“Mr.Ellis, can you hear me?”

Mr.Ellis is lying on his back, staring into space, his eyes wide-open.

Ennis Chaney shudders. The man’s eyeballs are completely black.

The colonel pulls the doctor aside. “How does the infection appear to be spreading?”

“Physical contact with either the black tide or another infected subject’s excretions. No evidence to suggest an airborne virus.”

“Marvin, hand me the microcassette recorder please, then stand by with the hatbox.” The colonel takes the miniature recorder from Teperman and begins speaking into it as he assists Dr. Juarez with his examination.

“Subject appears to have come in physical contact with the tarlike substance on thumb and second and third fingers of right hand. Flesh on all three digits has been seared clear to the bone. Eyeballs are fixed and hemorrhaging and have completely turned black. Subject appears to be in a stupor. Nurse, how long ago did Mr.Ellis come in contact with the black tide?”

“I don’t know, sir. Maybe two hours.”

Marvin leans close to Chaney. “This stuff works very fast.”

The colonel overhears and nods. “Subject’s skin is clammy, almost yellow, with black blotches appearing along both upper and lower extremities.” Colonel Ruetenik gently manipulates pockets of blood beneath the skin of Ellis’s arm. “Third spacing is evident along both upper extremities—”

Dr. Juarez sits next to his patient, who appears to be coming out of his stupor. “Try not to move, Mr.Ellis. You’ve come in contact with some kind of—”

“—my fucking head is killing me.” Ellis sits up suddenly, black blood dripping from both nostrils. “Who the fuck are you people? Oh, God…” Without warning, a massive quantity of thick, black blood and tissue is forcibly expelled from Ellis’s mouth. The sizzling bile pours down his chest, splattering Teperman and the nurse across the headpieces of their protective suits.

Chaney backs off several steps, the sight of the black bile causing a gag reflex. He swallows back the vomit rising in his throat and turns away, trying to regain his composure.

The nurse remains kneeling before her patient, holding both of Ellis’s hands in her own, compassion preventing her from looking away from the dying man’s horrified face.

Mr.Ellis stares at Dr. Juarez and the colonel through two dark holes, a zombielike expression plastered on his bloodied face, the victim sitting in a rigid, upright posture as if he is afraid to move. “My insides are melting,” he moans.

Chaney sees the man’s upper torso begin to quiver and convulse. With a sickening gurgle, the black bile is vomited again, this time pouring from the nostrils and eyes as well. It runs down Ellis’s neck, followed by a stream of bright, crimson blood.

Dr. Juarez grabs the heaving body by its elbows as the victim’s upper torso spasms violently in his grasp. Chaney closes his eyes and prays.