A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 75

Diane shoveled some snow out of the way, and I bent down to collect the plants below. Don had joined us since he had to keep moving. It had been four days since he had been bitten, and he still remained at the lab most of the time.

Don was talking with Diane as we worked, "I didn't see you running last night, how did you manage to sleep all night?"

"I went outside of the fence for my run."

Don's eyes got wide, they had already started to turn blue, "What?! Please tell me that you are joking!"

Don was looking at her like she was crazy. Diane chuckled and shook her head, "No, I am not joking."

I giggled at Don's flabbergasted expression. You would think that Diane told him that she was having a tea part with a Swift for that reaction. Don shook his head rapidly, "Well, there is no way I am going outside the fence to run around in the forest in the dark when there is who knows what lurking around out there."

Diane grinned in amusement, "I don't expect you to, at least for a month or so until your eyes start glowing enough to give you some night sight."

Don shook his head in disbelief as he started to shovel more snow. He inhaled in shock as he suddenly stood up and twisted towards Diane in alarm. I jumped and rapidly glanced around to see what was wrong. I realized that Diane was relaxed and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Don still looked freaked out, "What do you mean when my eyes start glowing?!"

Really? How had he not heard that when Ninette had been telling him? Diane found his delayed reaction quite hilarious, "In time your eyes will have the ability to glow, it has to do with the virus being shiny and some sort of glowing chemical."

He looked at Diane's eyes for a moment, "Well, yours aren't glowing..."

I giggled even as a grin spread across Diane's face. Her eyes suddenly started glowing brighter, Don took a step back in shock. Diane slowly blinked as the glow once more started to disappear. I had known that she could make her eyes glow at will, but apparently Don had not.

"It is more noticeable at night, when you try to see things in the dark, the heat rises to compensate."

Don rubbed his eyes and looked at Diane again as if wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him, "What exactly is this heat you keep speaking of? So far all I have felt is pain and aches."

Diane regarded him thoughtfully, "During the first month you will notice an increase in your speed, strength and stamina. Any injuries will heal faster. The restlessness will increase as well during this time. After that the changes slow down a lot.

"About two months later if you really push yourself you will notice a warm heat appear that will boost your speed and strength even more, this also causes your eyes to actually glow. It is different from the warning heat that you can probably recognize easily by now. When this heat rises, it will also cause your blood to change color. At least if you follow the same pattern as me. Slight changes will keep happening for about a year, but you really have to think to notice them."

Don looked dubious, "Okay... I will take your word for it."

Diane chuckled as we got back to work.

          

We brought supper to Ninette. Once more Don's friends gathered with us. From what they were saying, many in the fort still thought that Don might change, even though Ninette didn't see any evidence of the zombie virus anymore. It had been over a week already, so it looked like the zombie virus really was gone for good. At least they were more tolerant of Don than the Wainwright Fort had been with Diane, although there were far less people here.