People were trying to tell him he was a genius. Michael Hernandez didn’t want to listen. Everyone was trying to tell him about the great service to the world he had just accomplished. Michael didn’t really care for these snotty conventions, that wasn’t why he did what he had. He did it for the love of science.

“I did it. I actually found the antidote.” Michael had done something nobody else had ever done. Something only done in dreams. He found a way to save the world.

There was currently an outbreak of a zombie-like virus across the world. Countless people had lost loved ones and were in danger of being infected themselves. “This was amazing”, Michael thought “now we can get the antidote out to everyone.” It was a long road to get here. Michael first off had to go out to capture an infected person and bring them back to the lab. Michael went through it all to get this. He sprinted away from hordes of zombies, dove off cliffs, even got shot in the wastelands where the virus ran rampant. It was all worth it. Finally after 3 years the world could return to what it had been. He was exhausted, he had been working like a dog for years. Everyday on the news he heard of the battles in the lower 48. The horror stories of thousands of people being locked away from sanctuary and left to be infected.

Alaska was one of the last relatively safe places left. The cold brutal weather and low population didn’t make it an ideal place for the virus to spread. Also an ideal place for a lab. Well lab was an over exaggeration. This was more like a shack riddled with equipment he “borrowed” from labs back home in California. Michael didn’t care where he was and what he had. As long as he could conduct his experiments he was game. Michael started out in Foxtrot labs. A larger lab in California where he did research on transmittable diseases. He quickly got let go because he didn’t like following the safety protocols and went by his own rules. Even though he was fired, the information he gained about disease was irreplaceable during his search for a cure.

Finding a cure wasn’t easy. The virus spread like wildfire. Any sort of contact with an infected person was deadly. Even if you simply brushed them with bare skin. This made any field experimentation extremely dangerous.

Back in the rest of the world parts were completely overrun. Asia was almost fully lost. As the virus started out in a poorly managed biowarfare lab in Siberia. The Soviet Union had previously been working on biological warfare. They were trying to create a disease they could infect America with to destabilize the country. As the Soviet Union began collapsing this became less important and slowly the lab was abandoned. The deteriorating lab wasn’t properly taken care of. There were still countless diseases alive inside the rusty disheveled lab. It isn’t known exactly how it began to spread but theories point to an unlucky hiker who got too curious. Once you get the disease your only instinct is to infect others, as many as you can as fast as you can.

In the USA the country was still being held together by a thread. The only thing separating the country from pure chaos was the naive belief in the president. He did his best to keep the people together. The people were growing fearful and losing trust quickly as they realized the president could do nothing but slow down the impending doom.

Michael knew it was a race against the clock. He threw the vile in a bag with some food and water and off he went. His snow machine ripped up the snow flinging him forward with the speed of a jet. He could feel the bitter cold air biting at his nose, and slowly stealing the feeling in his fingertips. He rolled into Nome with icicles hanging from his eyelashes. Alaska had recently given an order. They were fully closing the borders on november 12. It was currently 11:30 on the 11th. Michael rushed through the airport. He had to get on that plane. The final plane heading to Washington D.C. He looked up to see “ Boarding will end in 5 minutes”. Just in time.

When Michael arrived D.C was in chaos. There were only a few key buildings being protected. The zombies had finally made it to D.C. They broke through the night before and were mutilating the city. While the airport was one of the few safe places he knew he couldn’t stay there. All he could see was people panicking. Cars were flipped and fires ran rampant across the city. There was no more order left here. Michael wondered if he was too late. Did he take too long? The airport was around 3 miles from the white house. This would be difficult and Michael knew the chances were slim. But he had to try. Michael sprinted out of the airport in a flurry looking for a taxi. None were to be found. All abandoned or burning from the chaos. Michael snagged one of the abandoned cars and slammed his foot into the gas pedal. He flew down the street dodging around flipped cars and whipping around corners like a nascar driver. The white house had a strict perimeter. Armed guards everywhere, even tanks. Michael couldn’t drive any more. The final half mile would have to be on foot. He hopped out with his bag and ran. He could see the horror all around. People screaming running for their lives. The zombies were straight out of a horror movie. The skin was a ghastly pale color with blood running from the eyes. These were no run of the mill horror movie zombies. They could sprint at least as fast as any human. Michael had to run past countless people getting infected. The only thing keeping him going was the hope they all could be cured.

Michael had stayed low until now. All bets were off the final 400 meters there were zombies everywhere crowding the white house. He immediately was noticed. He sprinted like he never had finally making it to the gate. Michael was told by the guards nobody else was allowed in. He pleaded with the guards informing them he needed to get his antidote to the lab. The guard hardly believed Michael but what choice did he have. Right as Michael got pulled up the zombies fully surrounded the White House. The president was asking who Michael was. What was this random guy doing here? When Michael informed him of what he had done the President believed him if anything out of a state of desperation. The lab certified Michael’s results and the president broke down on his knees thanking Michael and assuring him he would be awarded like a hero.

A few years later the ceremony was taking place. This convention of great scientists. But Michael didn’t like it, he didn’t care about what he accomplished, it never was for the recognition.