My vision is spinning, and my head is pounding in pain. My back feels cold and wet. The world is bright right now, it makes it hard to see. The yelling in my head has not calmed down for a moment. A part of that sentence caught me off guard. I brushed the hair out of my face.

“Yelling?” I mumbled out loud, my voice soft and quiet as it always has been.

I took a moment and rubbed the back of my head and it was wet. Pulling my hand forward I saw it was that deep crimson colored. I don't think that's good. I think that's supposed to be inside of me. I noted that it was surprisingly cold.

Loud crashing noises made me look up, just in time to see the vehicle in front of me get slammed off the road by this really tall hunking deformed mass of a person, with a large mutated arm which it uses like a club. It had just clubbed the vehicle out of its way.

“These things are becoming less human every year, I swear.” I mumbled as I tried to stand up.

Sitting still would not help me in this situation. On my first attempt to take a step I crumpled under my own weight. Looking down at my leg, I could see bone sticking out of my shin. That's not going to be good. That's when the yelling in my head changed. It became quieter, and it talked.

“Raven, ma’am. I can use nano machines, but you should not be alive right now.” The voice commented in my head.

“Do what you need to.” I replied, getting back up.

I started hobbling my way out of the path of the approaching beast. I am not certain it knows where I am. If I can keep it that way till I am healed, all the better. Then I noticed something strange. I was so drawn to it I didnt know how much time had passed as I stared at it. Miasma.

The dark whirling mass, wriggled and swam through the air, its malevolent nature apparent in its appearance. It seemed to rot and decay things it touched, however I was not supposed to be able to see it. Humans should not be able to see this force of nature. It is well known that it's the cause of the death of so many, but only recently did its appearance in the world become common knowledge. Everyone thought for the longest time it was a virus, or bacteria. If I can see it, does that mean I might be dead?

I looked down at my hand which was occupied with holding my weapon, Talon. It is a wakizashi, which is all black, except from the guard up on the back of the blade a circuit-like pattern glows brilliantly bright blue. This is a special sword, given to me as a squad commander. It houses an A.I. which is supposed to help facilitate communications, and location. Mine is specially connected to me. Connected directly to my brain, it helps with processing information and relaxes. It also gets annoying ‘cause I can't ignore its voice.

“You are showing no vital signs, commander.” Talens worried voice confirmed my suspicions in my head.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

I am an undead now. I am not sure how I can think or react, but I am very much not alive. I then realized I had not taken a single breath of air since I came back to myself, much less felt any strong emotions. Panic begins to take over my mind, when just as quickly it fades away, like it was not there. It left a strange puzzled feeling, it seems I can't retain too strong of an emotion for too long. Is this what it means to be dead? More of am I now one of those mindless beasts? If I am, I should not be able to hold rational thoughts. I must get somewhere away from here. I looked at my leg and saw it was stitched back together.

Getting up to my feet, I observed my surroundings. I am just outside a warehouse facility, all nearby buildings are all in ruins, including the warehouse, but it seems the most intact. I felt I should get to the roof. If I can get to the roof, I could see where I might be. See if I can find the dead zone’s edge.

I stopped that train of thought, as I came to a sudden realization. “I am a monster now, would my own allies try to kill me if they saw me as I am now?”

The weight of the thought was heavy. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. Maybe here I can try to work on eliminating everything within this zone, but then what? Let my allies kill me? An even worse feeling settled into my mind for a moment, they must already know I am an undead, and know where I am. I looked down at my armor, which housed electronics which monitors my vitals, and location. I cursed at myself for not removing it sooner.

It must be already too late, and trying to take it off now, would only raise alarms for them. I must get to the roof, and now. Maybe if I can talk with them, they might not try to kill me. I ran from the position in which I was hiding, and ran to the nearest open door I saw to the facility, and bolted inside.

Once inside, I looked around at my surroundings to see if I could find a catwalk above that might lead to a roof access, and promptly I found it. With not much of a thought I leaped up onto the second story, only after landing safely I was startled by what I had just done. I didnt even think about jumping, I just found it and knew I had to be up here.

That's when I noticed the heavy miasma in the room, which seemed to be making my body lighter and stronger. The miasma is helping me! I feel so much stronger with it around. I could almost feel my body trying to absorb it, harnessing its energy for my own. That means, within the dead zones, instead of being weakened, I am much stronger than I should normally be. I wonder how I could relay this information.

“Talon, can you still connect with hq?” I asked, with my thoughts.

“No, my connection is broken. Ever since you took that big hit, I have been unable to reach hq.” He responded, within my own head.

At least then maybe my suit is disconnected too, and they do not know I am dead yet. I wondered about how passable I might be. If I could get back to my teammates, I would be able to learn just how bad of a situation I might be in. I just hope when I reach them, I am still me.