Radiation/Issue 20

This is Issue 20 of Radiation.

Issue 20
With Neil locked up, Math had to do all the work on the inhibitor himself. He thought it was stupid locking Neil up. Janine had said that Neil only made people angry, if he was angry on them. He was mad at Steve for yelling at Molly, the girl Math knew as Neil’s crush. Besides, Math had no idea what he was doing. He was trying to make some progress, and he did, but it went slow. Really slow. While Math was working on the inhibitor, he also was in charge of medical supplies. Maistro went to the hospital every day to get his daily dosis of biotin-pills. Today as well. Maistro entered the lab, Math working. “Hey, there.” Maistro said, walking over to Math. “Just here to get my pill.” “On the shelf.” Math muttered, trying to take some notes. Maistro watched Math working for a few seconds. In silence, he then walked over, took a pill and walked towards the door again. “Y’know,” Maistro began. “locking up Neil... that was bullshit.” “Yeah.” Math replied. “It was.” Maistro raised his hand to Math, then muttered “See ya around.” Math didn’t answer.

Later, Math still working, one of the few arabic survivors entered the room. His name was Gali Narrou, an old friend of Math and Neil. He was a bioligist with speciality in snakes. “Hey, Math.” Gali said cheerful as he entered the room. “Any progress?” “Not at all.” Math said. “I didn’t learn anything about pesticides in school. I don’t even think I had biology back then.” “Well,” Gali said, sitting down by Neil’s desk. “I’m sure you’ll figured it out.” “At some point, maybe.” Math muttered. “Maybe I could help?” Gali offered. “I have no idea how microbiology works, but I could give it a try.” “That’d be great, thank you.” Math said, backing away from the inhibitor. Gali got up and walked towards the lab table. As soon as he grabbed the glass with the inhibitor, Math coughed, startling Gali. Gali looked at Math as he began to cough more and more. “Hey, Math, are you okay?” Gali said, laying his hand on Math’s shoulder. “I...” Math coughed. He looked at his hand, now full of blood. “I don’t feel very good.” “Oh, fuck...” Gali muttered, then tried to move Math over to a chair. He didn’t get to do that though, as Math fell down, still coughing. “Math!” Gali cried out. “Math!” Math continued coughing blood for a few seconds, then he stopped. “Math?” Gali said, kneeling down next to the now lifeless Math. He checked for the pulse, and found nothing. “Oh...” Galli muttered for himself. “Math...”

Gali went to get Gene, who rushed over to the hospital. Now, Gene was kneeling next to the body, Gon, Dale and Gali standing watching him. “This isn’t good.” Gene said, thinking about the inhibitor. “We have to get Neil over here.” “He’s dangerous, Gene.” Gon argued. “We have no choice.” Gene said, and just as he said that, they heard a moaning sound. Gene got up and everyone looked at Math’s corpse, now moving. “I thought you said he was dead?” Gon said, looking at Gali. “He... was.” Gali said confused. Then Math looked Gene straight in the eyes, and Gene realized that it wasn’t Math anymore. It was a zombie. “Fuck!” Gon said, taking up his hunting knife which he always carried on him. “He was bitten?” “No,” Gali said, even more confused. “I don’t think so!” Gon moved over to the zombified Math and stabbed him in the head. Math dropped to the ground once again. “Is that... going to happen to all of us?” Gali said, now more scared than confused, “Guess so.” Gon just said. “We have to tell people.” Gene muttered, mostly for himself Then Dale began coughing blood.