by C. O. Amal
“Turn into what, dad?” Ben asked.
“I don’t ... Have time to say. Go. Take the pod ship from the garage.” Father said.
Ben stood up and led his mother and sister away from the door and he closed the door behind him.
“What are you doing, Ben?” Mother said between hiccups.
“You heard what he had said. We need to get to the air base. Wait here and don’t move.” Ben ran upstairs to his father’s room.
Ben got inside the room and he ran straight to the closet. He spotted four gas masks and he took three, and he ran downstairs to his mom and sister. At the time he reached downstairs, his mom and sister were still crying.
Ben gave gas masks to his sister and mother. “Wear it.” He ordered.
“Ben?” Mother said.
“Wear it, mom.” Ben said.
Finally his mother and sister accepted the masks and wore it.
Suddenly a growl came from outside. Ben looked outside through the window. He couldn’t believe what he is seeing. Outside people are gathering and they are producing an unholy growl. They are not normal people. Their bodies are filled with bruises. Ben could clearly see them in the street light.
A moment later something began to pummel at the door.
Ben looked outside through the peek hole on the door. It looks like his father is on his feet and he is striking at the door with his fist.
“John.” Mother starts to open the door.
“Mom, stop it. He is not our father anymore.” Ben said stopping his mom.
“But, John?” She began to scream.
Suddenly more fists began to strike at the door. It looks like Ben’s mother’s cry is attracting too much unwanted attention.
“Come on, we need to get to the garage.” Ben pushed his mom and Karen to the basement.
They haven’t reached further when Ben’s mother sprinted away from him to the front door. Before Ben could process what is happening, his mother opened the front door and a sea of infected rushed through the doorway.
“Mom ...” Karen and Ben cried out loud.
Ben quickly took Karen’s hand in his and they both ran towards the garage.
* * * * *
Chapter 2
A.D. 450, Planet Mars
Ben and Karen rushed inside the basement and Ben closed the door just in time when the infected outside collided with the door. Infected began to pummel at the door. Karen hasn’t stopped crying.
“Pull yourself together, Karen. We need to reach the air base.” Ben shouted.
Ben led Karen toward the door on the side which leads to the Garage. Ben opened the door and they both got inside the garage. They can hear the sound of infected on the other side of the wall. Based on the sounds, they have broken into the basement. They don’t know Karen and Ben are inside the garage because they haven’t seen them yet.
Ben dead bolted the garage door and he slowly, without making much noise, dragged a tool box in front of the door. The shutter door which leads to outside is still closed, and Ben is happy for it. If it hadn’t been closed they wouldn’t be alive. Ben stared at the pod ship which rests on the centre of the garage. Tiny water droplets began to form in the front of his mask due to hyper ventilating.
Ben opened the side door of the pod ship and got inside.
“Come on Karen, get inside.” Ben said lowering his voice.
“But, mom and dad?” Karen said.
“You think I am not grieving. They want us to be safe. Now, get inside.” Ben said.
Karen slowly approached the pod ship and she opened the side door and she slowly got inside. Ben sighed and tried to start the ship. But there were no keys.
“Shit ... Key is in the living room.” Ben said.
Karen began to cry again. “How are we supposed to get it?” The front of Karen’s mask became coated with water drops due to excessive tears.
“You wait here. I will find a way to get it back.” Ben said.
“Please don’t leave me here alone. I don’t want to be alone.” Karen began to whimper.
“Hush. Those things might hear you. I will come back soon.” Ben said.
“But, those things are inside. What if they attack you? I will be alone in here.” Karen said crying.
“Don’t worry. I have got a plan.” Ben said. “I will go through the air shaft. Air shafts are all over the ceiling.”
“Please, promise me you will come back.” Karen said.
Ben took Karen’s hand in his. “I promise, I will come back as soon as I get the key.”
Ben for a moment stared at Karen’s eyes and did a reassuring smile. Then he got out of the pod ship and moved to a corner of the garage. Karen looked at Ben from the pod ship.
Ben took a ladder from the corner and he aligned it with the wall. He slowly climbed the ladder, and once he reached the top, he removed the grill which has placed as the exit of the air shaft. Ben climbed down and put the grill silently on the floor. Then he climbed up again and he crawled inside the air vent.
Climbing through the air vent is very difficult. The air vent is perfectly fit for Ben to move around. Ben slowly crawled his way to the ceiling of the living room. He reached a part of the air vent below which a grill is placed. Ben looked below through the grill, and that one look verified that he is above the living room. Ben removed the grill slowly and he put his head through the hole.
It looks like living room is empty. Ben looked around for the key and he spotted it above a table. Once he made sure the room is completely empty he slowly landed on the floor. He crouched down and slowly moved towards the table. Once he reached near the table he quickly grabbed the key and put it in his pocket. He then immediately went to the air shaft. With all his might, he somehow got inside the air shaft. Suddenly something grabbed his foot. He can’t look back because of the small size of the air vent.
A growl came from his back indicating that the thing which grabbed his foot is an infected. Ben wriggled his foot violently and finally the infected’s hand around Ben’s foot loosened. Ben without wasting time propelled forward, paddling with his hands.
Finally Ben reached back at the Garage. He jumped out of the air shaft to the floor. He safely landed on the carpet. Ben immediately stood up and sprinted towards the pod ship.
“Thank, god.” Karen sighed when she saw Ben.
Ben quickly got inside the pod ship and put the key in the key hole. And he turned the key and pressed the ignition switch. Quickly the ship came alive with a loud sound. But then the infected on the other side of the wall began to pummel and thrash at the door.
Ben slowly maneuvered the ship towards the shutter door.
“Can you open the door?” Ben asked Karen.
“Okay.” Karen said.
Karen exited the pod ship and paced towards the side wall. She pressed a switch and the shutter door slowly began to rise.
“Come on, get back in here quickly.” Ben shouted.
Karen quickly ran towards the pod ship and she quickly got inside. As soon as the door rose just enough for the pod ship to pass, Ben rushed the pod ship outside.
Infected from all around the neighborhood became attracted to the sound and they all rushed towards the pod ship. Ben slowly maneuvered the ship towards the road. As soon as he reached the road, Ben accelerated the pod ship.
Behind the pod ship a sea of infected flowed towards the pod ship. The small pod ship rushed through the road attracting the entire neighborhood.
* * * * *
Chapter 3
A.D. 450, Planet Mars
The head light of the pod ship illuminated the narrow road. Ben accelerated the pod ship again.
“Ben, slow down a little. In this speed I don’t think we would reach air base.” Karen said.
“Okay. What do you think is happening around?” Ben asked.
“I don’t know. It’s this flu, I guess.” Karen said.
“Dad said he would turn in to one of those ... Things. What do you make of that?”
Ben asked.
“I don’t know, Ben, but I am guessing that if we stay around those things we would also catch the infection and become one of those things.” Karen said.
“Dad also said that the people in the air base will leave in the morning. Where do you think they are leaving to?” Ben asked.
“I am guessing somewhere isolated, so that we won’t catch the disease. Now, will you stop asking questions?” Karen said.
Ben muttered something.
Ben slowed down the pod ship a little, though the ship still is flying at high velocity. Ben wished pod ship could fly a little more higher so that he don’t have to watch the road all the time.
Suddenly, a horde of infected came from the front. The pod ship cut through the crowd of infected and it deviated from its path. Pod ship slowed down and hit a tree and it stopped moving. Ben and Karen almost got thrown out of the ship, but thanks to the seat belts, they stayed in the ship.
“Shit, here they come.” Ben muttered looking at the road. “Karen, are you all right? Can you move?”
“I am fine. I think I can move.” Karen said.
A pain is coursing through her body. Karen bit her lip and opened the side door. Ben did the same. A moment later they were both on their feet, running through the forest. Behind them a horde of infected followed.
The jungle is very thick and only god knows where they are going in this night.
“Can we stop for some time?” Karen asked breathing heavily.
“Do you think stopping is good? Those things are right behind us.” Ben said.
“Okay, brother, lead the way.” Karen said.
Ben cursed for what is happening and he ran ahead leading the way for Karen. Karen ran right behind him. Even though darkness has covered everywhere, moons’ light illuminated the path in which they are moving.
Ben took a moment to look back. It looks like the horde is still chasing them.
“Run, Karen, run.” Ben shouted.
Ben and Karen increased the speed and ran through the forest. A moment later they came out of the forest and in front of them lay a big town. They both ran at full speed to the town.
They finally reached the first building in the town area. Infected are pouring out of the forest behind them.
“Where would we go?” Karen asked.
“We will go in that hospital’s direction. There may be a medical pod ship on roof.” Ben said pointing at a hospital on the far side of the road.
It looks like the town is pretty much abandoned, but lights are still on inside all the buildings.
“But, there would be more infected.” Karen said while running.
“We will go up through the fire escape ladder on the back of the building.” Ben said.
Suddenly a sharp growl and screech came from their back. It looks like the infected are agitated in seeing two running souls. Soon all the neighborhood will be on them.
Finally Ben and Karen reached the back of the hospital building.
“Where is the ladder?” Panic starts to crawl through Karen’s legs.
There is no ladder on her eye sight.
“Here it is.” Ben said while pulling down a ladder from the wall.
Karen sighed. They both quickly climbed the ladder with Ben leading the way. They reached the second level when the infected stormed at the back of the hospital. But fortunate for Ben and Karen, infected don’t know how to climb the ladder.
It’s now that Ben got a clear look on the infected’s face. Their faces are bloody and pieces of flesh are missing all over their body. They all are biting the air, agitated. The light from the lower level of the hospital clearly illuminated the sea of infected standing down on the back of the small hospital building.
Hospital is seven stories high and finally Karen and Ben reached the roof. Just like Ben had predicted, there are two medical pod ships parked on the roof. Ben and Karen immediately got inside one of the pod ship. They closed the doors just in time when an infected ran out of the exit door. It immediately began to thrash at the glass window of the pod ship. Looks like the front window is made of high quality glass.
“There are no keys.” Karen began to panic.
Ben smiled. “Medical pod ships don’t need one.”
Karen deeply sighed. “Then, take us to that air base fast, Ben.”
Ben switched on the engine and the engine roared to life. The pod ship slowly rose from the floor. The infected began to thrash violently at the pod ship. Ben slowly maneuvered the pod ship out of the building and he accelerated. The pod ship cut through the air at high speed in the direction according to Ben lay the air base.
* * * * *
Chapter 4
A.D. 450, Planet Mars
Ben drove the ship a little higher from the ground level. Thanks to the special designing of the medical pod ships they can go a little higher from the ground level.
“Do you actually know the way to the air base?” Karen asked.
“Yes. I have been there once. Why do you ask?” Ben asked.
“Well, it’s been a little long since we have started from home.” Karen said.
“Well, did you forget that we crashed our pod ship? We lost lots of time there running through the forest.” Ben said.
“When will we reach there?” Karen asked.
“We will be there soon. Did you see that big building far away?” Ben asked.
“Is that the one which is glowing in yellow colour?” Karen asked.
“Yep. That’s the air base.” Ben said.
“It’s so beautiful. I have never seen anything like this before.” Karen said.
“That’s because you spent most of your time reading books.” Ben said.
Karen stared at the buildings in front of them with curious eyes.
“Can I take off this mask? My nose and ear are itching.” Karen Asked.
“No! This is bigger than you think. There may be airborne version of the flu. As far as I can tell, this the freaking end of the world.” Ben said.
“Whatever you say, boss.” Karen muttered.
Finally the pod ship reached the air base. There is a large fence all around the air base and the outside is filled with the infected. Ben landed the pod ship in the yard of the air base. Ben and Karen slowly exited the pod ship. Outside the fence the infected screeched and howled sharply, piercing the ears. Ben and Karen almost covered their ears with their hands.
Ben and Karen slowly walked towards the entrance of the air base. It looks like the front door is tightly sealed.
“Hello, is there any one inside?” Ben pounded on the metal door.
No response!
“Hello, we are not infected. We want to join you guys. Please let us in.” Karen pounded on the metal door hard.
Still no response.
“There must be a way inside.” Ben muttered and he went to a corner looking for a way inside.
Suddenly the front door opened and two men with guns stood in the doorway. They looked at Karen for some time. They both are wearing gas masks like Ben and Karen have done.
“Come on in.” One of the men said.
“Ben?” Karen called Ben.
Ben immediately rushed towards the front door. The men in masks looked at Ben carefully then they gave way for them to enter. As soon as Ben and Karen are inside the men shut the door and dead bolted it.
“We heard you’re leaving to some place in the morning. Where are you going to?” Karen asked one of the men.
“Earth.” The man answered.
“Earth? You mean the third planet in our solar system?” Ben asked.
The men with guns nodded, and they led Karen and Ben to a big room where about hundreds of people are sitting on the floor. Everyone is wearing gas masks.
The two men with guns gestured at Ben and Karen to sit down. Ben and Karen immediately sat down on the floor near a couple. The couple is sitting by holding their hands each other.
“Hey, do you know what is happening around?” Karen a
sked the woman.
The woman straightened herself and looked at Karen. She thought for a moment.
“It’s the damn flu. We heard that it jumped out of a research facility. People fell under the disease quickly.” The woman said.
The man shifted his head from the woman’s shoulder and looked at Karen and Ben.
“Where are you from?” The man asked Karen.
Karen thought for a moment but Ben immediately said “We are from Edmund Street. It’s about two or three miles away from this place.”
“Oh. Is it bad out there?” The man asked.
“You could say it’s worse than you could imagine.” Karen said.
“How did you end up here? We didn’t hear about any evacuation.” Ben asked.
“Well there wasn’t much time for evacuations. The flu hit hard, infecting about the entire military. It’s worldwide. Nobody here knows how it spread like that in mere minutes. We are teachers and we were in the middle of a session when the infected came. The military came and rescued us. They carried us here and then they left to somewhere else.” The man said.
“Is your parents here?” The woman asked.
“No. They are dead or turned into one of those things.” Ben said keeping his emotions at bay.
“Oh, we are sorry. We lost our kids too, to that plague thing.” The man said.
“So, what are your names?” The woman asked cheering up.
“I am Ben and this is Karen.” Ben said.
“I am Sam and this is my wife Jess.” The man said.
Sam and Jess are a little old, may be around forty. Their hairs have whitened a little.
“So, Sam, are we going to leave our planet behind?” Karen asked.
“Yes. They said that this virus is everywhere and the interesting and horrific fact is that, this virus affect plants and other animals too.” Sam said.
“So humans are not the only victim?” Ben asked.
“No. And this virus will destroy everything. I don’t think we can live here anymore. They also said that even if we manage to kill the infected, that won’t stop the production of the virus from their bodies. In short, their bodies work even if they are dead.” Sam said.
