U.G.L.Y (8 page)

Isolation
kept
those
prisoners from
interacting with the
rest
of
the
prison
population
that
in
most
cases,
suffered
almost
100%
casualties
during
the
onslaught.
Interestingly,
those
suffering
in
the
infirmaries
did
not
kill
each
other
and
became
even
more
ill
than
they
already
were.

Later
it
was
suspected
that
the
reason
the ill didn't react in the same way
was
related
to
their
condition.
Some
prisoners
were
on
saline
IV
drips
and
were
not
ingesting
any
water,
saving
them
from
contamination
but
others
did
ingest
water
and
their
illnesses
suppressed
the
maturation
of
the
fungus
in
their
blood.

They
were,
however,
not
safe,
it
just
took
longer
to
become
infected. T
hose
in
the
general
public
that
fell
ill
due
to
previous
ailments
suffered insult to injury as their conditions grew worse
with
the
contamination.
This combination of elements initiated
the
beginning
of
the
second wave and
inevitably
took
down
our
species.

    
After
the
prisons
were
cleaned
up
of
the
dead,
the
government
used
the
now
empty
cells
to
house
the
critically
ill.
Although
comparatively
there
were
many
fewer
survivors
that
had
taken
ill
than
there
were
those
that
succumbed
initially
to
the
contamination,
the
numbers
were
still
staggering.
Prison
cells
were
filled
and
medical
help
was
brought
in,
including
military
medical
personal
from
all
branches
of
the
service.
T
he
CDC
moved
in
as
well
and
as tighter control over the aftermath took hold, the world
seemed
to
be
moving
towards
normalcy
again.

8
.

-The
Second
Wave-

    
The
second
wave
started
with
the
poor
bastards
that
fell
ill
from
the
initial infection.
As
with
any
other
drug,
there
was
a
small
percentage
of
folks
who
had
a
reaction
to
it.
But
even
though
the
number
that
had
fallen
ill
was
comparatively
small,
one million people were suffering from an unknown degenerative condition.
Although
no
one
was
ever
sure
of
the
reason,
by
the
time
the
second
wave
had
begun
in
earnest,
there
was
some
idea
that
those
that
had fallen
ill
had
been
previously
suffering
from
stomach
ailments
and
the
subsequent
treatment.
A
cid
reflux
medication, another commonly prescribed drug, became a contributing factor to the fungus surviving.

Reduction of stomach
acid
in the ill had been enough
to
facilitate
the
mutation
and
adaptation
of
the
fungus to human physiology.
Initially,
it
was
quickly
absorbed
into
the
body
and
took
hold
of
the
brain
rapidly.
It,
however,
did
not
have
a
method
for
propagation
across
the
species.

Typically,
in
nature
an
ant
Infected
with
this
fungus
would
begin
acting
erratically
and
find
itself
unable
to
find
its
way
back
to
its
nest.
Eventually
the
ant
would
end
up
in
an isolated
location
that
would
be
ideal
for
the
fungus
to
sprout
and
pass
on
its
spore
by
killing
the
ant
and
growing
stalks
out
of
its
head.

    
The
effects
on
the
human
brain
were
much
different
than
in an infected
ant.
The ant would
become
lost
from
its
colony
and
die
in
a
place
the
fungus
could
grow
and
reproduce.
In a human infection t
he
cognitive part of the
human
brain
began
deteriorating
at
a
rapid
pace.
The human
part
of
the
brain would die first,
then
more
primal
functions
would
take
over.

The
brain
began
to
misfire
and
the
person
infected
would
begin
acting
dangerously
erratic.
S
ymptoms
of
schizophrenia
would
become
more
regular.
F
ear
and
rage
would
take
over
the
mind
and
a
primal
fear
response
overtook
the
host.

This
behavior
in
humans
led
to a host
violently
attacking
any
living
thing
in
proximity.
In
a
macabre
way,
the
only
positive
thing
about
this
infection
was
that
the
hosts would
destroy
each
other and themselves, insuring a short affliction.

The
government
was
easily
able
to
put
down
the
remaining infected.
They
were
not
stealthy
or
cunning
adversaries,
they
would
run
at
full
sprint
towards
anyone
they
saw.
The
military
simply
set
up
barricades,
got
their
attention,
then
when
a
group
of
these
monsters
would
run
towards
the
barricade
the
soldiers
would
open
fire.

     T
here
was
no
propagation
after
the
suffering
were
dead.
The
fungus
could
not
grow
out
of
the
human
head like it did with the ants,
the
skull
was
too
thick.
And
even if spores could be released,
the
risk
of
contamination
again
was
zero.
Maybe
an
ant
might
pick
up
a
spore
and
get
infected
but
there
was
no
adapted
method
to
propagate
among
other
humans.
This
infection
was
an
anomaly it seemed.
T
he
processes
involved
that caused the infection to spread to humans
were
man
made
and
for
the
fungus
and
those
infected
it
was
a
terminal
incident.
This
terrifying
episode
ended
as
abruptly
as
it
had
started.