Subject Zero


Growing up, I was told by my parents to never reveal the secret of my blood. I always had to fake prolonged injuries and ailments when I was perfectly fine, since my body was able to mend itself in a matter of minutes. I had to keep my guard up, especially in my teens, avoiding arguments and fights at all costs. I kept just a handful of friends; we were a close-knit group. However, one day, I had no option but to put my secret at risk, because one of those friends was run over by a drunk driver and was in critical condition—and my blood was the only match.


Not only did my friend recover, but all his injuries healed in a matter of minutes, just as my body worked. The news spread throughout the town like a wildfire, and I was soon to be held under a microscope. Fearing what was on the horizon, my parents sent me off to live with one of my mother’s friends, cities away and deep into the suburbs, where I could live under the radar at a farm. My mother’s friend got me a new phone to use so I could leave behind all my previous contact details and social media accounts. And there I stayed for a year before things took a dark turn…


Halfway into the following year, news reports began to emerge from my old hometown stating that a blood-borne disease was spreading throughout the neighbourhood. People were growing weak, losing weight, and some even went into cardiac arrest. The death toll began to rise, and soon, the effects were spreading to other towns nearby. An investigation was launched, and all evidence traced back to me, whom they called “Subject Zero”. They even announced a reward for my whereabouts, offering millions to anyone who had information. This changed things: my mother’s friend called the cops on me.


I overheard her on the phone at midnight and decided to pack light and run away under the cover of night. I didn’t know where to go, but I knew I had to say goodbye to my parents before I disappeared for good. I arrived at my old house two nights later, and we said our goodbyes, but it was not long before the police arrived, kicking down the door. I was trapped. They asked my parents to step away to the other room. They were hesitant but still obliged. However, something then happened that none of us expected: as soon as the police tried to cuff me, they all began to clench their throats and gasp, falling on their knees as they looked at me with horror. They all died within seconds…


I turned back to my parents to make sure they were safe, and they were, but they were also petrified and in tears. I left without another word, never looking back. My old life was dead; the secrets of my blood were a mystery I had to solve next.

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