Realistic or Modern Dead or Alive; Keep Walking

[EmNeverland13]

And in today's news; A new vaccine is being tested today at hospitals around the globe. Experts say it has a high chance of success turning what is usually 20 or more injections before the age of two, into a single yearly immunization. But the people are asking; is it safe?

Christian turned off the tv. Early morning news was always over dramatic, but it was something to generate noise while he got ready for the day. He'd heard the start of the A1+ vaccine report while he was in the shower. Taking a bit longer to enjoy the hot water as he didn't know how long he was going to be away from home. The mention of the vaccine caught his attention. The first volley of human tests would be conducted at New Eden General Hospital in his city. Not normally something Christian would care about, however they were offering a very sizable pay for volunteers. A broke college student couldn't turn down such a reward.
He patted his pockets to make sure he had everything. With a push back of his golden blonde hair he grabbed his car keys and headed out the door. He shut his door, catching a glimpse of his wristwatch. He swore as he ran down the stairs of his apartments. He was running late.

 

[Carter Kinglsey]

Dylan adjusted her bag on her arm her eyes peering through the thick glass into the room where her friend laid her friends mother stood beside her looking weary from the long hours worrying for her child. Sighing softly she saw the ventilator she was hooked up pushing a thick brown curl from her face looking down as she placed her hand against the glass. Layla had been getting progressively worse at first she had just coughed and had a slight headache here and there, but the day it all went downhill was when she started to cough up blood and passed out in the kitchen with Dylan. "Please get better." Her hand sliding into the mothers to cement them both.

Layla's mom had signed her up to be a test volunteer hoping that it would save her daughter and Dylan prayed it would too. Today she was getting the shot and hopefully everything would be better. Watching the nurse heading into the room to administer the hopeful vaccine it was very quiet as she administered it injecting it into the vein of Layla. Wrapping a arm around her friends mom she pulled her in. "It's gonna be okay, she'll get better we just have to hope."

She hoped what she had told her friends mom to be true that Layla would get better that the scientist's research and vaccine would prove to be promising. Sitting in the shower she really worried the thought that it would not sending a pain through her chest and a shiver down her spine. Only time would tell if this was right.

 

[EmNeverland13]

Christian had lots of time to think about backing out of the testing. He certainly came close to turning around multiple times. But then he'd catch a glimpse of his gas tank and how it was hovering just above empty. How the light didn't work anymore and just getting his beat up old junker to start was a blessing from God. With the cash the medical testing was offering he could just dump his car and buy a brand new one. That was enough of a thought to keep him on track.

New Eden General was spread out over a giant confusing maze of a compound surrounded by trees. There was a building for everything with multiple floors. Heavy maps surrounded by glass and steel beams stood outside of every building as it was common to get lost among the masses of buildings and parking lots. Christian pulled into the parking lot of the main hospital clinic building. He stopped to open up his phone and look at the directions given to him. He was headed to the Hannah June building. He used an online map to guide his way into the parking lot of the tallest building in the hospital. He wove up and down the parking lot until finally someone left and he was able to poach a parking spot. Most of the lots around the hospital made you pay for every hour you were parked. But the Hannah June building didn't have any such machines or rules. Christian had never been into this building in the hospital. But as soon as he entered he figured out why. This building was less a medical facility and more of a hotel for the loved ones of the hospital's patients.

Christian walked to the counter and checked in with the receptionist. She was fielding calls left and right and typing away at her keyboard. After signing in she motioned him away to a corner where a small handful of other guinea pigs were shuffling around. A few had duffle bags, laptops and fast food bags. Christian had only his backpack. He wondered if he had everything he needed. He walked over and fell into an empty seat.
"Vaccine?" One of the others asked.
"Yeah." Christian nodded. The group had people of all kinds. Hardly any similarities between them, except they were all going to be staying here for a while. A nurse in scrubs came out and began calling the participants in pairs. It sounded like they would keeping with a roommate. Christian looked around and tried to pick out who he'd prefer to stay with. But as different nurses came and more names were called, Christian found himself the last man standing when the last nurse came and called his name. He stood up and walked over where she had him fitted with a wristband.
"Get a room all to myself?" Christian asked jokingly.
"One of the participants no-showed." The dark haired nurse shrugged with a smile. "Unless we get another volunteer by tomorrow, you got lucky!"
"Yeah." Christian laughed. "Guess I did."

 

[Carter Kinglsey]

The first couple of days Dylan was kept away from Layla due to her work schedule, but as much as it pained her to not be there for her friend's mom she had to go to work or she would be penalized for it. A day after being given the vaccine Layla's internal temperature spiked however the doctor's did not feel there was a cause for worry. Dylan was relayed over the phone that it could be just a side effect of the vaccine, but the last three days had been pretty quite and Dylan tried calling but only got a couple minutes of conversation in before she had to hang up cause the mom was talking to the doctor's as well.

Her phone going off woke Dylan as she groggily pushed herself into a sitting position. Her soft duvet pooling around her waist pushing her curly hair out of her eyes she reached over with one while still rubbing the sleep from her eyes to turn off her alarm. Working quickly she pulled her hair up into a messy bun and started her search for clothes. Finally able to visit her friend on her day off she hopped pulling her jeans on and a loose t shirt and grabbing her hoodie to keep her warmer while she was out.

Digging in her bag she grabbed her gloves and mask sliding her mask on first before her gloves.There was a lot of people out today on the city streets the cold air quite brutal today and she regretted not bringing her beanie along or a scarf. Thankfully it did not take too long to walk to the hospital from her apartment, she really counted that as a blessing in this moment. Waiting for the crosswalk she decided against it her anxiousness to see her friend getting the better of her as she ran jaywalking across the intersection getting yells from other civilians as she made it to the otherside safely.

Walking up the stairs to the front double doors as they automatically slid open she immediately felt the warm air of the heater hitting her face. Her hands tingling from the change in sudden temperature, heading the way she usually came she stepped in the elevator pressing level 2 where they housed all the people infected by the virus.

"Hi ma'am I'm here for Layla Shepherd." The nurse that had checked Dylan in everytime these passed two weeks just looked up and rolled her eyes extending the pass like she always did.
"What did I tell you about calling me ma'am." Taking the badge she clipped it to her collar sheepishly smiling at her as started to step back from the counter.

"Sorry Mrs. Williams." "Now look here sweetie, we have seen each other enough now for you to call me by my first name you here, so none of that ma'am or Mrs. My name is Dorothy I may be a lot older, but I'm not ancient." The older nurse smiled sweetly and Dylan nodded she reminded her of her mother very welcoming and kind.
"Well thank you...Dorothy." She waved and started to walk toward her friends room down by the other nurses station. Walking up to the room Dylan grew a little apprehensive and stalled seeing Layla's moms bag on the ground by the door. Stopping for a minute she looked to the nurses station and then to the door to her friends room. They were not supposed to go into the rooms of the patients due to the possibility of getting the virus. Going against her better judgement Dylan looked once more and pushed open the door to the room slipping inside. Seeing her mom standing over her daughter Dylan froze.
"You're not supposed to be in here, you could get in trouble or sick!" She whispered loudly walking hesitantly towards her.
"I heard a noise and needed to see if she was okay." Shaking her head Dylan was exasperated.
"Then get a nurse to check Layla wouldn't want you potentially exposing yourself." Going to the window she drew the shades allowing more light to come into the room.
"I can go get--." Turning she immediately stalled her talking seeing her friend her blood running cold. Black veins ran along her friends arms grabbing her moms friends she pulled her back putting her behind her.
"Holy shit." Eyes scanning her body she leaned down slowly pulling the sheets back and immediately dropped them as she saw more veins traveling down her legs.
"Stay here....dont get close to her!" Running out of the room and down the hall she grabbed Dorothy explaining what was happening as Dorothy pressed the call button for the doctor. Running back to the room a loud scream caused them both to halt stock still as the Layla's mom stumbled falling into the hallway holding her arm wailing Dylan started forward a few steps before a hospital gowned figure stepped into the hallway.

"Layla?" Layla stood in the hall her hair falling past her face blood coating the front of her gown she turned her eyes peering up to show the black veins running up her face and forehead and reddish black eyes that were bleeding, her mouth dripping blood as she opened it to let out a hellish screaming wail and starting towards the two of them.

 

[EmNeverland13]

Christian got to his room where two beds were set up for two occupants. But Christian was the only one putting his things away. He hummed to himself in a merry little way. He had his pick of the beds and got to sit on both before picking one. Though they were exactly identical in nearly every way. He hoped there wouldn't be another volunteer so he could have his room all to himself. If there was any discomfort from the vaccine then he wouldn't have to worry about....
Christian watched the panicked rush of doctors, nurses and other personal running back and forth. It wasn't uncommon for hospital staff to be in a rush but not normally in this building. He peeked out of the door to try and see what had everyone in a panic.
"Sir please stay in your room for right now." A nurse came up behind him and startled him. "There is a minor emergency and the hospital is being evacuated. Please stay in your room with the door shut and you will be evacuated in your turn."
"Oh. Kay." Christian nodded in shock. "What is it? A fire? Gunman?"
"No sir, please stay in your room." The nurse was annoyed and it showed. Christian stepped back into the room and the nurse shut the heavy fire resistant door. He sat on his bed and got on his phone. Looking for any news on the hospital and what was happening, but somehow it was radio silence. He frowned and pulled the blinds away from the window. Across the way in the next building the window had been smashed open. It looked like there was a fight going on.

One of the figures fighting shoved the other into the glass of the window. The shard went right through them. Christian paled as the other figure ran off. He looked toward the door to try and call out for someone to help. But when he looked back. The body has disappeared.

 

[Carter Kinglsey]

Layla's wail was haunting and hellish high in frequency and ravenous sounding. Looking behind her for a split second as screams started down the hallway, Dylan's heart stopped as Layla starting running at them full speed. Pushing Dorothy back quickly swearing getting her to move she turned dreading turning her back to her. They were about two hundred feet from the door and she prayed that they could make it in time.

"Go..GO FUCKING RUN!" Pushing harder to get her to run down the hallway. Grabbing a food cart as they ran Dylan grabbed the mess cart throwing it in her path to try and hopefully slow her advances. She was fast looking back for a second paces behind them to see her scrambling around the fallen cart her bloody eyes still locked on Dylan's figure staring focused and lethal. More screams erupted behind them as they ran. Dorothy made it to the door first holding it for Dylan, she ran past as dorothy shut the door, Dylan pushed hard against the door as Dorothy tried to lock the door. Looking up as a wail as Layla threw herself into the door her head cracking against the pain of glass blood sprayed. Being forced back she pushed harder keeping to keep the door closed.

"Hurry!" The turn of the lock signaling that Dorothy had succeeded she jumped back as another infected being threw themselves against the door. It was a nurse who resembled her friend the same bloody eyes and savage demeanor. They were extremely aggressive and there were no signs of humanity left in their eyes. Screams behind the door made Dylan's blood run cold, hearing screams coming from the other end of where the hallway left out a bundle of people burst through the door before locking and baracadding it closed behind them. There was a group of people amassed now and taking a few moments to make sure the door was locked getting ready to head to the other group through the people a scream pierced the air, a regular scream followed by a wail and people scattered instantly screaming trying to put enough distance between them and the infected person, or what could no longer be considered a person, that was trying to chase them. Having Dorothy go down first they ran as fast taking as many stairs as they could at a time. Bursting out into the lower floor just as screams started to ring.



"Dorothy we have to get to the ---" A body tackled Dorothy clawing and scratching at her before lunging to sink its teeth into her forearm. Screaming Dylan side stepped seeing the front doors roughly a hundred feet in front of her. Pumping her legs as she was trying to put as much feet between her. Bursting out the door after having dodged so many people thankfully not falling from being tripped. Running down the pavement in the direction towards her apartment she saw out of the corner of her eye someone before she could side step, her legs twisting in theirs as they both went down to the pavement hard.

"Dammit." Dylan swore pushing her hair from her eyes to look to the other person as she scrambled to get to her feet.