Pandorum: The Lost Tapes

Tape 1 [Escape from A.E.G.I.S.]

Location: A.E.G.I.S. Facility
Date: May 16th, 2012
Time: 7.00 P.M. – 8.00 P.M.

I awoke to the blaring shrieks of sirens and alarms echoing through the confines of my room. As I shivered from the frosty air-conditioned air against my sweat-drenched body, I sought to soothe my racing heart, having been torn from a horrible nightmare barely moments ago. What time is it?, I cursed my clinical anxiety and my confounded medication. Ever since I was put on prescription, loss of time had become a rather inconvenient side effect I had grown accustomed to. The boisterous clatter of panic stricken feet behind my door immediately drew reason for suspicion. And then I heard the screams.

Alarmed, I climbed out of my bed, stumbling to the ground as my knees gave way. In my blunder, I had knocked over my bottle of pills all over the chrome floor, but I paid those insufferable narcotics no mind. Throwing on my black T-shirt and a pair of beige cargo pants, I made a beeline for the door. My heart started to race as I heard more screams from down the hallway. I slammed on the controls as the door slid open.

“Argh!” I shielded my eyes from the blazing flames sweeping through the corridor. I gagged and coughed, having regretfully filled my lungs with a breath of black smoke.

Everything was in ruins– the walls were torn and in flames, pieces of scrap metal and exposed wires littered the walkway. What was going on? Who or what could have done this? How long have I been asleep? Those were the very first questions that played on my mind.

I wiped the tears welling in my eyes as I struggled to find my bearings through the thickness of the smog. Then suddenly, I gasped as the sole of my sneaker had lost all sense of traction. Fortunately, I was able to catch myself in the nick of time. I turned my attention to the strange slick on the floor and in an instant, my blood run cold.

There, laying lifelessly in pool of crimson was man in a tattered lab coat. I dropped to my knees and shook the man for signs of life.

“Hey… Hey, can you hear me? Are you alright? Are you–"

I paused. Swallowing hard, I checked for a pulse only to realize that there was none. As I lifted my head, my eyes widened to white at the dozens of corpses both human and pony illuminated in the shimmering red lights above as they lay scattered across the polished metal floor. I smothered myself from the shock but more so from the desperation of keeping down whatever was left in my stomach.

I knew not what was going on but my instincts were clear enough, I had to escape, I had to get out of there. Without a moment to spare, I stumbled to my feet and took off down the hallway, desperately trying to recall the bits and pieces of the safety lecture shared on the day of my arrival. How I wished I had paid more attention.

There was blood was everywhere, on the floor, on the ceiling, even the walls. I tried my best to advert my eyes from the lifeless corpses as I hustled by, some of which were mutilated beyond recognition. I shuddered to think that something monstrous had ripped and torn the very flesh from their bones, but right now, that was of no concern of mine.

My frantic footsteps led me down the desolated hallway, growing faster and faster every time my eyes connected reluctantly with the dull, lifeless irises of cadavers piercing deep into my soul as if envying my still beating heart. The place had become a maze as I felt my frustrations began to mount with every locked door and dead end.

It was a good while before I finally arrived at the elevator. The living quarters were located deep underground, the tenth floor to be exact but my escape, my salvation, depended on me getting to ground level. I turned my attention to the elevator controls, summoning the elevator with a press of the button. But the button remained unlit.

“Come on…” I said, almost pleading as I pressed it again, still nothing. “Come on!” I hit the button again and again but to no avail.

“Come on! Work, Goddammit!”

I cursed my luck. Of all the days for the elevators to be out of commission. My breaths quicken as I pondered on my chances with the elevators on the other end. Certainly, it was a long shot but anything was better than the thought of being entombed here for rest of eternity, so I took off yet again. The metallic clanging of my feet against the solid metal floors sent chills running down my spine as it echoed through the desolate hallways.

Alfred, Bunsen, Darren. It seemed like only yesterday we were exchanging our hearties congratulations along with our hopes, our dreams. Relishing in the thought as sweet as fresh apple cider on the things we would do when we were finally allowed to return home. Alfred wanted to retire and open a spa. Bunsen wanted to move back to Fillydelphia and start a pharmacy. Darren had wished to be there in person for his daughter’s sixth birthday. I on the other hand wanted nothing more than to be reunited with my beloved Maria.

Where were they now? What could have happened to them? Did they get out? I gritted my teeth, praying that they were amongst those fortunate enough to have escaped the facility the moment the alarms went off.

I navigated my way through the various twists and turns but once again, in my haste, I found myself messing up even the simplest of directions. It took a good while before I finally found myself on the right track, feeling a sigh of relief escape at the welcoming sight of metallic doors at the other end of a hallway. I was half way there when I caught something on the corner of my eye, stopping me dead at my feet at the entrance of yet another hallway.

It was a blurry outline of pony obscured by the thick smoke and for a moment I allowed myself to breathe easy, overwhelmed by the comforting thought that I may not be the only one alive on this God forsaken floor.

“Hello!” I cried after him.

However my call went unreturned. Perhaps I was standing a little too far or perhaps the sirens were a little too loud and in my desire to be acknowledged, I went closer.

“Hey there! Man, am I glad to see you. I was beginning to think that I was the only one down here. What the Hell happened? I’d just woken up and–"

I froze in my tracks, feeling the very warmth of my body instantly desert me when I realized something was wrong… something was terribly wrong.

Blood and all manner of sickly bodily fluids and pieces of flesh begrimed the soft coat of earthly brown. There was a slow rumbling, almost growling entwined with the sickly sounds of salivating, chewing and slurping as if it was devouring something on the floor.

“Hough! Jesus Christ!” I gagged, putting my hand to my face to ease myself of the putrid stench rotting flesh flaring up my nostrils.

Then, I saw it.

The shock surged through every inch of my psyche like the frigid blast of the artic wind, freezing me to very core as my eyes caught sight of what it was actually eating– a human corpse. The stallion in question had a good length of the man’s small intestines in its jaws, taking in chunk after chunk, inch after inch as gurgling bits of blood dripped all over the floor.

Step by step, I began backing away nice and slow. I counted my lucky stars that somehow against all odds, my presence had gone unnoticed but I wasn't about to give it a chance. Then, I heard a loud crunch beneath my feet.

I gritted my teeth and curled my fists, half caught in a hail of curses when I realized I had stepped on someone’s unopened packet of cookies. I my eyes widened, swallowing hard at the painful realization that the growls had grown heavier and deeper. Hesitantly, I turned to face the stallion from before.

"Oh... my... God."

Half his face had been torn clean off, leaving only pieces of shredded, rotting flesh upon an exposed skull. An eyeball dangled freely from but a few nerves. There were pieces of flesh missing from his torso, an exposed front hoof, ribs, even chunks from his neck.

What the Hell? My panicked thoughts were as frantic as the heart that thumps against my chest. How could this… this, THING still be alive?

It growled as a sickly concoction of blood and saliva drooled profusely from its upper jaw. Then, without warning, it charged in my direction.

Every nerve in my body fired off at the same time as I turned to run, but I was a moment too slow. Like a ravenous tiger, the stallion had pounced on me knocking me flat on my back and in my frenzied attempt to defend myself, I moved my arm in the way.

“Argh!” I cried, feeling his powerful jaws come down on my arm. I never knew a pony could even bite this hard seeing how they were on a steady diet of all things green.

I struggled as I fought to keep its ferocious jaws from my neck. It snarled and growled, stomping its hooves violently in every direction in an attempt to crack my skull wide open. As a last resort, I slammed my fist into the stallion’s face. Once, twice, pulling back yet again, I socked my knuckles right in the nostrils. I had no idea if whatever it was could still register pain but somehow it worked as stallion released its hold on me. Gathering my strength, I curled my torso and slammed the sole of my sneaker right in the kisser.

The stallion stumbled backward, now dazed, I seized the chance. Bracing myself, I slammed my legs it right into its chest. The force sent it straight into the air and back first into the metal floor several feet away. As I rushed to my feet, my thoughts of escape were soon overcome by reason. I saw the way it moved, there was no way I could’ve outrun that thing. Appearances aside, it would have undoubtedly chased me down and ripped me apart in seconds.

Running was out of the question, I had to make a stand. I had to fight.

I started to search for something, anything that I could use to defend myself. That was when I caught sight of the red metal box mounted on the wall, more precisely the fire axe encased within. I snapped my attention back to the stallion, hearing a growl gurgling in its throat as it began picking itself off the floor. It was my only chance and without a moment to lose, I shattered the glass with the butt of my elbow and tore the axe from its hinges. Just in the nick of time as it charged yet again but this time I was ready for it.

I yelled at the top of my lungs, swinging the hooked end of the axe right into the stallion’s head. The stallion groaned the moment the hook was embedded in its jaw. With all my strength, I slammed it face first into the metallic wall, painting the very surface with a dark blotch of crimson. I twisted hard on the shaft of the axe, feeling my gut churn to the sickening sounds of ripping flesh as I tore the very bottom jaw right off its skull.

I heard the stallion groan as it fell to the floor, choking on the gurgles of blood that poured from its ghastly wound. Even then, it continued to kick and thrash about in an attempt to pick itself up. I took several deep breaths, each one growing quicker and angrier. Giving into my moment of dementia, I raised the axe into the air and right down on its neck. I felt it, the vibrations creeping up the grip of my fingers through the entire length of the shaft as the heavy blade parted both flesh and bone. And just like that, the body went limp.

I merely stood there gasping in an attempt to feed my starving lungs. It took a good while before the gravity of what I had done began to sink in. I felt my body shiver, trembling at the sight of a reality that I could not, would not accept. My eyes widened as I ran my fingers over my cheek, feeling the thickness of something cold and putrid tricking down the side of my face.

It was blood. I turned my attention to my hands, my shirt and the axe in my hand. All drenched, all the same.

I choked, losing my hold on the axe as I tumbled rump first to the floor. This was all just a dream! This was all just a dream! This isn’t happening! I kept yelling in the depths of my mind, hoping, praying that would open my eyes and free myself from this horrible nightmare but denial was but a fool’s hope.

Reaching into my back pocket, I slipped out photograph. “Maria…” I stuttered, running my fingers gently over the glossy surface of the one person I hold most dear.

Slowly but surely, I felt a sense of calm begin to wash over me. The sight of her beautiful eyes had always brought me a sense of comfort, even when we were miles apart.

“Oh God… Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?” My voice strained.

I couldn’t begin to contemplate the series of unfortunate events and bad decisions that had led me to this, but what is past is past. This is my present now, and no matter how much of a shitstorm this is stirring out to be, I certainly had no intention of leaving this place in a box. And then, I heard the gurgles of a growl half caught in a choke.

I screamed, wide-eyed in panic as I noticed the disembodied head was still very much alive. I stumbled to my feet and not a moment too soon, I slammed my foot into the severed head, kicking it right into the thickness of the smog. I thought it was over, I thought the worst had come to pass, but I was wrong.

I felt my heart jump at the growls, hisses, gurgles and moans like the cries of the damned echoing through every corner of the floor. I could hear it as clear as day, the nightmarish scrapings of leather soles across the floor, tugging at my heartstrings like a demented puppeteer as footsteps drew closer and closer. Then, like specters from the depths of Tartarus, they emerged from behind the curtain of smoke. All sense of rationality, thought and deduction abandoned me at that very moment.

They were no ponies this time, only my fellow humans but a time where they were once human had long come to pass. There were two of them, draped in lab coats stained and begrimed with dried blood. Their skin was pale, grey as if the very life had been siphoned out of them as they lay covered in ghastly wounds littering their exposed appendages, some even to the bone.

Though, what petrified me on the inside was look in their eyes, those dull lifeless eyes. My old man used to say, the moment a man loses that glint in his eyes, it was a sign that the soul had long parted. They growled, hissed, salivating as if savoring the meal to come.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” I stumbled forward, wrapping my jittery fingers around the hilt of the fire axe.

Even in my absolute discomposure, I refused to become the main entrée. I narrowed my eyes and charged head first like a bat out of Hell, tackling the one closest to me with my shoulder. It stumbled backwards but wasting no time, I slammed the top end of the axe into its nose, tearing it right off.

I then turned my sights to the other, rushing forward as it attempted to grab hold of me. I relieved it of its chance, slamming the butt of the axe into its jaw.

I yelled at the top of my lungs, gripping the axe tightly in my hands, I took a swing at the neck. Once again, I was covered in a splatter of blood. As I cleared my mouth of the foul, metallic taste, it snarled yet again, arms outstretched in a last ditch attempt to ring my neck. I slammed my foot right in the gut, hard enough to free the axe and sending it back first into the ground.

As the other made a sudden lunge at me, I sidestepped in the nick of time. Gnashing my teeth together yet again, I hacked off its left arm at the shoulder. It growled as if in pain as I took another swing into its neck, burying the blade half deep in flesh and bone. It chocked and gurgled as blood dribbled down the corner of its mouth but this time, I was Hell-bent on ensuring this thing stayed dead.

Bracing myself, I tore the axe from its now gaping wound. Summoning all that remains of my strength, I raised it high above me and hacked it dead between the eyes. Almost instantly, the body went limp. In this sparse moment of serenity, I sought to regain my composure, the adrenaline coursing through my veins. But my troubles were far from over as more snarls and growls drew my attention to the cloud of smoke before me.

“Holy shit!” I cried, almost shrieking as I laid eyes on three more humans along with several ponies emerging from the wall of smog.

I pried the axe free of the thing’s skull post haste, abandoning it to bowl lifelessly to the floor. I made an attempt to return from whence I came, only to gasp in terror at the sight of more of those things lurching their way in my direction. It was no use, I was surrounded.

As the heralds of my damnation sluggishly advanced on my quivering frame, my eyes settled on the elevator doors from before. For a moment, I dared to hope as I took off toward it.

However, any feeling of joy, relief or hope soon abandoned me when elevator proved to be as useless as the other. “Fuck, Goddammit!”

Within moments, I found myself backed up against the elevator door. The grip on my axe grew tighter as I forced to watch as these creatures born of nightmares edge ever so close. Never in my wildest imagination would I have expected my life to end this way. Let it be a car accident, a stray bullet, an accident at the lab, not eaten alive by these things. Swallowing hard, I then raised my axe as those things took off into an all-out sprint. Clawing, stomping, faces contorting hideously like the voracious beasts they were as they scrambled upon one another.

“Maria… forgive me.” Were the only words I could muster as I closed my eyes and awaited my inevitable fate.

Then, against all odds, I felt a sudden gust against my neck.

A hand as cold as ice seized me violently by the back of my collar, dragging me back first into the chrome plates of the elevator with a loud thud.

“Stay down, boy!” shouted a rather familiar voice.

My hazel eyes snapped to a visage of an elderly man in his mid-fifties. Bald, with a white, neatly trimmed beard standing valiantly beside me as he glared at the approaching horde with eyes slicked with murderous intent. He cocked his shotgun.

“Doctor Ian?”

He took aim at the closest pony, and pulled the trigger.

The blast ripped across the confined space, forcing me to throw my hands over my ears as I yelled through the ungodly pain piercing my ear canals. I haven’t heard a gunshot in ages, not since days my father used to take me out hunting in the woods. All manner of brain matter and bone fragments were scattered in every direction as the mare’s head exploded. Then, another lunged itself in our direction.

“Holy shit! Close it, CLOSE IT!” I screamed.

Doctor Ian slammed his fist on the control panel as the doors slid swiftly to a close, seconds before we heard a loud metallic thud against it. As the elevator ascended, I took this rare moment of peace to calm my nerves and preserve my sanity long enough to make sense of it all.

“Are you alright?” Doctor Ian inquired.

I turned to him half caught in a glare. “Alright? If you can call being almost viciously mauled by… by those THINGS, ALRIGHT? Yeah, yeah I’m just fucking fine and dandy!”

“Easy, easy…” the elderly man said. Resting his shotgun against the wall, he took a knee next to me. “Now, let’s have a look at that.”

I flinched as he took my arm in his hands, examining the grisly wound from before. Though his concern maybe genuine, there was something I found uncomfortable with the fascination in his eyes. “You were bitten…” he said.

I rolled my eyes at the obvious statement. “Yes, I am well aware of that.”

“And you haven’t turned. From what I've see, subjects commonly start showing symptoms of the infection approximately ten minutes upon being bitten. Yet you’re here fit as a horse,” he said. “Extraordinary…”

“WHAT?” I cried. “Bitten, infected? What the Hell are you talking about?” Overcome by my rage, I lashed out and grabbed him by the collar. “Doctor Ian… what the fuck happened?”

“Easy, easy now, boy,” Doctor Ian said, setting his hand on my shoulder in an attempt to soothe the savage beast arousing within me, but even he could tell I was on the edge of contemplating violence.

“WELL?”

Doctor Ian shrugged. “I don’t know, Alex. That is the truth, I don’t know.”

I felt the fiery embers of my anger begin to diminish as I released my hold on him. I saw the look in his baby blue eyes. He was just as scared and confused as I was.

“I was in the lab when they broke through. It… It all happened so fast, and within minutes there were dozens of them. I barely got out in time.”

“What of the others?”

“I don’t know, boy. I can only pray they made it out safely.”

I shrugged, drawing a sharp breath before raising the hardest question of all. “You said they were infected. What did you mean by that? What exactly are they?”

“I…” He paused for a moment. “I’ve had some time to study them from a distance. It would appear that they have the ability of infecting other life forms and turning them into one of their own.”

Doctor Ian pushed the squared lenses of his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his voice now morbid to the tone. “As for what they are… I think you already know that. Don’t you, my boy?”

I felt a cold sweat trickle down my cheek. “No, it can’t be… they’re creatures of myth, fiction– they can’t exist!”

“And yet some of them had just tried to kill you.”

I stumbled to my feet. “So, what’re you saying? That those… those, THINGS out there are… are…”

“Zombies, the undead, the walking, trotting dead. I’ll leave you to stick with a more appropriate calling,” said Doctor Ian.

There were no words to describe the thoughts in my head. It was ludicrous, preposterous and I had lost count on the times I had ridiculed the childish notions of a world ending at the hands of the undead. Such drivel belong only in movies by Romero or written words by the likes of Steven King or Max Brooks. I forced a depraved chuckle at the hilarity of it all, of how ironically cruel my life is unfolding before my very eyes. In anguish, a part of me contemplated suicide, a seemingly better and for the first time, logical option. Anything was better than ending up fodder for those things.

“Well, there is no point in crying over spilt milk. Like it or not we’re caught smack dead in the middle of Satan’s jamboree and it’s up to us to find the exit,” said Doctor Ian.

I took a deep breath before turning to face him. “So, I assume you have a plan?”

“I do, but we must first get to my office. My files are on my computer and with it, I can deduce a probable cause of this outbreak.”

My eyes widened at his proposition. “Your office? Are you nuts? That place might be crawling with those things!”

“I understand your concern Alex, but unfortunately we have no choice. My office is the only place I can contact A.E.G.I.S. headquarters for aid.”

I rubbed the back of my head in frustration, half-grinding my teeth in annoyance at the Doctor Ian’s valid point. “Alright, alright fine. But I’m going to need a weapon, a club, a bat or a–“

“You know how to use one of these?” Doctor Ian asked.

My gaze fell on the chromed pistol in his hand. I recognized the model as a SIG-Sauer P220 Sport from the pages of one of my father’s gun magazines he collected back in the day. I took the gun from him before unhooking the magazine and inspected the brass rounds contained within. Satisfied, I slid the magazine back into the gun and pulled back on the slide, chambering a round as I did. I readied the gun in my hands, looking down the sights to ensure that it was properly aligned.

Doctor Ian drew a smile. “I am willing to bet my bottom dollar that this isn’t the first time you’ve handled a gun.”

“My father, he thought me a thing or two back in the day before he–" I stopped, realizing I hadn’t the will to finish my sentence.

“Ah yes, he was a Marine wasn’t he? A real shame what happened to him–“

“It was a lifetime ago,” I said, cutting him off. “For the record, I’ve fired my share of guns but never at an actual person… living or dead.”

Doctor Ian nodded. “Whatever happens out there, you do what you have to do. Hesitate, even for a moment and it might just be your last,” he said, grabbing hold of his shotgun as he cocked it, forcing out a blank red casing from the ejector port.

“Third floor,” said a digitized voice, alerting us to our destination.

Never have the sounds of churning gears and metallic grindings of an opening elevator door sound so daunting. I readied my gun and though I maybe green at the trigger, I did my best to mirror the moves of the hard boiled cops I had the shame of watching one too many times on silver screen. I felt my fingers tremble as I walked into the open with Doctor Ian by my side, shotgun at the ready.

“Here we go boy, stay close to me,” he said.

The entire floor was in shambles, barely illuminated by the flickering florescent lights and the occasional sparks from the wires torn though the fiberboards on the ceiling. Shattered glass, tipped flower pots, boxes and all manner of office equipment littered the carpeted hallways. I snapped my attention to every dark corner, egged by my nervous instability that I would soon have untold savagery unleashed upon me by one of those things at any given time.

I hated the silence. I hated the very staleness of the air. Though, when chaos failed to rear its ugly head, Doctor Ian gave the all clear.

“Watch my back and remember, no matter what happens, do not open fire unless it is absolutely necessary. If it comes to that, make every shot count. We are both severely outnumbered and low on ammunition,” he said, taking the lead.

I nodded in acknowledgement and ensured that I stayed as close to him as possible. My eyes kept wary of my surroundings, trying my best to avoid stepping on anything that would give away our position. Never once did I lower my gun, ensuring my finger remained firmly on the trigger as Doctor Ian and I made our way down the dreary corridor.

The old doctor took his precautions well, being doubly sure that no corner went unchecked before progressing. I raised my eyebrow curiously at the way he moved, the way he handled that weapon. It began rousing my suspicions that he had been military trained, though I chose not to pursue the matter. Besides, bridle small talk was quite inappropriate given the circumstances at hand.

It felt as if an eternity had passed us by as we navigated through the maze of hallways. It was like playing Russian roulette and how it irritated me for having to be constantly on the edge of my seat.

“Over here, keep a look out and cover me,” Doctor Ian said.

The sound of his voice pulled me from thoughts as I soon realized that we had arrived at a metallic door on the far end of the floor. I stared down the dark hallway with my gun at the ready, solemnly swearing that I would I would riddle anything living and dead that so much as moved. The doctor tapped a series of code upon glassy surface of the security panel and just like that, the door opened.

“Come on,” he said.

“Welcome back Doctor McConnell,” said a feminine cybernetic voice, resonating through the well sized office.

This certainly wasn’t my first visit to Doctor Ian’s office but I was most certainly astonished to see how everything had remained intact. Doctor Ian was pretty particular when it came to cleanliness and the order of things. From the dark azure carpets on the floor, the wooden shelves, cabinets, even his work table had been kept as neatly as possible. A feat most commendable for a man who spends his every waking moment on his work. Probably the reason why I’ve never seen any personal photographs or mementos.

“S.I.R.I., pull up all the files on the Pandora Project over the last 72 hours,” he ordered.

“Certainly Doctor Ian, one moment please.”

Placed the firearm on the table, he dipping under it and pulling out a first aid kit. He then slid the white metallic box over in my direction.

“Here, clean that up.” He gestured to the bite on my arm. “You may be immune to whatever is infecting those things but certainly not others, gangrene for starters,” he said, taking a seat on his leather chair as he tapped on his keyboard.

I scoffed silently, aggravated by his natural compulsion to state the obvious despite the fact that he was indeed right. Placing my gun on the table, I removed what I needed to tend to my wound, starting with the alcohol. Now that I had time to study the extent of the damage, it was actually worse than I anticipated. My gut twisted at the sight of it and frankly I never had a strong stomach for these sort of things, which inevitably led to my current career choice.

Unscrewing the plastic cap over the bottle, I began pouring the alcohol over the wound. I clenched my teeth as my nerves went into overdrive. I had forgotten how much this stuff stings but I knew, I needed clean the wound before I could dress it. As I worked through the pain, I found myself glancing over at the old doctor, diligently studying every line, every chart and every diagram that flashed upon his screen. Minute after agonizing minute began to tick by.

“Found anything?” I asked, putting the finishing touches on the bandage around my arm.

He merely shook his head. “I… I can’t find anything,” he replied.

My eyes narrowed as I fought the urge to shake the living daylights out of him. “What do you mean you can’t find anything? Run it again!”

“I am telling you, boy. I’ve checked everything. Every little detail that might have given us an insight on this calamity. I had even checked the serum about a dozen times, but there is just nothing out of the ordinary.”

He slipped off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Alex, perhaps we should consider the possibility that this… outbreak may not have originated from this facility.”

I shrugged, utterly dumbfounded. I had held on to a small ray of hope that whatever we found would finally shed some light on the situation. I paced myself to the window overlooking the dark hallway and touched my forehead to the glossy surface. I felt the coldness like frost biting into my very skin, hoping that it would clear my head.

“But if we did have an outside contamination, then–“

“Wait…” Doctor Ian said, cutting me off as he caught sight of something on screen.

Slipping his glasses back on, he started tapping frantically on the keyboard. His frantic fingers moving faster and faster until suddenly, he stopped dead, leaping to his feet as he pushed himself off his chair.

“Oh, dear Christ…” He gasped as he smothered himself with the palm of his hand.

The thud of the chair colliding against the wall returned my attention to the old doctor. Truth be told, I have never seen him so scared in my life.

“Doctor Ian?”

“I was wrong… Oh God, I was wrong," he said, almost gasping. "It didn’t come from the outside. It was us… we did it… The s-serum, it…”

“What, what is it?” I yelled.

“We caused this, boy! The gene, the serum… that is the cause of the infection, no… that is the infection!” Doctor Ian blurted.

I froze. “What? No, no it can’t be. The gene was perfect, you said so yourself!”

“I know I did!” Doctor Ian cried. “Damn Rosewater, damn him to Hell. I had told him that it wasn’t ready but he threatened to have our funding revoked should I refuse to proceed with the next phase. This was my doing, I should never have let this happen!”

I rushed over, settling my eyes upon the luminous screen as I examined the series of digital documents plastered across a series of open windows. Words like evolved, volatile and contagious made the hairs on my neck stand on edge. The unspeakable truth loomed unavoidably before me as I was forced to contemplate my willingness to accept the severity of this unexpected revelation. That being said, to deny evidence is to admit a fool and I was no longer capable of pleading ignorance.

“We designed the serum to boost a body’s immune system against all viral infections. However, when it comes to degenerative illnesses like cancer, it had been programmed to destroy all cancerous matter, then reviving the dead and damaged cells wrought by the illness. Though, from the simulated data on that file, it is no longer just a serum or a vaccine. It… it had evolved into something else entirely.”

I glared furiously in his direction. “Evolved? Did it really evolve… or was it never a serum to begin with?”

“I beg your pardon?” Doctor Ian asked.

“Tell me Doctor, tell me the truth. Is this really just a serum or did you and A.E.G.I.S. had the lot of us into working on sort of biological weapon the whole time?”

“IT WAS! How could you even suggest such an outlandish thing? This is my life’s work, I bioengineered it myself!” he protested. “The serum is composed of artificial genomes that strengthens the immune systems of both humans and ponies but now… Here, let me show you.” Doctor Ian directed my attention to the monitor. With a few taps on the keyboard, a video began to play.

“The gene functions by consuming all dead cells in a patient’s body, converting it into a natural source of energy and revives them with no short or long term side. However, this newly evolved abomination attacks and consumes even the healthy cells,” he said. “As such, the rapid breakdown of cells inevitably leads to the gradual breakdown of the host, causing necrosis. It then incorporates itself into the patient’s D.N.A. and substantially alters it.”

My eyes shot open. “You mean… you mean this thing eats you up from the inside, then takes over you?”

“To put it crudely, yes. According to the data at hand, I can deduce that this causes all higher brain functions to be destroyed. Inevitably, that leaves the infected with only savage, animalistic behaviors, governed only by instinct.”

“But it still doesn’t explain their need the need to feed off the living.”

“I thought you might say that but I may have a theory. You see, as it continues to spread, it damages the hypothalamus. This in turn produces a massive flood of neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones such as norepinephrine and dopamine. These effects, combined with the painful symptoms of the initial infection, induces psychotic rage, persistent hunger, and increased aggressiveness in those infected,” Doctor Ian said.

Certainly, from a medical perspective, it did make sense but satisfying my curiosity came at the expense of my already chaotic state of mind. I had sought to be enlightened on the situation at hand but instead, I had been presented with a revelation too horrifying to bear, let alone swallow. But, despite it all, there was one more thing I needed to know.

“Where and when did it all start? The infection I mean,” I finally asked.

Doctor Ian nodded. “S.I.R.I., gather every security feed in facility and scan for any suspicious activity,” he ordered.

“Acknowledged, one moment please.”

Soon, the screen was packed with a good number of old video feeds. There were no sign of my colleagues or any of the other the lab staff. I figured they were still in their quarters coping with the horrors of the incident just like as I was. Other than that, the hallways were uneventful pretty uneventful. The only souls in sight were the security personnel making their usual rounds within the facility.

“There had been no suspicious activities, but I did detect elevated stress levels on Level Forty.”

I quirked an eyebrow, feeling a lump in my throat at the painful realization. “Level Forty? Isn’t that where the quarantine area is?”

“Yes, the quarantine area and the morgue. S.I.R.I., when did this happen?” Doctor Ian inquired.

“Approximately 10.15 A.M, May 13th, 2012. Any further information is irretrievable due to a system malfunction on the stated floor.”

I swallowed hard at the mention of the date. Three days? Those drugs had numbed me into a chemically induced coma for three whole days as the world around me descended into a living nightmare. Then again, perhaps I should count myself lucky for having escaped the initial wave. No, actually far from it. In fact, at this point of time, I was thoroughly convinced that God had a cruel sense of humor.

“10.15? That’s an hour after… that happened.” I shifted my gaze to the old doctor.

He rubbed his chin in thought. “Bring up the video feeds of the morgue at that time.”

“Very well Doctor.”

I watched a window appear on the monitor as it played the security footage in grayscale. I shivered at the thought of being surrounded by lifeless cadavers, thanking my lucky stars I had never been authorized or ordered to go down there. Everything was silent and still until the two doctors from before entered the frame, wheeling a body into the room covered in a blood-soaked cloth. Needless to say, it was obvious who the poor, sorry soul upon that metal stroller was. The subject of the nightmares that now haunt me in my sleep.

They moved him onto a metal slab. I would assume their intentions were to study whatever remains of their unfortunate patient. As they moved to the sink next to the medical table in preparation for the autopsy, I noticed the cloth had begun to move. I swore my heart stopped then and there as the corpse sat itself up, climbing off the metal bed and onto its own two feet. The video may have been silent but I could almost hear the terrified screams of the two doctors the moment they caught sight their now undead patient.

He looked just like the rest of them, grizzly and horrendous, salivating at the men before him like a wolf upon a herd of sheep. Like a savage beast, he sprinted across the room, clawing his way over the autopsy tables as he lunged himself in the direction at the panic-stricken doctors who had just made a desperate attempt for the elevator. Whatever became of those doctors was left out of frame as utensils and all manner of medical equipment were flung across the room. I had to avert my eyes from the video, cursing my overactive imagination for trying to fill in the gaps.

A few minutes had passed when all of a sudden, I caught sight of one of the doctors miraculously slipping away from the carnage, holding his hand against an apparent bite wound to his neck.

Doctor Ian paused the video. “There!” he exclaimed.

“Albert Jones, so he was patient zero and that doctor was how the infection began,” I said.

“Exactly, he must have sought aid from the medical bay, oblivious to the fact that he had been carrying the–" Doctor Ian paused.

His hesitation was understandable but I knew what he was going to say. With the cat out of the bag, it was time for the both of us to face the facts.

“Virus, as I have mentioned earlier, is transmissible by direct fluids, more accurately saliva. My Lord, he must infected dozens in the first couple of hours alone,” Doctor Ian added.

“Then, why wasn’t I infected? I was bitten for Christ’s sake,” I said.

Doctor Ian ran his hand down his face. “I don’t know, but if I had to guess, I would say prolonged but minimal exposure to the virus over a certain period of time would have caused your body to develop antigens to counter the effects,” he answered. “This would mean that you and the rest of the team including myself are naturally immune to the virus.”

I snapped my attention to the doorway the moment I heard something move outside. “Well, we may be immune but we certainly aren’t immortal. We need to get out of here, we need to get out of Equestria,” I said, reaching for my handgun.

“Right, S.I.R.I., patch me through to A.E.G.I.S. headquarters now.”

“Patching you through.”

We were soon greeted by a voice on the other end of the line. “Good evening, you have reached A.E.G.I.S. headquarters. Unfortunately, our office hours are as follows–“

“Voice recognition, Doctor Ian McConnell, code three, fife, niner, niner, zero, seven, acknowledge,” he said.

“Acknowledged, welcome Doctor McConnell.”

“I am declaring a Code Red, implement Spero Protocol and requesting an immediate evac at rendezvous point.”

“Acknowledged, we will arrive at the evac point at 0700 hours. As agreed, should you fail to arrive at the appointed time, you will be left behind.”

“Roger that, over and out,” Doctor Ian said as the com went dead.

“Set your watch, boy, 7 A.M…”

I quickly turned to my watch, setting the appointed time. “7, which would give us roughly 11 hours. Alright, we have our ticket out, let’s get moving,” I said, gesturing him to the door.

But the old doctor apparently had other plans.

Making his way to the computer he popped a flash drive from his pocket and slotted it in. “S.I.R.I., copy all the files relating to Project Pandora to my flash drive,” he ordered.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you think you’re doing?” I asked.

“Alex, I have to save my research. My entire life’s work is in there,” he replied.

“The Hell? Fuck the research, we don’t have time for this. Those things might be coming our way right now!” I cried.

“Don’t you think I know that, boy? But this is bigger than the both of us. With my research perhaps I can discover what went wrong …” He paused for a moment, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “Perhaps… perhaps I can find a cure.”

I gritted my teeth and scoffed. I wasn’t fond of tempting fate but as always, he made a valid point. “Fine, make it quick. I’ll keep a lookout,” I said as I hurried to the door, taking point as I scanned for any sign of movement.

Minute by agonizing minute began to tick by and with every ever passing second, my restlessness began feeding my anger. It was unnerving, more precisely nerve wreaking, knowing that you were being hunted by those you cannot see. Knowing that those things were out there somewhere, shrouded in the blackness. Watching, waiting, just craving to tear into your flesh and rip out your still beating heart.

The anonymous clatter of something metallic made sent my heart from a subtle standstill to a hundred miles per hour. I snapped the barrel of my gun down the dimly lit hallway with my finger held firmly on the trigger. “Professor, we really need to get the Hell out of here, like right fucking now!” I cried.

“Almost there boy, give me another minute!”

“We may not have another Goddamned minute, hurry the fuck up!”

“Well, yelling isn’t going to make this go any faster now, will it?”

“Shit!” I cursed through my quickened breaths as I heard another rustle in the blackness.

Where is it? Where is it coming from? My eyes snapped frantically in every direction. They were coming and how I dreaded the fact that I may soon lay my eyes on a horde of the undead charging down the hallway with every intention of tearing us limb from limb. The fidgeting in my hands worsened, threatening to throw off my aim the moment I heard the pounding of metallic clamor grow louder with every count.

“Doctor McConnell!” I yelled

“Almost…”

“For fuck’s sake! Doctor McConnell!”

“Done!”

A a pack full of unidentified clatter scattered across the floor to the frantic clops of hooves as a figure of a pony came to view under the soft fluorescent light. I would have pulled the trigger had I not recognized her then and there.

“Su… Summerset?” I gasped her name.

“A… Alex?”

Doctor Summerset is an earth pony, Manehattan’s premier virologist and a pivotal member of Team Pandora personally recruited by Doctor Ian in the same way I was. I had no idea how she escaped the lower floors but I saw the unspoken terror in her golden eyes, the look on her face now streaking with tears. Her snowy white coat and bright golden locks begrimed with blood and all manner of sickly bodily fluids.

“Oh Celestia… Oh Celestia, why is this happening?” Her voice cracked.

I snapped my gaze from side to side, hoping her presence had gone unnoticed. “Summer… Summer, listen to me.” I extended my hand to her. “I need you to come to me. It’s dangerous out in the open, they could be anywhere. Come on.”

“They killed them… those… those fucking things! They killed them all!” she screamed, covering her face as sobbed into her hooves.

“I know, I know you’re scared. I am too, but please Summer, please come to me. It’s… it’s not safe there…”

“I wanted to save them… they were screaming, begging me to open the door. I wanted to let them out… but I couldn’t, so… so I ran! Want did they expect me to do? Just stand there and let them kill me?”

“Summer, no one is blaming you for what you did. Please, PLEASE, just come to me,” I begged.

It was then our eyes met, ghostly irises like no other filling my very soul with unspeakable dread.

“Alex…” she whispered.

“Summer… Summer please.”

“…what have we done?”

A vicious growl pierced the silence as the grim, salivating fangs of undead beasts emerged from the shadows. Both hands and hooves latching onto her like the deadly coils of a constrictor as they sunk their teeth into her flesh.

“AAAAAHHHHHH! ALEX! ALEX! HELP ME!”

“Summer!” I yelled, taking aim and firing my gun at the horde.

Through the vibrating slide and the brass shells hitting the floor, the walls went red with splatter. Round after round ripping through flesh and bone like a hot knife through butter but it was no use, there were too many of them.

“AAAHH! HELP ME! HELP MEE! AAAAHHH!”

Her screams were soon drowned their deafening savagery as those things ravaged her like the rabid animals they were. They ripped the very limbs from their sockets, tearing, twisting the tendons, parting fur, skin and bone. Another bit into her neck and tore it open, spilling her life’s blood to the ground while three more tore open her stomach and ripped out her entrails.

I felt sick beyond all reason. Swept away in a tidal wave of emotion and I would have been consumed by the hysteria, had I not felt someone grab me by the shoulder.

“That’s enough, boy!” Doctor Ian yelled.

“No! I have to save her!”

“You can’t help her now!”

The growls grew louder and to my horror, I found myself looking straight into those demonic eyes glaring right back at me.

“Shit…”

“Run… RUN!” Doctor Ian yelled, taking down the hallway to the right.

I turned tail and sprinted after him. I could hear the thunderous beating of my heart against my eardrums to the clamor of both foot and hoof steps trailing dangerously behind me. I didn’t know how many of them were in pursuit nor did I care but in the corner of my eye, I saw the faint shadowy outlines of wraiths from the deepest darkest corners of the underworld bent on dragging my soul to Lucifer himself. I kept my sights firmly on the old doctor through the twist and turns. My lungs burned, my muscles ached but something kept me pressing onwards.

“Run boy! Run!”

I could feel them gaining ground and the moment I heard the snarls and gargles growing louder, I turned my head and fired a round but to no avail. As I pulled the trigger yet again, I was met with a most dreaded sound… an empty click.

“Shit, Goddammit!” I cursed, flinging the empty piece in the direction of my pursuers.

I had no idea where I was going or where Doctor was headed but with every step I took, I began giving into my fatigue. The temptation of rest was now an invitation for death as my brain began losing all sense of fortitude. It was over, I was going to die right here in this God forsaken place and the world will forget I ever existed.

“Over here, boy!”

Doctor Ian’s voice snapped me back to my senses as I caught sight of him by a metallic door at the end of the hallway. I gritted my teeth, summoning what remains of my strength, I pushed myself through the burning sensation in my limbs, sprinting faster than I ever did before.

“Get in!” he yelled.

I had literally thrown myself into room at the end, landing on my shoulder across the tiled surface of ground. My lungs were starving, my muscles were throbbing and my mind was clouded to a point the blasts from Doctor Ian’s shotgun came to me as nothing more than muffled bursts.

But in my moment of weakness I could only watch through my murky vision at the events that were soon to unfold. The old doctor was about to shut the door when one of them grabbed his left arm, sinking his human teeth into his wrist as he attempted attempting to drag him back out.

“Argh!” Doctor Ian cried but through sheer will, he slammed his fist into the red button.

The door came to life as two pieces closed on his arm, the sickening sounds of crushing bones and flesh made my gut wrench. “Arrrgh!”

His protruding arm had left a gaping space between the doors, preventing it from closing completely. The salivating snarls of the undead were deafening as they tried desperately trying to yank it open or worse, force their way through the opening. Doctor Ian took a few deep breaths. Then, biting hard on his lower lip, he aimed the shotgun at the base of shoulder and pulled the trigger.

Blood splattered all across the surface of the metallic wall and to the relief of the struggling gears and hydraulics, the doors finally slammed to a complete close. The groans and moans had finally been silenced, and for that one moment of peace, I felt relieved. Though, it wasn’t until I had fully regained my composure did I lay my eyes on the horror before me.

“Doctor Ian?” A gasp escaped me as I saw the old doctor slumped against the door, laying in a pool of his own blood. “Doctor Ian!” I cried, picking myself up and rushing to his side.

“Jesus Christ…” I could hear my own voice began to falter, my mind now complete shambles as I held his hand now clutched against the gaping hole of where his arm used to be.

“Boy… boy, listen to me,” he said through his struggled breaths.

“Don’t talk Doctor Ian, I… I’ve gotta stop the bleeding.”

I looked around, my eyes sweeping through the sea of scattered documents and broken glass amongst the smashed up furniture from one edge of the room to the next. It took a moment before I could piece together the sight of Bunsen burners, phials and various state of the art lab instruments and drew the conclusion that this was the lab where they stored the dangerous and volatile chemicals.

“Shit!” I cursed my rotten luck, well aware that there was nothing here I could use.

“Stop, it’s too late… you… you have to go on without me.”

“What? No, NO! You’re coming with me, we’re getting out of here together!” I cried.

“Not like this, I will only slow you down.”

“I’m not leaving you here!”

“Goddammit, just listen to me, boy!” he cried, grabbing hold of my shirt. “This is the end for me… but not for you.”

The old doctor reached into the blood soaked pocket of his lab jacket and pulled out the flash drive from before. “This…” he said. “This is the key to everything. It will help you put an end to this nightmare, take it.”

A cold chill swept through me as I eyed the one inch piece of plastic held in the bloodied fingers of the man I had admired since I was a child. His request went unspoken but I knew of his intentions and it petrified on the inside. I covered my mouth, desperately trying keep up my brave visage but I was failing.

“Doctor Ian… I… I can’t. I can’t do this without you.”

“Yes… yes, you can. Alex, you are a brilliant man and an even more brilliant a scientist. If anyone can find a cure, it’s you.”

I took a deep breath in an effort to steady the raving thoughts in my head. There were no words to describe how much I hated the world at that very moment. A part of me longed for a chance to return to the day Doctor Ian first walked through my front door. To show him the finger then boot him out the door with a smile on my face and a glee in my step. I would have damned this world to Hades and beyond the torching fires of the underworld had he not placed such faith in me. But I had no choice, it was now my burden to bear and with great hesitation, I took the drive from his hand.

“Travel west from the Everfree Forest. Head on past Ponyville, cut through Baltimare and straight on to Horseshoe Bay. The extraction team will meet you there. Find the cure boy, undo what we’ve done. Promise me…” he said.

“I promise, it has been an honor Dr. Ian,”

Doctor Ian gave a weak smile. "The honour is all mine."

Just as I nodded in affirmation, a loud collision of something large against the thick blast proof glass sent me tumbling rump first into the tiled floor beneath me. My eyes caught sight of them through the murky surface the blast proof windows now blotched with bits and pieces of what used to be part of someone’s skull.

They were coming, they had tasted blood. Now mad with hunger they had resorted to throwing themselves against the glass, splitting their heads wide open and crushing their very bones in the process but they cared for naught. I breathed easy, knowing that the glass would hold its ground.

Then, I saw the crack.

“Ah, Shit!” I cried as the crack grew larger with every colliding body. “Shit, shit, shit!” I shouted though panicked breaths. Then, Doctor Ian seized me by the collar of my shirt.

“Grab hold of yourself, boy! That glass won’t hold them for long. You have to go now!” he cried, pointing at the large metallic grill upon the wall “Over there. That’s your way out of here.”

“What? You expect me to climb… in there?”

“It wasn’t a coincidence I chose this room. I’ve studied the blueprints for this place more than a dozen times. They keep that vent for emergencies in cause they needed to clear the lab of toxic fumes. It will take you straight to the surface.”

I rushed to his side as he forced himself to his feet, trying hard to keep himself upright. “So if I were you, I would stop yapping and start climbing,” he said, prepping himself up on the edge of a nearby lab table.

“But what about you?” I asked.

“I… I will try to buy you some time.”

I may not have understood him the first time, but when I noticed his sudden interest in ember bottles shelved upon the metallic cabinets nearby, I understood perfectly.

“Doctor Ian, no!” I cried.

“This is not up for debate, Alex. Get going…” He started to move, staggering inch by inch as he leaned on the table for support.

“No, I won’t let you–"

I grabbed hold of his shoulder and without warning, I felt Doctor Ian’s hardened fist socking me across the face. The force sent me tumbling backwards as my feet gave way, forcing me rump first onto the floor.

Christ that hurt, but as glared with eyes bent on retaliation, all I saw were Doctor Ian’s own. I will never forget the look he gave me with those forlorn baby blue eyes.

“Just go.”

My fingers curled into fists as they tremble from the anger. “Goddammit!” I yelled, slamming my fist on the floor.

I felt helpless, just like all those years ago on that God forsaken farm, well aware that I was about to leave behind the one person I admire most to save my own skin. I rushed toward the edge of the room and grabbed hold of the metallic grill. Like a man possessed, I began tugging with all my might, but it refused to budge.

“Come on, you metallic piece of shit, come on!”

I resorted to slamming my foot right into the bars. Heaven knows just how hard I had kicked because through the adrenaline pumping through my veins, the drumming of my pulse against the walls of my ears and the increasingly loud cracking of glass, I knocked it loose and tore it off the wall. Then with an exasperated growl, I threw the grill halfway across the room.

Struggling to catch my breath, I turned my attention to the old doctor just as he tilted a shelf full of bottled chemicals, sending them crashing to the ground. I gagged, forced to cover my mouth as the dry, burning stench of both gas and venomous vapors began filling the room. With a heavy heart, I climbed into the shaft.

It was pitch black and the narrow space made for a bearable fit, and though I drew discomfort from the dark, I knew that turning back was no longer an option. I coughed from the thickness of the caking dust and age old musk as I stumbled frantically through the darkness in search of a good enough foothold. Finally able to lodge myself tightly between the tight spaces, I scrambled up the vent as fast as I could. The minutes passed and in blackness of the abyss I felt myself getting higher and higher off the ground.

“Forgive me… my boy… I opened… Pandora’s… box,”

Doctor Ian’s voice grew fainter in the distance. Then, came the unmistakable sounds of shattered glass. “Doctor Ian!” My voice echoed through the entire shaft.

“God forgive me!”

I gritted my teeth, forcing my eyes shut when I had heard his blood curdling cries soon drowned by the revolting sounds of jaws and teeth ripping into flesh. Though, like the consistent fool I was, I had believed that his death was the extent of his sacrifice. The moment the same putrid stench of chemicals flared up my nostrils, everything came together like clockwork.

“Oh, shit!”

I braced myself against the sides of the vents just as the lab trembled with an enormous explosion. I could feel the very tremors of the blast rattle the metallic surface so hard, it became an effort to stay in place but the worst was yet to come.

The ground beneath me lit ablaze in a gargantuan fireball. “Holy shit!” Mustering whatever strength I had left, I made a last ditch scramble for the surface.

I could feel the scorching heat beneath my feet, chasing after me like the roars of a Hellhound born of flames wanting so desperately melt the very flesh from my bones.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Like a man on the verge or drowning, I clawed my way to the very top and threw myself against the bolted grill. I tucked my head in my arms and rolled face first into the grass just as the searing blast of flames erupted from the vent, drowning my very screams.

Then, in a blink of an eye, it was all over.

At that point in time, I had neither the strength nor the will to move from that very spot. Doctor Ian was gone, the lab was in shambles and my fellow doctors and colleagues were either dead or somewhere in between. Even then, a part of me still clung to that one shred of denial, that foolish but wishful thinking that this was all just a figment of my imagination.

I bit down hard on my bottom lip. Shutting my eyes, I found myself sobbing as I questioned God on the severity of sins I have wrought upon my fellow man to have deserved such a fate. How I thought of simply lay there and waiting for one of those… zombies, walkers, whatever I may choose to call them to find me and put me out of my misery.

But the soft beeping of my watch alerted me to the end of my hour and I was suddenly reminded of what Doctor Ian had bestowed upon me. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ebon flash drive, eying it with both determination and disdain. I had to get out of here, I had to get out of this accursed place and I had to make things right.

I climbed to my feet and took a good sweep of my surroundings, making the best of the waning moonlight from above but all I could see were rocks and trees. The Everfree Forest, the most dangerous place in all Equestria and I was smacked dab in the middle of it.

I took a deep breath before gazing upon the red diodes of digital my watch. “8 o’clock… that leaves me 11 hours to go. God help me.”

Priorities must come first. I needed a map, supplies but most of all, I needed a weapon. Though, I may not know where to find them let alone where to start, one thing was perfectly clear.

Tonight, was going to be the longest night of my life...

... and I’ve never felt so alone.

[Please insert Tape 2]

Author's Note

I'm currently looking for an editor for this story. Do drop me a PM if you're interested.