The Beginning

Sunday midnight and I'm still reading my medical books, studying for my preliminary exams tomorrow hoping that I'll survive tomorrow's greatest hurdle. I'm literally a study-freak but I'm also lazy at the same time which makes me read my notes and study every last minute before the exam.

I love exploring the human anatomy especially the function of each and every part of the body. For me, the human body is a piece of complex art. It is a vessel whose soul and emotions are kept inside. My interest to this kind of things made me take a medicine course which I'm currently pursuing as a 3rd year medical student in University of Santo Tomas, here in the Philippines.

We actually live in Dubai but I moved to the Philippines for studying since the tuition fee is much cheaper here than in Dubai. My family stayed in Dubai for work since both of my parents are doctors and works in a hospital. I guess that's where my passion and hobby started.

As I journey my way into the pictures illustrated on the book, one part of the brain captured my interest, the amygdala. As the definition says, the amygdala is an almond-shape set of neurons located deep in the brain's medial temporal lobe and is a key role in the processing of emotions.

I started visualizing how emotions drive one's behavior and mind. I believe that it is our emotion which controls our whole body.

From there, I started asking myself, what if these emotions in our amygdala was taken from us? By taken I mean totally taken, empty, stopped processing our emotions. What could really happen to us?

My head was full of questions as I lay down to my bed, closing my eyes slowly and eventually going to sleep.

It was already 7:30 in the morning and I found myself still lying on the bed. I'm already late for my preliminary exams which is scheduled at 7:45. I prepared myself in just a jiffy and I rushed down the corridor, complaining why my alarm didn't set off. I didn't even have time to eat, that's how late I am.

As soon as I got out of the condominum, I ran towards the street and waited for a van to arrive. The heat wave in Manila is no joke. It was a busy street and it's really traffic since it's weekdays. This is the first time this thing happened. I really hope I could arrive on time.

I arrived at the university and entered the exam room. I was really sweaty, I looked like I just took a bath. Everyone was already answering their exams really carefully. Professor Juno didn't even care why I'm late. I guess college professors are just really like that.

I sat down beside my best friend Luke. He was offering me something, it was a snack bar. Chocolates and nuts are really good for the brain so I took the offer.

"Why are you late? Of all the days you could have overslept, you really chose the preliminaries?", asking me with a funny tone. Luke Isaiah Quinn is my childhood best friend. Her mom and my mom were classmates way back during their high school years. They also live in Dubai and like me, he moved to the Philippines to study. We're still in the same classroom from kindergarten to college. I guess that's really-really close. Sometimes I even think that he's following me.

He's tall, handsome, fair-skin toned, with his hair slicked-back. He's really popular among the girls since he's a varsity player and he even got himself a beautiful girlfriend here in the campus.

"My alarm didn't set off. I stayed up all night for this so don't bother me for a moment. I'll finish this in no time", I arrogantly told him with a wink.

I held out my pen and began answering the problems on the exam paper.

The bell rang and I finished the exam ahead of time. I even finished before Luke. Since it was break, Luke and I decided to chill out in the hall. It was a noisy morning, there are many students outside talking with each other.

"You're really a monster in academics Ria. You even finished before me even though you're 30 minutes late! C'mon give me some tips on how to be smarter," switching his tone to a cutie to mock me even more.

"Psshh. Whatever. You could've finished it earlier anyway if you hadn't wait for me to come. Oh yea I really need to go to the bathroom. My bladder's killing me," I told him while walking down the hall towards the bathroom.

While I was peeing, I heard an angelic voice singing inside the bathroom. From the tone of the voice, I know it was my classmate's voice, Luna. Her falsetto made me feel like as if I was peeing on heaven.

I was about to finish when Luna suddenly stopped singing halfway. I also heard someone growling from the other cubicle. It was a low growl which sent shivers down my spine but I was brave enough to take a peek outside.

I almost let a gasp escape my mouth for I could not believe what's happening before me. My eyes widened out of fear while seeing someone strangle Luna in the neck. I could not tell who it was at first but as I go for a clearer look, it was all clear to me who it was. Professor Juno. I could've step in sooner or called for help but the next incident made me chicken out. A white mist suddenly came out from Luna's mouth and Professor Juno sipped it as if it was just like a cigarette smoke.

"That was really delicious! You are so full of emotion! That was a nice meal honey. I'm sorry you have to suffer" with an evil grin in her face, she left the bathroom while laughing.

As soon as she left, I immediately rushed to Luna to check her condition if she's okay.

"Luna? Luna, are you okay?" A combination of fear and worry made me stutter. She didn't respond. She just sat there staring at me with her empty eyes and mouth open. I tried carrying her but she won't walk. It's as if she was disabled. Something's not right. I immediately called for help but I could not shout since Professor Juno might still be around. I looked left and right to check if the hall's clear and called for Luke's help.

"What happened Ria? Are you okay? Is that Luna? What happened to her?", he asked confusingly.

"No time to explain. Help me carry her to the school hospital. Hurry!" I utter.

What happened there? What was that white mist that came out of Luna's mouth and why did Professor Juno said it was delicious? Tons of questions bombarded my mind as we walk down the hall, carrying Luna to the school hospital.

Since my university was a medical school, the hospital was really close. The doctors were diagnosing the current condition of Luna while the nurses were asking me and Luke on what happened.

"I was about to take a leak when I saw her sitting with her back against the wall. I asked her if she's okay but she didn't respond so I thought something was wrong," I lied. I just couldn't tell them what happened. It's not because it's a secret, but it's just really impossible to believe. They'll think I'm crazy if I tell them the truth.

After the nurse left, Luke locked his eyes into mine as if he was looking for something.

"I know that look in your eyes. What really happened back there?" he asks while holding my dead cold hands.

I was hesitant to tell him at first but he is my best friend and I don't want to keep secrets from him. I locked my fingers at each other and looked down.

"Promise me you'll believe me and you won't tell anyone no matter what" I looked back and gazed in his majestic blue eyes. Eye lock was our own version of pinky swear.

"I promise." And I told him what really happened in the bathroom. He stood up, walking back and forth, thinking about the things I told him. He could not believe it at first but seeing my current condition, he knew that it was not a made-up story.

The emergency room doors opened and the doctor went out of the emergency room.

"I really don't know what happened. This is my first time seeing a case like this. All vital signs are normal. There are no signs of injuries or whatsoever but there is one part of her brain which is affected, the amygdala. I can't really describe the situation but it's like she's emotionless and disabled. Her eyes are wide open but she can't perceive anything on her surroundings. She doesn't talk or move. It's like she's-" his line of thought was cut as I utter a single word.

"Empty" I uttered while reminiscing the stupid questions I've asked myself last night. The doctor left Luke and I alone.

"That white mist, I know what it is. It's really hard to believe but it was her....emotion and soul", I told Luke and he nods back, signaling me that we're going to find out what really is happening.

As we were walking down the hall, I somehow realized something.

Professor Juno was a zombie; not a flesh-eating zombie nor a brain-slave zombie, but rather an emotion, soul-eating zombie who sucks every ounce of emotion on one's body until the vessel or the human body becomes empty.

A modern zombie who lives and walks among us, unseen, unfazed, and unbothered, waiting for the perfect opportunity to leap on their prey.

A modern zombie, a monster we call Decipio.