I am at a stage of my life where I associate every bad thing in my life with the pandemic. Yesterday, I was cutting my nails and I cut my thumbnail a little too much and now it’s super sensitive. I HATE YOU, CORONA!
So naturally, many of my upcoming shorts are going to revolve around it some way or the other. I’ve taken a few liberties as this is a fantasy thriller (unlike my last one – Love in the Time of Pandemic). So, bear with me if the medical terms or the facts about the pandemic are a little deviated from the current situation.
Here it goes…
After the successful eradication of Covid-19, thanks to the help from the Chinese government by quickly developing and distributing the vaccines, the world seemed to be much more peaceful than before. But as they say, the past catches on. Governments from all over the world wanted answers from China about the source of the virus which killed about 1% of the total world population. Looking at the hatred towards Chinese people around the world and continuous pressure from the UN, the Chinese government spilt their guts.
What they officially said made no sense at all. They said it was all done by a mad scientist who developed the virus and sent it out through his “followers”. They called him mad because he was a fanatic psychopath. He was condemned by the scientist community for having extreme ideologies. Still, he used to have highly dedicated pupils who believed in him blindly. Some sources confirmed that he had a research lab at his huge 2 story bungalow which is accessible only to his highly trusted followers. The government had put him under the radar for quite some time and knew that his ideas are developing into a cult. But as far as they know, no illegal activities were being conducted at his place to actually convict him. They finally got hold of one of his followers who told them about the virus but it was too late by then.
The world was shocked but everyone watched in silence as they waited for the answers to the questions everyone had in their minds?
Where is the mad scientist now? Have you caught him?
“……..Not yet. We tried our best but we couldn’t”
What do you mean you couldn’t?
“We’ve sent multiple units of the military to the house. None of the units came back.”
Can you not just blow the house with a bomb?!
“We need Dr. Yuen alive. He might have some information about the virus which might be beneficial to us in the future.”
We need help.
Sam was excited to be a part of the special unit chosen to infiltrate the house. Special agents were sought out from all over the world to create a 25-member team for this task. Sam’s wife told him he is the most qualified to be in the squad. But he thought himself as lucky to be in it, after being spent such a long time in the hospital, recovering.
The world was watching them. News Broadcasters were broadcasting the news live for everyone to see the developments as they happen. The world leaders wished them luck and the team went in.
BLOODBATH
For Sam, it was mostly a blur. He remembered that his team lost touch with each other. The place was dark inside and the only light came from their flashlights which broke one by one. He surely remembered screaming, bodies flying here and there and blood, lots of it.
After about ten days in the hospital, recovering from his injuries Sam woke up. His wife informed him that none of his team members remembers what happened in the house. For them, it’s like they never went to the house. It was weird for Sam as he definitely remembers some of it, it’s not totally blank for him. One thing he surely recollects is that there were casualties. His wife said all the 25 members were alive and well with their families. They were tested negative for Covid-19.
Then it hit him. Every memory came back rushing like a tsunami. His eyes went wide with horror. He asked his wife to give him her phone. He called the commanding officer for the team.
“We need to gather everyone from the team! It’s important. Isolate them right now!”
“What are you talking about?! Wait, do you remember something?”
“Yes! And we have no time! They have the virus! We have to deal with them”
“But we tested them! They all were negative.”
“It’s the other one! Listen, I met Dr. Yuen. It’s a different virus. Covid-19 was only a distraction. His aim was to gain international attention to his mad theories. He has infected the team with it, Sarge! He calls it Bloodbath. It spreads from a bite from the infected. The symptoms include an insatiable thirst for blood. He and his followers were all infected. They bit all of us and somehow, after that, the team members started obeying Yuen’s orders. As if they were his disciples! Then he left all of us to go spread the virus all over the world!”
“What are you saying! Have you lost your mind?! You’re talking about actual vampires! I’ll call Simon and Abdul from the team and prove you wrong.”
After about half an hour, the commander called back.
“Listen, Sam. We’re sending you a helicopter. You are to come immediately to UN Headquarters.”
“Did you call the guys? Abdul? Simon or Sonia? Anyone?”
“None of them picked up. I asked our local contacts to check on them but after a few inquiries, seems like all of them have vanished into the night. Also, we found Sonia’s husband dead in their apartment. He was drained out of blood, Sam. We want you to come right away.”
“I’ll be there.”
“One more thing I wanted to ask you.”
“What is it.”
“You said Yuen’s followers bit you too. But why weren’t you infected? Or are you?”
“I have a theory around it.”
“Share with me.”
“This new virus is closely related to Covid-19. It might be a mutated version of it. It may be the hunch but I feel anyone who was infected by Covid-19 once and recovered might be immune to it. I recovered from Covid-19 last month.”
“So, anyone who has not contracted Covid-19 can catch this thing?! You’re saying about 97% of the population can get this?”
“Not really, most of them will die as the number of infected increases and they start draining people of blood for their thirst.”
“The problem is, they have a headstart of 10 days!”
FullyFiction 