Virulence Immune

~ Epilogue ~

Stepping over the bodies of those who had been trapped in the outpost when Perri unleashed the wave of infected, both she and Luke made their way toward the quarantine area.

There was an eerie silence down there in the dark, now completely void of all life.

"Here." Perri spoke softly over her shoulder to Luke when she'd reached the containment room they needed.

She passed over the threshold into the room.

Three soldiers lay dead by the wall opposite the door, their insides painted the area around them in a bloody shade of red and black.

Once Luke saw the man, still strapped to the bed, he pushed past Perri to go to the bedside.

The fussed as he frantically untied the straps and buckles, before his legs gave out. He dropped down to his knees and hid his face in his hands as he began to sob.

The sight made Perri's eyes well up with tears.

"I was supposed to save him." Luke muttered to himself.

Perri approached him and knelt by his side, placing a hand over Jack's.

"The dead obeyed you." Luke added after taking his hands from his face, this time directing his words at Perri.

She stared at the scar on her hand.

"Are you dead too?" He asked.

"No. I was bitten once. But-" Perri looked from her scar to Jack's face. It was like he was peacefully sleeping. "-I didn't die. I'm infected, and I can infect others. But, whatever it is that's in my blood that enabled me to live, Holloway wanted to take it out of me to make a cure."

"So, you are both taker and giver of life."

"No. I would have to die in order for the cure to be created."

Luke thought for a moment before he said, "Through death, you could take away the disease. Or maybe, through life, you are a different kind of cure. Maybe we're not sick after all. We just needed you to show us that we can be both."

~~~

One Month Later.

A man lay in a bunk in a clean room, the warm sunlight from the open window kissed his forehead as he woke.

"Can you hear me?" Asked the woman who sat in a chair at his bedside, just as she had done for the past few weeks. "Are you in there?"

"Perri?" Whispered the man, his throat dry, and he grunted when trying to open his eyes.

She smiled. "That's right. How do you feel?"

"Short of breath. Hungry." He replied as his brilliant blue eyes adjusted to the room.

Perri smiled grew wider, reaching her eyes.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're infected, and you died. But, thanks to my blood-" Perri touched his hand. "-Jack. You're alive."

"I'm a zombie?" Asked Jack.

"We all are." Perri answered.

And now, life... could truly begin.

The End

(or, the beginning, but that's another story)