A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 98

We set up camp the next evening. Kerry was currently investigating the blood collection supplies Diane had raided from a pharmacy. I was perched on a chair watching Diane with interest. She was sneaking up behind the rooster. For the life of me, I had no clue what she was trying to do.

With a swift move, she managed to grab the rooster and pulled something out of her pocket. It looked like a wrist bracelet. I was confused, but watched in curiosity as Diane checked and altered the fit as she put it on the rooster's neck.

She let the rooster go and he walked off shaking his feather in disapproval of his new accessory. Others were also watching her. We had set the camp up and there was nothing left to do, so this was the most interesting thing to watch at the moment. From their expressions, they weren't any wiser than I was.

Diane came over to sit in the chair beside me as she waited for Kerry to get her supplies set up to her satisfaction.

"Why did you put a wrist band on the rooster?"

Diane looked at me with a wide grin, "It isn't a wrist band. It is a rooster collar. It prevents them from filling up their vocal air sacks completely, so he won't be able to crow loudly."

I looked at the rooster again, but I could clearly see that it was quite loose around the rooster's neck. Most collars I had seen on dogs had been tighter. "Is it supposed to be that loose?"

Diane glanced over at the rooster, "The instructions said that there should be enough room for me to easily put my finger between the collar and his neck. He shouldn't be any louder than the hens now, which is a good thing considering the death threats he has been getting."

I giggled as I recalled yesterday morning. This morning had also seen a similar flurry of death threats before I found another box to stick the stupid suicidal bird in. The chickens all were loose inside our fence. We hadn't had any problems with them yet, other than the rooster's terrible timing for his morning crowing. It was nice to have eggs for breakfast or baking.

Kerry called Diane over and I followed her. A dozen or so others also followed in curiosity. Most opted to remain where they were, not realizing that this was no ordinary blood donation. Diane took a seat on the back of a truck tailgate where Kerry had laid out her supplies.

Another lady was also holding a blood collection vial. She had also been a nurse before the zombies showed up. They had talked with Diane a lot about her blood donation. In truth, they had beaten the topic to death as they dredged up any tiny detail.

They now knew that Diane's blood was normally dangerous, and that it was only contagious when it glowed. Diane could only hold her blood in that state for about 30 seconds, so they didn't have long to draw blood. That was why both nurses were going to be taking blood, one from each arm.

Diane hated needles and it seemed like fate had decided to plague her by giving only her blood that could make others immune to the zombie virus. Kerry and the other nurse put a rubber band around her arm and located a vein while waiting.

Kerry nodded at Diane, "Let me know when."

Diane took a deep breath as she began the arduous task of trying to make her blood run cold. Silence reigned as Diane appeared to be deep in concentration. A muscle twitched and her breathing got a bit heavier. She shook her head lightly as if she had a headache. Her muscles trembled just before goosebumps started appearing.

"Now."

I winced as two needles entered her skin. Perhaps it was a good thing that I couldn't do that yet... Glowing silver blood started rapidly filling up the tubes. The nurses popped out the full ones and put new ones in as fast as they could.