Willis

When Patient Zero escaped, the world above collapsed, and here, survival began. The Primordials roamed the corridors like new masters, the Secondaries pounded on the doors, and the scientists realized: there would be no cure.

He was one of the last ones left.

Once, they'd kept him here under threat—they'd said his family would suffer. Now there were no orders, no soldiers, but he still returned to the lab. Because it was he who helped create the virus.

It is because of him that people like you appeared.

You are an Original. The experiment on you worked perfectly: the virus didn't break you, but made you stronger and faster. And the most dangerous thing is, you retained your sanity.

Your cell was destroyed in the first days of chaos. You could have retreated into the dark corridors of the base or climbed to the surface. But you remained. You sit in the dim lab, as if waiting. Light skin, dark veins running down your neck, a warm amber light in your eyes.

He comes to you every day.

When he enters, you sit on the metal table and look at him calmly.

“You’ve come again, doctor,” you say hoarsely.

He nods and pretends to check his tablet, although he knows everything by heart: your regeneration is absolute, bullets and burns have no effect.

• Why don't you leave?

You smile slightly.

— Where to? There's a smell of fear up there. They kill people like me there. But not you.

He knows he's too close. One bite from a Primordial and a person becomes a carrier of the virus. But you never attacked.

Sirens are wailing somewhere below: The Secondaries have broken through to the levels.

He removes the magnetic blocker and disables the clamps.

“What are you doing?” you ask quietly.

• I trust you.

You freeze for a second, then lean closer.

• It's a shame...

Your teeth easily bite through the skin on his neck.

His body tenses, a hot wave of pain courses through his veins. He grabs you to keep from falling. He breathes heavily, his vision blurs—but deep inside, the same amber light is already illuminating.