Chapter Text
"What do you mean, you're in charge of the medbay for today?"
The chair you were just sitting on tilted backward as you suddenly got up. Your palms slammed onto the typical school desk that had been brought over from the neighboring facility. Old, wobbly, and already smelling musty from years of use. The table had seen better days, probably even before the apocalypse.
"Come on, Milow! Max! You two can't leave me alone with this group!"
You looked at the two of them with concern and disapointment. You were almost sure that Milow would accompany you, if you would ask Desperately.
"Your little sister needs help, so please don't let me hanging, maybe you coulds ask if one of the medics can switch-"
before you could even finish speaking, Max raised his hand to stop you.
"No chance, Ghost explicitly said I should keep an eye on the newcomers. Who knows what they might have brought in."
He took a sip from his steaming cup and looked at the locked door across the room. It had a sign with a radioactive symbol on it, at least you think that that's what is displayed on it. It had seen better days for sure.
"Milow, what about you?"
You looked pleadingly at the gaunt guy, silently sitting in the corner of the old sofa. He was currently solving a crossword puzzle in an old soggy newspaper, but Milow just shook his head and gestured towards Max. He wanted to stay with him
"Alright, I see. Fine, just great."
You narrowed your eyes into slits before a sigh escaped your throat and you repositioned your chair, sitting down in frustration.
The world had gone to hell a few years ago. No one cared about preserving other beings, endangered species. The crown of creation was quickly deemed a threat, and the hunters became the hunted. The world changed, we were no longer at the top of the food chain. The plants were. They passive-aggressively spread, allowing a new plant species, called the 'Verdantia aurea' or Goldleaf Fern, to thrive. No one knew it was an invasive species. Other regional plants died, throwing the world out of balance. Many still remember the initial reports. It felt like the Seven Plagues of the End Times, written as if in the Bible.
There were reports of wandering locusts searching for habitable areas. Fish died due to lack of food. The sun's radiation increased, making daily wandering through the city torture. Then the animals went berserk, attacking their owners as if they were all rabid beasts, and ultimately, people started behaving differently. Once at the top of the food chain, now they fought for survival. But against what? What was the cause of all this? If one glanced out during the day at the streets of Berlin, one could see golden reflections, a shimmer that might lure a greedy fool.
Too late the humandkind realized that it was a mere plant, the Goldleaf Fern that changed people, animals, and the whole ecosystem. No one knew what it really wanted, if it could even think, but in many eyes, it had a goal: to eradicate all life to create something new. There were some who thought differently.
"I won't forget that."
You murmured as a warning. Your feet swung onto the table. Coughing could be heard from the next room, a side effect when exposed to the spores of the Goldleaf Fern. Just recently, the 141 team had rescued a group of survivors from an old collapsed farmhouse.
They talked about being locked up, how the strange plant had blocked their way, as if it came from a completely different genus, the genus of Dinonaer, the Venus flytraps. But you had no idea about that, you couldn't remember anything, at least the two years you apperantly were out there and survived on your own. Milow and Max were in charge of medicine and gardening of useful vegetables. Secretly you were nervous that the tomatoes they harvested last week might turn into concious venusflytraps too. They, along with 6 others, observed the quarantined survivors.
If one of them was infected, surely they all were. Max talked a lot about the events in the quarantine areas when he had the chance to. People died left and right. It usually started with shortness of breath, then with ravenous hunger, and ultimately with plant-like growths and complete brain death.
Despite the morbid disease, Max could never stop making jokes. He teased you about believing as a child that if you swallowed the seeds of a watermelon, a tree would grow inside you. Now that horror had become a reality.
As you looked back at Max and Milow, they strangely raised their gaze as if looking behind you, observing something that made them uncomfortable.
"Morning, Lieutenant."
Came from Max, who then returned to his book. As you leaned your head back to look up at the lieutenant, you were first met with his cold gaze.
"Rookie, we expect you downstairs in five."
Lieutenant Ghost. That's how everyone else here knew him, nobody except for his closest friends knew his real name. Since your arrival, he hadn't been very hospitable or inclusive. You couldn't even answer before he was gone. He was very taciturn and seemed to enjoy making your life a living hell.
He was also in charge of assigning tasks, and more than once, he had given you tasks that were the worst. Cleaning the restrooms, getting rid of any biodegratable trash, so that no plants can access it or the guarding dayshifts. After those dayshifts everyone kept their distance. Understandable noone wants to sit or stand next to a sweaty and sleep deprived piece of shit. The few times he did speak to you, he only asked about your file, which wasnt ready when you departed in the USA, or if you had done your blood test yet. You could deliver neither, and honestly, it probably never would be, not with what the other doctors and scientists at the US base had discovered.
Even in front of Max, you kept the past at bay. After he flew to Germany for his medical studies, everything went downhill. Frank died, and you were left alone in a shitty suburb in the USA. A few old friends of Frank's, from his biker gang, occasionally stopped by, after all, they had known you since you were a child and you had worked in the diner next to their Gas-Station.
You would argue that it had been tough years, had you not retreated into the world of video games and occasionally attempted hacking for some money, albeit unsuccessfully. In hindsight, it would have been much easier to strip in the local pub, had you had enough courage.
You still remember the day when the spores took over their hosts. It was January, doctors suspected a simple flu wave. No one could have guessed that the affected people would become more aggressive, whole stores would be looted, and countless people would die. But once again, it was blamed on something else. Theorists blamed it on some radiation, others thought it was the video games.
No one could have guessed so quickly that it was an unknown plant species posing as a normal shield fern. Biologists only became aware of the plant when it was too late.
"So then Max, Milow, have fun nursing the sick."
You gave them a brief, not entirely serious, contemptuous look.
"Have fun searching for the sick."
Max repeated, grinning.
"Go on, your buddy is probably waiting for you."
He added smugly. Chuckling, you shake your head and leave the break room. The right corridor was guarded by a few other rookies, ensuring that no one left quarantine or entered without permission. So your path was the left one.
With heavy steps, you shuffle along the corridor, your gaze fixed on the wall. The wallpaper was partially torn, probably out of fear of mold or something similar. Sooner or later, everyone would succumb to the Goldfern anyway. A little mold should be the least of the worries. You disliked the smell of the building as much as its appearance. Musty and uninhabitable, but you'll have to manage. With a certain bounce in your step, you took the stairs to the ground floor and headed to the hotel reception, to Jade.
"Evening, Jade."
You lean half on the counter and grin at her warmly. Jade was one of the few female survivors here. Just like you, there were occasional issues with feminine hygiene products.
Since you weren't able to stock them up yourself yet, she was kind enough to share with you, as long as you shared your findings with her.
"Evening, Fern."
She smiled casually at you while checking a vest, as well as a revolver and a rifle.
"Ghost already informed me. Your first outing with the team, huh?"
Her long golden hair fell over her shoulder, down towards the rifle.
"That's right. He seems to talk a lot about me, if thats the case"
You show her a broad grin and accept the equipment she had just inspected and now passed over the counter.
"Might not be a good thing, Take care of yourself, okay?"
Her gentle maternal smile had disappeared, and she now looked at you warningly.
"You know me."
You respond amusedly and casually grab a packet of ammunition. The packet, you can barely grasp properly with your delicate hands; you can still remember when König teased you for it during training in the USA.
"I mean it, Fern. Ghost and his team have often returned without rookies."
You pause and then look at her. "You're just trying to scare me," you reply cautiously, laughing to lighten the mood. She, on the other hand, just shakes her head.
"The last one was shot because he went alone into a building and apparently had official contact with the Goldfern."
She emphasized the 'apparently'.
"Then it was probably his mistake," you say cautiously. Jade rolled her eyes and sighed strenuously.
"Fern, listen to me, even if Ghost and Price have command here, you shouldn't necessarily trust them or turn your back on them. With a snap, you're gone. If you're not worth it, you're gone."
She hissed and roughly placed a knife on the counter, which you promptly stuck into your boot.
Ghost seemed like someone who would shoot you in the head without a second thought if you didn't follow an order. Price, on the other hand, seemed different to you. Neutral. As if he cared about everyone. "Jade, hey. I'll be careful, okay?"
You shoulder the rifle and knock twice on the wooden counter, which wobbled a bit. Already musty.
"Until later."
You give her one of your familiar grins and then quickly head for the exit. Speaking of not following orders. you were late.
"Two minutes late, Rookie."
Atleast his watch was working. Ghost admonished you, looking at you disdainfully. You could be wrong, after all, he almost always looked like that.
"We won't let it happen again, Sir."
You assure, hoping that would be the end of it. He nodded to Price, who then pointed in a direction.
"We're patrolling within a one and a half kilometer radius."
He explained and marched with Ghost leading the way. Just the thought of it made your feet hurt. How much you'd give to sit in the break room with Max and Milo right now, browsing through an old comic or doodling in a magazine. You walked in the middle and kept an eye on your surroundings. You were just starting to register who was there. You could spot another rookie trailing behind Price and Ghost, playing the lapdog.
You knew Soap as well; he was close with Ghost and Price, also pretty team-oriented and accommodating. There weren't any more, probably not necessary anyway.
The world had changed, and honestly, you thought it looked more beautiful than before. Everything was overgrown. The Goldfern seemed to have an influence on the local flora as well. It spread faster and grew better.
Even during dusk, you could see the newly discovered property of the plants luminescing. Probably a mutation or a simple selection of plants that were no longer able to survive and had to find other ways to prevent going extinct.
Surprisingly, the life-threatening environment calmed you, as if it were something familiar, something rooted deep down in your heart.
Suddenly, you ran into the backpack of the person in front of you, and you stumbled back a few steps.
"Watch it."
he hissed, looking at you hostilely. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Soap, amused by your mishap. Price and Ghost had stopped. A figure sat on the road worn down by roots and vines. She was wrapped in fabrics and seemed to be twitching, as if crying.
"Why are we stopping?"
you ask and take a few steps towards the person. Soap held you back by the arm and shook his head.
"Nuh-uh, we don't do that."
Your brows furrow, and you look at him confused.
"Someone needs help, and we have beds available."
But before you could protest, the rookie sprinted ahead of the group and raised his assault rifle. "Damn it, hands up!" He shouted and aimed directly at the figure on the ground. A bit too intense for your likings. The figure stood up but made no noise, no sound.
"Are you deaf, hands up!"
Now Ghost and Price also drew their weapons, aiming at the figure wrapped in rags. You remained rooted to the spot. Soap followed. It's movement were too soft for it to be human.
As you examined the figure, something caught your attention. It seemed not to touch the ground; it seemed to be floating?
There was an unpleasant crack, and the figure seemed to lift its head; it was pale, bony. Its eyes milky. It didn't move on its own; it was as if it was being moved.
"Get back, that thing doesnt seem safe!"
You screamed and tried to reach for the guy. Everything happened so fast; a root shot out from the lifeless body of the figure and surged towards the rookie. The tangle pierced his stomach, and the root, which had formed barbs within seconds, clutched onto his back. A blood-curdling scream pierced through the seemingly pointless hail of bullets which had started only mere milliseconds ago, and he was dragged across the ground slowly, as if the thing was teasing and humiliating us.
The rookie desperately clawed at every uneven surface, hoping to fight against the monstrosity.
His horrified gaze fell upon us, who could only shoot and watch as he was pulled towards a small hole in the wall of the ruin, pleading bitterly.
"Make it stop, get me out of here!"
Shooting at the vine was futile; you'd either hit him or just the ground beside the root. It was a waste of bullets. You watched in horror as the rookie, who had just been alive moments ago, fought against his inevitable death.
"There must be something we can do, damn it!"
Just as you were about to go after him, a final shot rang out from Ghost's direction, abruptly cutting off the screams and pleas.
"Let's go, it's had it's fill,"
the shooter replied disgustedly, throwing you a brief warning glance, as if to say, don't make the same mistake as that idiot.
Just as you were about to turn your head towards the group, you heard a crack and a sound akin to the preparation of meatballs.
He had disappeared into the hole. All that remained were some shreds of fabric and the blood trail leading to his ultimate end. You could only stare into the darkness of the hole for a moment until Soap nudged you in the side and pulled you out of your stupor.
"Come on, we're not waiting long."
With those words, you absentmindedly continued with the others to continue the patrol.