2 days later
Two days have passed since the storm, and the 4 teens settled in the shed. During these days, they caught fish from the nearby river and tried to survive the cold nights. However, the conditions of the shed were suffocating, due to the humid scent of wet wood and moss, along with the leaks through the rusted zinc roof. Ella's morning sickness acted up due to this, and she caught a fever. Jason was very worried about her condition and the baby, so he knew they had to leave and find a safe zone somewhere.
9:15 am
After breakfast, they took a moment to prepare for the journey ahead. Brian sat on the dusty floor, the battered leather notebook resting on his lap. He had taken it from the lab in the medical sector before their escape, though he had scanned through it once; he hadn't gotten a chance to read its details until now. His fingers trembled slightly as he flipped through the yellowed pages, filled with cramped handwriting, diagrams of human anatomy, and chemical formulas scrawled across margins.
"That's Mom's handwriting, isn't it?" Ella leans over, voice cautious.
Brian nods, "Yeah, every page."
Jason leaned against the wall, arms folded, his eyes fixed on the open book. Alex sat nearby quietly, pulling his knees close to his chest as if he didn't want to be included.
Brian cleared his throat and began to read aloud, "—Zombiefera-X. Experimental serum. Engineered as both a weapon and a cure. Compatible only with O-type blood."
Jason's eyes widen, "Wait—only O-type?"
Ella's gaze drifted slowly toward Alex. Alex shifted uncomfortably, refusing to meet her eyes.
Jason added, "That's why they wanted Alex."
Brian continues, "Unit 8—one of ten facilities scattered across the island. Each district hosts a Unit, each overseen by military branches. All linked under Project Revive."
Ella whispers in shock, "So there's nine more… all doing the same thing?"
Brian continues reading, his voice lower, " Success rate was… higher than projected. O-positive subjects survived the transformation phase. Some even exhibited increased stamina and resistance to infection. The others… deteriorated beyond saving. The parasite mutates violently. That's why the majority turn… so fast."
Silence settled over them. Two months had passed since the outbreak (currently August), yet the notebook made it sound like the nightmare was only beginning.
Jason glanced up, narrowing his eyes, "So it wasn't an accident. Which psycho even came up with this..."
Brian's hand flipped the pages until he found a page where the ink was smudged, as if written in a rush, "Zombifera-X is not a virus, nor a plague. It is a parasitic compound, engineered to reshape the host's biology. Initial intent: rapid cellular regeneration… but mutation was inevitable."
Finally, Brian reached the latest update in the notebook, and he gasped in horror. He recalled what his dad said about Alex, now seeming to be true. There, in the top left corner of the page, is a photograph of Alex with the title 'Perfect Host'. Brian showed the page to the others, and they all looked at Alex.
Ella tears up in worry that Alex was the target for this. She then shouts angrily, "What is their damn motive? Why are my parents working with the military on this... massacre? Why does Alex have to be their target?!"
A heavy silence hung in the room. All that was heard was Ella's uncontrollable sobs as Jason tried to calm her down. Brian glances at Alex, feeling regret and remorse for how he treated him, but doesn't say a word. Alex stood silently looking through the window, lost in his own emotions. His dull eyes filled with hopelessness.
That afternoon, the group left the cabin. The storm had washed the forest clean, leaving the ground damp and fragrant with pine and mud, and mist lingering between the trunks.
Location 5: Westwood Base Camp
After hours of trudging, their path led them out of the trees and into an overgrown valley where the remnants of an old road cut through tall grass. The sun dipped low, staining the sky orange. That's when they saw it—tents, patched tarps, and makeshift fires burning in circles.
A camp.
At least two dozen people moved between the shelters, some carrying rifles, others huddled in blankets. Smoke from roasting meat spiraled into the air, carrying the scent of food stronger than anything the teens had eaten in weeks.
Ella's eyes widen in shock and relief, "Survivors!"
Jason raised a hand, placing it in front of her, cautioning her, "Don't get too excited, we need to stay vigilant."
A tall, muscular man with a long beard and a leather hat approached them. He carried himself like someone used to authority, the rifle slung across his chest, "Well, look at this. Some lost kids, no less. Where're you from?"
Jason stepped in front of the group, "We're travelers. Just looking for somewhere safe to rest."
The man's eyes scanned them one by one. They lingered on Brian, then Ella, before finally settling on Alex.
The man's expression faltered slightly as looks closely in shock, "A-Alex, is that you?"
Alex raised his head and froze. His breath caught in his throat, "D-Dad?"
A stunned silence fell between them. The survivors nearby lowered their weapons, glancing at each other in surprise. The man stepped closer, his hardened demeanor cracking into relief. Alex ran and hugged his father in relief, tears streaming down his tired face, "You're alive..."
After a while, his father glances at the others in suspicion, "And who are they? Why are you with them?"
Alex looks at them, then back at his dad, and smiles, "They are my friends from school. I wouldn't have made it here without them," Alex then pauses, his voice breaking and his eyes tearing up again, "Sarah's gone. She—she didn't make it. And Max… I tried to find him at the mall, but when I did, it was too late. He was already… gone."
His father's eyes closed, pain carving deep lines into his face. He held Alex's shoulder, steadying him, "You don't have to say more. You're here now. That's what matters."
4:30 pm
The teens were led to a large communal tent where survivors had prepared a hot meal. The smell of roasted meat and boiled vegetables hit them like a wave. Brian tore into the food like he hadn't eaten in days, though he winced whenever his injured leg shifted. Jason, though hungry, ate more slowly—his eyes scanning the tent, always alert. Ella sat beside Jason, her head resting on his shoulder as she slowly dozed off from the warmth of the fire. Alex was with his father.
A doctor, gray-haired and soft-spoken, crouched beside Brian with a lantern in hand, "That's a pretty nasty wound you got there. Come to the medical station so I can help."
Brian follows the doctor. Brian gritted his teeth as the doctor cleaned the wound, the smell of alcohol burning his nose. He was then put under anesthesia. The bullet was lodged deep, but with steady hands and primitive tools, the doctor managed to extract it. The doctor pressed a cloth firmly against the wound and stitched it closed with careful precision.
Jason checked on Brian in the medical station and spoke to the doctor, making an appointment for Ella in the morning. The doctor heard their story, and he was concerned about Ella and her pregnancy, so he agreed.
Jason lingered nearby, watching Ella as she drifted to sleep in their tent. He sat beside her, gently brushing her soft hair with his fingers. Her quiet snores calming his anxiety. He found himself staring at her, not just with admiration but with worry and the heavy realization of what lay ahead. He thought of her words back in the dorm room—her secret—and the responsibility it placed on his shoulders.
He whispered to himself, almost like a vow, "I'll keep you safe. Both of you. No matter what it takes."