Green Eyed Virus

Amber laid in the hospital bed in the center of the room surrounded by an isolating plastic container. Green pustules covered her body and her eyes glowed a neon green as they darted from left to right aimlessly. She was muttering a language no one could understand, it was as if she was possessed by a demon. The quarantine facility was gray and white with doctors and guards bustling about. They've never seen such activity from her like this. The family and friends that came to see her were a chaotic mess. She was fine a moment earlier, Amber was conversing with her family and friends that were reassuring her that she'd be okay. Then her eyes became neon green and she became a different person. The doctors were rushing to study the readings on her and the guards were fighting back the loved ones trying to help her. All but one person was still in the room. Her closest friend Denton was more still than stone.

Denton was with her one night as they walked in the forest, behind her house. Amber always had a big yard in comparison to his and he'd always love coming to see her. The young friends loved gazing up at the stars and confiding in each other. They often were made fun of by schoolmates and friends for being so close it was as if they were lovers. Of course Denton liked her but really they just enjoyed one another's presence. That night was special, the stars were especially bright tonight and had a greenish tint to them. Amber was leading him deeper and deeper into the forest this time. The deeper she went the more quiet and empty the forest became.

Denton felt like something was coming towards them as a greenish aura was emitting from the surrounding wood. Soon he saw bright green animals and plants he'd never seen before. An elongated snake-like beast startled Denton but Amber ushered him forward like she could see the strange environment before her too. They soon happened onto a large cave-like hole in the ground. The flying green animals floated around in an orbital pattern around the cave. Both Amber and Denton held hands while looking down into the cave and knew their lives were changing forever. Green light emanated from it, pulsing with their heartbeats.

Denton was back in the quarantine room, now looking at his best friend wrestling with this “green eyed virus”. He was frozen with guilt, shame and disbelief of what's happening but he knows where the virus came from. In one moment their room became silent and still when Amber became still and looked straight at Denton. The family, friends, doctors and guardsmen looked at him and went back to Amber.

“You must face it Denton.”, said Amber in a voice more like herself since she's been quarantined.

Denton had kept quiet all the time about the green ghostly cave they found. He promised her he would never tell anyone. This was their secret place that they had all to themselves.

After being questioned and leaving the facility, Denton felt sick.

“Am I going to end up just like Amber…?”, mumbled the young boy.

Out of the corner of his eye a green apparition peaked from behind a corner of a tree. He did a double take and realised it was happening again. Sitting in the park to relax was not enough. He got up and started walking. Denton knew what he had to do. Her needed to go into the forest again.

While Amber was getting sick and being apart of her own phantasms, Denton had been ignoring everything, suppressing any acknowledgment of the green animals in his vision. That's why he's been “healthy”. To get back his best friend though, her needed to face it.

Walking to the cave entrance alone was odd. He was always with Amber. He decided to take a deep breath and let all off his fears go. The light came to him and told him all he needed to do. He had to first save his best friend and then he had to save humanity…

To be continued...