Least Likely To Survive (28 page)

Walking back to the cot, I let myself collapse back down, sitting with my back against the cold wall, and drew my knees up to my chest, hugging them against me.  I laid my head down on my knees and proceeded to wait.  For what, I wasn’t sure, but eventually I would find out.

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but was busy studying my shoe laces now stained with blood and God only knows what else when I heard the bolt in the door click, and I sat upright.  The door swung open slowly to reveal Ian and two large guards.  I had never seen these guys before, but their military garb, and the guns they had trained on me didn’t leave any room to argue or negotiate.  Stepping into the room, Ian and another guy I didn’t recognize in a lab coat approached me.

“Alright Angela, it’s time to come with us.”  Ian smiled at me like we were going to Disney Land, and for the first time I got a really good look at the complete crazy written on his features.  He wasn’t an unattractive guy, just sort of nondescript brown; the kind you don’t really pay attention to, and soon forget.  Although blurry, I did catch the other one with him was significantly younger, with a lean build and glasses.  The coat hanging off his wiry frame didn’t do him any favors as he walked uncertainly over to me.  He reached for my hands and I immediately pulled back, ready for a fight.

“Now, now, Ms. Thompson, let’s not make this any harder than it has to be,
hmm
?”  The mocking tone in Ian’s voice made me pause, and I stopped to look at first his face, then the faces of the guards.  As my eyes settled on them, they took another step towards me, and raised their guns a little higher, instantly telling me they weren’t going to play any games.  Well, fuck.  I decided then that it was in my best interest to play along until I found the right moment for escape. 

Darting a death glare at Ian, I held my hands out to the lab tech who proceeded to pull my arms behind my back and cuff them securely.  It was not the first time I had been in handcuffs, but it was certainly not going to end with me being released any time soon.  Looking up at the twenty-something who was reaching for my arms to lead me out of the room, I caught his eye and made sure he saw every ounce of hatred and outrage I had for him.  I caught the shame on his face before he ducked his head down and continued to pull me out of the room.  The two of us walked behind Ian and the guards brought up the rear as we turned into a narrow hall, and started past the various other doors that looked exactly like mine.

It was all so ‘secret lab’ looking that I had to wonder if we were still even in the Dome, or if they had taken me somewhere else.  I somehow doubted the AlamoDome had an underground lair, yet on the other hand, if they had known they would be making this a shelter after the infection spread, they may have had time to outfit it accordingly.  That made me wonder a bit.  Was this all a government sanctioned plan?  Who the fuck was in charge of this nonsense?  Thinking of Ian two steps behind me, I highly doubted he was the brains behind this; there was just too much ‘psycho’ radiating from him to put him too high up the totem pole.  Then again, this whole thing could be rogue, and they really could be answering to him.  If this was the case, I pitied these poor bastards for being stupid enough to follow this guy.  Clearly he was missing a few screws.

Pulling myself from my inner monologue, I was pulled to a stop, and watched with interest as Ian opened a door, and I was pushed in behind him. Looking around, I was filled with dread at the rows of glass cabinets containing jars of who the fuck knows; machines, and a suspicious metal table.  The tech hauled me over to it, and pushed me down.  I watched silently as he unlocked the cuffs and tried to push me to lie down.  This was the moment full on panic set in, and I started to struggle.

Ian and the guards noticed the fight starting, and rushed over to assist the tech with his task.  “Be a good girl and lie down, Angela.”  Ian pulled my arm back, and twisted it until I let out a scream of pain.

“Fuck you, douche!  You’re fucking sick, you’re all fucking sick!”  I spat in his face, chest heaving from the exertion and the pain now radiating down my arm.  He pulled in harder, and I was left with no choice but to follow it as I was pushed down on the table.  Ian and the tech wasted no time in strapping my legs and arms with the leather ties attached to the table, and in no time at all I couldn’t even wriggle.

He just shook his head at me and smiled, as he proceeded to wash his hands.  From the corner of my eye, I could see the guards take up stations next to the door, and the tech busying himself at a counter with his back to me.  I turned my head to the right, and started to take in my surroundings.  I recognized a blood pressure cuff, and a pulse ox, but the rest was still foreign.

The tech turned around and walked over to me, putting the cuff on my arm, and taping the little meter to my left index finger.  He pushed the start button, and the cuff started to fill with air, squeezing my arm painfully, as the number on the screen started to flash.  When it was done, it deflated and I was grateful, and couldn’t help but peer at the readout, although without my glasses, the numbers were just fuzzy green blobs.

He studied the numbers and nodding to himself, pulled a metal rolling table up next to me, and began putting on gloves.  My heart started to race in earnest as I watched him ready a syringe.  I really fucking hated needles.  “You can shove that up your ass if you think-
AHHH
!”  My words were stopped by my shriek as he stabbed the needle into the fold on my right arm, and taped it down.  Well,
fuck
; looks like I had an IV now.  I shot him a dirty look, and turned back to my left to see what Ian was up to.

“So Oh Grand Evil One, what nefarious plot do you have in mind for me today?”  I didn’t even bother trying to keep the sarcasm out of my voice, but it did help to quell the extreme terror trying to claw its way to the surface.

Ian smiled at me, “I’m so glad you asked!”  He had finished washing his hands, and had put on gloves.  He was busy fiddling with a few vials as he continued.  “You’re going to be our first human test subject on our new serum.  The results were inconclusive when applied to the infected, and it has me curious as to what it will wield with the uninfected.”  With a wink, he held up a vial filled with a weird purpley viscous fluid, and began filling a syringe with its contents. 

If there had been anything in my stomach, I’m sure I would have tossed cookies all over this bitch.  I started to struggle as much as the restraints would let me, a sweat breaking out across my forehead as he just smiled a super fucking creepy smile and shoved the needle into my IV.  I could only watch in abject horror as the liquid climbed the tubing and disappeared into my arm.

I didn’t feel anything at first, but soon enough a burning sensation began climbing its way up my arm and across my shoulder.  It felt like my blood was being boiled inside of my veins and I couldn’t stop the screams as my whole body was set on fire.  My back arched off the table a few inches, and I was pretty sure even my toenails were feeling the effects.  I screamed and screamed as the chemical worked its way through my system, igniting everything in its path.  It felt like acid was coursing through my veins, and I was actually praying for death; the pain so intense.  In the distance I could hear the beeps of the machines going crazy, but all noise was muted against my agony.  I wanted to die.  Just as I didn’t think I could take one more second of the burning, I thankfully blacked out.

Something was squeezing my arm.  I opened my eyes and turned my head left, remembering the stupid blood pressure cuff.  I didn’t have the energy or will power to care.  I felt like I had just climbed Everest, and wasn’t even sure my muscles were still attached anymore.  I was cold, but could feel sweat beading on my forehead and dripping down my face to disappear into my hair, and my stomach was churning.  It was like a horrible cross between the worst hangover I’d ever had, and food poisoning.  I recognized Ian and the tech whose name I still didn’t know talking in hushed voices, but couldn’t make out the words.  Everything was just so foggy.

Closing my eyes against the waves of nausea that were threatening to manifest in a very real way, I tried to focus on my breathing.  Inhale, exhale.  Rinse and repeat.  Fuck me if this weren’t the worst Goddamned feeling ever.  I had to wonder if this was what Heroin felt like; it was like I was floating above the table, observing my body still strapped down, and fascinated by the colors I was turning. 

I was vaguely aware that I had begun to move.  I could feel my body being shifted onto what I could only assume was the rolling gurney, and I supposed I was being taken back to my cell.  I didn’t even bother trying to open my eyes yet, as the jerking of the loose left wheel was threatening my very sanity on the long, quiet journey.  If I ever got out of here, I was going to rip that fucking wheel off this death trap and bash Ian’s head in with it. 

Maintaining my focus on my breathing was the only thing keeping me from full scale panic.  I felt like my cognitive abilities were functioning okay, but the thoughts weren’t right. 
“Okay, so now I’m chained to a wall, and I must defeat the dragon and save the princess before the flesh eating vines scale the castle walls…” 

If it weren’t for the sounds, I wouldn’t have even noticed I was lifted off the gurney and put back onto that fucking cot and the footsteps of whomever it was retreating.  I knew I was alone once more when the door was closed with a final sounding ‘thud’.  Free to fully assess the current state of things in my solitude, that’s when shit really started to get weird.

Floating. I was floating over a meadow, and looking down; it was filled with all sorts of creatures.  Large, scaly beings that resembled birds with scales, with the faces of men.  Wingspans that far surpassed anything you would find on Animal Planet today, I had to wonder if maybe I was in the Mesozoic Era, but then again that didn’t make any sense as I was just at the Apothecary yesterday, and he informed me the rebels were at it again
. “Oh Lord, will this war never end?” 
He had wept to me as I collected my purchase and scrambled out the door back into the gloom of the September morning.

I shook my head to clear the memory, and glanced back down at the winged-beasts, and noticed I had caught their attention.  They looked up from their game of chess and pointed talons longer than my hand up at me, and I grew sick at the shrill tenor of their angry chirps at being interrupted.  Pushing back their chairs, they moved to their feet and started flapping their wings briskly, and I knew it was time to get the fuck out of here.

Turning a sharp left, I angled my arms and dog-paddled my way through the ozone, clearing a group of saccharine trees that had just bloomed with chartreuse flowers, which as I drew nearer, uncurled their petals and snapped angry teeth at me
.  “What the fuck?  It’s not duck hunting season yet.”
I muttered to myself as I continued past them, careful to stay well out of their reach. 

Now clear of the murderous trees, I found myself approaching what looked like a safe enough clearing, and dipped down, preparing for a landing.  The wind rushed through my hair, and tears formed at the corners of my eyes as I dove towards the ground; coming in a lot faster than I would have liked.  Hitting the grass, I rolled to a stop, trying to absorb the impact with my shoulder so I didn’t break anything.  I laid there for a few minutes, attempting to catch my breath, and stared up at the sky.  It seemed odd to see the clouds rolling through green this time of year, but perhaps spring had come early.  Gazing up, I found myself mesmerized by the shamrock colored puffs of cotton shooting and swirling above my face.  So close I could reach up and with a finger, draw a spiral and watch it take shape with shades of purple and grey.  I smiled as the patterns took shape and danced and sparkled, as if happy that someone was here to play with them.

I rolled over and sat up, ready to figure out how to get back; it was, after all, Tuesday, and I had a paper due this afternoon.  I felt my bones moan and creak as I pulled myself off the satiny earth, and rose to my feet.  Reaching up, I rubbed my shoulder that was still sore from the abrupt landing and decided on a direction.  I turned a full circle, and felt defeated when I realized the clearing was surrounded on all sides by those damn hungry trees, and the glaring red eyes of whothefuckknows staring me down from the darkness of their leaves.  I pulled my spatula from my back pocket, and decided I was better off trying to fight them and keep moving then to stay here playing Crayola with the clouds.

Heading into the cluster of foliage, I had to let out the air that was trapped in my lungs from my fear.  You just never really knew what you would encounter in the forest.  A few steps in, when nothing unusual jumped out at me, I relaxed a bit, and kept walking.  Still clutching my spatula, I wasn’t fooled by the calm; they wanted you to think it was all okay, so you would put your guard down, but that’s when they always attack.  Tricky little bastards. 

Eyes narrowed, I took care to avoid the trunks of the trees as much as was possible, lest their vines wake up and decide I would make a lovely addition to the collection of bones and webbing stuck in their teeth.  I could hear the chattering of the teeth in those damn flowers as they giggled at my passing.  I knew they were making fun of my train conductor hat, and I would be damned if I let them know how much their words hurt.