"Fuck, I never chose this!" Paul grumbled under his breath, asleep, before jolting awake with a gasp and sucking in a deep breath.
"Hello, little brother," Nick said softly. "Welcome back to the land of the living. Were you having a nightmare?"
Paul blinked, disoriented, taking a moment to register his surroundings before recognizing Nick lying beside him in the hospital bed. "What happened?" he asked, his voice groggy.
"That's what we'd like to know. You were on your way here with Travis when you fainted in the car. The doctor checked you, but there wasn't anything wrong," Nick replied, concern etched on his face for his little brother.
Paul's mind began to clear as he remembered the events leading up to losing consciousness. He remembered Gloria, the pain in his head, and after getting home, the pain had intensified to unbearable levels.
Then came the dream, the last piece of the puzzle that explained how he had died and been reborn in this place. He had been surfing a forum about TV show discussions when an ad popped up, offering him the chance to select a power from a long list. Having recently finished The Vampire Diaries, he liked the overpowered Hope, so he had chosen the natural-born tribrid powers. After that, there was nothingness until the moment of his birth.
'Fuck. Why the fuck am I here?' he thought to himself, the realization of his situation dawning on him. 'Now I know where the fuck I am, but I didn't choose to be sent here or anywhere. I just picked a fucking power from another TV show, not this shit-filled place. Fuck!!'
'He now knew who the people in his life were and why he had been reborn into the past. It wasn't some fucking coincidence, no. I was sent into the goddamn zombie universe, but I didn't ask to be sent here or anywhere. I just selected a power option, dammit!'
'Even then, why not send me to the world of blood-sucking mosquitoes instead of this apocalyptic one? Fuck, the rest of my life here would be worse than shitting with nothing to clean up. I'm going back to the Stone Age.'
'But the worst part is that I don't know jack shit about this universe. I only watched The Walking Dead until the episode where Rick gets screwed, and with the main protagonist dead, I couldn't be bothered to see it anymore. But the worst of that is, where he is now isn't the main show but a spin-off—granted, all in the same world but a whole different adventure. And the kicker? He had just seen the first six episodes of season one and nothing more. I'm really screwed.'
Thinking more and more about this world, his face paled like he'd seen a ghost, turning white as a sheet.
'It's the end, really the end—the end of civilization and almost the extinction of human life. In the forum, they discussed the zombie life cycle of the show, about how long a zombie will endure before its end. But as with any fiction, this needs to be taken as magical shows; you can take reality into account, but it never needs to follow the logical path. There's always room for something inexplicable or illogical. But what is crazy and leaves you in despair are the numbers that are a fact: 1.6 million out of 7.8 billion people on the planet is 0.000205% of people still left alive.'
'1.6 million only, and that's worldwide. Dear lord, here in this place, how many? And the numbers will keep getting fewer and fewer.'
"This world has no fucking future, at least not for the living."
Despite his despair about the future, Paul took a deep breath and began thinking about what he should do next. The ad had let him choose a power that would give him a spark to live as he pleased in this world. But he had no idea if the power even existed, and if it did, it would come with its own set of problems, like drinking blood. But the benefits outweighed the risks, especially in a world overrun by the undead. To check it out, he needed to at least kill somebody or, worse, die trying.
Nick had watched Paul's face change from pale to flushed with fear and then back to pale as he took deep breaths and whispered a few words that Nick didn't understand.
"Paul, are you okay, bro?" Nick asked, trying to get his full attention.
"Yeah, I'm okay. What time is it?"
"It's morning already. You slept like a baby since you got here. Mom and the girls were crazy worried when they saw you on that bed, but the doctor said you were fine, just tired," Nick explained.
"Good, that's a relief. Have you talked with Travis?"
"No, but he looked mentally disturbed yesterday. Not calming down and nervous about something," Nick said, his voice worried.
Paul quickly scanned the room, not spotting any cameras, but he knew better than to assume they weren't there. "Yeah, I can guess what he's thinking about. We got there after you told us what you saw. I won't explain anything here, but I'll tell you later on," he said cautiously.
"Why did you do that, Paul? Why go there? It's dangerous if it isn't the drugs showing me that," Nick said, getting flustered.
"I couldn't leave you like a madman ranting about losing your fucking sanity anymore. I care for you, idiot. You should know that by now," Paul replied, his voice firm.
"I know you care..." Nick whispered.
"We need to get the fuck out of here," Paul said resolutely. "When they come, we'll leave. I'll make them get you out too. Where's my phone?" he asked, looking around.
"There, in that bag with your clothes," Nick pointed out.
Paul grabbed the monitor pads from his chest and moved to pick up the phone. Checking the signal and internet connection, he began surfing news websites and forums for information. There were a few weird cases of aggression and cannibalism, vaguely explained as acts of lunatics, but nothing extraordinary in the public sphere. The news was controlled. He searched the CDC website and found a name: "Worldwide pandemic Wildfire virus." Taking a large portion of the website, he also redirected to The World Health Organization site, which provided more details.
World Health Organization (WHO) Official Announcement
Global Pandemic Declaration: The Wildfire Virus
August 25, 2010
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Wildfire virus a global pandemic. Preliminary data indicate a widespread and unprecedented infection rate. The virus has affected the entire global population, necessitating urgent and coordinated international response.
Key points regarding the Wildfire virus are as follows:
Universal Infection: Current evidence suggests that the Wildfire virus has infected all humans worldwide, regardless of demographic or geographic differences.
Unusual Post-Mortem Behavior: Reports have emerged indicating unusual and aggressive behavior in individuals shortly after death. These phenomena are under intense investigation to determine their nature and cause.
Transmission: The primary mechanisms of transmission remain under study. It is essential to exercise extreme caution around potentially infected individuals and bodily fluids.
Containment Measures: Immediate actions are required to manage this pandemic. Public health officials are working to establish effective containment and safety protocols.
Public Safety Recommendations:
Remain Calm: Stay informed through official sources and avoid spreading unverified information.
Report Incidents: Any unusual post-mortem activity should be reported to local health authorities immediately.
Follow Official Guidelines: Adhere strictly to guidelines issued by health officials and government agencies.
The WHO is collaborating with global health authorities and governments to address this crisis. Further updates and detailed guidelines will be provided as more information becomes available.
Your cooperation and adherence to recommended safety measures are vital in managing this unprecedented global health threat. Together, we will face and overcome these challenges.
For further information and updates, please visit the WHO official website.
World Health Organization Committed to Global Health and Safety
After reading the announcement, Paul quickly took a screenshot for the others. There was no more doubt; only action was needed now.
"How are you feeling, Nick? Do you need some stuff?" Paul asked.
"I'll be okay for now. In a couple of hours, I'll feel like hell," Nick replied, touched that Paul had asked.
"Do you have some stash left?"
"No, all that I had was used or left before coming here," Nick said.
"Alright," Paul said, then went to untie him from the bed. "Stay here. I'll be back in a moment with the stuff you need. And we'll leave this place. Don't fuck it up by moving around." Intending to rob the hospital of medicine.
When Paul left the room, the morning was filled with the sounds and quick steps of hospital activity. The soundproofing of the room blocked all the noise outside. There were many more patients being treated, and Paul took advantage of the chaos to search the supply room.
The talk repeated by the people was about cases of violence and flesh wounds caused by bites or scratches from madmen. Soon enough, he found a room with lots of big cabinets and shelves around. Seeing no one around and the room clear, he went in fast and started dropping bottle after bottle of antibiotics, painkillers like Vicodin, sedatives, anti-inflammatories, a few packs of needles, penicillin bottles, morphine, even epinephrine—basically all the good stuff worth taking—into a backpack he stole on his way.
After grabbing everything he could, he returned to the room. Madison, Travis, and the girls were already there, looking worried. The girls quickly went to his side to embrace him and kiss his face with worried expressions and a few tears. Madison went to touch his face and embrace him, but because Travis was there, she didn't kiss his lips. Her eyes, however, conveyed her desire to do so.
"Alright, we'll talk later. Let's get out of here now. Nick, are you ready?" Paul asked, looking at Nick and then the rest of the family.
"Yeah, was getting bored by now. Let's go," Nick said, relieved.
"What's happening, honey?" Madison asked.
"Not now, Mom. We'll talk later. For now, let's go to the car and then straight home," Paul said, not wanting to explain in the hospital.
Once outside, Madison wanted to drive Paul and the girls, while Nick went with Travis, but he didn't want to go in the old truck. So Claire offered to drive, making her relent, and instead, she went in with Travis. Claire sat in the driver's seat, Nick in the front, and Paul enjoyed the back with his baby sister Alicia.
Looking at his beautiful twin, Paul leaned in, his gaze intense. "What's the problem, babe?" he asked, pulling her into an embrace while kissing her lips.
"Why are we leaving the hospital, Paul? Nick isn't completely fine from his injuries, and you haven't rested enough to be checked. Was it only because you were tired, causing you to faint?" Alicia asked, worried.
Paul smiled at her and began kissing her neck, smelling her scent while caressing her ass, feeling her get flustered and excited under his touch.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. You know I wouldn't joke about that. After all, I promised you that I would be there always for you and Claire," he said.
Paul then proceeded to wet-kiss her while molding her ass in his hands more and more aggressively, as he pleased. Alicia just moaned in his mouth while at the same time getting excited and flustered, going red and submissive to him, surrendering to whatever her brother did to her.
After a while of seeing them not stop from the rearview mirror, Claire got a little annoyed that she wanted also to be in Alicia's place right now, making out with her little brother. So she stepped on the accelerator for a while, separating them.
Paul noticed Claire's jealousy and smirked, "Don't wet your panties, Claire. I'd eat you at home too, but for now, let's give your little sister some time to herself. Eyes on the road, less in the back." He leaned over and placed his head on Alicia's neck, starting to kiss and lick it, inhaling her scent deeply, causing her to moan softly. His hands wandered over her generous breasts, then slid inside her pants, feeling the already damp place.
"Nick, you're not going insane," Paul said, still focused on Alicia's tits, leaving her a panting mess. "It's this world that is opening the door to madness in the next few days, starting yesterday."
Nick thought for a moment and asked him, "You saw her? What happened there?"
"Yeah, we got there with Travis. You'll see it; I filmed it all. Before I told you we'd leave the hospital, I got new information that's a game-changer while using the phone. That's why I told you we needed to get out of there fast. It gave us a little clarity on the previous events there. We need to go home fast for a family chat and then decide what we'll do from now on."