The Wolf's Cure

Chapter 5: It work's!!

"Oh wait Karl there is one vial here at the back."
I turned back but he wasn't there.

I took a syringe and filled it with a small volume. On the working table, there was a Petri dish with the sample from the last patient we encountered. I simply dropped a few drops into the plate and the black fluid disappeared like magic.  I took the vial and kept it in my pocket.

I took out my phone. Oh my god! There are 15 miss calls from Ron.
I rushed back home not even bothering to take off my lab coat. I opened the door.
I found Ron lying on the floor shivering.

"Ron Ron Ron.. what happened?"
His nose and ears were oozing with the black fluid...
Looking at him I started shivering. I had no idea what I should do next. I felt like my world has shattered completed.

I gave him a glass of water but he couldn't drink and the glass shattered into pieces. A glass pierced me and blood started dripping my palm.

I completely ignored it as all I could worry about was the little child. I felt that protease bottle in my lab coat. I took out a syringe and filled it with the least dose I could. My  Blood dripping all over the injection yet I pierced the needle through his skin and injected the dosage.

He closed his eyes. I threw the injection on the floor and picked him up. I kept him on his bed. I sat by his side caressing his hair. His eyes were closed as if he is in a deep sleep.

After some time I cleaned the medical trash which I had created.
It had been one hour past I injected him. He did not wake up still.

I started stroking his hair lightly and touched his forehead. He had a fever. I prayed and prayed for him to wake up.

After 3 hours I started panicking. What if I was wrong? What if the antidote just made his condition worse?

I hadn't tested it artificially yet alone clinical trials... My heart was beating like there's no tomorrow. I started crying.

Suddenly I felt my finger squeezed... 'Ron'... He woke up. I had tears in my eyes. I looked at him like I have seen light after hundreds of years of an eclipse.

He looks better already. The dark circles under his eyes have completely vanished. His skin is no longer rashed.
As he opened his eyes and hugged me.

"Momm!" was all he said.
I had no words. I couldn't even think let alone speak. I just hugged him back.

" How are you feeling?"

"Sooooo gooood" he said laughing." It doesn't burn anymore. Anywhere."

It was the first time I saw him so active and it gave me pure happiness

"Are you sure? You feel no pain?" I want to be sure that the antidote has no side effects and if any I should get them treated immediately.

"Nooooo" he sang

"Come here, sweetie. Can you walk?"
He got down from the bed and started running. Now, this was strange but I am happy it worked. I just hope it has no side effects. I took his blood samples so that I could check for any abnormalities.

I couldn't tell Karl or anybody else what I had done. I would surely be fired. I started cooking dinner for us.

Once I was done, we both had dinner together. Ron looked very cheerful and healthy. The sight gave me joy.

After eating I tugged him to bed and started some research on the antidote. I read its properties and any side effects caused earlier. I took notes from all the supporting research papers.

As I kept reading I drifted into sleep.
I woke up to the sound of my alarm.

I decided to check on Ron before I could start my day. He was in deep sleep. I left him to enjoy his sleep and got ready to leave.

He finally decided to wake up when I was still busy cooking. I told him I am running late and I need to hurry. His face dropped when I had to leave but I convinced him that I'll be home soon.

Before I could change my mind and skip work I decided I should leave. I drove off.

Hi Karl! I said as I entered the lab. He did not reply. I went closer to his chair.

"Karl are you okay?" He woke up rubbing his eyes. "Have you been here all night?" I asked. "yes," he said rubbing his temples.

I felt pity for him. I mean he has been here all night. I know how it feels like. I have spent several nights at my previous internship getting the job done.

"You seriously do have a brilliant mind. Last night I found out this is a prion infection. Apparently, they were introduced into the diet of the native people here and they have receptors with a specific protein that maintains its allosteric site. This protein is absent in people who do not belong to this continent. So the fusion step is eliminated and they are protected from the infection. The proteases you suggested cleave this protein and destroys the prions. Now, all we need to do is find the right dilution." he said looking at me with his eyes surrounded by dark circles.

"Karl, I think you should take some rest. You shouldn't be working round the clock.

"But the dilutions.." he tried but I cut him off
"I'll find the dilution and call you if I need anything"

"Okay. I'll be heading towards the hospital bunkers on the 8th floor. If there is anything you need me for.. just drop me a call and if I don't answer kick my ass upstairs." he actually sounded serious. Kicking your senior's ass could be fun. But you know I still need this job.

"That won't be necessary" I laughed and he walked out.

I started working on the dilution and interpreting the results. After several hours I came to a result. The dosage to be injected must be 0.5ml and should have a concentration of 10 mg/dl. I wrote in the logbook.

I decided to call up Karl since it was long enough. I pulled out my phone and there was a text message from Ron saying if he could use the computer. I quickly replied with a yes and called Karl. He answered in the first ring.

"Hey, are you done with your sleep? I asked
"I am on my way to the lab" saying this he opened the door.  "Did you find the effective dosage?"

I showed him the results. He was quite impressed. "I have new patients upstairs. Let's try this. I am almost certain it will work."

We took all apparatus and headed to the 9th floor. There were multiple cages and all had patients. " It's getting bad isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is" let's try the antidote.

The patients were showing signs of aggression. Karl pulled out a stern gun and shot one of the patients. She was a woman in her 30s. He opened her cage and injected her with the antidote.

Then all we did wait for her to wake up. Meanwhile, we both discussed my yesterday's late-night research on the enzyme.

Suddenly the woman's eyes shot open. Within a second she had Karl by his throat.
I cried out for help.
10 men came running inside. They forced the woman into her cage and locked it.

"Are you okay?" I patted Karl on this back
He held my arm and dragged me inside the elevator and started breathing heavily.  We entered our lab. I brought him a chair to sit in.

"Here, have some water," I said handing him a glass of water

After relaxing a few minutes he said with a smile on his face. "At least we know this works"
"Yes but it definitely has an adverse side effect I mean.. did you see her aggression?"

"That's no side effect of our medication. The entire population of this continent has anger issues and no rational human thoughts. You can call them animals if you want. But hey I didn't say a word" he joked.

"You were choking on your life a few minutes ago and here you are making jokes" We both laughed.

"I'll call in a meeting with the rest of our team so we can share this good news with them."