Pandemic 005

Watson couldn’t run. He was stuck in a glass coffin... floating in the nothingness of space.
He couldn’t move.
He could only watch in horror as his home-planet was ripped apart by its own core.
He pounded on the glass, screaming in pain and terror, but the glass was soundproof. All was silent.
He stopped, aware of a dark entity right beside him in the fragile encasing.
When he looked, the color drained from his face.
A shadowy beast grinned at him with rows of fangs, its eerie golden eyes examining him like a beast would examine its meal.
Watson couldn’t move. He couldn’t do anything to defend himself. He could only watch on in silent horror as the beast slowly moved over and rested itself on top of him, squirming on his front until it was comfortable.
It was heavy, making it hard for him to breath.
The beast just lay on top of him, watching in amusement as Watson struggled to take deep breaths, his breathing causing the beast to rise up and down slightly.
It made an almost laughing sound and shook its head with amusement. Leaning in and nuzzling Watsons adams apple, the beast licked it’s chops before it clamped down on his throat with ease...

Sienna watched from the corner of the med tent, feeling both confused and guilty. She was unsure if she was the one who caused Commander Watson to fall ill with the virus or if she just happened to be with him at the wrong time.
She watched as Eve stay close to the commanders side, despite the doctors’ warnings of a high infection risk of doing so.
Eve sat right beside Watson’s bedside, holding his hand in attempts to give him some sense of peace in his shivering coma. Her gaze never left his face.
Sienna sighed and looked at the other patients.
They all had the same symptoms.
Completely paled skin.
Stress sweat.
Nervous shaking.
Eyes rolled to the back of their head.
Blood coming out of their noses and ears.
Having listened to the doctors talking with one another about their studies on this virus, the patients also had high amounts of adrenalin and extremely high heart rates.
These were all symptoms of extreme fear or terror, which meant that the victims were experiencing ongoing nightmares while in their disturbing comas.
Thus the title: “Terror Flu” was dubbed to the sickness.
Sienna looked over at the group of doctors, who were huddled around a table full of notes and studies on the sickness.
Cortana was amongst them too, providing her AI skills to help in an way that she could. The AI looked over at Sienna and waved her hand politely, as if dismissing the female ODST.
Sienna waited a moment before turning to take her leave.
The tent doors quickly slammed open, and Sienna hurriedly side-stepped out of the way as a group of medical professionals rushing in, pushing two gurneys with more sick marines.
“More and more people are getting infected by the terror-flu... The infection rate is way too fast for comfort.” Sienna said to herself as she watched the medics work on the new patients as fast as they could, “It’s like I’m standing in a morgue here... they look like dead bodies.” She walked out of the tent, the doors closing behind her.
The sun was setting, motioning that another eventful day had passed and was turning into an eerie night.
Sienna paid no mind to it as she walked through the camp, her mind deep in silent thought.

~~~~

It was whiteness, but it was also blackness. John didn’t know. It was like he was half awake... disoriented and confused...
His skin tingled with both unwanted pain and desired pleasure. He felt no sense of temperature and a constant ringing in his ears was the only audible sound in the pane of the non-reality.
He was so dizzy, he wanted to lie down... wait, he wasn’t vertical to begin with... or was he?
“Interesting...” a growly, yet serine voice echoed in his mind, “I was able to pierce my other victims’ consciousnesses and corrupt their nervous system with ease... but you?... You’re something else...”
The master chief felt something furry, yet scaly brush almost... affectionately against his hip.
He couldn’t move, almost as if some sort of drug had him paralyzed or something.
He wasn’t sure if his eyes were open or closed... nothing made sense anymore.
He could feel a hot breath breathing in front of his nose. The breath smelled both horridly awful, but addicting sweet.
“Hmm...” the voice said ponderously, “It will take me a while before I’m able to find your sense of fear, that is, if you feel any at all...”
With that... he was snapped back into reality.

Chief was unsure of how he got there in the first place, but when his senses returned, he was aware that he was standing up, his hand on a bush pushing aside some leaves and his eyes examining the forest intently. Was he... looking for something?...
He couldn’t remember... the last thing he recalled was looking for Sienna. He was concerned. He had seen her sprinting like a mad-woman to the medical tent, and the sight had left him unsettled.
He felt a drop on his arm, causing him to look down.
Was it water?... No wait, it was sweat. It had dripped off of his nose.
He wiped the sweat off his face with his arm and took a step back away from the forest. That was when he would realize that he was slightly tipsy, and his chest was sore almost as if he had had a panic attack.
He took in a deep breath and held it before exhaling a long breath. Having calmed down, he turned and walked back to camp, unaware of two golden eyes watching him with a highly curious gaze...

~~~~

Sienna spotted Chief, walking away from the shooting gallery.
Had he been shooting to relieve some stress?
She changed her course and began making her way to him. “John?”
Chief paused and glanced at Sienna. He seemed a little... lost behind his eyes.
Sienna paused, examining him in silence.
Chief didn’t look too healthy like he usually did. He had dark bags under his eyes and he seemed a little “in-the-clouds”. He didn’t have his usual stoic look, but nor did he have a mildly pleased expression either. His face was slightly more flushed since the last time they talked and his breathing seemed a bit more... heavy.
Instinctively, Sienna stepped up to him and reached up, setting her gloved palm on his forehead to see if he was feverish.
“I’m fine, Sienna. I just need some sleep. I haven’t been getting any lately.” Chief protested, though he made no motion of pulling away.
Sienna remained there for a few more seconds.
His temperature was oddly not feverish, in fact... he was slightly cold.
She looked at his muscular arms and spotted goosebumps. “Hmm.” She muttered and looked around.
The trees remained dead still, so there wasn’t any breeze that could be chilling him.
“Any time now.” Chief mumbled.
Sienna looked at him with puzzlement before realizing that he was waiting for her to remove her hand from his head. She pulled her hand away. “Sorry... Just making sure the other big man hasn’t gotten sick either... don’t need anymore people passing out on me today...” her voice trailed of quietly and she lowered her head.
There was a moment of silence between the two.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Chief said finally.
Sienna sighed. “I know I just... I feel as if I could have done something to help him, but...” she felt his massive hand place onto her shoulder.
She glanced up at his tired eyes.
“There was nothing you could have done to prevent it.” Chief said calmly, “But you did all you could to help prevent it from getting worse. So that counts.”
Sienna smiled slightly under her helmet. “Ya know, I would give you a big warm hug if this armor weren’t in the way.”
He removed his hand from her shoulder. “You’ll soon get the chance. Eventually, I’m sure...” his voice quieted down a bit and her grimaced, pinching his brow.
Sienna looked worried. “Are you sure you’re ok?” she checked to see if his nose was bleeding, remembering all too clearly what happened to Watson.
There was no blood.
Thank God.
“I’m just tired.” He said.
Chief usually want one to complain or admit any faults to himself. He must be really tired.
Sienna nodded. “Go get some sleep then.” She stated, “It’s almost curfew anyway, though I doubt it entirely applies to you.”
He merely shrugged before starting to walk in to the direction of his tent.
He paused.
“Sienna, be careful tonight.” He stated.
She looked at him puzzled. “Huh?”
He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Be careful.” He said again before resuming his path to the comforts of his tent.
The female ODST watched him all the way until he disappeared behind his door.
She was unaware of golden eyes watching her ponderously, then widening with realization...