THE AGE | Alternate Ending

ALTERNATE ENDING # 2

Once we were settled again, I pulled out my tablet and woke
it up from sleep mode. As soon as it was completely booted,
I noticed it was picking up the wi-fi signal.

"What are you doing?" Amelia asked me.

I looked up at her with sleepy eyes. I always got that way
when in front of my computer. "I just thought I'd check to
see if there is any news on what happened or if anyone else
is alive."

"Well, I can tell you easily what happened," Amelia said as
she sat down next to me. "It's all my fault."

I gasped and couldn't catch my breath after that initial
moment of surprise. "Wha-what?!"

"It was an accident," she explained. "It started out with a
single dog. We had it quarantined in the lab, where we were
running tests on it. It had an unknown disease similar to
rabies, but it was much more vicious and advanced much
faster. We needed a time table, so we brought in another
dog. The thing was that it wasn't passed on through biting,
but through mating. Even the offspring showed signs of
infection. Before we knew it, the 'creatures' were advanced
mentally, too."

"They got smarter?" I asked, still in shock.

"Yes," Amelia replied. "Like any dog that learns to sit,
shake hands, lay down, play dead. Though, these animals
began to show more advanced thinking skills. They could
figure out how to open doors. I don't mean just building
doors, but car doors, too. Eventually, they got loose one
night and started to turn other dogs. They saw humans as
threats and started to kill them."

"Do you think anyone else is alive out there?" I glanced
over at her. I couldn't hate her for something she couldn't
control. Besides, she saved me from rape.

"I'm counting on it," she said just as the door to the room slowly slipped open.

I assumed it was Johanna, but when there was only silence I began to wonder. I looked up immediately to find a large number of snarling teeth in my face. I froze. Tears slowly filled my eyes, but I couldn't cry. I couldn't take my eyes off the beast in front of me. I start to look up at Amelia, but the dog lashed out at my throat.