by Franz Bates
Seth was surprised to see a blue Chevy pick-up positioned diagonally in this narrow part of the road. Seth silently told himself that those are probably hikers wanting to enjoy a morning in Silver Stretch Falls. This is a beautiful waterfall that spilled into the Watauga Reservoir. Despite the oddness of the situated pickup, he continued his way and glanced as he passes by the car. His instincts are proven right as he noticed something wrong. He jumped off his truck and slowly approached the car. He kept his engine running in any emergency case approaching. Seth prepared a good grip of his pistol, preparing for any unexpected action. As the inside part of the car came to his full view, he was surprised to see three dead bodies. The driver and two other passengers in his initial assessment died from gunshots. Carefully examining the crime in front of him, the marshal noticed that the shots were precise. The driver, lying forward to the steering wheel had a gunshot in the left temple, while the women beside him, one of about fifty years old and a younger woman both have shots in the heart. Looking at the initial evidence, the situation in front of him is pointing to an extreme case of triple suicide.
Seth went back to his pickup and decided to call for backup. His two-way radio is only giving a static signal, he begins to wonder if there is anything wrong with the transmission but he will take care of it later. He took out his cell phone and found out that it is also not showing any signal service. He is left with no choice but to drive to the town and inform the local police of the crime scene he discovered. He decided to take photos of the crime scene before he left. In his long years of service as Deputy Marshal and a law enforcer, this case of triple suicide is an extremely isolated case. He started driving to the town. He kept glancing at his radio and cell phone and both showed no signs of improvement in signal transmission. He is beginning to feel that there is something wrong happening in the town which he is about to discover.
In about ten minutes since he started driving to town, he has not encountered any hiker or traveler. This is strange for Seth because this part of the woods is frequently visited by trailers and trekkers. He has not even recovered yet from the last crime scene he encountered and here comes another shock. Two cars were involved in a collision and Seth was very sure that all the people involved are dead. In his many years serving as a Marshal, these two recent happenings are new to him. He has never come across such close accidents and crimes that are unattended. He took documentation photos as well and he is rushing to head to town to report about the suspicious events he encountered. He turned from Buckeye Road, he was welcomed by hundreds of vehicles that were scattered along the roadway and facing to the different directions. People are all dead and unattended, smoke is everywhere and the smell is unidentifiable but definitely not good. In less than an hour of traveling, he already encountered more than a hundred of dead bodies. Seth could only think of a single word to describe the chaos that he was seeing: Armageddon. He just witnessed what seems to be a mass killing. Lifeless bodies lying around, some with gunshots, some are bathing in their own blood, some are swollen. What caused their death? Why is the situation unattended? Fear is immediately creeping up to his body. Seth Andrews, a high caliber U.S Deputy Marshal, in his long years in service, is at a loss for words for the situation in front of him. He tried to pinch his left arm to check if all these were just a dream. He wished he is just dreaming and that all of these are not true at all. Seth could only think of a single word to describe the chaos that he was seeing: Armageddon. Questions started to arise in his mind and all he ever wanted at this moment is to get answers right away.
His initial instinct says that he needs to go back to the cabin. He turned his car around and head back to the direction where he came from. He is going back to the cabin as it seems to be the only safe place right now. As Seth was driving back to the cabin his mind and his heartbeat seem to be racing with each other. He cannot think of any rational explanation to the chaos he just witnessed. His face is full of beads of sweat. He remembered his mom and his sister. Are they safe?
Back in Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Bluemont, Virginia, the lady president is staring at her cell phone. She is contemplating on making that last call she originally planned to do. She knew that she would get that “i-told-you-so” conversation again. Who would be blamed for the entire catastrophe that the United States is facing right now? She dialed the number and waited for someone to pick up. The call redirected to a voicemail: Hi you have reached me at a busy time. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” A man’s recorded voicemail message answered her call. Hillary White took a deep breath that she didn’t notice she’d been holding on for long now. “Hi, it’s me. I know you are still in L.A, call when you get back. She recorded her message, in the hopes that the receiver will call her back as soon as possible. After putting down her phone, she heard a knock on her door. She pushed a small green button in the lower left corner of her table. The door automatically opened and it revealed a young man in black suit. Hillary can sense from the worried facial expression of the guest that a bad news is about to be delivered. “What do we have for updates so far?” The president proactively asked. The man remained standing as he begins to speak. “The death toll increased to fifteen thousand, the streets are turning into mass graves. The officials cannot control the people anymore because there are too many casualties to handle. There is no report of any survivor so far. All the road closures are being bypassed by the people; they are all in a panic trying to look for safer places. There’s heavy traffic on all major roads. Drugstores have been attacked and people are hoarding for medicines. “.
Chapter Five
Seth arrived in the cabin almost out of breath. He just had the fastest and the scariest drive of his life. He searched again for any signal reception in his phone and two-way radio but both are consistent in failing him. His hands are trembling as he reached the switch of the generator. He turned it on and climbed the stairs to the attic of his cabin where his manual radio is set up. He tuned to a frequency in the 20-meter band that was active during emergencies, hoping to hear traffic. When he didn’t hear any transmission, he introduces himself by his code “KB4VXP”, he does it twice until he got an answer from the voice of a woman.
“Hello? This is Jamie Ewen from Ukiah, North California! If you can hear me please introduce yourself. Is there anyone out there?” The woman was gasping for air; Seth figured that the woman is also in an emergency situation.
“Hi, This is Deputy Marshal Seth Andrews. I am currently in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Please calm down and let me know what’s happening back there.” Seth now calmly introduced himself to the woman on the other line.
“Hello Mr. Andrews, we need help as we are in a terrible situation right now. Everyone here except me and my son is dead. They all got infected by the Superpox-99 virus. We need to get out of here before my son gets infected. Please help us. We cannot find anyone that would give us a ride.” Jamie said almost crying.
Just right after Jamie’s cries, another beep sounded indicating another participant in the conversation. He is introduced with the code WA4RTF named Robert from Gloucester, Virginia. Robert told them that the virus also spread in their area. Robert said that the virus is spreading through the air.
“Did the CDC advise for any vaccine?” Seth asked.
“That’s the worst news. CDC is still trying to discover the vaccine that could kill the virus. The Superpox-99 is continuously killing people. It’s now across all states. It is very dangerous outside. Jamie, you should go to a place where there is no instance of virus infection yet. Keep your son inside a closed area.” Robert answered.
Seth and Jamie sighed, both feeling hopeless of the situation. They were all quiet for a minute until Robert speaks up again.
“By the way, there’s one more thing you need to know. Because of the uncontrollable situation, the prisoners were set free. Originally, the government would only release the prisoners in the minimum security, but because of the c
haotic situation, even the ones in the maximum security escaped. The government warned the public about these criminals roaming freely outside.” Seth was shocked by all the news he was absorbing from Robert and Jamie. He did not realize that the world outside his cabin is about to end.
“Do any of you know what states and cities are not affected? I have not heard any news report since this morning. Only the roving police patrol announcing that everyone should leave the place as the number of the death toll is increasing”. It’s Jamie who speaks up this time.
“I have been staying in this mountain cabin for three weeks now and I have not listened to any news. I only realized something big is going on when I encountered too many dead people on my way to the town of Boone.” Seth answered.
“It’s getting dark now. Let us all stay in a safe place tonight. Jamie, stay inside a secured area. Stay away from convenience stores and pharmacies as those are the targets of the bandits roaming around. For your son, let him wear a clinical mask all the time. I repeat, all the time.” It is Robert who gave instructions this time.
I can hear motorcycles roaming around when I peeked at the window, they are not the police patrolling. They are bandits and criminals who just escaped from prison. They are hurting people, robbing money and stealing from convenient stores. Men, the gasoline stations are their target. Jamie said in a terrified voice.
I think I will stay in the cabin for now and try to figure out how to go about with this situation. We should keep our radios with us and try to reconnect in the next few days. If you can make it here by any means, you both are welcome here in my cabin. I am located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For now, I need to get in touch with my family to make sure they are ok. Seth said. Jamie and Robert both agreed before everyone disconnected.
The Marshall knew that the current virus breakout chaos may result to a power outage. If he needs to save his generators and his batteries, he needs to do it now. His mind goes back to the words of Robert about the prisoners being set free. He remembers his father and wonders of he is safe. At the back of his mind, he is somehow thankful that his father might have probably escaped, but he is also worried about his safety. He checked back his phone in the hopes that there will be a signal this time, but to no avail. Seth wants to know how his family is doing. How he wishes they are with him, safe in this cabin. It has been a long time that he visited his father in prison. It was just his mom who requested for their mini-reunion as the celebration of her birthday. Since then he never spoke to his father again.
Many holidays have passed but he cannot get the strength to see him again. They had a misunderstanding during his last visit, probably triggered by him being part of the law enforcement group and his father being a convicted prisoner. He closed his eyes and lay down in a small built in bed bunk that his father created. Seth remembers his combat classes with his father when he was young. If not for their rigid training back then, he would probably not be able to make as a Marshal. His father is his best friend, companion, and his idol. He cannot bear the pain of seeing him inside the prison while he is enjoying the perks of being a law enforcer. He doesn’t like the situation but despite his being in the Deputy Service, he cannot do anything, he doesn’t have the power to set his father free. It’s one of the deepest wounds that Seth is uncovering every time he is in this cabin. He keeps his mind away from these thoughts while keeping busy. This cabin is the only thing in this world that connects them as a family. This cabin that saved his life many times already and still saving him now from the virus outbreak is the only remaining possession of their family in Blue Ridge. His mother refused to sell this cabin when she moved to New York. Being the eldest and the only son, he took the unspoken oath to keep this cabin alive in long years. He is still hoping that one day they could all stay and relax here as a family. Will this virus outbreak make a way to make that happen, especially now that his father is set free?
While he is worried about his family’s whereabouts, he also feels that he is needed by the people for his Marshal Service duty. He went outside to check the surroundings. His chance of surviving in this part of the wood is high, but he is also considering taking other people under his care, such as Jamie and her son, Robert and his entire family. He went for food hunting. Seth intended to gather as many supplies as he can while the fruits and vegetables here are still considered safe. He also collected logs and stones. He checked is truck’s condition and thank the heavens that it showed no signs of any problem despite the experience it had gone thru that day. The truck will be highly utilized in going back and forth to the mountains in the next few days.
Chapter Six
It was no ordinary day for Amelia Andrews. The maximum security prison has been left unattended for a few days now. No food, no water, no nothing at all. It’s as if, the government has planned to do a mass killing of prisoners by making them starve to death. He wondered if any of his fellow prisoners in other unit has died due to hunger. He could hear sounds from desperate prisoners struggling against the injustice of their reality. Government officials had discussed releasing a number of the detainees keeping in mind that the end goal to make it simpler to tend to the remaining prisoner however that arrangement failed in Talladega. Instead, he wonders why the prison guards just stop making the rounds and just probably abandoned everyone to die.
Amelia’s only hope is that someone would set him free. He heard strides in the hallway that were rushed and uneven. The strides are becoming faster and faster as the disembodied figure gets nearer and nearer to his cell. He feels excited and nervous at the same time as he feels that something is about to happen. As the man get nearer, Amelia remembers him as William Rainn; one of his understudy in Kenpo Karate for a few years, one of his best students to be exact. Not just did it prompt to his accepting a couple of special advantages from the gatekeepers, it additionally kept his reputation up, something that proved to be useful while in jail. He is well respected and esteemed by his fellow prisoners, including the prison officers. He played a special role in the many years of convenience that Amelia experienced in jail.
As William approached his cell unit, Amelia noticed something different about him. William does not look well as his face was engorged, his eyes were bound with grisly spider webs, and his clothing was absorbed with sweat and despite the fact that William Rainn is a close friend and companion, Amelia stepped back once more from the cell entry as he was uncertain of what is happening to William.
You look so sick William, what the hell is happening? Have you taken any medicine? Amelia asked uninterruptedly to which William only answered only by shaking his head. Instead, he raised his right hand. Amelia sees that he is holding a large ring of keys. Amelia immediately knew that he is setting him free, which is not impossible because they have been very good friends ever since.
”Please..promise..me..one..thing..” William stuttered, taking one word at a time. It is very evident in his voice that he is having hard time breathing. Amelia only stared at him, letting him finish his words.
“This is only for you; do not let other prisoners escape. It will be very dangerous for the public outside. You deserve to be free more than anyone else here. “William said in between his breaths. Amelia was out of words. He cannot contain his happiness and despair at the same time. He is happy to be free at last but sad that his friend is suffering from what seem to be an unknown disease. If his instincts were right, William has an incurable sickness. They both stood there, staring at each other. After what seems to be few minutes of lost at their own thoughts, William gestured for them to go.
I already cleared the hallways and the first floor. You should be able to pass without any hassle. William added while pointing the directions to Amelia. William opened the door for Amelia. He gestured the way out. Amelia took his hand to thank him but William moved away.
Do not touch anything I have touched. And don’t get too close to me. William said in a commanding voice despite obviously feeling weak. Amelia cannot understa
nd why but he feels that he needs to comply, so he did.
William was running over the yard toward the jail's central entrance, which was at that point already open. Amelia is sure that William prepared it early for their escape. They were almost at the gate when suddenly two men drew closer from the base security ward where one man conveyed a screwdriver and the other a three-foot length of pipe.
“Run fast”! William shouted as he began to run but because of his condition, after just a couple steps, he fell. He attempted to stand back but he hastily lost his resolve and crumpled on the ground. At this point, Amelia was able to confirm that the two men were convicts trying to escape and knowing that William has the keys, they were trying to hurt or worst kill him. He immediately positions in front of William to protect him from further attacks and warns the convicts. His eyes are in rage ready for battle. The first attacker tried to stab him with a screwdriver. Amelia immediately brushed off the weapon and inclined toward an effective edge hand strike over the man's throat then his blows hit the convict with massive force and his head whipping back as his feet lifted six creeps off the ground. He immediately searched for the second convict and faced him angrily. The other prisoner was dumbfounded staring at his lifeless companion. Then he shook his head and ran away as fast as he could away from Amelia and William.
Chapter Seven
In the early hours the following morning, Seth rehashed his custom of securing the lodge and stacking his truck with necessities. He made a list to make sure he will not miss anything important. His plan is to return by dusk yet he prepared a pack of sufficiently pressed nourishment and water to last an entire week, on the off chance that things got horrible and he additionally secured the M4 assault rifle to a floor- mounted rack of his pickup. He continued to carry Marshall Hall’s Supergrade on his hip, which he hoped one day to have the opportunity to return.