Chapter Text
Virus, Fungus and mutate were unique concepts for Aaron Minyard, Nicky will sometimes drag him to watch apocalypse movies. He noticed these three tropes are commonly used for post apocalyptic or zombie apocalypse shows and finds the idea of someone dead then walking again as if they’re alive again . Aaron doesn’t hate it just finds the idea funny and impossible.
But here he is staying inside his dorm, Cant go to any class or even outside because there's a sudden outbreak.
“Scientists had found out that an old virus named K2 has developed and became deadly, it spread easily towards animals, including us humans.”
“It is said that this virus targets your brain and makes those who are infected much more aggressive and violence.”
“Early symptoms show involvement of high fever, constant vomiting and nosebleeds including paleness. These symptoms may sound normal for a bad day but do not underestimate it.”
“Our World Health Organization recommends going to your nearest hospital if you start to show any of these symptoms.”
“The World Health Organization recommends going to your nearest hospital. If you start to show any sign of symptoms and refuse to check on it, thinking that it was just a regular fever.”
“Again, do not underestimate it because it is deadly and spreads easily.”
“There is a high chance of lockdown starting if the virus gets worse in the future. The government stated that they will focus on the search for this virus vaccine.”
Aaron remembers how the foxes watched the news, Nicky was exaggerating about the lockdown and jokes about zombies despite the nervous wreck in his heart. Andrew... He was quiet and paid attention to the news but Aaron didn't pay any mind towards him.
He finds this whole virus thing weird , maybe because Aaron minyard hates the idea of survival. He barely survived his mother's emotion and action and now he's expected to survive again. At least... There's no one to blame if something happens.
After a month, Society was fine, Everyone followed all the new rules. Social distancing, wearing a mask and covering yourself up. So far, he thinks there's no one infected around the Palmetto state. So it's not much of a deal for him.
That is until 2 months have passed and it was announced that the infecteds now starts to show signs of blood lust. Wanting to bite, scratch or injure people around. These reporters always put a nice smile on their face, The wall of their smile never broke. Not even once.
"Do not worry everyone, Our government will take care of this situation. For a reminder if you see someone acting out in public please call the numbers below me for help.”
Bullshit.
Weeks passed after the K2 virus announcement. Because of the new virus, Wymack and Abby told them to stay inside their room and must notify at least someone or one of them to go outside of the building. He didn't really listen, when everyone is distracted by their own thing in their own dorm. Aaron decides to sneak outside of his dorm since Nicky and Matt are in the girls dorm.
If someone saw or found out that he went outside without Wyack or Abby permission. He'll get scolded or maybe Wymack will punish him. Maybe Nicky was right, This could end like one of his ridiculous zombie apocalypse movies. Considering most apocalyptic shows start with people biting each other.
His footsteps were hesitant as he walked out from the palmetto state university, seeing the road and somehow his heart started beating faster like it's trying to force him go back inside.
What the hell is he doing? What if he stumbles across someone who's infected? And why is he feeling nervous??
Well if something did happen... Oh, He didn't even take a look at that military number. Fuck, Its fine. It's an international number, surely someone else can do it instead of him. Well even if he tried searching his memories deep inside his brain.
It doesn't even matter on how hard he can tries, There’ll be no numbers that would willingly popped up inside his mind maybe because hes a fucking idiot. "Whats the worst that could happen..." He sighs quietly in a dramatic tone while slightly shaking his head before going inside a Convenience store.
Aaron studies the hallways before going into the instant noodles section. If they're going into an outbreak, it's best to stock up instant food since it stays longer. He brought a few packs of instant noodles to his cart, then he searched around and went to the snacks section. Chips and yogurt for himself as a treat.
He dragged his cart to the cashier and waited behind a man. The line wasn't that long, it's just a few people. He can wait just fine. Aaron tried to distract himself by observing things with details and specific to erase his boredom.
Huh.
Huh.
The guy after him seems sick. Full on jacket and layering clothes despite the heat, Sure. It was recommended to cover yourself up and avoid physical touch with somebody else because of this whole K2 virus thing. Aaron squinted his eyes. Paleness. one of the symptoms of K2 virus and the guy in front of him is Really pale, He can see the cashier shoot the man a few glances. Okay, Bad signs. Either the guy after him is really pale and just loves thick clothes which is fine or worse, He's infected by the K2 virus and tried to hide his condition with all that layering clothes.
The lady after the weird guy had walked out of the store and it's his turn.
"Just these sir?" The cashier smiled nervously. Her body language shows signs of being uncomfortable, she's still trying her best to be nice though.
He coughs roughly, startling Aaron and the cashier. Both quickly went back to their composed self just to see blood on the weird guy's hand. "Y-yes." He wiped his hand into his jacket and nodded slowly at her question and acted like nothing happened.
"Um... Sir, Are you okay? You look quite sick to be honest." She winces as he starts to cough again. Aaron starts to feel uneasy. He tilted his head forward to check up on the guy, hesitating on what to do. He decided to shake his shoulder since he looks out of it.
His heart suddenly felt uneasy and his body was hesitating on what to do then decided to shake his shoulder to check him. "Sir— The guy turned around aggressively then pulled his arm forward to sink his teeth in Aaron's arm. The sudden pain in his arm caused him to scream. He tried to pull his arm back and kicked the guy, that made both of them fall to the white floor and left a vleeding bite Mark in his forearm, The cashier screams at the sudden violence, Her words didn't reach Aaron at all. It fucking hurts, He clench his arms to hold back his tears.
Fuck, That bastard bit him out of nowhere!! Did Aaron or her trigger something for the guy? No, definitely not. They were just checking on him. That's not a reason to suddenly snap and bit someone's skin just because they’re concerned about you!
The guy babbles something incoherently at the floor before coughing roughly again then blood pours out of his mouth. The cashier dials 911 but stopped on her track, He was showing all of the K2 virus symptoms. She remembered the numbers that were written on her small tv and dialed the number as soon as she caught all the numbers in her mind.
Aaron's whole arms ached like shit, Blood kept coming out of his wounds while the one that caused it passed out on the floor. If this bastard is infected and he bites Aaron.
“Please stay distant with ones who are infected and direct contact skins especially if they injure you.”
Does that mean he's now also infected...? Oh. Oh. No no no no no, He can't be— Fuck, Aaron rushed over to the cashier counter and steals the phone from her hands.
"Y-yes, There's someone here who is— Sir!" She stared at him with shock. She tries to reach the phone back but Aaron shoves her away. "Yeah, there's someone here who is infected. He was showing clear symptoms, Convenience store near Palmetto State University." His voice came out much more scared than what he intended.
Someone answered his sentences but then Aaron hung up on the call. They knew the location and the problem. He didn't need to add extra words in his sentence. "Sir... A-are you okay? Your arm." She winces at the sight of Aaron's arm as she's holding back a gag. "First aid kit...?" Aaron turned his eyes towards her, The phone in his hands slumped over to the floor. "Ofcourse, J-just that?" She asked once more before rushing to the back. "Water and a clean towel, if you have one..." Aaron groaned.
She disappeared to the back, after a minute or two she came back then she knelt beside Aaron to give him what he asked. "H-here..." She placed it near Aaron. "Thanks." Aaron looked up to her as she stood up giving her a small smile before focusing back on his arm. "How-How long do you think they'll arrive here?" She hugs herself as she tries to calm herself down too. "Soon probably."
Aaron rolled his sleeves up before he took the clean towel beside him and used it to stop the blood pouring out. He rips the towel into smaller pieces and ties it in his arm near the bites to stop the bleeding. "You know h-how to take care of a wound..?" The cashier's eyes glanced back into his miserable condition. "Yeah, I'm a med s-student." He bit his lips to avoid screaming in pain as he poured down the water into the bite.
"Ugh, Fuck..." He gritted his teeth and groaned. He bandaged the bites slowly and raised his hands up higher than the place of our heart. The cashier dragged Aaron cart directly to the front cashier and organized it inside a plastic bag. "Do you.. think that man would wake up again?" She bit her lips and looked at Aaron. "Maybe, but it hasn't been that long." She walks over to his place and puts the plastic bag that's filled with things in his cart near him.
"Here, Y-you can have it for free... as my thank you." His eyes widened and quickly stood up as he heard an ambulance and sirens from afar. "I have to go now, don't say anything about me or someone getting bit, Thanks."
He explains with a rush and grabs the plastic bag. He walked out of the convenience store and rolled his sleeves down as he fastened his Pace back to PSU.
Shit, This Will definitely make it into the news.
Aaron finally stepped inside the PSU building and hurried back to his dorm just to see Wymack and Abby in the hallway back to the dorms. "Where the hell were you? You were supposed to tell someone or me and Abby if you were going out, Minyard." Wymack sounds pissed, his eyes start observing Aaron with a Sharp gaze.
"I just went outside to buy some things." His voice didn't come out nervous and God, he was really thankful for that. "That is not the problem Aaron, Why didn't you tell anyone on going out?" Abby’s tone of voice is really different compared to Wymack's pissed tone. She had always stayed composed and direct that it sometimes scared Aaron at how anyone can be that calm.
"Well... I didn't go far, I only went to the nearest convenience store." He avoided the question and repeated his reason for going outside. "I'm sorry..." He finally broke the wall and apologized to avoid getting Wymack more pissed.
"You better be you little shit, Don't do that again. You’ve got us worried, Idiot.” Wymack rolled his eyes then walked past him, leaving Abby behind. “Your arm, Aaron.” Aaron's pissed expression got startled at Abby's sudden question. “Nothing… I’ll tell you later.” Aaron clenches his fist and quickly heads over to his shared dorm to avoid more questions from her.
After Aaron’s sudden disappearance. He feels like everyone starts to pay more attention to him, Moreover he was surprised to come back without any questions from Nicky and even Andrew… It has only been 4 days after what happened at the convenience store and it's already in the news. Again.
“Not long ago, someone who was suspected of being infected tried to attack a convenience store employee near Palmetto State University.”
“It is speculated that this person didn't visit the hospital despite showing clear symptoms of K2 virus believing he was fine and excused it as a high fever.”
Aaron hearts beat nervously inside of him, He starts to fidgeting his fingers and then completely stops as soon as that cashier shows up on the screen.
Please, don't tell them.
Please, lie for me Please.
stay quiet about me.
“Um… He was constantly coughing, Then at one second— He's coughing blood. I asked if he's fine then he's just… He tried to lunge and bite me through the cashier counter." She was crying with messy hair. This version of her story or The fake story is enough to convince people because Aaron can see how much pity he can see people are giving for her including his own teammates.
“That gotta leave something in her.” Allison bit her lips and mumbled under her breath. “Why would anyone even do that?” Nicky asked with his eyes focused into the screen. “Yeah… He should’ve gone to a hospital instead of endangering people around.” Renee’s eyes went round then she nodded at Nicky's self question.
Aaron wondered if they found out that he's been bitten by someone who is infected, especially the one who bit him is the one the reporters are talking about. His arm still ached like crazy and stings badly. Aaron eyebrows snapped together as the sudden pain shorts up in his arm. He decided to sleep earlier thanks to the guy who bit him and made his life harder. Andrew hasn't said a word to him but he knows that eventually Andrew would go and cornered him again to demand answers from him.