After recording Jamie’s findings in a crude lab report, Jamie asks for the paper. They stare at it for some time. Just when you think Jamie has lost it, they exclaim, “I’ve got it!”
“You’ve got what?” you ask?
“I’ve got the cure.” they say.
“You mean you know how to turn all those zombies back into the living?” you question.
“Not exactly. I know how to drive the parasite out or stop them from entering a host.”
“Well what are you waiting for! Get started!” you yell as if your life depended on it; which, you know, it does. Jamie reaches for test tubes, a beaker, and a bunsen burner and grabs a bunch of vials from a fridge. Each vial contains a liquid of a different colour. They pour various amounts of each liquid into the beaker, stir the liquids together and heat the combination over the bunsen burner until a mercury thermometer reads 99 degrees celsius. Jamie fills the eight test tubes they have with 30 millimeters of the concoction and places them in the fridge.
When Jamie is finished, they look at you and say, “The syrium needs to cool to room temperature, about 18 degrees, before I can inject you.”
“How long will that take?” you implore. You are close to panicking.
“About fifteen minutes in the fridge,” they reply with sympathy in their voice.
“While we wait, you may as well tell me more about this cure you’ve created.”
Jamie starts talking with a tone of pride in their voice, “As you saw, I only had enough materials to create eight doses of the quote, unquote ‘cure.’”
You hate it when people say ‘quote, unquote.’
Jamie continues, “The cure kinda works as a virus. I will inject you, me and the next six people who are willing. Then it will spread through us as we come into contact with more of the living. The beauty of this cure is that it is contracted in multiple ways: through the air when we breathe, through bodily fluids, and by touching surfaces. It is a superspreader cure. Zombies can catch the cure which will force the parasite to leave their infected hosts; however, once the parasite leaves, most people will succumb to the internal injuries caused by that parasite. I predict only one in one million people will survive this process.”
“I guess that’s better than nothing,” you reply. “What are the chances I survive? I’ve been infected.”
“Pretty good,” says Jamie. “As long as the parasite doesn’t have time to take over any of your body systems, your internal injuries will be minimal and you will almost surely live.”
You sigh with relief. “What are we waiting for,” you exclaim. “It’s been fifteen minutes.” Jamie takes a vial out of the fridge and grabs a syringe off the shelf. They quickly sterilise a needle with alcohol and load the syringe with the serum.
“Which arm?” they ask.
“I don't care, just get the cure in me!” you demand. Jamie jabs you in the left arm, just under your injury.
“How long will this take to kick in?” you ask.
“Not long.” Jamie states.
Five minutes later, you feel something in your left shoulder. It is the kind of feeling you get when a bug is crawling on your skin, only this feeling is underneath your skin. Suddenly, a parasite pops out of your wound and drops to the floor. You lift your foot and bring it down on the creature. You turn to Jamie and say, “Let’s go.”
“Ok.” Jamie says. “But, could you inject me first.” After you inject Jamie they say, “You know, it is still going to be pretty dangerous out there. Even though the cure can spread to zombies, they can still attack and kill us before the cure takes effect and forces the parasite out.”
“I know.” you reply. “We will be careful. I want to find my family and transmit the cure to them. Then, I want to find McRichie. You are looking at a multi millionaire.” Go to Google Classroom and complete the activity Dystopia