“Immune 6
Reluctance of the Dead”
I didn’t
really liked being looked at as a lab experiment but with all the tubes and
wires and lead hooked to every exposed skin on my body, it was hard to see
myself as anything but. The testing got underway the next day, luckily I didn’t
have a hangover like Glenn, he sure can’t hold his liquor. Everyone was still
sleeping in enjoying a secure night’s rest, something we haven’t had in months.
Jenner and I were the only ones up and
Jenner moved about the lab like a school boy. He had been eyeing me all
throughout the dinner last night and not really joining in the festivities but
it was probably because he wanted to get the tests started right away. I can
understand that. I just found out for sure that I’m immune but I started to
have second thoughts about letting too many people know that as well. The group
had to know, of course they were there when the results were read, but what
about people outside of the group. Will this new found gift turn out to be a
curse in disguise?
“So, what
other tests can we run? I feel like you’ve taken a liter of blood from me already.”
I said with a slight smile but I did feel a little dizzy. “I’m sorry, I promise
I won’t take too much but I need to be very thorough. I also need to document
everything. It’s not going to be easy and will be very extensive. I hope I
won’t cause you much discomfort. You have to realize that I’m very grateful to
have you here.”
Jenner’s
response was somewhat comforting but mostly sounded rehearsed and forced. After
hours of work I left to eat lunch. Jenner asked me to keep the leads on my head
so he didn’t have to replace them, he was going to take pictures on my brain
next. Joy, I thought. “You look funny.” Lizzy smiled as we ate the sandwiches
Carol made. “I feel funny, Lizzy.” I told her the truth but with a weak smile
as well. I couldn’t show her or the group my discomfort. They all seemed to
treat me differently today, as if they know how important I am. I didn’t ask to
be this way. I always seemed to remain unnoticed in my previous life before the
world ended. I was simply one in billions, didn’t stand out and didn’t want to.
I never liked being the center of attention and preferred a quiet corner
instead of a stage.
There was no
hiding now. “How are the test going?” Rick sat next to me and asked with
concern. I found that Rick fell into the leadership role of the group by nature
and not by design. He didn’t even know his family that he was searching for was
with this group until he showed up. I envy the fact that he still had his loved
ones but also pity him for that same reason as well. In this new world you
could lose the ones you love in an instant. I didn’t plan on having Lizzy join
me as well as find her way into my heart but now I can’t imagine losing her.
Hopefully this so called cure that Jenner is trying to find can save her from a
life as a walker. I don’t think I could put her down should she turn.
“It’s going
okay. The test are intrusive to say the least and some hurt, but I think past
the pain.” I say pity in Rick’s eyes in that moment again. “I’m sorry.” Was all
he said, but it was enough. That he would feel sorry for me for having to go
through this to benefit others. I pride myself on the fact that I don’t cry,
and I wasn’t going to start now, but tears came close. Luckily Jenner walked in
with a determined face and I knew he wanted to get started again. “Vanessa?” He
asked. “Yeah, coming.” I stood and carried the wires from my leads with me and
we went back into the lab that I was beginning to despise.
I can see a
light at the end of the tunnel now. I tried to hold out hope that there was
some reason I was still alive, that my family was still alive, but being
surrounded by walkers puts a damper on your longevity prospects. I still find
it hard to believe this is the way of the world now. It seems like one minute
I’m a Sherriff working a job and now I’m in the middle of a nightmare. Then we
met someone like Vanessa Summers. A person immune to the terror around every
corner; now at an CDC medical facility with a doctor working to find a cure. It
almost seems meant to be.
I wander into
the lab to get an update on Jenner’s progress. “So, what do you think? Anything
so far?” “Rick, I didn’t hear you come in.” Jenner was startled and slightly
agitated. “You okay? I mean, I know I’m no doctor but do you need help with
anything?” I ask. “No, I’m…I’m just tired, that’s all. It’s a lot of work and
little time.” I look on the examine
table and Vanessa was unconscious. She would have looked like a peaceful sleep
save for the tubes and wires coming from her.
“How is she?”
I’ve been concerned with Vanessa lately, she looked reluctant to tell us that
she could be immune and even more reluctant to tell Jenner. “ Vanessa’s doing
well. I have her sedated right now. I’m running test on her brain. I’m trying
to localize specific patterns.” Jenner had taken the group earlier into the
main control room to watch the experimental feed on “Patient TS-19” and the
transformation her brain went through with the infection. It proved difficult
to watch and know that could happen to all of them. “Do you really think you
can find a cure?” Jenner looked at me with tired eyes. “This infection works
like a bacteria, infecting the brain and killing it. If there is a way to stop
that from taking place even if the person has been bitten, it would be in
Vanessa’s brain.” I stared at the monitors for a moment, heard the constant
beep of the heart and the hum of the machines. I didn’t know what I was looking
at but with Jenner’s next words, it wasn’t good.
“Rick, can I
ask you a question?” I turned to him. He sat back down on the stool, his white
lab coat falling to each side. “Sure. Anything
I can do to help.” I wasn’t fully prepared for what he was going to ask
of me. “If you had to sacrifice one person to save others, would you? Would you
kill to save your son, your wife?” Jenner asked quietly and sincerely. “I’ve
been doing that since I woke up from that coma. This world is full of dangers,
the walkers just trying to eat you. I don’t remember how many people I’ve
killed.” Jenner shook his head. “No, that’s not what I mean. You see, the
answer to all of this,” he motioned at the lab and probably the world in
general, “is located in this woman’s brain. Only, it’s not on the surface. I
would have to dig down deep, very deep to get the samples I need. The truth of
the matter is, Vanessa won’t survive the procedure. She’ll be brain dead but
she would save all of our lives.”
“You mean to
kill Vanessa?” My knees felt weak. “You can’t. You just…can’t!” I was getting
loud. “But I have to. It’s not a decision I came to lightly. Trust me, I’ve
tried everything and this is the only way. With her brain samples we can save
ourselves and maybe all of human kind. Look around Rick! This is our extinction
level event. We can’t outrun this. We can’t hide from it. All we can do it
fight it and with Vanessa’s help we can.”
“How? By
killing her? By cutting open her brain and watching her die?” I thought back to
Vanessa as she saved our lives on the mountain side. She was a fierce fighter
and an asset even more so that she’s immune. But to think about killing her
just to save themselves…
“Does she
know?” I asked Jenner. “No, not yet. I wanted…..I wanted to be sure.” “You have to tell her. She has to
decide.” Jenner looked at me. “I’m
afraid if she decides not to help.” “So,
she wants to live. Is that so bad?” I spoke as I walked to the door. “It is bad, for the rest of us.” I had
nothing left to say to Jenner and I walked out. I went straight to the kitchens
and found a bottle of liquor, I didn’t care what it was as long as it was
strong and mind numbing. This was not good. How could they asked Vanessa to die
for them?
To be
continued…..
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