“Of course, this is a long introduction to explain how the zombie virus came about, but one that is important. Are you still with me?”
Caleb nodded.
“Good. Now, I will glaze over the boring scientific stuff to keep the story exciting. As you know, viruses were used in a process called Gene Therapy, which is the process of altering DNA to rid the human body of disease. It was successful in fighting cystic fibrosis, so science wanted to see what it could do against cancer cells.
“For all intents and purposes, Gene Therapy against cancer cells worked, and the viruses were able to alter the cancerous cells’ DNA and kill them. But as I said earlier, viruses are simple. They can’t think or be reasoned with. All they want to do is survive and thrive. They did what came naturally and mutated and evolved.
“Science tried to predict this; they knew the viruses would change, they just didn’t know how. They tried to create inhibitors to stop the viruses from changing, but only caused them to mutate and evolve in even more unpredictable ways. Eventually, the virus evolved to the point where it could reanimate dead flesh. But don’t be confused about what is going on. The zombies only retain their human qualities in appearance. They are puppets for the virus to reproduce and spread.”
A genuine smile crossed Dr. Maudas’s lips, lighting up his face in a way making him seem childlike. For a moment, Caleb could almost see the grandfatherly qualities in him. However, it was short-lived as the realization his happiness came from destructive microscopic organisms crossed Caleb’s mind. The smile no longer seemed innocent but menacing.
“Obviously, from a biological perspective, the existence of zombies goes against nature. Once something has died, it shouldn’t be able to come back. And, technically speaking, using something dead as a vector is a horrible idea. It’s weak and rotting. Given enough time, it would waste away to nothing.”
Dr. Maudas slid forward on his chair and raised both hands, pointing them at Caleb to emphasize his point.
“But that is where the beauty of the virus really shines through. It took something nature had discarded as useless and used it to its advantage to survive. It has slowed down the decaying process. Eventually, the host will rot away, but the virus has prolonged the inevitable. It has also given the host strength to keep it upright and to allow it the ability to overcome the living.
“You see, the virus can’t actually replicate without living tissues, which is why the zombies consume human flesh. The rotting corpses don’t need the energy to survive, but the virus does. However, if there is no prey around, the virus is smart enough to go into a catatonic state. It’s self-preservation.”
The doctor dropped his hands in his lap and chuckled softly. “It is both amazing and terrifying what the virus was able to do to survive.”
The pair sat in silence for several moments. Caleb let the information sink into his brain. All of it seemed plausible. He knew a little about viruses from his high school biology class and some of the things Dr. Maudas said sparked memories of sitting in class watching a video about the life cycle of viruses and bacteria and how they were different. In addition, the doctor seemed to know the subject matter thoroughly. Caleb wasn’t going to question him—although he did have some questions.
“Before you ask, Caleb, I’m sure you’re wondering how the virus created RBZs and BZs.”
It wasn’t the foremost on his mind, but since Dr. Maudas mentioned it, he was wondering about it.
“Fundamentally, every human is the same. We have the same building blocks, but in our genes and DNA, there are differences. When the virus infects people with certain genetic markers, it mutates further. Since the virus has the ability to give its host increased strength, it is heightened in certain individuals, which manifests in increased size.”
“And skull strength.”
Caleb didn’t mean to blurt out the words while Dr. Maudas spoke, but he couldn’t stop himself. The doctor raised his eyebrows.
“Did you try to shoot one in the head?”
Caleb shook his head. “I didn’t. But I was there when someone else did.”
Dr. Maudas nodded. “Part of the mutation makes their skulls like Kevlar. They aren’t completely impervious, but they can withstand quite a lot.”
It made sense, and it was utterly terrifying. As the doctor spoke, Caleb remembered how Lilah had single-handedly killed the two RBZs in the park. It hadn’t occurred to him at the time, but Caleb was now aware how much effort it must have taken. It apparently required vast strength—which most humans wouldn’t possess. The thought cramped Caleb’s stomach.
“What about their intelligence?”
“Ah, yes. Yet another interesting effect of the virus. One of the amazing things about RBZs and BZs is the virus keeps some parts of them alive. Which is also why they don’t need to devour humans to survive.”
A shudder ran down Caleb’s spine at the doctor’s words. It had never occurred to Caleb to notice whether BZs and RBZs ate people—he just assumed they did. They were zombies, after all. His thoughts drifted back to his encounters with the monstrosities. As he replayed the memory of being attacked in the park, being chased when he ran from Hale and the other officers, and then when the creatures invaded Sanctuary. Caleb realized never once had a BZ or RBZ bitten or even try to bite a human, but the opportunity existed. One had Venger in its hands. The ramifications of this tiny bit of information run through Caleb’s head. This was huge; it meant RBZs and BZs retained part of their humanity. It may have been a small part, but it was there nonetheless. The line between zombies and humans, RBZs and BZs and zombies, and RBZs and BZs and humans was blurred even further—and he had no idea where he fit in the scheme of all of it.
“And then we get to you.” Dr. Maudas crossed his legs and leaned back, the smile still on his lips. “Like the giants, you have certain genetic markers making the virus act differently in your body.”
“As in, not at all?”
“Oh, you’re infected. I ran some tests on the blood I drew last night, and the virus is present. However, you have a genetic marker stopping it from making you a vector. I have a feeling the part of the virus keeping the body moving has an effect on you. Perhaps giving you the ability to heal quickly.” He stared at Caleb for a moment, waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, Dr. Maudas commented, “But I’ll need to run some more tests to find out if it’s true.”
CHAPTER 17
This is even worse than I imagined.
Caleb’s skin became clammy, queasiness settled into his stomach. He swallowed, and it stuck in his throat. Knowing he was “infected” answered some questions—the top of the list being why the zombies thought he was one of them. If the virus’s mission was to find a new host, he wasn’t a good candidate because he already had it. However, it was disconcerting knowing ingesting living tissues, particularly someone else’s blood, fed the virus. Just because the disease hadn’t turned him into the walking dead didn’t mean he was different from the zombies—especially the BZs and RBZs. What would happen if they ingested living flesh? He didn’t want to know. It was a good thing they didn’t eat humans. He shuddered thinking about how they retained some of their humanity, how Lilah’s eyes drew him in—there was still humanity in there.
What goes on in their minds? Do they know they are still part human but undead? How do they cope? God, it must be like a level of hell.
Another shudder shook Caleb’s body. He knew it was wrong to consume the living, but when Samuel’s blood dripped into his mouth, he couldn’t restrain himself. It would have been so easy to give in to his desire and urges. Thankfully, he didn’t. Maybe not giving in was proof he was different from the undead. Maybe RBZ and BZs had just enough intelligence to keep them from understanding the ramifications of the virus while still being a little bit human. The thought of a virus being smart enough to do all of this terrified him.
Despite a few questions being answered, Caleb still had many others. The most prominent on his min
d being what he was capable of—the same question had plagued him since finding out about his immunity. But there were others too, such as exactly what kind of experiments Dr. Maudas was going to conduct on him.
Oh, I guarantee they aren’t going to be good. You really need to figure out how to get out of here.
A tingling sensation originated in the center of Caleb’s chest and spread down his arms and into his fingers. He knew he needed to get out, but he had to figure out how first. Dr. Maudas made it a point to let him know it wouldn’t be easy—if not impossible. The timing had to be right. He glanced at the doctor. The smile of excitement still clung to his lips. What about this whole situation did he find so fascinating? Caleb didn’t want to know. The man already made him uncomfortable and afraid. He had to live with him for a while longer, so it was best not to add a level of terror. If it made Dr. Maudas happy to talk about the virus, Caleb would keep talking about it. For the moment, it kept him safe.
“Is that why a vaccine never worked? Because the virus kept changing?”
It wasn’t the most important question Caleb could have asked, but it was one he wanted to hear the answer to.
Dr. Maudas shook his head. “No, the vaccine didn’t work because the virus has an awesome defense mechanism built into it. One most immune systems can’t break down.”
“What’s it called? The virus?”
“It doesn’t have a name. No one is clamoring to name the species that practically wiped out the human population.”
“So, it can’t infect animals?”
“Not at the moment. But that doesn’t mean sometime in the future it won’t mutate again.”
The queasiness in Caleb’s stomach turned to nausea. His head felt light and hollow. He tightened his grip on the arms of his chair so he had an anchor to keep him in reality.
“It’s a frightening prospect, the virus.” Dr. Maudas’s voice was low, almost soothing. “But you have nothing to worry about. It’s damaged you as much as it can.”
A bitter chuckle escaped Caleb’s lips. The virus had done a lot—he wasn’t going to deny it had—but he was sure there was still more it could do to tear Caleb down.
He quickly regained his composure and discomfort. “Am I the only one?”
Dr. Maudas took a deep breath and held Caleb in his gaze for several long moments before responding. “I doubt it. I’m sure there are others who possess your genetic anomaly, but if they aren’t in a database somewhere, I wouldn’t know about them.”
A sour smile crossed Caleb’s lips. “I guess I was just lucky to be at the right place at the right time.”
Dr. Maudas lifted his hands and then slapped them down on his thighs. “I think now would be a good time to take a break. Why don’t you grab some fresh air, and I’ll prepare for our next round of experiments.” He stood from his seat and wheeled his tray to the opposite side of the lab.
Caleb didn’t want to think about what the next round entailed, but he knew he didn’t have a choice in whether they were conducted. Fresh air sounded like a good idea; it would help clear his head.
And since its daylight, it’ll give you a better idea of what your surroundings look like.
Caleb barely felt his legs under him as he stood from the chair. Darkness surrounded him as he proceeded down the tunnel, but he didn’t notice, he kept his thoughts focused on getting outside. His omelet threatened to find its way out of his stomach, and he repeatedly swallowed to keep it down.
The sun warmed his skin and invited him into its brightness; the cool air refreshed him. Caleb closed his eyes and absorbed nature. The scent of sagebrush and pine drifted into his nostrils. Basking in the natural world gave him a sense of peace before he had to go back to the reality involving viruses and the living dead. He’d always enjoyed being outside. Often, he would grab his laptop and sit in the hammock in his backyard and write code—it was the best of both worlds for him. Then, there had been the annual trips he and his father took to the cabin. For a whole week, it was just the two of them and nature. He normally didn’t take his computer then, and he would fall asleep to the buzz of insects and wake to the songs of birds. Pain squeezed his heart as he thought about the cabin, and the scars on the insides of his wrists tingled.
Somewhere in the distance, a hawk screeched. Caleb saw it in his mind’s eye as it soared through the blue sky. He imagined it hunting for food, looking for rabbits or prairie dogs to consume. The smooth feathers on its head and body reflected the sun, and its bright eyes took in every aspect of the world around it. His thoughts changed to show half of the bird’s feathers missing on its body and head—its eyes clouded over and chunks of flesh had rotted in various places. It still soared through the sky, but instead of looking for rodents, its keen vision focused on human flesh. When its prey was in sight, it dove from the sky and drove its beak through its victim’s skull.
Caleb inhaled a sharp breath and squeezed his eyes shut; his knees gave out beneath him. His eyes popped open as his butt connected with the hard ground. He pulled his knees to his chest and averted his gaze toward the sky.
More often than not, Caleb had difficulty seeing the good in the world. His focus was always on death and destruction and the living dead. But there was still some good. He had to force himself to see it, but it existed. Survivors worked to make the world a better place. The people in the city, in Zomtech, in Sanctuary. People like Jan. Hawks still soared free through the sky. Sure, a lot had been lost—including hope—but there was more to be gained. Maybe True was right: maybe this was their chance to start over, to change more than their names. If nothing else, maybe Caleb had an opportunity to make sure it didn’t get worse.
Sure, he had visions of the hawk turning undead, but it was only a fantasy. There were no guarantees it would happen—although the possibility of it occurring terrified him. But Caleb couldn’t focus on the “what ifs.” He had to deal with what he could—his experiences—and hope for the best. If he didn’t, he would take another knife to his wrists. It hadn’t worked out for him the first time, and he desperately wanted to believe the psychologist when she said he survived for a reason. Maybe being in the cave was a reason.
I can’t let the virus mutate and infect the animal kingdom. It’ll be the end of the world.
You don’t get to decide if what happens. You know nothing about viruses. You can’t stop it.
Caleb averted his gaze to his knees.
No, I don’t. But Dr. Maudas does.
You can’t trust him! You don’t know if he’s trying to save the world. He could be trying to control it!
His shoulders slouched forward, curling Caleb into a ball.
What does it matter? Me being out there doesn’t do any good. Maybe here I could help find some answers.
Or you could die.
Caleb rested his forehead on his knees.
And who would care? I no longer have any family or friends. I’m a nobody in a dying world. What if my death gives them a chance to live again?
Wow. Over-melodramatic much?
Caleb sighed.
I don’t care. I’m tired.
You would give up, wouldn’t you? You were always too weak. You’re pathetic.
“Caleb?”
He raised his head at the sound of his name and looked at Dr. Maudas standing at the mouth of the cave.
“I’m ready to proceed.”
Caleb uncurled himself and climbed to his feet. He felt detached from his body, like he was floating in a dream.
Don’t do this.
As if I have a choice.
He followed Dr. Maudas back into the laboratory.
Visions of being strapped to a table and hooked up to various monitors and stabbed with multiple needles ran through Caleb’s mind as he walked down the dim tunnel. Sweat beaded on his forehead and upper lip, his heart fluttered against his ribs, but he kept moving forward. If becoming some kind of science experiment was the fate awaiting him, he couldn’t fight against it.
Dr. Maudas led him to a table at the back of the lab. It was the same machine he had seen Samuel go through before. His anxiety lessened. He highly doubted the doctor would put Samuel through anything dangerous.
“If you’ll lie on the table, we can get started.”
Caleb did as requested. The table dug into his shoulder blades and spine. A whirring sounded, then he moved beneath the arch. More whirring and clicking sounded above him. His muscles stiffened, and he did his best to stay perfectly still. Whatever the machine did, he wanted to be as cooperative as possible.
The table moved him slowly through the arch from his head all the way to his feet. It didn’t take too long, and when he was finished, Dr. Maudas offered a hand and helped Caleb into a sitting position.
“The photos are buffering on the computer. Would you like to look at them with me?”
Caleb nodded, and the pair walked to the computer screen. Dr. Maudas pulled up his stool, and Caleb rolled one over from another station.
A white skeleton contrasted against a black background blazed on the screen. The faint outline of Caleb’s body could be seen a few inches away from his bones. The outlines of his organs were visible beneath the white lines. He tensed as he took in the picture. He had expected to see nothing but empty space. He usually felt hollow, and he was sure this would prove his point. It didn’t. For a moment, Caleb felt validated by the proof he was still human, but it vanished quickly. He couldn’t help but think a zombie would look exactly the same if it had been put through the machine.
Dr. Maudas moved the image and zoomed in on certain parts. He started with Caleb’s skull and rotated the image to take in his entire head. He stopped on the right side of his head and zoomed in.
“Oh, yes. I can see there was some damage here. The shading indicates you took a pretty hard blow to the head.” He swirled the cursor around a spot on the screen.
Caleb squinted, but couldn’t see what Dr. Maudas talked about. There were different shades of white everywhere, but nothing looked out of the ordinary to Caleb. For a moment, he thought about the lump on the side of his head, but he quickly dismissed it. He had probably imagined it. After all, it was no longer there so no one could prove it had ever existed.
Saving Humanity Series (Book 2): Edge of Humanity Page 14
