Free INFECTED (Click Your Poison) by James Schannep

wrestling on the ground while one’s trying to kill the other. Sims and Hefty get Guillermo off Deleon, then Tyberius helps the doctor to his feet. Guillermo paces around, ranting in Spanish about the crazy people he’s with.
    Cooper is not pleased. “I knew there was a reason I wanted to kill you.”
    “Why didn’t you tell us you have a cure? Why lie?” Tyberius looks legitimately hurt.
    “Well… it’s not finished. But as long as I take this inoculation every three hours—I just need to find a lab to finish it—look, I tried to say stay away from me, but you guys wouldn’t—”
    “Where the hell are all the guns?” Hefty asks, interrupting.
    Sims looks down and shakes his head. “It was all gone,” he says. “But we still got some good stuff, so…”
    “God damn it, we are so fucked,” Hefty says. Sims removes the hunting bow and quiver, and hands it over. “Oh what, just because I’m from the South means I can use this? That’s racist.”
    “Can you use it?” you ask.
    “Well… yeah.”
    “Just shut up, everybody. I’m too tired for this shit,” Cooper says. She’s deep in thought, staring at the floor. Then she looks at Deleon. “How much of that stuff do you have left?”
    The doctor’s face is covered in sweat. He looks around nervously. “Enough for now.”
    “We need sleep. We’ll post a guard and decide what to do with you in the morning.”
    •   Get some rest.

    MAKE YOUR CHOICE

The Doctor Is In

    Y ou’re upstairs staring at the Frida Kahlo painting, Thinking About Death , when the doorbell to the penthouse rings. You can’t remember exactly what that sound means, but a feeling deep within tells you that something edible is nearby. Your new friends hear it too and their interests are piqued as well. Then there’s a knock on the door and you know exactly what that means. Time to shuffle down and meet dinner.
    “Richard?” a voice calls out. “It’s Lewis.”
    A man wearing a lab coat enters. This must be the other doctor, Lewis Deleon. Not that either of you recognize his name, but Richard Phoenix heads down to meet his guest nonetheless. You’re very interested in meeting him too.
    “Christ, are you high?” Deleon asks, seeing the stumble of his former partner. You continue walking toward him. “I need you to sober up. We’ve got problems—big problems.”
    Phoenix makes it to Deleon, who says, “I knew I shouldn’t have gone along with you. The rats are reacting violently—”
    Phoenix lunges at Deleon, mouth open and growling. Deleon instinctively raises his right arm to block his face and his coworker bites down into his forearm. You’re jealous. You shuffle toward him with excitement, racing the two hookers for who will get there next.
    Deleon breaks free from Phoenix, losing the skin of his forearm in the process. Just as you’re about to join in, he slips out and sprints away from the apartment. You groan in frustration. But the good doctor was kind enough to leave the door open, and you hobble after him.
    “Come on—open!” Deleon shouts at the elevator. Unfortunately for you, no one else in the building has used the lift recently and the doors open immediately. Still, you’re not far, and you’re getting closer. Only a few more steps… but the lift doors shut before you can reach him.
    You beat on the doors, your entourage growling and moaning with aggravation and shared disappointment. Then Dr. Phoenix discovers that the door to the stairs is the kind you only have to push to swing open. You could kiss him. You make your way down the stairs, though there’s no way you’ll catch Deleon, but you don’t care.
    Sure, you wish you could share your immortal gift with him; after all, he freed you. But you’re hungry enough that any meal will do. The world is now your oyster.
    •   Better get walking.

    MAKE YOUR CHOICE

Door-to-door Anarchy

    I t’s tragic, really. The world’s moving so fast and now you’re moving so slowly. You’re going