A man with blonde hair sat in front of a computer screen, his blue eyes scanning the headlines of e-news stories from 15 years ago.
April 4th: Experiments into genetic modification of viruses finally proven successful. New virus, XG001, created.
April 6th: Explosion partially destroys research lab where XG001 created, virus likely escaped. Authorities quarantine nearby cities.
The man began reading the stories below the headlines.
April 9th: Illness reported in communities around lab; XG001 suspected. Those affected report symptoms including moderate and constant headaches, fever, minor atrophy of ears, muscle pain and convulsions, body aches, and growths on the tailbone. No cures are known. About 30% of the affected population has been infected, many of them children and teenagers.
April 10th: Illnesses with symptoms matching those near the Biogenix lab reported around the world. Scientists scramble to find cure as 10% of the world’s population infected.
A video appeared on screen and the man started it. The video contained footage from April 12th. A female reporter stood facing the camera in the town of Worcester located near the Biogenix lab. “Megan, authorities have stated that no new cases of illness from the virus have been reported but no treatments for those infected have been discovered. Biological and medical scientists are working all throughout the world trying desperately to obtain a cure. Several deaths have occurred as a result of the virus.” A growling sound emanated from the headphones on the man’s head. The reported whipped around. “Tom, did you hear that?!” “Yeah,” came a voice from the background, presumably the cameraman, “But what was that?” “Oh gosh, Tom, did you see that?” “See what?” “Over there, a bush was rustling!” The reporter had a frightened look on her face, a note of panic in her voice. The camera focused on the area the reporter must have indicated. Something could be seen in the light of a street light. It was large with tiger-striped, circular cat ears and a tiger-striped tail. It stood on two legs, but was crouched. “What the hell is that thing?!” The reporter’s voice was shill and filled with panic. The figure advanced toward the reported. The figure appeared dark, lit from behind by the light, its shadow long. The report of a gun exploded and the figure crumpled, with a barely audible gasp of “help… me.” A group of villagers appeared on the scene. A man with a shotgun stepped forward and kicked the figure with his bloodied black boot to make sure it was dead. He went up to the reporter and informed her that half-human, half animal monsters had appeared in the town….
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The man stopped the video and leaned back in his chair. He didn’t want to watch the rest of the news cast. He knew the rest of the story. The virus had mutated its victims into what were later termed chimeras, humans with animal features and enhanced [abilities]. Many had been thrown into the street, thought to be monsters or demons; some had wandered outside, frightened and confused at their transformation. Bands of uninfected, now termed sapians, had formed and murdered a large amount of the chimeras—some had been found mutilated. Some were picked up by police and the military who had descended into the hellish madness of that night across the world trying to restore peace. A few survived that night and went into seclusion. When dawn’s first light had shown across the United States, only 25% of those infected still lived.