An Unexpected Encounter
As the five survivors manage to reach the evacuation security, they shelter themselves as the millions of disorganizing stars that are glowing and twinkling in different colours of yellow that sprinkling behind the full moon which are now light and delicate, an ethereal aglow up above in the sky is painted in dark pitch black, with a bird chirping and the songs of the wind is humming in a spooky way with a chilly temperature that may send shivers in their body as it describes the place of their hideouts.
Rosie and Justice set the fire as they're the ones who search and gather oak, birch, and maple woods that can be used in their brick fireplace they lit to give off light and heat to make this concrete building cosy and warm.
Gabriel is in the kitchen as he is making a light dinner, he is cooking tomato soup and he takes out the chicken he broiled in the broiler oven and places it on the kitchen table.
Gabriel's physical appearance is intimidating and scary as he is a 190cm tall guy with a very muscular body, especially the biceps on his arms, broad shoulders, and thick thighs.
His long wavy golden brown hair and sea green eyes with a scar on his left eye, black stud earrings, and his neck has a black rose tattoo that may give him a bad boy vibe.
The only one who wasn't scared of Gabriel were the remaining four survivors in their hideouts, especially Rosie.
But Scarlet is Gabriel's closest and most reliable friend instead of Justice.
As he peeled the boiled potatoes and mashed them, Rosie cut him off
"Sir Gabriel, I know you are our great cook here but I would like to give yourself and treat your wounds. Sir Justice and I will continue to work in the kitchen and sanitize your injury."
Before Gabriel would reject Rosie's suggestions and offer help, she instantly grabbed the bowl and a wooden spoon from him and gave her sweetest smile as her pink lips curled.
"Go on and leave Justice to me, sir. You did help me many times and I owe you a lot sir, as express my gratitude to you please go to Ma'am Scarlet."
"Thank you so much, Rosie and even I gave the scariest vibe, I can't ignore people who are in need and to save despite I hate humans because of their selfish desires. And thank you for being so kind to me, Rosie."
Gabriel left the kitchen and Rosie just watched his back and chuckled a little bit then she grieved.
"Sir Gabriel, you may act cold and harsh to anyone but your real weakness after all is Scarlet. Justice and I noticed it already the moment you met her first.
And the first person you ever worried about the zombie apocalypse outbreak was HER. That's why you hurriedly went there, cause you care about her aside you have feelings for her"
Rosie mutters with a lace of heartbroken voice as her ocean azure eyes turn gloomy cause the one she loves the most is in love with someone else and that someone else is the one she respects and adores the most, Scarlet Snow Hermosa.
Rosie shook her head to erase the negative thoughts imprinted on her mind and continued to make mashed potatoes as she added salt, pepper and a generous amount of mayonnaise and mixed it.
Gabriel walked in the hallway with his combat boots creating a step noise until he reached the last room in this hallway the door named "RECOVERY ROOM" he knocked on the door thrice to ask permission and the faint yet gentle voice could be heard Gabriel's ears which made his heart skips a beat behind his dense expression he wears every day.
"Come in"
Scarlet replies he slides the door to the left side and opens it he sees Scarlet wearing a lab coat with her coffee brown round-neck sweater and black jeggings.
Her scarlet red coloured ponytail hairstyle is beautiful enough on Gabriel's view and when Scarlet's pinkish-brown lips curl into her tired yet sweetest smile as she gives him,
Gabriel is almost melted by her natural beauty is what his inner mind screams while wearing his cold-looking expression.
She is nursing Russell as he falls into a deep slumber as his left hand is inserted by an IV Drip Bag she adjusts the rubber clamp on the tubing to control the rate of flow for the fluid Gabriel seems surprised at why Russel is confining and also taking a rest.
"Scarlet, is Russell sick or has a terrible condition? Why did you insert him a dextrose?"
"Many of you called this dextrose and yet I can't blame you all for what exactly is this called. Well, Russell's blood pressure is low he has anaemia and also overfatigue as he might be awake tomorrow and need nutrients as his blood cells and immunities are weak, he needs Intravenous therapy or many of you called this DEXTROSE INSERTION."
Scarlet explained as she checked the bag of IV drip then she faced Gabriel and asked him
"Oh by the way, what brings you here, sir?"
Gabriel almost loses his cool and composure yet Scarlet sees it and she chuckles a bit and he furrows his thick eyebrows in confusion. "Rosie told me that I should get a treatment for you since you're studying to become a doctor. Am I bothering you? Sorry, I did not mean to disturb you while taking care of your best friend."
"You're still hard-headed man I see. Can you show me the wounds or injuries that I should be taking care of and need to treat?"
Gabriel felt ashamed as Scarlet told him that he was hard-headed and his pride wounded him a little bit.
Gabriel took off his black T-shirt that hugged his muscled body and Scarlet was surprised to see his wounds. His abdomen has a few scratches and it is needed to sanitize his wounds. Also, his left shoulder was covered by a bandage but it was soaked by blood.
"GABRIEL SILVERSTONE!!!! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT YOU HAD SCRATCHES AND A WOUND ON YOUR SHOULDER AFTER WE SUCCESSFULLY REACHED THE EVACUATION SECURITY, ARE YOU INSANE?! YOU SHOULD NOT UNDERSTESTIMATE YOUR INJURIES!"
Scarlet instantly snapped as his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped since it was his first time seeing Scarlet mad and kept nagging like a mother scolding her children if they make mistakes thus he is guilty and he knows Scarlet didn't mean harm but expressing her care and concern for him
"I am sorry. I didn't mean that way. I was intended to treat my wounds after I finish making our dinner to fill our empty stomachs."
Scarlet just sighed as she realised that she was overreacting so much thus she also gave him an apologetic look.
"I am sorry too, sir Gabriel. I did not mean to react like this even though I am mad at you and your carelessness. A doctor should have a long patience and be calm. Not like this."
Scarlet pressed her hands on her temples as she regrets outbusting Gabriel and she is worried if his wounds are from zombies or not thus she wanted to help him cause without Gabriel, Rosie and Justice, she'll die with Russell and turn as their feast.
Gabriel saw her reaction as he wanted to reassure but it stopped when Scarlet instantly faced him as he almost tapped her shoulders to cheer her up.
"You should be grateful that Rosie genuinely cares for you, aside she is too stunning and pretty like a barbie doll. I am jealous of her beauty."
She left as her white high rubber was making a squeaking sound on the marble floor as she grabbed the three-layer medical trolley filled with first aid, medical and surgical kits with a black trash bin attached to the right side.
While she opened the cupboard, Gabriel just stared at Scarlet's back with an affectionate gaze.
"Everyone is admiring Rosie's beauty but for me, you are beautiful, Scarlet" Gabriel mutters to himself. that only he would hear her hidden feelings and compliments on her beauty as Scarlet was insecure about his junior's ethereal beauty.
As Scarlet pushes the trolley forward she gathers the necessities for treating his wounds, Scarlet orders him to take a seat on the spare bed with foam mattress.
Gabriel sat on the bed while still staring at Scarlet as the scarlet-haired young maiden was too focused on preparing and sanitizing her hands then she took her latex surgical gloves, face mask and hair cap and wore it.
She changed first the blood-soaked bandage and placed a new, clean and sanitised one to prevent the wounds from bleeding. She grabbed a damped soft lavender washcloth and a pump bottle of apple green mild soap liquid she pumped the soap generously then she created a little lather and carefully cleaned around his wounds.
She heard him shiver a bit as her damped washcloth was cold and asked him as she cleaned his body, carefully not to touch his scratches and wounds.
"I've got these injuries for protecting Rosie and that punk blonde brat. The blonde brat almost got bitten as we had physical training with Prof. Howard which is unfortunately, turns into a zombie. I did not get bitten but rather a scratch on my body.
The shoulder was Rosie screaming for help as she got chased by a zombie. I can see her face like she is extremely horrified and she needs to get rescued. As I managed to reach her hand, a zombie that I assumed its her classmate brought an axe and he ran fast.
I did manage to draw a gun but I needed to sacrifice by shielding her using myself and the blade of an axe stabbed my left shoulder but it was too late for a zombie because I did manage to shoot his head thrice and then grabbed the axe in a fast motion as it let go of its grasps, then sliced his forehead in half."
Gabriel tells a story of how he got injured and she did not expect that they were experiencing an almost dead or alive situation.
"Our time is ticking as I can't manage to treat my wounds but I only stop the bleeding on my shoulders then changed our clothes into a tactical military suit uniform and grabbed our backpacks that we stocked our necessities supplies, guns with bullets, and bombs but we know that our armours and weaponry is not enough to exterminate a zombie but we saw a huge gas tank truck outside and we get out of our department building as soon as possible.
I thought it was only a nightmare."
Scarlet agrees with him cause she did not expect the horror movies she watched will be their reality and she wants to end this as soon as possible but how did it happen and only God knows when it will stop this.
"You've been through a lot sir Gabriel, I am sorry for screaming at you earlier. I do hope you'll forgive me."
As she gives him a sincere apology, she is done rinsing and cleaning his wounded body and she dries using a clean bandage cloth.
Gabriel just pats Scarlet's head and gives her his sincere and kind-looking smile which makes the scarlet-haired young maiden seem surprised cause it's her first time seeing Gabriel's expression softened and his lips curl a little but she knows he is smiling.
"Thank you for understanding me, Gabriel."
Scarlet continued to treat his wounds as she grabbed a tube of antibiotic cream and squeezed a generous amount then applied all his scratches and protected his injured left shoulder by taking another clean and sterile bandage and carefully covering it. Scarlet told him that she was done treating his wounds and gave him a fresh laundry spare of Gray Oversized Sweatshirt.
"I understand that and thank you all of this, Scarlet."
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The four survivors are done taking their dinner and Scarlet is washing their dishes with Justice as Rosie clears the dirt in the kitchen while Gabriel is patrolling inside and outside of their place.
All of them were done doing their tasks and took their bath to freshen up and clean themselves.
Before heading to their area, Gabriel stopped them and asked if they needed one person to assign as a patrol and guard in their place cause zombies could attack them and trespass their place.
Justice almost volunteered himself to act as a patrol but someone stopped him.
"I'LL DO IT" says Scarlet as all of their eyes went wide and Gabriel almost disagrees with Scarlet's decision but Rosie pauses them as she sees her determined look.
"Guys, I guess we need to hear Scarlet's side of why she's bravely volunteering to act as a patrol at this late night hour."
Thus the two gentlemen stare at each other first thus they agree on Rosie's words.
"Little Scarlet Red Munchkinhood, care to explain why you wanted to be a patrol on this cold, horror late night evening? You're a woman, I'm in doubt on you and your abilities."
Justice said with a snicker and decided to tease her but Rosie pulled his ears when Justice begged to release it and swore not to do it but Rosie pulled more as he cried for mercy and apologised to Scarlet sincerely when Gabriel gave him a deadly gaze as he's projecting a murderous aura.
"It's fine Justice, I understand it but please do not underestimate me just because I'm a woman, and I would like to assign today as a patrol as a THANK YOU for saving me and my best friend when we were in a pinch and this is my payback for you. If I die, then I accept it but I would love to help victims by treating their wounds and studying and researching more about zombies so that I can maybe find a way to create medicine and stop spreading it.
Yes I know I'm still a med student but I'm a PATHOLOGIST and I'll do what it takes to protect you all and to survive this apocalypse, without one of us will die."
As Scarlet stated her side, Justice was touched and moved because of her words. Rosie is amazed by Scarlet's actions and words and now she understands why Gabriel likes which is she instantly gets jealous of her but she doesn't think of any unethical thoughts and evil plan cause she admires her as the best person. Gabriel is still wearing a serious poker face but deep inside he's deeply worried about her however he'll support her yet he'll also keep an eye on Scarlet in case she is in danger.
Before they go to their rooms except Scarlet, Gabriel gives her a portable microphone speaker and a gun, he even provides her with another batch of loaded bullets in case she runs out.
"Please do not hesitate to call me and Rosie and Justice too if you need help. Do not think you disturb us. Just like what you said, we must help each other, none of us will die."
Gabriel said with a serious voice and he showed his genuine concern for her as Scarlet grabbed the things he gave to her and prepared her things in her khaki sling bag.
The gun and portable mic speaker put on her beige coat jacket and smiled at Gabriel.
"Thank you for giving me this."
As Scarlet left the place while bringing her flashlight, she walked carefully, not creating a noise in order not to let the zombies catch her.
She keeps patrolling as the evening sky is not cooperating with the event cause it'll be a perfect view for stargazing if the zombie apocalypse does not exist for today.
As she kept walking and patrolling their place outside, she felt something hard on the ground.The scarlet-haired young maiden used her flashlight to check below as her eyes went wide.
She saw a book, a beaten-down book and it was covered by mud. Scarlet ducked down and grabbed the book, when she rubbed the dirt and mud to see the font on the front book cover, her eyes widened as she creates a gasps.
PROJECT EXPERIMENT 101: PROTOTYPE VIRUS TO MAKE HUMANS MORE POWERFUL AND IMMORTAL
is what the book says. That's the main reason why Scarlet volunteers to patrol aside from what she said earlier.
Cause her intuition is screaming about BOOK, OUTSIDE, and why does it say also A MAN? Her intuition keeps screaming inside of her soul even though she is tired, drained and scared so much.
Scarlet wants to go back to the evacuation security to inform the three, but the poor young maiden panics as she can't believe what she's discovering this late-night evening.
When Scarlet almost left the place filled with trees and shrubs, she felt like someone was following behind her back. Her intuition keeps screaming and her stress and anxiety almost eating her up. She quickly drew out the gun as she turned around in fast reflexes to face and used her flashlight as her torch.
"WHO'S THERE?!!" she exclaimed as Scarlet could not believe her own eyes of whom she was facing right now.
A tall, muscular and tan-skinned man with his black-brown faux haux hairstyle, his beautiful honey eyes that are hypnotizing, beautiful thick brows and his chin and lower lips grew a beard.
She completely knew this man who kept screaming for her intuition.
The man who inspires her to be a doctor and a wonderful woman,
the man she had been waiting for him for 8 years,
the man who captured her heart during their high school days
the man she stays loyal to and in love with him even though no one knows where is he
and the man really she loves the most
ADAM BROWN.
However, even though he looks manly, handsome and mature his skin tone is different.
His tan brown skin complexion is now ragged, saggy and a bit greyish.
His beautiful lips are now chapped and turn black.
His hypnotizing eyes now look lifeless and the colour orbs become iridescent.
His movements are slow and odd like a ragdoll.
HE TURNS INTO A ZOMBIE.
"Is that really him? The one I love the most?" Scarlet can't believe that she might be having hallucinations but she knows this is her reality and she wants to cry out loud cause she isn't sure if that's really Adam or not.
What she was scared of the most was that he only just stared at her empty, with no signs of attack or chasing her and being his prey.
The zombie lad that looked like Adam took a step, like he'd come near her, and Scarlet couldn't handle the fear as she instantly fired him when she pulled the trigger, but she felt more terrified when his exposed collar revealed his white long sleeves filled with stains only penetrates his skin, not giving a single scratch.
When Scarlet sees it and this zombie is dangerous as Adam almost loses balance.
Scarlet ran away as fast as she could, letting her tears fall on her soft and pinkish cheeks as she switched on the portable mic speaker and called them with desperation as she also gripped the torn old book and flashlight.
She experienced a panic attack while running and instantly saw Gabriel, Justice and Rosie.
All of them are surprised to see Scarlet crying thus Rosie instantly hugs and reassures her while Justice and Gabriel check their place and act as a patrol.
Scarlet keeps shaking in fear not because of the zombie but because she's hurt and scared to see Adam Brown turn into a zombie and feels bad about shooting him but she wants to find out if the one she really loves was turned into a man-eating monster or not.
She is afraid that their unexpected encounter with Adam Brown will be an enemy of mankind or an ally to save them in this horror apocalypse.