E Virus: The Diary of a Modern Day Girl (Book 2): The Path of Destruction (24 page)

I wanted to know everything I could about them. I wanted to understand them, even put myself in their shoes. If I could do that, then maybe we could anticipate their next move, and keep ourselves safe for as long as possible.

Chapter 25 - Unanswered Questions

“Tell me everything you know.” I replied simply.

“How long have we got?” the Professor asked.

“Take as much time as you need. Start from the beginning.” I pushed.

“Very well.” the Professor agreed.

The Professor started by telling me about the origins of the E Virus. According to the Professor, it started as Ebola, but we all already knew that. He told me of how Ebola was first transmitted to humans due to close contact with infected animals such as monkeys and fruit bats, with fruit bats considered to be the natural hosts of the virus.

The Ebola virus was then spread from human to human by close contact of blood, saliva and other bodily fluids.

He then proceeded to tell me about the symptoms one suffering from Ebola should expect to contract. The symptoms included a sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain or sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea and more worryingly so, internal and external bleeding. The hosts typically lasted up to 21 days before succumbing to the virus. He even told me that the virus remained alive, even when the host had died.

He told me stories of Ebola within rural communities in Africa. This particular strain of Ebola, which then went on to be classed as the E Virus was the first of its kind to hit an urban city. Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia were the first to be hit. It quickly spread to Nigeria where it wiped out over 20 million people within the space of a mere few weeks. It was in Nigeria where the Ebola virus started to evolve. It wasn’t long before the dead began to rise. This was triggered as the newly developed E Virus had found a way to harness the human body, even in death.

The E Virus spread past the borders as Government officials struggled to contain the virus. Mass graves had been dug, only for the bodies to reanimate themselves and attack all living creatures they could get their hands on.

The Professor explained that it was a unique part of the human DNA which caused the dead to rise, such DNA was not found in any other animal, meaning only the human hosts were able to rise from the dead.

In order to keep the human host alive, the virus needed to ingest as much protein as possible, in order to repair the damage the virus had itself caused. This triggered the most basic instinct within the host; they lived to feed.

The E Virus only strengthened as it tore through countless cities and states, wiping out entire nations along its path.

It reached the UK along its final stretch, no matter how much firepower each country
had, it still wasn’t enough to contain the epidemic.

The Professor presumed the Virus came through the English Channel, even though our country had put measures in place to stop the infected from getting in, it turns out even our little island wasn’t immune. As soon as the outbreak reached London City, the Professor knew we would all be doomed. It tore a path up North where it hit all major cities, including the City Centre of Manchester.

Although the Professor had a highly experienced team on side, he knew the Ebola cure was still months if not years away from being discovered. With this new deadly strain reanimating the bodies, he soon realised even if they did have the cure or vaccination for Ebola, it would do no good.

Under instruction from the heads of Astra Zeneca, he carried on his research and tests, in a vain attempt to stop this mess from progressing further. With the help of the Sergeant and the Corporal on Woodford Airbase he was able to obtain samples of this new strain.

What he discovered was something he wasn’t quite prepared for. The virus was stronger than he thought. Not even the coldest temperatures could slow it down, he tried in vain to destroy the sample he had been given, there was nothing he could do to shift it.

The E Virus was evolving at an unchartered rate. For each obstacle the Professor put in its path, it was able to overcome. He was at a loss.

When the E Virus hosts swarmed the base, the Professor thought we were all in for it.  He felt no closer to discovering the cure and turned his attention to the behavioural traits the infected seemed to be exhibiting.

It was only when the Professor joined our group he realised there was more to the infected than met the eye. He studied their behaviour, he watched the way they moved, and recorded how they had learned to use functions of the brain the Professor believed were long gone.

He took new samples of the undead we had disposed of, to see if there was any change in the virus itself. What he saw amazed him. The virus hadn’t changed at all, not physically anyway.

He decided to take another sample, this time he took it from Greg. He knew that Greg was infected and wanted a living specimen to test. After Greg had passed away, the Professor worked around the clock, trying to understand the new traits to this virus. Again, he saw no difference in the virus itself. He carried out all the tests he could, given his surroundings and still drew a blank.

Not long after, when our base was overrun, the Professor had no choice but to leave his research and his notes along with the rest of our belongings as we made a swift escape.

Alone in the wilderness, the Professor was unable to continue his work. With no samples and no notes to refer to, he began to try a different technique, the only technique he could in these circumstances. He observed.

He watched the way the infected communicate. The way they rounded us up that day when we were by the lake. What he saw astonished him as the infected gathered further intelligence and even showed signs they were communicating with each other. He focused on the leader of the pack; he compared the behaviour to that, not unlike Hyenas. He observed the hosts as they came into contact with a foreign terrain, water. He watched as they stayed clear, an act of self-preservation, again a behavioural trait he would not have deemed possible, had he not seen it with his own eyes.

When we came across Undead Pete, his opinion changed once again. He made the most of our surroundings whilst in
Jodrell Bank and hurried to get out what was in his head onto paper. He studied Undead Pete in great detail and learnt more from his behaviour than he had any other. He saw for himself that the protein didn’t necessarily come from human flesh, they simply went for humans as they were the most abundant food source. Once their main source of food started to dwindle, they turned their attention to that of animals, anything they could get their rotting hands on. This was made clear when I pointed out the lamb bone sat in the fridge alongside Undead Pete.

The Professor then went on to try to understand Undead Pete’s behaviour when he was seen cowering in the corner, as if suffering from some sort of inner turmoil. Given what the Professor had learnt so far from the infected, his
mindset changed, he refused to rule anything out.

We don’t know the exact reasons as to why Undead Pete behaved the way he did, but the Professor has a theory that the Virus had in his case, unlocked emotions such as fear, guilt and grief. The Professor went as far to say he could have even remembered something in life, and maybe he had a rare spark of humanity, which not all infected beings had access to.

He carried on explaining the sounds which came from the infected. He had no doubt in his mind that it was their way of communicating. As to what they were saying to each other remains a mystery however he does believe their intelligence was starting to compare to that of an animal with a far greater intelligence than the Hyenas he had first described. He described these new characteristics as similar to that of a Dolphin or Orca Whale, the way they were able to work as a team. 

They used their resources and started to show signs of ambush, waiting for the most opportune moment to seek out their prey.

In terms of the recent advancements, the Professor was at a loss. We hadn’t been close enough to the infected to study their new physical attributes. In terms of the new fungus sprouting out from the faces, neck and chest, we were none the wiser. It was yet another mystery the undead presented us with.

I sat back as I took this new information in. For once, the Professor left me speechless.

“Does that answer your question?” The Professor asked.

I simply nodded back. I understood everything the Professor had presented me with, it left me with the feeling of dread. If one thing was for sure, the infected were advancing at an incredibly fast rate. What worried me was that soon, they could possess a greater intelligence than us. For our own survival we needed to be one step ahead of the game.

“I’ll take over now.” Ryan interrupted. “You guys get some rest" he finished.

I looked around me. The whole attic was quiet. I hadn’t even noticed that the TV had been switched off, along with the majority of the lights.

I looked back to the screens. I was so caught up in the Professors explanation I hadn’t once looked at them.

Everything seemed peaceful down below. The dead bodies laid dormant, already picked clean of the remaining flesh.

I got up as I left the console and made room for Ryan. I headed back to the living room where Jared and Sarah were once again, fast asleep.

I entered into the room where Duckface lay fast asleep. Leon, Andy and George shared the room. I cracked a smile as I saw Leon sleeping with one of the blades tucked firmly under his pillow. He was preparing for Duckface to turn. I didn’t blame
him, I would have done the exact same thing.

I walked into the second bedroom where Lacey, Paul and Nick were sat up waiting for me. Lacey and Paul shared one bed as Nick and I shared the other in the far corner of the room.

“Are you ok?” Nick asked as I climbed into bed.

“Yeah I’m fine. Hey, the infected seem to be leaving.” I added.

“Good, means we can get out of here soon.” Lacey whispered.

We carried on talking for a little while longer before we all eventually drifted off to sleep.

For the first time in god knows how long, I started to dream.

It wasn't a personal dream, none of my family or friends were there, the world was back to normal, it was as if the outbreak never happened.  Everyone I came across, I had never seen before in my life. It was about a man. He had a wife and a daughter. He was possessed by a demon of some sort. Half the time he was his normal self, but it was a little bit like the Hulk, he could feel himself changing.

At one point a catholic priest was there, trying to perform an exorcism. Well, when the priest threw holy water on him, his skin sizzled. Blood poured out from his hands as he revealed gaping holes in the palm of his hands. What was weirder still, there was a trigger word. Only when a certain word was spoken would he change into this demon. The trigger word was Guitar. When the man became possessed, an old couple also changed. I have no idea who they were, they were just there. They also became possessed by other demons, but they seemed to work for the man. They tried to attack the priest, but when I (I have no idea who I was or what my role in all this was) placed a rosary bead necklace on their forehead, they also sizzled and burnt. That's how I was able to keep them at bay.

It then went on and I was in a different scene. I was trying to escape from the two demons, which were right behind me. I had trapped them at the other side of a door, but they pushed their faces through the wood, as if the door was made of fabric. Suddenly I was outside; I had to cross a wooden bridge to get back to the man, who was his normal self again. Just as I was crossing the bridge, where water flowed underneath, a great white shark swam beneath me and pulled his head out the water trying to eat me.

It was then I woke up. My whole body was in sweats. I hadn’t had a nightmare in years, this one really shook me up.
What was stranger still,is I felt the urge to check my hands, as they were tingling in the same place the holes in the man’s palms were
.

I looked around the room, trying to get my bearings. It took me a few minutes to realise where I was. Nick, Paul and Lacey had already got up; they were nowhere to be seen. How I had slept so heavily I had no idea. I was usually a fairly light sleeper, well I was lately.

I got up and followed the voices. Duckface was still sound asleep. She looked pretty restless; she was tossing and turning as she struggled to find comfort. Her leg had ballooned up; it looked pretty painful. Her face was still fairly pale, well paler than usual. I thought the Professor may have been right, maybe she had some sort of bacterial infection. I left her to it and carried on into the living room.

Jared and Sarah had resorted to the morning cartoons I remembered fondly as a child. The Scooby Doo theme tune played throughout the attic as I noticed a mystery machine tin on the shelf. They had found yet another box set.

I carried on past the security console; the Professor was manning the console with a bowl of cereal at his side.