Rabids

Rabids
Powers and Abilities	Increased aggression, infectious bite or scratch
Vulnerabilities	Normal human weaknesses, holy fire
Appearance	Human with black tendrils running up their necks and heads
Episode(s)	11.01 Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire 11.02 Form and Void

History

The rabids are humans who, after the Darkness was released, became homicidal. Only people around the town of Superior, Nebraska appear to be affected. Sam began searching for a cure, especially after he was infected as well, eventually gaining a clue from the reaper Billie: rabids are "unclean in a biblical sense." Searching the Bible online, Sam found that holy fire could be used for a biblical purification and tried it on himself. The holy fire destroyed the rabid infection in Sam's body and after curing a small group of rabids for help, Sam successfully cured the surviving people in town.

Characteristics

Rabids can be characterized by the black tendrils that run up their necks and and heads. While they have increased aggression, they do not appear to be mindless zombies, as they have been shown to have enough composure to drive vehicles. The mutation, however, does have a shelf-life with the infected dropping dead hours after fully succumbing to it. The rabids can be stunned by electricity like any human and be restrained by chains. Rabids can be cured by close proximity to holy fire.

Powers and Abilities

• Increased aggression
• Infectious bite or scratch
• Infectious blood

Weaknesses

• Normal human weaknesses
• Temporary life expectancy
• Proximity to holy fire (cures infection)

Episodes

11.01 Out of the Darkness, Into the Fire

Having been released, the Darkness barrels through the town of Superior, Nebraska, its dark smoke cause people to mutate and become filled with violent rage. Deputy Jenna Nickerson is the first to answer a 911 call stating a family was in distress, when she arrived at the scene saw several "hostiles" attacking the family, eventually killing them. She was able to kill three of the attackers, however injuring herself after seeking cover. When Sam and Dean arrive on the scene, they are confronted by an road worker that has gone "rabid," as they attempt to talk him down as he advances on them, Jenna quickly acts and kills the would be attacker. On the defensive, she immediately demands to see Sam and Dean's necks to make sure they are not infected with the Darkness.

A group a "rabids" descend upon Sam.

As Sam and Dean take Jenna to the local hospital to tend her wound, they find that the Darkness has hit the town, leaving dead bodies in its wake and the hospital seeming empty. As Dean stitches Jenna up, Sam goes searching the hospital for any survivors, coming upon a rabid road worker slamming at a supply closet door, and takes cover. Before the rabid can notice Sam, it is distracted by the sound of a baby's cry and resumes attacking the door before suddenly collapsing and dying. Sam takes the man, Mike Schneider and his newborn daughter to Dean and Jenna, where Mike describes what happened, having believed that a tornado hit the hospital. Needing to collect himself after the birth of his daughter and death of his wife, Mike steps outside when a truck load of rabids arrive and begin killing anyone in their way. He reveals he was infected, and as Sam, Dean and Jenna argue about what to do about him, he tells them he will lock himself away and wait for the infection to kill him, but just ask that Jenna protects his daughter.

As Mike leaves them, another truck load of rabids arrive, while Dean wishes to go through them by killing them, Sam talks him into letting him try and figure out a cure instead of killing them. Sam volunteers to serve as a distraction while Dean and Jenna make their escape. While Sam lures the rabids away, Dean and Jenna are confronted by a fully turned Mike before they can exit the hospital. With his last ounce of energy, he names his daughter Amara before he begins choking and eventually dies. Meanwhile, Sam has holed up in a supply closet while the rabids on the outside try to break in, he is attacked by a rabid nurse and in the ensuing struggle slashes her throat, getting her blood in his mouth. Not long after, the rabids succeed in breaking down the door, two rabids grab Sam and pin him to the wall, while a third approaches and sniffs Sam before calling the others off of him.

11.02 Form and Void

Having been infected, Sam begins searching for a cure for the rabids, capturing an infected man named George to find information on the condition. Sam's efforts prove to be fruitless and he is informed by a reaper named Billie that he is "unclean in a biblical sense" and will die. Sam desperately prays to God for help but aside from a vision of him being tortured that he does not understand, finds no answers. As the rabid infection starts to consume him, Sam remembers what Billie said about him being "unclean in a biblical sense" and searches the Bible for biblical purification. Sam finds that holy fire can be used for such a purification and uses a sponge doused in holy fire on himself. The holy fire burns away the infection and cures Sam. Now with a viable cure, Sam lures three rabids into the hospital chapel and traps them in a ring of holy fire. The holy fire cures the three and they set out to cure the surviving rabids in Superior.