’s mouth. He offered it to her and without warning, she yanked the bag from him and started toward the edge of the structure.

>   “Stop!” Levi warned her as she then froze at the sight of the towering giants that surrounded her. The gaping maw of a behemoth with fire in its mouth waited below. Levi rushed to her side as she looked down upon the people that wandered unaware of the maw they resided in, in fact, turning to it for safety. She then remembered her own hunger and gorged on the sliced potatoes in whole handfuls. Her and Levi both looked out into the distance and saw the once glorious lady of freedom. The chalice of flame she wielded was now dismembered from her body and half of her face was gone. Her lower half was rusted and falling to pieces. The once liberating lady in green had fallen to nothing more than a mere art project.

  X

  False Safety

  Soon the grey had given way to faint darkness, similar to that of twilight. The quiet sound of rolling thunder beating like drums filled the skies. The wind had kicked up and the overcoat of a monster was flipped back and floating behind him like a kite. The monster’s mask was once again placed over his face to signify bravado. At his side, in his hand, was the single magnum given to him by his employer those days ago, where the madness in his life had begun. Beside him stood two other men clad in equipment, dressed for war.

  Behind them were men and women dressed resembling insects, bearing exoskeletons. The armor was in synthetic bars around their limbs and upper and lower body. Some wore sleek grey and pale white helmets with single black glass in the front of them. Others kept their original identity, the common human, but fighting for something greater than themselves. They bore fingerless black gloves beneath the braces that covered their bodies. A single reel mechanism on each arm was melted into the brace above their wrists. A strap banded the mechanism and wrapped around the warriors palm and there were four simple switches upon them. The monster stared down at the behemoth, the animal in season for the hunt. He stared down with sympathetic and somewhat guilt stricken eyes.