by A. Giacomi
CHAPTER NINETEEN
EVE
I am nearly eight months along. I am excited to meet the baby and I know this worries Dr. August, but wasn’t I allowed to feel a little joy? This baby was going to grant me some happiness, no matter how brief, and I was going to cherish every moment.
“Eve, listen to me, you’ve become so wrapped up with baby information that you’ve forgotten about our mission. Can we please go over these documents while everyone is out of the room? Who knows how long we’ll have.”
“Fine,” I say flatly.
I didn’t want to talk about the end of days or zombies or anything else that brought me misery, but I suppose that was selfish of me.
“Enlighten me, Dr. August, what did you find in the documents that we recovered in Egypt?”
“Well, Eve, there were a few sketches in the bag.” He pulls out the first sketch that looks like a scribbled shadow of a man, the next one shows the same dark figure, but with burning red eyes, the last sketch shows the outline of a man with a red dot placed where his heart should be.
“What does it all mean, Dr. August? The dark figure reminds me of the presence that we met on the road and in the tombs in Egypt, but what is that last picture about? A heart? Is it a clue as to whose heart they must sacrifice?”
Dr. August shakes his head. “It’s a prophecy, Eve. There are notes that go with the pictures. What’s most exciting about this find is that the notes are by archaeologist James E. Quibell. Everyone said that he had poorly documented his findings at Hierakonpolis, but this…these notes…dispute that. It seems he was trying to hide much of what he found. He didn’t want people to dig any further; he knew there was danger in it. Even at the end of his notes, there is a warning to leave Hierakonpolis and never return.”
I try to search my mind, the name Quibell rang a bell. I remembered hearing about him and his partner Green. “Wasn’t he one of the archeologists that found the Narmer Palette?” I ask Dr. August curiously.
“Yes Eve, the very same. Now I took the liberty in printing a copy of the Narmer Palette. I feel as though it has new meaning under the circumstances, don’t you think?”
He hands me two photos, one of the front of the palette, the other of the back of the palette. I had seen this image many times, I had even seen it in person at The Royal Ontario Museum, but it had never made more sense that it had at this very moment.
The horned beings atop the palette seemed to be demons or devils. Either way, it was depicting that evil reigned above all else. Perhaps the most frightening thing about the palette was the bottom; the figures at the bottom were buried, but not dead. They seemed to dance, march, or be busying themselves with something. The dead didn’t rest. The only ones lying down on the palette were the headless ones.
I point this out to Dr. August. “I noticed that too, Eve, after all, these years I never would have guessed that The Dark King was responsible for an undead army. They were stories, this wasn’t supposed to be real!”
Dr. August looks to be having a panic attack; he had been having those frequently lately, especially when I would ask where he had been. He seemed awfully secretive lately, but I decided he would tell me in time. I didn’t need him having a heart attack, he was a comfort, and I needed him by my side.
I try to change the subject in order to get him to calm down. “So what does the prophecy say? We know the history. The Dark King wanted that stupid red rock to control his people and build his kingdom when he realized the evil he had brought upon the land he tried to return it and pretty much got shot down by Satan himself, am I right? Did I get it all?”
I chuckle slightly, and Dr. August gives a sly grin. “It’s not funny, you know?”
I nod. “Yes I know, but if I don’t laugh, I’ll freak out.”
He gives a little chuckle before sifting through the papers again. “Ah, here it is, Quibell wrote that figure came to him one night asking him to find the red stones and bury them in the heart of Hierakonpolis where no one would ever find them. In the wrong hands, the stone would end all life.”
“Well, we know that part already! Don’t we?” I huff.
“Silent, I’m not finished yet,” Dr. August scolds.
I apologize and he continues.
“I’m going to read this next part to you verbatim, Eve, it says: If the red stones travel, they will infect the land, and The Fallen Angel will reign on Earth. To stop him will take the heart of an innocent soul that basks in the love of the damned.”
I ponder it for a moment, but nothing comes to me. “I’m sorry, Dr. August. I have no idea what that means.”
He looks troubled as he puts the documents and photos back into the canvas bag. “I guess I will have to do a bit more research then, Eve. I will be back later.”
With that, he kisses my forehead and departs. I knew there was something terribly off about him, but I couldn’t figure out what. Perhaps it was his worry for me, this baby, Cam, his own family. His shoulders were heavy these days, and this little puzzle wasn’t helping.
“What the hell basks in the love of the damned?” I whisper under my breath.
Just when I thought I could be alone with my thoughts, Agent Williams bursts in humming and smiling. His smile had become a lot creepier lately; I tried not to mention the changes in his looks. He was beginning to look more zombie and less man, somehow the Azrael Virus was accelerating at a faster pace through his veins.
“You can bask in my love if you wish,” he says as he kisses my hand.
I would have retracted my hand if I could have, but my wrists were still chained to my hospital bed. I didn’t feel like attempting to break free, my bad arm wasn’t healing anymore and I feared it would just crisp off if I struggled.
“Agent Williams, are these restraints really necessary?” I ask as I flutter my eyelashes, hoping to have some effect on him.
“Yes darling, they’re for your safety and the baby’s. If you turn, who knows what you’ll be capable of? I wouldn’t want you hurting yourself or the baby…and please, call me Marcus.”
I had no desire to ever call him Marcus again, but I nod and smile the way that good prisoners do. I knew he held all the cards so why argue with him?
He clears his throat. “I brought you a present.”
This usually meant food, but today there was an extra skip in his step. If it wasn’t a yummy new prisoner, what could it be? Now that I was eating for two, I had been going through bodies at an alarming rate, about six or seven humans a day. It was nothing I was proud of, and I never enjoyed looking at their terror before snacking. It was simply a necessity.
I play along. “What did you get me?” I say excitedly.
“Someone you love very much.”
I want to believe it will be Cam, but the only way Agent Williams would gift me with Cam would be Cam’s head on a silver platter. The man hated him, but kept him alive, I was grateful for that at least.
I clap with delight. “Well, who?”
Agent Williams points to the door and it opens to reveal a face I thought I’d never see again. Alex stands there looking bewildered. I want to scream, I want to dance. The mixture of emotions just leads to more bloody tears. It seems that the nurses were changing my blood soaked pillowcases every five minutes.
Alex makes me forget about my mixed emotions by pushing the guards away from her and racing toward me with a huge grin. She throws herself at me, avoiding the bump; however, she does stare at the rather large mound with her mouth agape.
“This must be very strange for you,” I say pointing to my belly.
“Strange for me? What about you?” she says as her mouth continues to hang open in shock.
“Nah I’ve had nearly nine months to get used to it now. Looking forward to being done with it.” My smile full of sorrow as I rub my belly.
How I craved the normal banter
between girlfriends about how my morning sickness was, or baby kicks, or what I would name it, or what gender it would be, but instead she could neither congratulate me nor be overjoyed. This matter was slightly less typical, and a lot less hopeful. The baby was not my decision, and most likely I would die right after its birth.
The joy of our reunion passes, and I can see the hurt in Alex’s eyes. “What did they do, Alex?” I look at Agent Williams who is glaring at Alex. There was something she wasn’t allowed to share. Rather than try and get the information from her, I look at Agent Williams.
“What have you done to her? Why is she here?”
“Eve, relax. She’s here for her own protection. I’m sure you’ve heard how dangerous it’s gotten out there. I thought it best to keep her here until we figured out how to stop the zombies. Right, Alex?”
Alex shivers as he stares her down; she nods and retains her silence.
“Good, I’m going to give you girls some time to hang out. Now remember, Alex, we’ll be listening. I do hope you’ll follow the instructions I gave you prior to this.”
Alex nods again, and with that Agent Williams departs.
“Fine I won’t ask,” I say to Alex, “but I will find out…eventually… I’m so happy you’re alive. I spent so many nights wondering about you. I never expected to see you again.”
The bloody tears stream down my face, but it doesn’t bother Alex, instead she grabs tissues and begins to wipe them away. She soon joins me with tears of her own, normal, beautiful, human tears.
“I didn’t think I was going to see you or Cam ever again either. I’m happy to see you both.” She pauses and furrows her brow trying to compose herself. “It’s really bad out there, Eve. There’s no news anymore, which can only mean the zombies have really done a number on our cities. I haven’t seen people in a long time. We were…I was hiding in a cabin. That’s how I was able to stay away from the mess out there. It seems that CSIS was tracking me the entire time, and then they swooped in and got me…and here I am.”
The fact that she was alone in that cabin said a lot, I didn’t want to ask about her family because I already knew the answer. If they weren’t here, they were most likely gone.
I want to speak more with Alex, but a pain shoots through me, causing me to scream. She falls backward from the shock of it.
“Eve, what’s wrong?” she says in a panicked tone.
Then I see her take off to call the guards. Agent Williams appears in the doorway and races toward me, the Doctor joins him.
I can see Alex biting her nails in the background. Our reunion was short-lived, but she might just luck out and get to join me for labour. I suppose this pain meant the baby was coming, that was my only guess. In mere moments they are carting me out of the room, Alex is racing behind, I can hear her calling to me.
Once we reach surgery, they don’t allow her to go any further. I want my friend with me, I try to scream to her, but the pain is so fierce that I can’t say a word. I see them dragging her away from the doors, but once they seal, she’s gone, and I’m left in a room with a psycho doctor, a few nurses, and my zombie baby daddy. This wasn’t my ideal birthing situation. I always dreamed of having my mother in the delivery room with me, she had the most soothing voice, and I knew she would get me through it. I try to picture her as I lay there waiting for instructions.
Agent Williams appears overhead. “Eve, I need you to stay calm.”
Which of course never leaves you feeling very calm.
“Why what’s wrong? You look worried,” I say as I try to look around the room.
The Doctor shows up next. “Agent Williams, it doesn’t look good, I’m going to ask you to take a seat and let me see what I can do.”
Panic reaches my voice. “What doesn’t look good? Please tell me what’s going on!”
Another pain shoots through me; it feels like swords slicing through my spine.
The room is spinning and I’m having trouble getting myself to calm down. The Doctor is no help, his devilish grin was never comforting and he’s right above me with some fancy new needles. “Now Eve, I need you to calm down, since you can’t seem to do that on your own, I’m going to help you.”
I fight the needles and even break an arm free from the cuffs, but it was no use. The Doctor was too quick, and the needles worked too well. The lights went out in about ten seconds.
***
When my eyelids flutter open, I’m in a new room. It’s not the same white walls with bright lights I was used to. For some reason, that hospital feel had become normal, and the facility had become my home. This room was dark with many strange devices on the walls and many blue blinking lights, if you didn’t look too closely you might have mistaken a wall for the night sky.
I glance around to find the Doctor typing something into one of the walls, perhaps it was a code or medical file?
“Hey!” I should out to him.
He doesn’t bother to turn around or reply. Instead, he continues to walk from wall to wall inserting data and moving forward.
I am once again strapped to a metal table, much like the one I was placed on when I was first acquainted with the Doctor. I didn’t know why he wouldn’t tell anyone his name, it was a strange part of the respect he demanded. No one was allowed to call him by name, he was simply, ‘The Doctor.’ Perhaps the lack of name made it easier for him to emotionally detach from others. He didn’t like getting too close or socializing. He did his work, followed his instructions and didn’t care about the rest of it. I often wondered what had happened in his life to make him so cold and strange.
When he completes his data entry, he walks over to me and makes sure my restraints are tight enough. He doesn’t speak or make eye contact with me, it was as if I wasn’t even there.
“Doctor,” I say in a pleading way, “where is the baby?”
I bite my lip as the words escape. I didn’t want to cry in front of him, tears made him clam up, and I would never get an answer.
“What baby?” he states coolly.
I try not to anger. “You know very well what baby. My baby. Where is it? Can I see it?”
“Well, now that depends on…” He leaves the words hanging. He knew exactly how to hurt me. I might already be dead, but I still cared for people, and that made me weak in his eyes.
“Depends on what exactly? ...Where is the baby, dammit?” My rage makes my body shiver. I fight against the restraints and feel a slight tear. He might want to choose his next words carefully.
He lets out a heavy sigh. “I really don’t do sad stories. Let me fetch you someone better at this.” He leaves the room and Agent Williams replaces him.
“Marcus!” For the first time in a long time, I am relieved to see him. “Please tell me…where is our baby?”
His lips quiver and I know his answer will hurt me, but still I needed to hear him say it.
“Eve, there is no…there is no baby…She didn’t make it. The experiment failed.”
The only word that pulses through my thoughts is “she”.
“It was a girl?” I give a slight smile. “You got to see her then? Did you hold her?”
He shakes his head. Marcus looked truly crushed, and in this shared moment of sorrow, I begin to see him in a different light. Perhaps I had the ability to forgive him after all.
I decide to put all my cards on the table. I needed to feel human for a moment and be vulnerable. Tears fill my eyes. “Marcus I need someone to hold me.”
He rushes over to me and undoes all the restraints. Once I sit upright he holds out his arms to me, but I ask him to pause. I pull up my hospital gown and glance down at my stomach. The once glorious bump was gone; it was flat, lifeless, and perfectly healed.
Marcus places his cold hand to my stomach. There was a pain in his eyes as he looked into mine. His pain made me weaker and the sobs come quickly.
He embraces me and I fall into his arms like they could heal me. I just wanted to believe they could.
This was it, the final straw. The Azrael Virus had not killed me, nor losing both my parents nor the betrayals and secrets of this place. Losing this one piece of me had broken me. She had been my last hope at something right. It was silly to believe a dead girl could give birth to something living, no matter how mad the scientist was.
Marcus strokes my rotting arm and then backs away. He begins to unbutton his shirt and reveals that his chest is showing signs of the same sort of rot. The decay is setting in faster than mine. His chest is riddled with dark dry ooze, they look like scabs, there are a series of black veins covering his chest. I run my fingers over each one trying to find their source.
“Marcus, what is happening to you?” I say dumbfounded.
“I wish I knew, Eve. Ever since Egypt, the virus has been accelerating. I’ve had your doctor look at it, Dr. August look at it, and other scientists in the facility, but no one knows what it is. I think I’m dying…”
I half laugh and then shake my head. “Sorry, it’s not funny.” I hang my head. “It’s just that we shouldn’t even be here. We are the dead.”
I turn away from him, but Marcus grabs my chin and gently brings my face toward his, kissing me softly. He pulls away momentarily. “I’m so sorry, Eve. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore…”
“Neither do I,” I say before pulling him close to me again and kissing him deeply. Perhaps it was a mistake, but I was too numb care at the moment.
I remove his clothing to find his body riddled with black, toxic looking veins. He seems embarrassed by them, uncomfortable even. We had this in common, I hated that we were expected to be ashamed of our bodies now. Like the virus had made us less desirable and less accepted.
Why had I been hiding my arm? I guess I still wanted to be human, but not anymore, that life was behind me. I had a new life now, and I just wanted to be with my kind. Forget all the stupid human bullshit for a while.
I had been pushing Marcus away, but really I should have been embracing him all along. I wouldn’t let that happen again. It was time to embrace what I was, and I was like Marcus.
