Not Dead Yet

The End ... Kinda

Zoey shakes her head, narrowing her eyes. "Wait. What? There's a cure?!"

"Oh, Hell yeah!" Louis exclaims, his face splitting into a wide grin.

Francis scowls. The scientist looks at each of them in turn.

"Well," he begins slowly, "we do have cures. Whether or not we have the cure you need depends on the disease."

He shrugs, smiling timidly.

Zoey stares. A joke? He's making a joke?

Francis growls. His hands form claws and he reaches for the doctor's throat.

"Why, I oughtta ..."

"Francis!!" Zoey grabs for his arms, trying to hold him back.

"Zoey, lemme kill this guy!!!"

The researcher dodges Francis's grasp, running to stand behind his cohorts. Francis attempts to lunge toward him, but Zoey pulls on him with all her might, practically dangling from his massive arms.

"Francis, no! Oh my god. Just hold on!"

Louis steps in between Francis and the cowering doctor. "Whoa, man! I don't blame you for being angry. I'm angry." He turns to scowl at the group. "Why the fuck would you make a joke at a time like this? We nearly got ourselves killed out there!"

Dr. Hammond shrugs his shoulders. "My apologies. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Well, you didn't lighten the mood," Zoey snaps, glowering.

Francis drops his hands, but maintains his death stare. "Doc, just a heads up, joking about a cure during the zombie apocalypse: not a wise choice."

"I understand," the scientist says, nodding his head. "Again, my apologies. Please forgive me. We've been under a tremendous amount of stress the last few days ..."

Zoey shakes her head. "Oh, no. Don't get me started on stress ..."

He raises his hands. "Yes, yes. I understand. I'm sure it's much worse out there. Thank you, by the way, for clearing out that horde, and that ... that monster. Unfortunately, we lost what military presence we had just yesterday. We didn't know what we were going to do."

Zoey takes in the group's haggard appearance. Their white lab coats were wrinkled. Dark bags hung beneath bleary eyes. She reaches over to squeeze Francis's bicep. To the other group she says, "It's been hard on all of us. Tensions are high. Let's just start over, ok?"

Dr. Hammond nods eagerly. He wipes his palms on his lab coat. "Now, we don't have a cure for the infection, yet. We do, however, seem to be getting closer to a vaccine."

Behind him, the other four scientists nod in near perfect unison. Yvette steps forward. Dr. Hammond looks at her, then smiles brightly in recognition.

"Yvette! You've come back. And Dr. Fairchild?"

Yvette shakes her head. "He didn't make it."

Dr. Hammond's bushy eyebrows draw together in a sad frown. "I'm so sorry, Yvette."

Yvette offers a small smile. "It's ok. I mean, it's not ok, but I'm ok. I'm ... I'll be fine. I've brought back all of his research, though. Maybe ... maybe it will help."

The researcher's eyes brighten. "Oh, yes, yes! Come with me. Let's take a look at what Dr. Fairchild has bequeathed to us."

The group of scientists turn. Yvette, Louis, Zoey, and Francis follow them as they move farther into the building, passing down hallways filled with dark rooms.