Our Undead (31 page)

Holden:
E-TE12.

Dr. Alyster:
Ah! Zhat dry name. "Eternity". Zhis is zhe parasite's troo
name.

Still looking down at his
note pad, the good doctor scruffs his already messy grey hair with
his pen hand. His thoughts come back to him, and he continues
writing again.

Holden:
Eternity; as in live forever?

Dr. Alyster:
Precisely, Holden, mien boy! Soljiahs zhat leev
foreva.

Holden had been aware of
the plans that were to transpire, but he hadn't heard anything
about soldiers living forever. As far as he knew, The Sir, the dark
voice in touch with Feleider, cut a deal with the U.S. government
to create a microscopic parasite that could be injected into their
soldiers as a way of controlling them, as well as giving them
extraordinary capabilities; superhuman strength, and the ability to
not feel pain are among the many. There were also rumors of
cellular re-generation flying about. The parasite would be used as
an advanced biological weapon in wartimes.

This was the government's
plan for the parasite; however, Holden's boss had plans of his own.
Holden knows that at this very moment, spread across the planet are
agents or "Units" of The Conditioning, strategically placed in
hospitals and police stations, underground compounds and anywhere
else a Unit is needed. All men and women who are loyal to the
confederation, all loyal to The Sir, and on his word the parasite
would be quickly inserted into the system, through medical offices,
schools, and shopping centers. An entire planet of supreme beings
ruled and controlled by a supreme leader, like one mind.

This was The Sir's plan,
however, E-TE12 had plans of it's own. Testing on humans subjects
began about a month back, on soldiers in the same state Holden and
Doctor Alyster are standing under. Against the good doctor's word,
The Sir applied pressure to the state's government who eventually
caved and allowed E-TE12 to be injected into its soldiers,
but
only
after
they willingly volunteered their bodies.

Less than a third of those
enlisted signed up for the testing, surprisingly, since decent
compensation had been offered, but those tens of men were all it
took for pure hell to break loose. The outbreak of living dead gave
them no choice but to stop testing, and before long the government
began voicing opinions of doubt and calling for a complete shutdown
of all operations pertaining to E-TE12.

The governments hadn't
caved yet, but they would be insane to risk another outbreak when
this one has already been proving itself too much to contain.
Holden thinks to himself that perhaps this is why The Sir is in
such a hurry to go ahead with his plans, but now this "Eternity"
aspect. Holden is a super soldier in his own right. He could fight
half an army on his own if he had to. He has no interest in any
"special powers" the parasite has to offer, and he is quite content
controlling his own mind, but to live forever is a feat that is out
of even his reach. It intrigues the big man, and he can't help but
wonder what is wrong with it. Why hadn't the parasite worked the
first time around? If anybody knows the answer, it's the crooked
old doctor in front of him.

Holden:
But there's a problem with it? Eternity?

Dr. Alyster:
Problem. Hah! All zhis talk of problems. She is merely
matooring… as everysing in his universe shurely daws.
(coughs)
It's a
loffly sooprise, as I prefer to sink of it. Alshough, its rate of
development is admittedly quite rapid.

Holden:
How so?

Dr. Alyster:
Vhen our doctors vere in zhe initial testing phase, many
laboratory rodents diete, but zhere vas one zhat did not. Zhe
parasitic-chip had stait in its place in zhe leetle rat vhere the
spinal cord meets zhe brain, and vee vere able to control zhe
filsee sing vit our computers and tings. Not to mention, zhe rodent
had the strength of
ten
of it's own kindt. Zhis was our success in zhis
first stage. Look! Look here!

Doctor Alyster motions
impatiently for Holden to put his eye to the microscope and the
large man complies.

Dr. Alyster:
Zhis is Eternity, as it lay dormant. It is peesfull und easy
to control.

Holden doesn't quite
understand what he is looking at as he pulls his head away from the
scope. It looked like some sort of globule type organism that was
just sitting there, like a bubble mostly. He lets the doctor
continue.

Dr. Alyster:
Now!
(coughs)
Shree dais past, yes? Und our leetle rodent
friend begins to show signs of decline. He fails to follow
transmitted instructions und becahms unable to complete even
the
simplest
tasks. On zhe fourff day, zhe rat had become
ravenous.
It ran
around its leetle cage from corner to corner und clawed at zhe
glass if somewon put a finger close to it. Upon analyzing zhe
computers, vee discovered vhat the rodent had diete during zhe
night. But how is zhis possible? How can his fing zhat diete vhile
vee vere asleep be alive agane vhen vee are avake? Und vhy so
angry?

Holden's brow lowers, and
the doctor can tell that the super soldier needs more of an
explanation. He slides the first microscope out of the way and
offers Holden another one. The doctor continues talking as Holden
closes one eye and brings his head down to the lens.

Dr. Alyster:
Look zhere. Zhis, again, is Eternity, extracted from zhe
rodent, but after zhe it has become ravenous, und
after
zhe night
it apparently lost it's life.

The sight in the microscope
shocks both of Holden's eyes wide open. It looks like the same
globule, but this time it dances feverishly on the plastic slide,
and it's rounded edges now look more like tentacles.

Holden:
What the hell am I looking at here?! This isn't the same
thing I just saw in the other scope.

Dr. Alyster:
But it is, miene boy! It is zhe next stage in Eternity's
evolution. From peace und calm to completely chaotic. An unwelcome
surprise for your superiors, but a beautiful display of life for my
mind none zhe less. Zhe same sing happened to your
soljiahs.

Holden:
So
then, this is the problem? You have to stop the evolution
process.

Dr. Alyster:
Yes, zhat is my current goal, to retard the evolutionary
process und control zhe uncontrollable.

Holden:
That shouldn't be a problem for someone like you. I've heard
many good things.

Dr. Alyster:
Hah! Crazy sings I'm sure, but you are correct none zhe less.
I shall figure zhis out soon, und Zhe Conditioning vill commence as
plant.

Holden:
You have four days. I hope you know what you're
doing?

Dr. Alyster:
Hah! Miene boy, in four more days vee vill no longer have to
say zhat vhat vonce vas dead has cahm back to life! Ha,
ha.

The doctor turns back to
his scribblings, leaving Holden to absorb what he had just heard.
He understands everything for the most part. E-TE12, which is
really named, Eternity, is a parasitic-chip that implants itself
onto the host's brain. The chip itself brings the inactive areas of
the brain to life, making the holder smarter, more powerful and
resistant to pain. The chip also allowed for commands to be
administered via computer wavelength, giving whoever is in
ownership of said computer systems mind control over the subjects.
The problem now is that the parasite is unexpectedly evolving,
killing the host and taking control for itself. This needs to be
stopped.

All this is well and good, but what interests Holden the most
is the part about eternal life. He remembers noticing how hard it
was to take out one of those undead monsters without destroying
their brains. The things would take a full clip to the gut and
bounce right back up. It's all slowly starting to make more sense
and would become even clearer as he conversed more with the good
doctor, but for now he stands quietly in a badly lit hidden lab,
watching Doctor Alyster observe, scribble and mumble to
himself.

SACRIFICE

On the third night inside
of their temporary department store home, Billy sits snugly in his
beanbag chair in front of their big screen television, playing
Inhabitant Devil 6. Margaret sits beside him on her own beanbag
chair, eating a fully dressed hotdog. This area, that they at first
used to relax and unwind, has become a perfect mess with bottles of
condiments, empty wrappers, boxes and toys scattered all around.
Both are content, and both thoroughly relaxed, as if nothing had
happened or was happening with the world outside their
haven.

Margaret:
(mouth full)
I can't believe I
used to hate these things. Hotdogs are goddamn
amazing!

Billy:
God
damned, perhaps. Amazing? I'm not so sure.

Margaret:
Whatever dude… Abe! How you enjoying that
T-bone?

Margaret turns her head to
look up at the zombie who stands in between and behind the two of
them; opposite the big screen they are all watching. He's right in
the middle of ripping apart an uncooked T-bone steak with his
mouth. Abe looks down at her when she addresses him and then right
back at the action on the TV screen. Margaret scoffs at him and
finishes her hot dog, letting out a reverberating belch. Neither
Billy, nor Abe seem to take notice of it. Both of them are fully
engrossed with the game.

Margaret:
I. Am. So. Stuffed. I've totally got that uh… I've got… um,
that thing people get… You know, when they eat too much?… Aaaaw,
you know what I mean.

Billy:
You
can just say it, Margaret. I really don't care.

Margaret:
Totally got that nigger-itis.

Billy:
There it is.

Margaret:
Sorry... I don't mean anything by it.

Billy:
Psh! Relax. Racism is the least of our worries
now.

Margaret:
Yea, I know. It's just another silly habit… 'cause like,
before you could never tell how someone was going to react when you
said it, you know? Heh. It
is
a silly word, anyhow. I mean,
who
doesn't
get a little sleepy after a large meal?
Right?!

Billy:
Sleepy? I'm surprised you're not dead. You can't really call
it a
"meal"
when you've been eating consistently throughout the whole
day. It was more like a never-ending banquet for one. How's your
ankle, anyway?

Margaret:
It feels amazing, thank you very much! And let me just say
that I enjoyed every bite thoroughly. Abe! Fetch!

She grabs a football that
sits on the floor beside her and throws it down the aisle they set
themselves up in. He doesn't respond to it, as per usual, never
taking his eyes off of Billy's virtual heroics for even a
second.

Billy:
Shh!

Billy pauses the game and
puts an index finger up to his lips.

Billy:
Did
you hear that?

Margaret:
What? Oh, it was just the football. I'm still trying to get
this guy to fetch.

Billy:
No.
It wasn't that.

Margaret:
Aww, you're always hearing something.

Billy shoots off of the
beanbag chair while shutting off the television with a nearby
remote and lays the flat screen gently but quickly down on to it's
back. Then just as swiftly, he clicks the Xbox360 off and unplugs
the controllers, before pulling both Margaret and Abe away from
their messy little improvised entertainment area. He brings them
into the Layaway and Returns Department, and they all hide around
the corner of its entrance.

Margaret:
Jesus. Okay, okay. What is it? What did you
hear?

Billy:
I
think someone is in here.

Margaret:
Are you serious?

Billy:
I'm
not sure, but I think I…

And then Margaret and Billy
become extremely certain at the same time. They can't make out any
of the words that are being said, and they aren't sure how many
there are, but there is no doubt that they are hearing
voices.

Margaret:
Oh, great. And we were just getting comfortable. Who do you
think they are?

Billy:
How
should I know? We're going to have to wait it
out.