I opened my eyes. Light blinded me, bright white light. I heard a piercing sound, which made me want to lose consciousness.  I tried to shield my eyes, but my arms were too heavy. I scanned the room. I was sitting in a white leather chair which was connected to a machine of some sort. On one of the walls there was a large pane of black glass. I concluded that it was a tinted pane of glass, where people could observe me, but I could not see them. On the wall to my right there was a steel door with coded entrance. There was something odd about this place. I could hear voices I recognised, but I couldn't remember them. They were arguing with someone.

"He's been in there for two months. You have to let him out!"

"I cannot do that sir. We need to run a few more tests."

"No!" This voice was now female. "You and your stupid tests, we want to see our friend."

"As I said, I cannot do that. Step aside before I call security."

"Fine."

I heard a muffled thump. A few seconds later the door slid open. A girl and a boy stood there. I figured they were about seventeen. They looked at me for a second and then ran over to me. The boy lifted up my arms whilst the girl supported my back. They pushed me to the door.

"Do you think he will be okay?" the boy asked.

"I don't know." the girl answered. "He doesn't look in a good state. We need to get him out of here."

"Agreed." the boy concluded.

My legs felt like lead, which made it hard to walk. I didn't know who these people were. I didn't like the thought of them dragging me away.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

They didn't answer. They just looked at each other with an expression of shock and confusion. I wanted an answer. I wanted to break myself away from their grip, but I was too weak. I shuffled out the door and onto the streets. They took me down numerous alleyways and across several roads, until they reached a door on a quiet road. The roads were all silent. They were littered with posters showing thousands of missing. Before I could make sense of it, the boy took out some keys and opened the door and the girl took me through to the living room. She sat me down on the sofa while they took the two armchairs.

"Who are you?" I asked them. I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on. I wanted answers.

They looked at each other.

"You don't remember?" the boy asked.

"We've known each other since we were little." the girl explained. "You can't have forgotten."

It took me a moment to process this.

"You're lying," I argued. "I've never seen you before."

"We're your best friends." the boy said, leaning forwards slightly.

"I'm Jaiisme." the girl said.

As she said that, a corner of my mind opened up, revealing memories that I thought had been lost while I'd been tested on. She wasn't lying. This was Jaiisme, the Jaiisme that stuck up for me when I'd been bullied in the 3rd grade, the Jaiisme that was true to her personality, the Jaiisme that was best friends with...

"Sam." I announced.

"That's right." he said. "I told you Jaiisme, I told you he wouldn't forget!"

Sam had always been one of the tougher boys, although he was gentle at heart. He never bullied anyone, even when he was provoked. He was almost completely opposite to Jaiisme. He had short dark brown hair and vivid blue eyes. He often wore a black leather jacket over a plain t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans.  Jaiisme, on the other hand, had dark brown hair with lighter highlights. She had sparkling green eyes and a optimistic personality, but could be serious and stubborn when she wanted to be.

"He looks terrible." Sam said. "He really should get some rest."

Jaiisme and Sam let me sleep on the sofa that night. She gave me a warm blanket and a soft pillow. Sam found some spare clothes for me. I breathed a sigh of happiness and I slipped into a world of dreamy nothingness.

That night I had nightmares. People with pure white faces, crying black tears, laughing hysterically, chasing families and children that were running for their lives. They walked round, black eyes prying for their next victim. One caught a young girl and she was dragged down an alleyway. Me, Sam and Jaiisme were cowering helplessly in a corner, listening to her last desperate screams for her mother and father. A few moments later, the monster skulked out, blood dripping from its hands, followed by a small girl, with long, black, glossy hair, a pure white face, with white eyes crying black, inky tears. Her shirt was torn to reveal her chest, caked with blood and her skin ripped apart. She turned slowly towards me. She sent me an evil smile, and then ran towards me, half snarling, half laughing...

I woke up panting. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead. I reminded myself that it was a dream, and that I was safe. I clutched the blanket, slowly breathing in and out. I went over to the window to check the time, although I could tell it was early because it was dark outside. As I checked the clock on the windowsill, I couldn't help but notice that Sam and Jaiisme had to replace the window. It had four long scratches in perfect parallel. There was something odd about these scratches, they looked like somebody had poured black ink into it. The ink was spreading through the glass, like an infection in a bloodstream. If I looked close enough, I could actually see it pulsing and moving. I rubbed my eyes and tucked myself in. I turned the light off, and I swear, just as I closed my eyes I saw a shadowy figure of a girl in the corner, wearing a white blood-stained robe, with long, glossy back hair with a pale face, crying black tears.

After the traumatic nightmare I had, I had one of the best dreams I could remember. It was one of my fondest memories, where back when we were little, me, Sam and Jaiisme would go down to the local woods and build dens and play on the rope swing. It was like I was watching over the memory, looking down at me, Sam and Jaiisme. Sam was the daredevil, he used to climb up trees to get the best sticks for the dens and he used to stand on the rope swing. Sam had the same bright blue eyes but his hair was blonder and his jaw was less square. Jaiisme, however, looked exactly the same, just shorter. And me, I can't remember what I looked like. I suppose that is because I hadn't seen a mirror since I had been out the testing lab. I wanted to know. Whenever I saw my face, it would change, like my brain was trying to figure out what suited me best. Nothing worked. I made a note that tomorrow, I would find out. Tomorrow I would find out everything.

 I woke up to a gentle nudge on my shoulder. Jaiisme sat there.

"You alright today?" she asked, giving me a soft smile.

"Yeah, but I could do with a shower." I replied, propping myself up on the pillows. "I haven't had a shower in what, two years?"

She chuckled. "Yeah, I have to admit you need a bit of scrubbing. And that smell..." She clasped her nose.

As I got up, my legs instantly buckled. Jaiisme had to hold me up.

"Whoa, slow down boyo. You're gonna knock yourself out." she said.

She was right. If I kept going at that pace I would be sprawled on the floor at the bottom of the stairs.

I took small steps and, eventually, I made it upstairs.

"The bathroom is second on the left. Sam is still asleep, so be quiet." she added.

"Will do." I replied.

I leaned against the wall and shuffled to the door. I entered the bathroom and immediately collapsed on the sink. I looked up at the mirror and for the first time, I saw my reflection.

I have sandy hair with darker undertones. My eyes are slate blue, with the occasional golden fleck, which, I think, look very cool. I have a slightly rounded jawline as well, and bit of stubble, but I suppose that was because I hadn't shaved. There was a large scar down my left cheek, tinted deep red.

After I had freshened up, I went to and find some clothes. Sam said that all the spare clothes were in Jaiisme's room. I slipped on some jeans and a black t-shirt and headed downstairs. I could already tell I was getting stronger, as I could walk independently.

When I got downstairs, Sam was awake. He and Jaiisme were whispering to each other. When they noticed me they immediately stopped.

"We need to tell you something." Jaiisme announced. "Those people who tested on you, they called. They found something odd in your blood. Like an infection. They said it was nothing serious, or you would be dead by now. You've had since the first few weeks of your life. Apparently, it has properties that could find the cure to the Virus."

"The Virus?" I asked.

"The Virus that has killed everyone, or driven them insane. There were rumours that it began in the lab that you were tested on. They didn't sanitise the equipment they used, so the chemicals they had in there were infected by deadly bacteria." Sam explained.

"Unfortunately, the test subjects they gave it to were infected with it. Most of them died, but a few escaped and started infecting the city. If someone even got a hint of the deadly DNA in their blood, they would be infected in a matter of minutes. We are some of the few survivors." Jaiisme concluded.

"It is called the Virus because it infects anyone and everyone." Sam said.

"How would you know if someone got the disease?" I asked. I was curious about this apocalyptic 'Virus' thing.

"You would get inhumanly symptoms; your eyes would turn pure white. The damage caused to you would do nothing, meaning if you were stabbed in the chest, the blood would soak through your clothes. You wouldn't feel a thing. You would be half-human, half-monster." Jaiisme explained.

"You should have been infected. The scar on your cheek was made by one of the Infected." Sam said.

I touched my cheek tenderly. I should be dead. Why wasn't I? I had seen these things in my dreams. The girl in the robe. She had white eyes. She couldn't feel a thing when the Infected ripped her chest apart. She was infected in seconds. I was attacked weeks ago, why wasn't I dead?