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| (photo is from creepy pasta) |
Becca, who is a nurse reported back that Runner 8 appeared to be shambling around the parameter instead of walking properly. He was walking his dog but dear reader, something was very wrong. The dog had all his teeth showing, as if part of his lip had fallen away. His tail was brittle and hard with the rigor of death yet still attempted a wag that threatened to break it away from his body entirely. Where he walked on his paws was mostly exposed bone now with the skin falling away like tanned hide.
As you recall from an earlier post the dog had been bitten by a zombie, briefly quarantined, then returned to Runner 8.
Runner Eight's sure walk was now the slow dragging footsteps of a zombie yet he showed no aggression. Quite the opposite in fact. He had walked the perimeter of the fence of Fort Stevens in life everyday from almost sun-up to sun-down and now he did the same in a ghastly routine.
Runner 8 was not as far gone as his dog, but promised to be soon. Patches of his snow white hair were falling out. His skin was an ashen blue color. It appeared he may be missing two or more fingers. Other zombies completely ignored him, but he occasionally took a slow mistimed ill aimed swipe at them with his base ball bat which he still faithfully carried. It was a sick parody of the life of Eight and we had no idea if we should try to stop him, bury him, have a funeral? Dr. Crow said we had bigger problems to worry about.
A corpse of a elk had been recovered at the snow line on Saddle Mountain. We got the news late but now had some radio communication with Fort Rilea whose technology was much more advanced. The elk was watching them, its eye rolling around, its mouth trying to move but it couldn't because it had almost completely rotted. We got the news quite late in fact because no one would believe the report. The Zombie virus was a plague to wipe out humans - and in fact being a God fearing region the majority of souls believed it was sent on purpose to either teach us a lesson about being obedient servants of God or to kill us all. It was the apocalypse in other words.
According to Dr. Ian Crow a new strain of the zombie virus had presented itself, one that could infect animals. In fact, he amended, there could be twenty strains of the zombie virus at large at this very second that we didn't know about. This particular strain he called, zombie strain "Mortis" and it was different. When death occurred was debatable but it kept its host more or less sustained as the vessel rotted away. Runner 8 had caught the virus from his dog, but had he been bitten? It seemed unlikely. Saliva could have infected him or worse, it could be air born.
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| Part of the Elk Herd At Fort Stevens |
The Commander started, "With the help of our new base doctor *smattering of applause* we have deduced there is a long incubation period with the zombie virus we are now calling, 'Mortis.' As you know we quarantined Runner 8's dog and he was on patrols with that dog soon afterward with no signs at all of being ill."
"Yes" Said Dr. Crow, "We think it may take a variable time to display symptoms. For instance it took a week or so for Runner 8's dog to get sick but only took him a few days. We also know it's in the elk population and can infect dogs and humans. This is unprecedented in diseases. So although Mortis is in many ways a less aggressive virus in many other ways it is far more dangerous. We could all already have it and not know it." A muttering went through the crowd.
"So the food supply is tainted." Said the Commander. "Our elk herd has finally arrived in full numbers and there are plenty of deer but the only way to have them to eat is to confine them to very large, tall pens and wait to see if they get sick. If after a month or so they're okay then we can butcher them."
If you've never seen an elk - the first time you think - tripod monster or something equally scary. They're BIG. They are deer on serious steroids. The idea of putting one in a high enough strong enough fence sounded sketchy to me at best. Little deer required an 8 foot fence not to jump out, my old neighbor kept a few around as pets. At least we still had the Columbia river bay, we still had fish.
I went back to my bunker to let what I learned soak in. The Commander had finished his talk by outlining how most of us were to be on rations for the day except a small supper of fish and vegetables as needed.
I started making myself a cup of pine needle tea. I saw it once on Bear Grylls, he had said it was good for Vitamin C or something. Maybe I remembered the episode wrong, but tea is nice and was in short supply.
Dr. Ian Crow came to my bunk house and knocked softly at the open door. He was drenched, it was raining hard outside again from the Typhoon. "Care for some tea?" I asked he readily nodded and smiled. I probably should have told him it was pine needles, oh' well.
"Runner 5, I felt I needed to warn you that as a runner you are particularly at risk from the dangers of this 'Mortis', and you'll be exposed to it undoubtedly if you continue to run and will need to be quarantined whenever you are on base if you continue to run."
I sighed heavily, "but you still need my help to gather samples and find out what's out there right?"
"No one will force you to go" The Commander said from the doorway. I hadn't seen Grant, who knew what plans those two were hatching.
"I'm a Runner, it's what I do. I'll just be careful." I said. "Maybe you guys can find a cure." I said hopefully. Neither men smiled....okay or not.
"When the rain blows over, we have new missions for you, some will be very dangerous." He said then added..."and do you have those maps done? We need them before...well before you leave." He said hesitantly trying not to use the words infected and die I imagined.
That's all for now dear reader, goodnight.
(Special thanks to Jephael for helping with this episode, finding the photo of the rotting elk and otherwise influencing me with her fandom know-how! Thanks! Also thank you to Ian Crow who wanted to be in my story :D)
