THE AGE | Original Ending

ALTERNATE ENDING *The ORIGINAL Ending*

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."

"How did it spread so fast?" I questioned Amelia.

"That I don't know," she responded. "I didn't hear of any other cases of this disease. It's possible there could have been, but this one dog in the lab seemed to be the only one in town infected. I don't understand it. I didn't have enough time to study it."

"How do we stop it?"

"You can't," Amelia stated. "There is no cure. At least, not one that I could find."

"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.

The door behind us slowly opened. I assumed it was Johanna returning from the break room. I felt chills rush over me and my heart pause when I heard the growl of the rabid canine. I looked up and noticed the gleam in its eye. I could not decipher if it was hunger or anger or just pure joy of killing. I wanted to move more than anything, but I was frozen stiff from fear. "Nice doggy," I said out of sheer stupidity. Even Amelia wasn't moving, or if she was, I couldn't hear her.

"I'm so sorry, my dear," Amelia said as she moved around to stand behind the large animal. She laughed. "They can open doors because they're smart? I don't think so. Smart, yes, but not that smart, hon."

"You're the one who allowed them into the Civic Center?" I asked in shock.

"Yeah," Amelia said with a cocky grin. "See, the thing is, they don't bite the hand that feeds them. This isn't a Frankenstein story, Valerie."

As the dog's snarling teeth drew closer, I closed my eyes tightly. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." I couldn't think of anything else but prayer. Blame my mom for that one.

"Prayer will not help you," Amelia taunted me.

I continued on. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." I could feel his drool upon my lap.

"I'm sure the others are done with Johanna," Amelia said looking in the direction of the break room.

"Why?" I asked in the midst of praying in my mind now.

"Hold it," she told the canine. "Why? I had no choice in the matter, really. It was feed them or be eaten. I figured this town could offer them a great plain of food. It started at the university. Then things go out of hand with the mating and from there we had an entire pack."

I shifted to try to leave, but the dog blocked me.

"Like any dog, they all learn tricks," Amelia told me. "You teach them tricks and show them food, they listen. They rely on you. I really don't want to keep him from his meal." Amelia turned and exited the boardroom.

It was all a game to her. To bring her pets food. Mad scientist bitch. . .

The leader of the pack lunged at my face and tore into my throat. It shook its head and ripped at my body. It's sharp teeth shred through it like hot knives through butter. The pain was short lived. Life fled my body then.