A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 74

We pushed the horses on the way back. Diane kept close tabs on Don, probably in case he went into seizures. Once we made it to the base, Ninette grabbed a second sample of blood from Don before ushering him into her lab. He was put into an empty cell in case he turned before we were ready. Ninette wanted to grab a blood sample every hour to keep tabs on him.

His friends eventually found a football helmet so he could come out of the cell as long as he wore it. Ninette found some numbing salve and passed it to him. He was still quite worried, but at least the bite mark wasn't paining him as badly as before.

We all sat in the one room watching Ninette peer through the eyepiece of the powerful microscope as she slid slide after slide under it. Ninette was trying to track the zombie virus in Don's blood to see if she could see any difference between his infection and others she had similarly followed. The zombie virus was present and swiftly multiplying, but she hadn't seen any trace of the Heartfire virus. It was discouraging to say the least.

It had been three hours already, but none of us wanted to leave in case something happened. I was sitting on Diane's knees and leaning against her. I was still worried about her. She seemed very tired. She had even yawned! I had never seen her yawn before.

Ninette gasped, and we all turned our heads to look at her. She lifted her wide eyes up at us, before posting a picture on the computer screen. I blinked at the blue rectangular object on the screen. Diane looked at Ninette, "Is that what I think it is?"

Ninette nodded slowly, "Yes, it looks like the Heartfire virus managed to infect Don."

Diane furrowed her eyebrows, "Why is it blue?"

Ninette shrugged, "I am not sure. It could be the dyes I used to see it more easily, but it has the exact same shape." She zoomed in a bit more to examine it in detail. "It also has all of the same characteristics." She glanced over at Don who was looking at the screen in confusion, but with traces of growing hope. "I guess we will have to see how it progresses," Ninette looked back at the microscope.

Could the virus have somehow transferred when it was glowing? I didn't see any other way that particular shape would have appeared in a sample of Don's blood. Diane was eyeing up Don as he rubbed his arms, "Your muscles are getting achy, aren't they?"

Don looked surprised at her comment, "My arms are a bit sore, like I was at the gym for too long. Was that picture the same type of virus that you have?"

"Yes, it looks like the same virus. Hopefully it can take out the zombie virus swiftly. Although I do advise that you start jogging on the spot and alternating with pushups."

He looked at Diane in surprise, "What? Why?"

Diane sighed, "The Heartfire virus got that name for a reason. Remember our talk on the way out? What was the main symptom of the Heartfire virus?"

He furrowed his brows in thought, before realization crossed his face, "Discomfort or pain if the person has not had enough exercise."

Diane glanced the other way with suspicion, "That evil thing again?"

I looked over to see that Ninette had that metal skin sampler in her hands. She grinned as she brandished the spring loaded needle that took samples of the skin layers. She had a second insert tube in her hand, "I want one sample from you and one from Don."

Don looked at the shiny silver contraption with worry. Diane eyed it up before sighing and turning the chair so Ninette could get to her arm. I was really glad that I was not in her shoes. The needles were bad enough in my books at this point, but there was simply no comparison for that device of torture.