//------------------------------// // Being Human: Charger // Story: Grounds for the Dead: A L4D2 Story // by SCP Pinkamena //------------------------------// Special Chapter: Being Human Dylan McFlanner, a simple farmer and plantation worker. His boss, Virgil, had heard of the outbreak of the Green Flu, but what was weird about it is that it never seemed to hit the swamp. It went through Memphis, Savannah, New Orleans, but not the swamps of Florida. For whatever reason, the gases of the swamp destroyed the infection before it infected the actual people. But, those with a television said that the animals could still carry the infection, so for safety measures they slaughtered the animals and burned the meat in fenced metal rings. "Dylan! We need you on the deck!" Virgil yelled from the boat outside the plantation. Dylan, who was currently picking, looked up from the ground and ran through the mansion. He made it halfway through the mansion when he heard Virgil again. "Dylan! Hurry your ass over here!" He shouted again which made him run in a full sprint. Dylan was about 24, with red auburn hair, and won about three medals in his high school Track-meet. At his top speed he made it towards the boat in no less then 6 minutes. He trudged through the water, climbed on the boat and ran towards the captains cabin. He (more or less) slammed the door open and looked at Virgil with an exhausted look. "You *pant* called *huff* sir?" Dylan said out of breath and fanned himself. 'That's what I get for running in the middle of summer.' He thought to himself. Virgil laughed lightly and put his hand on Dylan's head. He ruffed his hair up and looked at him again. He chuckled at what he saw. "That's how a REAL farmer looks like Dylan, so exhausted that he can't do no more... then someone calls his name and still does it anyways." He said looking at him with a smile. Dylan felt himself try to smile but it faltered and he fell down panting. He groaned lightly and shook his head. "S-sorry Virgil... I... I'm feeling a little under the weather... Aye?" He said with his Irish accent breaking through. He groaned again louder then normal. His nose began to bleed and ears rang. Beyond the ringing, he heard a gun click. Click "V-Virgil...?" He said as he looked up to see a shotgun in his face. Virgil was no longer smiling, no longer happy. Virgil took a breath. "I never wanted to tell anyone this, but the infection IS here in the plantation. I didn't want to say anything because I would lose work and the wife and I couldn't make due by ourselves." He said the gun still pointed down at Dylan. "But in the end? I saw what happened to some of my workers. They changed, they lost their minds and feelings. The only thing they know how to do is: Kill, Eat, Wander, and Kill again." He pointed the gun, but looked lost in thought and put it away. "That's what's happening to you, son. You're infected and I'll take care of you... personally." He said as he brought out an old African plantation stick and tested it's heft. He looked down at the still changing Dylan before smashing the stick over his skull, causing it to cave and Dylan fell limp. Virgil grabbed him by one of his overall loops, and tossed him down in the marsh where he sank. "You were a fine young lad... wish it didn't to be this way..." He said as he stepped of the boat and made way back to the plantation field. Half Past Ten A groan emanated from the water where Dylan had been put. The dirt underneath seemed to shift and move on its own. The groan came again, but this time more of a howl. An overly bloated and armored arm came launching from the surface of the water, before the rest of whatever was on the end came up as well. His right arm was bloated and armored with extra skin and bone, but was callused and dry and dripped blood. His teeth and part of his face were missing along with his nose. His left arm was pretty much nothing, because of the fact that the bones had migrated to different spots in his body. His legs were uneven always walking with a limp, so he had to put on farther then the other... as if he were running. And finally, his head was caved in and his eyes were as black as night. Despite the fact of having his skull caved in, his brain was still intact. And what's worse is that he still had rational thought. 'He did this...' He snorted. 'HE left me here...' He grunted. 'HE!' A growl. 'WILL!' He slammed his fist down. 'PAY!' He gave a howl of anger before launching through the marsh hunting for his prey. ________________ As Charger ended his story about how the Green Flu was good in some ways, he silently shook off the memory that played in his head. "So... how's 'bout we go get some tea or something, and relax... that okay, missy?" He asked Twilight who nodded and walked to the kitchen. He sighed as he recalled the memory one last time. 'As if I hadn't enough problems...' He thought to himself as he crunched the tiny fingers on his hoof. He still thought of that man... that monster... 'He will pay... I know it... DAMN him and those survivors he helped. He thought before he heard a tea kettle whistle and walked into the kitchen.