Honeybee

Chapter 9

The beast lay lifeless as Jason covered it with a blanket and then rummaged in his bag for a roll of warning tape. Tying the end to a tree a few metres away, he ran the roll out around the trees in a large circle. It was a useless attempt to keep people out, but it was procedure and it might keep people out long enough for the authorities arrive. Still a little shaken, Natalie stared blankly as Jason was working.

‘Okay, all done. Let’s go’ He said.

Natalie nodded in agreement and they headed through the woods back to the Ford pickup. They didn’t say a word to each other, their minds running through a thousand different possibilities but neither coming up with an explanation. When they reached the truck, Natalie opened the passenger door and slumped into the seat.

‘I don’t feel too good’ she said.

‘Let’s get you to the hospital. Just to make sure.’ Jason replied.

He jumped in, started the engine and backed down the track until he could turn around and drive forward. The sun was low on the horizon and it would be dark soon, so he flicked the headlights on and then the radio.

“...Everyone is advised to return home and stay indoors with the windows and doors firmly shut. Keep checking back for the latest government advice.”

The radio then cut to the next song, Elvis Presley’s “An American Trilogy”.

“Oh I wish I was, in the land of cotton, old things they are not forgotten...”

‘What’s that all about?’ Jason said but got no reply. ‘Nat?’

Natalie had her arms wrapped around herself and was barely conscious. She looked at Jason but her gaze was far away. Stopping the car, Jason leaped out and went around to the passenger side.

‘Nat, focus on me, FOCUS. Where’s the pain?’

‘Wha...’ She was in and out of consciousness ‘It’s... all over. It itches.’

‘Hang on. I’ll get you to the hospital’

He had barely started off when Natalie screamed. Glancing over, he could see her staring at her arms. A green vein began to run its way down her left arm and brown patches appeared on her skin. She looked over at Jason with terror in her hazel eyes. He focused on the road ahead, driving like a maniac to get to the hospital.

“...If you have just joined us, we have breaking news. The government has issued a severe warning and is advising the population to remain indoors. A viral outbreak has occurred nationwide. It is thought to be transmitted through pollen, the effect on humans is unknown but countless wildlife has been infected.”

‘Holy shit!’ Jason slammed on the breaks ‘That’s what we saw? …An infected human?’

No reply. Natalie was staring straight ahead. All emotion gone from her face as realisation set in.

‘I’m infected.’ She said, straight to the point.

‘What? No. You’re not.’ Jason replied not accepting it. ‘You’re just hurt, we’ll get you feeling better.’

‘Jason, listen to me.’ She gasped in pain ‘I’m infected. Promise me, if I turn into one of those things that you will kill me.’

‘What? I can’t do that. You’ll be fine.’

‘PROMISE ME.’ She screamed as she frantically scratched at her skin.

The realisation set in and Jason accepted the inevitable even though he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit.

‘Ok. I promise. But you’re going to be fine.’ He said trying to keep her spirits up.

‘It was the flower.’ She said.

‘What?’

‘It was the flower that infected me. Did you see it?’

‘Yes, I saw it.’ he replied.

‘Then you know it’s over for me.’ It was more a statement than a question.

‘Yes.’ He replied, his voice sombre.

‘Pull over. We need to stop this before it goes too far.’

Jason didn’t want to pull over. He wanted to continue to the hospital but he knew that was useless, Natalie would have turned into one of the creatures long before then. The veins we now running all over her body and up her neck. He stopped the car and went around to the passenger side. Grabbing hold of Natalie, he picked her up and laid her on the ground.

‘I can’t do this.’ He said.

‘You can, I’ll help.’

The veins now ran up around her head and leaves and shoots appeared over her body, ripping through her clothes.

‘We don’t have long.’ She said.

Jason pulled out his knife and held it to Natalie’s head and then quickly pulled it away.

‘I can’t.’

‘DO IT.’ Natalie screeched in a half human, half beast voice.

Holding the knife above her head he slowly brought it down until it touched her forehead. Her hands reached out and locked around his. They both gripped the knife as it plunged into her head. Her body briefly trembled as the knife sank into her brain. And then she fell limp.

Jason screamed in rage and hurt. Angry that this had happened to his colleague and friend, and distressed because he had just ended her life.

He sobbed as he pulled the knife out.

‘I’m sorry.’