Doomsday

Chapter 3

I woke up and saw the number 363. Then I opened my eyes. I expected to see a big green 363 on the ceiling but nothing was there. There wasn't any numbers anywhere that I looked. Thinking it was just a dream I closed my eyes to get a few more winks of sleep.

After a few minutes the number 363 slowly appeared. It was a bright green color yet it didn't hurt my eyes to look at it at all. I realized that my eyes were still closed. Wait a minute. How am I seeing 363 with my eyes still closed? I quickly opened and then closed my eyes. Nope. No number. I waited a while and slowly the number came back into focus. Man, I think I must be going crazy.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Maybe it was just an after effect of what had happened yesterday. I thought back to the events of yesterday. I remembered hearing haunting screams coming from somewhere and then meeting a strange woman named Helen soon after. She hooked me up to some strange machine and then—

I couldn't remember anything after that. Try as I might nothing came back at all. She must have finished whatever experiment or whatever it was she was doing then gotten someone to take me back to my room. I soon forgot about seeing the number 363.

The door opened and the same VD that was here yesterday came in holding a tray. He set it down on my desk and left without saying a word. He must not talk a lot. Breakfast consisted of eggs and toast with some margarine.

The eggs weren't too bad, almost as good as moms. I looked down at my plate and remembered how she would always tell me to make sure I ate every scrap. Even though she wasn't here, I made sure and ate my entire plate just for her.

I was sitting on my bed unsure of what to do when the VD opened the door again.

"It's time for you to go and get tested, follow me please."

"I-I thought I got tested yesterday?"

He didn't say anything instead walking off and I had to run and catch up to him. Once again I was led down various halls and I began to wonder just how large this place was. We were almost there, I could tell cause there was a drinking fountain in the hallway, when I heard them again.

Haunting screams. I shuddered but stopped and forced myself to listen carefully. They came again and this time I thought they sounded like they were coming from a girl. I wondered why they would have a girl here and what they were doing to her to make her scream like that.

"This way, Mr. Pendleton."

The VD addressed me by my last name and I wondered why but I didn't give it too much thought but followed him to the second to the last door. He swiped his card and once the door opened he pushed me inside, pulling it closed after me.

"Good morning, Lance!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin I was so startled. It was just Helen though and I calmed down quickly. That woman sure could scare a person.

"Don't be so jumpy it's only I, and it's time to get started."

She motioned toward the table with all the wires coming from it. I took my shirt off and laid down on the table holding still so she wouldn't have a hard time connecting all the wires.

"How have you been feeling?"

"Fine."

"Nothing abnormal? No strange symptoms?"

I thought about seeing the number 363 when I closed my eyes for a while. That seemed like a weird symptom. She would probably think I was crazy if I told her though. I decided that it wouldn't hurt anything to tell her so I went ahead and did just that.

"Oh that's nothing to worry about," she said casually, "all the virus victims have that as a symptom."

"Really? It's really weird thought, closing my eyes and then seeing 363 after a while. What does the number mean?"

She seemed hesitant to answer me.

"Well... It's how many days you have left."

I was shocked. I had almost forgotten that once you get the disease you only have a year to live. Now whenever I closed my eyes I would be reminded of it.

"Can we get on with the test?"

"Have you had any other odd symptoms?"

"No."

"Okay then."

I wanted to get this over with. Anything to get my mind off of the number. She finished hooking up all of the various wires and walked over to the side with the switch.

"Are you ready?" she asked looking at me.

"Sure."

I couldn't really remember what had happened yesterday after she had turned the machine, or whatever it was, on so it couldn't have been that bad. She flipped the switch and the most intense pain washed through me. I screamed once and then blacked out.