Affliction Z: Patient Zero (Post Apocalyptic Zombie Thriller) by L.T. Ryan

Author:L.T. Ryan [Ryan, L.T.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: L.T. Ryan
Published: 2013-12-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Jules wrapped his hands around the chair’s armrests, leaned forward and coughed, something he’d been doing more frequently since waking. Sean thought that he’d noticed a few drops of blood mixed in with the man’s saliva.

“How’re you feeling?” Sean asked.

Jules shook his head. The motion was anything but fluid. His chest and shoulders convulsed. “Not… not so… good.” He tried to smile, but his upper lip only managed to jerk up a couple times on the left side of his face.

Sean wanted to approach his friend and comfort him. But he didn’t. He was scared. Scared for what Jules was going through, as well as what was to come. Sean was under no delusions that his friend was going to make it out of this alive. He was also frightened by the prospect that in the next few hours, he too might be suffering in the same manner.

Jules fell forward and placed his head between his knees as he coughed. The floor below him became spattered with thick dark mucus and blood. He stopped coughing and pushed off of his knees and lifted his head. Blood that originated from the corner of his eyes dripped down his cheeks. The spasms seemed to have stopped, for the moment at least.

Welcome relief, Sean thought, if only for a few brief seconds.

“What’s happening to him?” Sean said, looking away from Jules and toward Knapp.

Knapp sighed as he leaned forward in his chair and studied Jules for a moment. “Looks like he’s ruptured his sinuses. Now, is that from all the coughing, or the cause of all of it? Does it matter? He doesn’t have much time left.”

“Give me a real answer,” Sean said.

“A real answer.” The old man seemed to contemplate humoring Sean. “The microbes are attacking the cells in his body, infesting and feasting on them,” Knapp said. “They’ll continue to do so until each cell can take no more, at which point it bursts and dies. Judging by the amount of coughing and the blood and mucus, I’d say it’s his lungs that are being destroyed.”

Sean shook his head, looking between Knapp and Jules, saying nothing.

“I know you don’t want to hear this,” Knapp said, “but the best thing you can do is take your gun and place it to your friend’s head, then pull the trigger.”

Sean’s eyes welled up at the thought, more so because he had been thinking it himself. He didn’t need Knapp to tell him that killing his friend would be the right thing to do. He looked at Jules, and saw the man nodding.

“Do it,” Jules whispered between heavy shivers. He brought his hand to his face and wiped across his nose, dragging a thick line of bloody mucus over his cheek. His breathing was ragged and sporadic. “Do it.”

Sean stood and unholstered his M9. He stepped forward and extended his arm. He tried to take aim, but his forearm and wrist were shaking and prevented him from lining up an accurate shot. He reached out with his left hand, cupped his right, and steadied himself.

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