Chicago, USA

17th May, 2020

Evergreen Academy

SAM'S POV

I was at the biology lab with my classmates. We were doing an experiment. You know the regular ninth grade experiments. I was bored of that stuff. I wanted to learn new things. I loved science. Everything related to science fascinated me. So I was the first one to complete the experiment(It was a cakewalk for me). I walked to Professor Eugene to inform him. He was a high school teacher. But he liked to be called professor. I dunno why🤷‍♂️.

"I'm done with my experiment", I informed him.

"Already?", he asked. I nodded. He smiled brightly at me and walked with me to the experimental set up.

"Good...well done Sam", he patted my back and I smiled. The bell for recess rang and everybody rushed outside, towards the canteen. Taking off their lab coats and leaving their undone experiments behind.

"Hey folks...you don't finish this experiment, you don't get grades", Proffessor Eugene reminded them but they didn't pay any attention. He sighed in disbelief and looked at me.

"You're my favourite Sam. Come with me, I have something to show you", he said and started dragging me towards his cabin.

Professor Eugene Jenner. He was quite old, probably in his sixties. He loved science, just like me. He used to be lost in himself with his calculations. You can imagine him as any scientist, take Einstein for example. People used to call him mad, because he was way too scientific. But he seemed okay to me. He used to do crazy stuff but it appealed to me. You can say that in the whole school, I was the only one who supported him in his crazy, hit and trial experiments.

We entered his cabin and he closed the door behind. His cabin was like a small chamber. There was a pile of answer sheets placed on the floor. A notice board filled with pamphlets of new discoveries in modern science. And he had his small experimental lab that occupied almost more than half of the cabin.

"Stay here...I have something for you", he said and walked towards his lab.

I stood there waiting for him. He came back with a small bottle, like you know those bottles in which you keep all the chemicals and held it proudly in front of my face.

"What is this?", I asked him, as I took it from him and looked at it fascinated.

"Toxoplasma gondii", he replied proudly. I looked at him confused. I opened the cap of the bottle and looked inside. There was nothing.

"There's nothing in here", I told him tilting the bottle to get a closer look.

"Don't tilt it.You can't see it", he replied.

"By the way, where are your gloves?", he asked me raising his eyebrow.

"Oh...sorry", I said wearing the gloves and looking at him with anticipation.

"Its an obligate intracellular parasitic single cellular eukaryote", he said and my eyes got wide.

"Its a parasite?", I asked.

"Its a zombie virus", he replied smiling.

"You planning to make zombies....are you nuts?", I shouted at him.

"Calm down Sam...its just a virus. You guys have always been fascinated by zombie movies right? Here I found an infectious virus that can make zombies", he said excited.

"I tested it on a rat and see what happened", he said showing me the rat cage where his beloved rat Squeakers lived but he was no longer a rat, he had turned into a rat zombie.

I looked at him shocked. His eyes had turned green and there were convulsions all over his small body. His fur had spooked up and his teeth had turned sharper. He looked stronger than before.

"Squeakers is a zombie now!!", I said shocked and Professor Eugene nodded. I remembered the morning incident when I was playing with Squeakers(he looked normal then!) while he was in his cage and he bit me.

"No....no....this can't happen! This ain't right!", I started blabbering in fear.

"Sam calm down...I want you to be my partner in this thing. If we bring this virus in front of people, we are gonna earn so much money. We're gonna get so much fame", Professor Eugene said excited.

"Fuck your money and your fame. I'm outta here", I said and walked out closing the door behind.

I rushed towards the bathroom and stood in front of the basin. I looked at the cut, the spot where Squeakers bit me. I washed it thoroughly with water and looked at my face in the mirror.

"I look alright. I look normal. Nothing's gonna happen to me", I talked to myself, my voice quivering with fear.

"Hey Sam....u alright?", my friend Aaron asked me as he walked into the bathroom and found me trembling in fear.

"Yeah...I'm alright", I said trying to act confident.

"Then hurry up...the class is about to get started", he said and I nodded.

STILL SAM'S POV

LATER IN THE CLASS

It was Math class. I was trying my best to concentrate but couldn't concentrate. My eyes were dripping and I was sweating all over. I thought I had a fever. I didn't pay much attention to it and tried not to connect it with the zombie thing as far as I could.

"I'm alright", I mumbled to myself and looked down at my hands. The nerves were getting visible.

What the hell is happening to me?

"Sir....", I stood up abruptly. Everyone turned to look at me.

"Yes Sam", he said turning from the board.

"I need to go to the washroom", I said and he nodded. I quickly stood up from my seat and walked out of the classroom. I paved my way towards the reception.

"I need to call my mom", I said the receptionist.

"What is it you wanna talk to her about?", the receptionist asked.

"I just need to speak to her!", I raised my voice. She looked at me suspiciously for a few seconds and nodded.

"Thanks", I muttered and dialled home.

MRS. CLAIRE'S POV

The landline rang. I was making donuts for Sam, his favourite. I reduced the flame and wiped my hands in the apron. I paved my way towards the landline and picked it up.

"Hello...Claire here. Who is it?", I asked with the usual tone.

"Mom...", I heard Sam sobbing from the other side. I was shocked to hear his voice.

"Sam...why are you calling me? Are you alright? You're at school, aren't you? Sam...answer me baby", I asked him so many questions in single breath as I was too much freaked out at that time.

"I'm at school mom. I'm alright....for now. I just wanted to say that I love you mom. I love you so so much", he said, his voice quivering.

"I love you too my boy, but baby what's the matter? What happened?", I asked him concerned but he hung up.

"Hello....Sam?", I said but no reply came from the other side.

SAM'S POV

I was playing basket ball in the court. I was feeling terrible but I wanted to take my mind off that thing as far as I could. I was burning with fever, sweating all over, my eyes turning red.

"Sam", Aaron called me taking me out of my trance and threw the ball at me. I held the ball and started dribbling it towards the net while skilfully avoiding the opponents. I jumped and shot the ball at the net. I looked at the ball falling through the net and I smiled. But I started feeling so terrible, like my soul was being snatched away that as I landed on the ground I collapsed.

AUTHOR'S POV

Sam's head hit the ground and he collapsed. He just laid there with his eyes closed and everyone looked at him shocked.

"Sammmmmm!!!", everyone shouted and rushed to him.

"Sam...brother what happened to you?", his best friend Aaron asked panicking as he placed Sam's head on his lap and tried to wake him up.

"Move away kids", the school's doctor came and bent down to check Sam. He checked his heartbeat. Nil.....

He checked if he was breathing.....No breaths.

He looked at him shocked. He lowered his gaze and stood up.

"Sam's no more", he declared and everyone looked at him shocked.

"What!!!", they exclaimed in shock.

"No....this ain't right. Are you nuts? How can he just die?!", Aaron freaked out, tears rolling down his eyes as he took Sam's head in his lap.

"Sam!!! Wake up....", he begged his friend. But he won't wake up. Just then Aaron noticed his eyelids moving.

"He's alive....he's alive", Aaron said in excitement but just then he felt a sharp pain in his arm. He looked down to look at Sam piercing his teeth through his skin, all the blood oozing out. Sam was no more Sam. His eyes had turned green, his nerves were visible and his skin was whiter.

"Aaaaahhhhh", Aaron screamed in pain and took his hand away.

"All the kids out now!!", the coach said and all the kids rushed out making a commotion. But Sam had bit many children till now. Some of them behaved normally, while some of them turned directly into zombies (reason to be revealed later).

"Call 911", the lady shouted.

The kids turned zombies soon entered the corridors of the school while the ones bit were being taken to the hospital.

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STILL AUTHOR'S POV

IN THE AMBULANCE

"I don't feel good", the kids sobbed as the doctors did their check up.

"Calm down....we're gonna make you alright", the doctors assured them wrapping bandage around the cut.

Soon one of the kids started hyperventilating, his breath shuddering, unable to keep his eyes open.

"Get the oxygen mask!!", the doctor shouted. The nurse attached the oxygen mask to his mouth but the heart monitor's beep had become flat. The kid passed out, his breath stopped, all his movements stopped.

The doctors and nurses looked at him worried. The kid slowly opened his eyes, they had turned green and his skin was paler.

He rose up snarling like a zombie and bit the doctor near his neck.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh", the doctor screamed in pain.

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NAIRA'S POV

I was at the downtown market buying a bouquet for Kartik. I realised that I've been too hard on him. Its my mistake too. He isn't the only one who's at fault. I've been making things difficult for him and making him feel guilty. If we want our marriage to work, we shouldn't let this small things affect our relationship.

"Gimme the tulips", I said the vendor and she handed me the bouquet of tulips. I took it and inhaled its fragrance.....Kartik loves tulips. I gave her the money and turned back that an ambulance came speeding down the road and turned upside down, consequently catching fire.

I was shocked to look at the sight. People crowded near the ambulance. I charged in through the crowd to get a closer look. Just then, we heard snarling noises. Everyone started discussing, and there was a loud commotion.

The fire department came along with the CPD(Chicago Police Department). The fire fighters climbed down and started gushing water out from the pipe to stop the fire. When the fire was down, the police turned the upside down ambulance to make it stand properly on the road.

When they opened the back door to search for survivors, a bunch of people with green eyes and pale skin attacked them. They were making snarling noises, their nerves were visible and teeth were rotten. They started biting people around them, tearing them apart, ripping them off.

I couldn't believe my eyes. The bouquet fell from my hand as I witnessed the horrible situation. One of the creatures looked at me and started walking towards me. I turned back and rushed towards my car, stumbling on my way. I reached my car just in time, entered inside and pulled the window up. That creature was hitting the window and looking at me with hungry green eyes. I twisted the key in the ignition but the car won't start.

"Damn it!", I hit the steering wheel and continued to try to start the car.

The creature started hitting the window with force. It could break anytime.

"No...no God please don't do this!", I sobbed and gave it a final try. The window was about to break that I started the car and drove away as fast as I could.

How was it? Please lemme know ur views in the comment section below!