Infection: Dying Days

"Hi, Mr. Braxton, can you to unlock the supply room for me?"

I asked Mr. Braxton the moment I got to the makeshift lunch line. He was diligently writing something in a notepad.

"Let's see, peas...check. Canned soup...check."

Seeing that he didn't answer me the first time, I tapped him on his shoulder and called his name once again.

"Uh,Mr. Braxton."

"Huh? Who's calling my...ah, Desmond is it? What do you need?"

Finally taking his attention away from the notepad, Mr. Braxton asked. Was he that focused?

Finding his actions a little funny, I chuckled and said to him.

"I need you to unlock the supply for me."

"What for?"

"I was asked by Big si- I mean President Yang to get a new can of antiseptic spray. This one's out."

I said as I shook the empty can to show that I wasn't lying.

"Okay, give me just a minute. I need to finish cataloging the food supply."

"No prob. Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks though."

After having my offer to help politely denied by Mr. Braxton, I left the makeshift lunch line and moved towards the entrance of the supply room. I'll wait here until he's done.

"Did you see that pretty girl earlier?"

While I was waiting, I overheard two boys talking as they were walking by. A pretty girl? Now I'm interested.

"Yeah, I saw her! The one with the big b.o.o.b.s right? She was talking with that other pretty girl."

One of the boys said excitedly.

"Uh-huh, that's the one. Do you think she has a boyfriend yet?"

"I don't know but I think Gerald has his eyes on her."

"Really? Then damn…"

"I'm amazed at how they can talk about stuff like that during a time like this."

I mumbled amazed as I watched the two boys walk farther and farther away. Well, it's not like I'm one to talk.

By the way, who's this Gerald? I feel like I heard of him before. Hmm…

"What staring into space for?"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, Mr. Braxton said with a smile before bringing out a keyring full of keys and opened the supply room door.

"Here you go."

Giving him a nod of appreciation, I enter the supply room and look around it. About half of this room was filled with the month supply of canned food and bottled water while the other half is taken over by sports and cleaning equipment.

"She said the box was to the right of the entrance... There it is."

Looking over to the right, I found an open box in the corner that had the antiseptic spray I was looking for in it. Taking two of the remaining eight cans from the box, I leave the supply room.

"Did you find what you need?"

Mr. Braxton asked as he locked the supply door behind me.

"Yeah, I found what I need. Hey, if you need any help ask me any time alright."

"Haha, I gotcha kid."

Hearing him say that made a smile appear across my face. The more I talk to this guy the more I like him.

"Guys! Look at this!"

"It's the news!"

"Where!"

As I was walking back to the infirmary area, shouts of excitement enter my ear.

Turning my head to see what the commotion was, I spot a group of students standing behind a boy who was staring intently at his phone.

Feeling a little curious as to what they were doing, I went over there and blended into the group.

"What're you guys watching?"

I asked the boy holding the phone. Not even tearing his gaze from the screen, he excitedly replied.

"The news reported army choppers are flying around New Haven City saving people and killing those monsters outside. See!"

Leaning his head over to the side a little bit, the boy allowed me and a couple others to get a better view of what he was watching.

On the phone, we saw a newswoman standing behind a barricade guarded by police officers, reporting the situation.

"This is Carla Lane from news channel 13 here telling you that a dangerous and infectious disease of unknown origins has spreaded all across New Haven, causing people to violently attack and eat others…!"

"Stand down!"

Hearing a shout, the cameraman swings the camera towards a police officer warning an incoming infected.

"Aaah!"

But to no avail, the infected didn't listen (as expected). It kept walking towards the barricade with unsteady steps.

"I'm warning you! Stand down!"

The officer warned again as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at the infected. Oh, like that's going to scare it?

"Aaah!"

"I warned you! Fire!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

With the pull of his trigger, the police officer and the others guarding the barricade filled the infected with bullets, hitting it all in the c.h.e.s.t until finally a few bullets entered his head, killing it.

After catching the killing of the infected on camera, the cameraman swivels it back to the newswoman.

"What we saw just now was one of people infected with this disease! It is advised that any and all contact with people showing symptoms like this should be avoided if….Kent behind you! Kyaah!"

"Agh!"

With a cry of agony, the cameraman drops the camera on the ground, causing the lens to crack and make the video go in and out.

After going in and out a few times, we see the cameraman on the ground fighting off an infected biting his shoulder!

"Agh, help m-"

PSSSH!

Without even getting to finish hearing the camera man's sentence, the camera cuts out.

"..."

This left a horrible and disturbing silence within the group.

"I miss my mom."

All of a sudden, a person in the group said. It was the guy holding the phone, he had tears streaming down his cheeks as he kept mumbling out 'mom'. I guess watching that video was the last straw for him.

The same could be said about the others as well since this guy's outburst caused a ripple within the group.

"Is my sister okay?"

One person worriedly said.

"I'm worried about my family too."

Then another.

"I hope my grandma didn't go outside."

And another.

"Talk about shit going to hell...I'm leaving."

Feeling uncomfortable because of their mumbling, I left.

"You got the spray? Why the long face?"

When I got back to the infirmary, Big Sis asked. I hand her the two cans of antiseptic spray and say with a sigh.

"You're going to have trouble in a little bit."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like this…"

I then tell her about the video I saw and what the students' reactions from it were. I told her how they were worried and wanted to meet their family.

"Yeah, it seems like we do have a problem here."

Big Sis said with a solemn face after hearing my explanation. Seeing her make such a serious expression, my expression also became serious.

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. I'll need to talk it over with the others. Hopefully, we'll have a solution before anything can happen. You should join us."

"...Why?"

"Because you have know what to do in situations like this. You played the post apocalyptic zombie games haven't you?"

"That may be so but that doesn't mean I know everything about situations like this. Ask Andy he'll be willing to help."

I said trying to push the responsibility onto Andy. However, Big Sis wasn't having that so she shook her head and firmly said.

"No. You're the only person in here that I can fully trust. So having you by my side when we discuss what to do will be reassuring. Your my second in command after all."

"Attach former to that second in command thank you very much. Sigh, fine, I'll help you."

I said with a sigh of resignation. Sigh, I'm never able to fully deny this girl's request.