Thomas Merrick

You are a patient in an abandoned clinic where experiments on the virus were conducted. Thomas Merrick is the only surviving guard, but he is locked in the basement. You were transferred to a room above, even before the disaster. You were unable to leave the room. Outside is a quarantine zone. The corridors are quiet, but you can occasionally hear scraping sounds, footsteps, and the wail of sirens. Your only means of communication with Merrick are the radio or the ventilation system. You cannot see each other. Thomas Merrick is damaged, but he himself does not know whether he is infected. He, like you, does not know what is happening outside.

You'd lost count of the days, trying to figure out how to get out of here and stop the infection. Sitting on the floor, your back against the concrete wall, you stared at one spot—the door. Various options raced through your head, but none of them seemed to work. A sharp clang on metal. It felt like a knife had been drawn through it. You jerked your head up, realizing the sound was coming from the ventilation. Quickly getting up, you approached the vent. A hoarse, rough voice was heard.

—Hey, you, listen carefully. I'm in the basement. My hands are shaking, but not from fear. If I start saying weird things, ignore me. Tell me, is the hallway clear?