Dead Evolution Chap 1 (Patreon)

Original

Dead Evolution

The virus came from the stars, some conspiracy theorists believe that it was an alien test, a trial to survive. The virus infected everyone no one was immune, but not everyone died, those closest to the impacts were killed and became one of them. Zombies, Stage 1, the undead…

Over the following months and years humanity those that survived were able to live, using the virus to evolve. For some it was physical, gaining super strength, super speed, or believe it or not a super libido; for others it was mental. gaining heightened senses and even telekinetic powers.  

They weren't the only ones, the dead began to evolve as well, gaining classifications, names, and frightening abilities. Humanity was trying to stop the spread of the dead, but the number of evolved humans was dwindling. Psychics and Enhancers were the only ones capable of surviving the horrors this world had become.  

-x-

We find our heroes in a barricaded warehouse. Their latest mission was to locate a nest of stage threes and wipe them out before they evolve. They didn't make it in time...  

“Damn it!” A man hissed as his wound stung.  

“Honestly how could you be so careless?” another young man, who had his eyes closed, was trying yo make him comfortable, while the injured man lights a cigarette. “I thought you quit.”  

“That's some thank you, I wasn't the one that got swarmed by stage 4's.” he groaned as his leg throbbed, feeling the virus trying to repair the wound. “This might be my last day alive, let me have this.”  

“I would have been fine, I'm a psychic, Mr. Enhancer!” to prove he point he used telekinesis to move over a crate to sit on. “I would have been fine, you worry too much.”

“Forgive me, we barely made it out of there, and it seems our friends followed us.” the smoking man said, hearing the grunts and claw marks outside. “I'll give them 5 minutes before they claw their way in hear and eat us.”  

“Aren't you the picture of optimism.” He had to admit he was right, even with his reinforcements, there was a swarm of stage fours outside. Plus he had a feeling something else, something had helped that nest evolve, but what it could be was too scary to think about.  

“Hey, I'm bitten here, optimism isn't an option.” he exhaled, smoke clouding his vision a moment before dissipating. He got sloppy, even when he reinforced his body a stage four's fangs tore into him. “You should just kill me now and escape, Mr. Psychic.” he was a dead man walking. “Send me off to the other side, I'm sure my mom will be there waiting for me.”  

“Dummy!” he hugged the man. “Life without you isn't worth living!” he put his arms around the psychic. Even with his control over the virus, the bite would slowly kill him, turning the virus against him, once it got to his heart he'd die, and once it reached his brain he'd be one of them.  

“That's why I saved you. You are my only light in this hell!” he groaned. “If I'm gonna die, I'd rather it be by your hand or saving your sexy ass.” he made his partner blush.  

The psychic was quiet for a moment. “Hey, do you remember where you were before the fall?”  

“Probably sleeping in history class, I was a senior in high school. Everyone was thinking about their futures, and passing the final exam. I was trying to stay awake in class.” the psychic giggled.  

“I bet you were a straight B student, with the prom queen or king as your personal fuck buddy.” the smoker laughed.  

“Please, I got C's in everything but gym, and I barely knew what I wanted for lunch that day let alone who I wanted to ask out.” his chuckle was cut off with a groan, his leg was starting to burn. “After the fall I wasn't thinking about my future any further than surviving until the next day.” he finished his cigarette. “Where were you?”  

“In a hospital, in a wheel chair. Since the time I was very young I couldn't walk, my only sight into the outside world was through my hospital window.” the zombies suddenly got louder outsider. “After the fall, I was able to walk, but the beautiful world I thought I would see was filled with horrors I never wanted to see.” he fisted the man's shirt. “I was so alone, and so scared. I trusted the wrong people and well...” he started shaking. “I was picked up after a horde attack and my powers activated. A military group picked me up shortly after, and I did my best to be useful. The years went by and my powers grew. Then I met you, the wild enhancer, with eyes haunted by death. You never would have sacrificed yourself for anyone back then.”

“Love changes a man.” The enhancer said, with a smile.  

“Dummy,” he kissed the enhancer, tasting the weird flavor branded cigarette he took to smoking. He rested his head on the man's chest hearing his heart beat. “If there was something you could tell your younger self what would it be.”  

“Don't smoke, suck dicks instead they way better.” he coughed. The psychic blushed harder.  

“If you could go back in time, what would you do different?”  

“Probably save my bros if I could, try to fix so many mistakes.”  

“Would you save me?” the psychic was crying.   

“Of course I would. I'd take care of you.” He brushed away his tears, but before they could kiss again a loud bang shook the warehouse. The enhancer bolted up as a massive dent was left in the thick heavy door to the warehouse.  

Bang Bang Bang

Three more dents. “Shit its a phase five!” he tried to stand up only to cry out in pain. “You gotta run, I'll try to hold it off and...” the psychic pushed him on his back and straddled him.  

“You need to focus. Think back to before the fall.”  

“What are you…?” the phase five was ripping through the door. The enhancer however didn't look away from the psychic's eyes, black and red, a side effect of his virus mutation. To him they were so beautiful, the psychic simply kept his eyes closed to limit his psychic powers, once opened his power was amplified ten fold.  

He found he couldn't think of anything else, he could picture it clear in his mind, it was just a few weeks after his birthday, the sky was clear, he was sitting in class struggling to stay awake as Mr. Rugby went on and on about the history of the second Civil War, his tone could put anyone to sleep. He was trying to take notes, but his eyes had been falling.   

“My love, you are gonna escape, I cannot go with you, but know I will be waiting for you to find me again. I love you.” he kissed him one last time as the phase five ripped into the warehouse followed by a horde of phase fours. “Goodbye!”  

His vision blurred, he thought it was because the virus had turned his heart and he was dying. The zombies swarmed in, his mind screamed, begging his body to move. His love might have been a powerful psychic but he had his limits, just as the human body had its limits. 'Move...move damn it...he's gonna die...not him...not him...please!'  

His eyes closed, not wanting the last thing he saw to be his love getting ripped apart. He heard him scream and his eyes shot open. “MARRON!!!” he screamed.  

He blinked. He wasn't in the warehouse anymore, Marron was gone, and he was surrounded by very shocked students instead of a zombie horde. Mr. Rugby turned around looking terrified at the sudden scream. “Valentine, what has gotten into you?”       

Valentine's Pov

Valentine Alexander, that's my name. My mother was Sarrah Alexander, I don't know who my father is, he didn't care enough to stick by me or my mom so I frankly never gave a damn about him. I was born on Valentine's Day, my mother was a romantic, she named me Valentine in hopes I'd find love one day.  

Mom I did find love, during a zombie apocalypse...not sure if that was what you were hoping for. She passed away two years ago, and I've been staying with my friend and his family. None of my friends call me Valentine thank god, they called me Valen. That sounded much cooler, right? The only person who ever called me Valentine were teachers, and Marron. It only ever sounded right coming from him.  

You would have liked him Mom, he was a crazy bastard but so sweet. He was always talking about trying to save as many people as possible, even though after 7 years of hell the remaining survivors cared less about saving lives and more about suppressing the dead and keeping them from evolving. It didn't stop Marron from trying to save people, he saved me Mom, I don't know how he did it but he sent me back.  

I'm gonna find him, I'm gonna save him, I know things, I can make a difference, I can maybe save some lives. I'll do you proud Marron, wait for me. I'm gonna survive, I'm gonna take care of you, and I'll save as many people as I possibly can.

Days Before the Fall …

To be continued