Prepper: A Story of the Future Collapse

by Franz Bates

  He woke up the next day and had a day tour of the laboratories in that compound.

  They are having breakfast while listening to the news. They used to do this when they were still kids.

  Reporter: The South Carolina local government is asking for more supplies as the cities were heavily damaged by the typhoon. Residents of Jacksonville, Goldsboro, and Rocky Mount were without electricity and water and were running out of gasoline four days after Typhoon Riza hit the most populated cities in the Southern Carolina. The typhoon hit South Carolina territories last Friday knocking out electricity on the 48-square-mile island. About 83,000 people live in the commonwealth’s four populated cities with most of them living on Goldsboro which took the brunt of the storm. Nearby areas also got some damage. We have not accounted for most of the upper part of the state because the communication was hard. We have not heard from them. The cell site signals were down and it will take some time for telephone companies to restore the heavily damaged sites.

  About 20 generators were being shipped from Alabama to power water pumps in Jacksonville, but the harbor was closed Monday because of a listing boat that was half underwater.

  Hillary deeply sighed at the sad news. She stood up to get more water on the kitchen counter. They are spending breakfast in Hillary’s personal kitchen in her suite. She tends to refuse public places if it concerns her family.

  I’ll fly to South Carolina to figure out the situation there. Hillary informed the doctor.

  Back in Boone, Seth Andrews was busy carrying out different tasks in maintaining the harmony in town. At day time, he and Brodie would help together with other volunteers in the hospitals and another Superox-99 prevention drive. They are growing plantations in some vacant part of the town to produce more oxygen in the air that weakens the killer virus. At night, Seth and Brodie will lead the men of the town in patrolling the streets, making sure that there are no convicts roaming around the town abusing the civilians. Seth received the good news from Doctor Frankel this morning that the testing went successfully. The Doctor also mentioned that it was Kennedy who stole the initial experiment but Hillary was able to put him behind bars. Seth was turning red n anger upon learning the news, but he was also happy to know that the vaccine test went ok and that they are just waiting for the patient to recover. Once the recovery went well, immediately the CDC and the government will reproduce the vaccine and prioritize the town of Boone in the distribution as requested by Doctor Frankel.

  Seth was happy about the news but he did not tell it yet to Father Alain and the rest of the people in Boone. Seth used to take his breakfast with Father Alain, but last night he decided to go back to the cabin for a night and now here he is, in the kitchen of their family cabin in the woods, trying to relax and absorb the natural scent of the atmosphere. Brodie was sleeping in his usual sleep. Seth noticed that Brodie slept a little longer today. He was usually awake by six in the morning but now it’s almost past seven and the Rottweiler was still soundly sleeping. Brodie must have missed the solace of the cabin and the woods. It has been several weeks since their last visit here. They have been so busy maintaining peace and order in the town they have come to love.

  Seth thought about many things while he is preparing breakfast. Over the last few weeks, a lot of things happened to his life. One of the most important is Brodie. He couldn’t imagine how he would manage things without the help of his Rottweiler best friend. He remembers the day he found Brodie almost dying in the gasoline station attacked by the robbers. After several encounters he had with the convicts, robbers, and killers attempting to take over the town of Boone, he has proven to himself how Brodie sacrificed too many times in order to protect him. Brodie has saved his life many times by attacking any opponent that threatens to kill him.

  Aside from Brodie’s arrival to his life, Seth also thank that he met Father Alain and the rest of the volunteers who joined him in his advocacy. Soon after the virus breakout has been resolved, the peace and order in Boone will be back to normal too, and he will go back to Raleigh and continue living his marshal service. It would be him and Doctor Frankel again in their subdivision park, trying to practice Frisbee or any other garden spot. He will surely miss the people of Boone who became part of his daily life now.

  Father Alain mentioned the other day that he is planning to stay in Boone even after the virus break out situation is resolved. The priest has come to love staying in Boone because of the nice people there. Seth, however, is not sure where to go after all the critical situation is back to normal. Boone will not need his service anymore so he will go back to his old life in Raleigh or he can start his quest in looking for his lost father.

  He has a lot of questions in mind again. The main reason he came back to this cabin last night was for him to find answers. Seth felt happy and sad at the same time and he couldn’t explain it for some reason. He has mixed emotions now that things are starting to be clear and be resolved. He made a mental note to call Doctor Frankel and ask for advises when he and Brodie come back to Boone.

  In North Carolina, Garreth and Elizabeth were still stocked in the stock room of the old spaghetti house. It has been raining for the last two days and they decided not to go out on the road until the sun comes out. They kept tuned into the news to have a grasp of what is happening outside. On the second night inside the stock room the storm outside is raging and some glass windows are already broken. Garreth created a small tent in one corner of the room and he let Elizabeth stay there. It’s like they are camping in the stock room because of the windows broken and the strong wind is coming in.

  After few hours outside their improvised tent, Garreth was able to fix all the mirrors that were broken and somehow the strong wind calmed down inside the stock room. Elizabeth was able to come out of the tent and she hurriedly prepared for their breakfast. It was their second day in that stock room and she had memorized already the kitchen tools abandoned there and she was somehow able to make use of them. She prepared them hot coffee and Garreth was amazed on how resourceful was Elizabeth.

  How did you get the water hot amidst the cold stormy weather? Garreth asked, truly amazed with the smoking hot coffee in front of him.

  I saw an old heater in that corner and a battery beside it. I just made them work together and now we have to cups of delicious coffee. Elizabeth answered proudly.

  Well, I know you are planning to utilize that heater in you next few menus, but can I borrow it to power up the radio? We need to listen to the news to get a grasp of what is happening outside. I am not sure if the flood has subsided, but by the looks of it, the storm has not calmed down for 48 hours now. It is impossible that the areas around are not yet flooded. I am not sure how we will get out of here. Garreth explained to the young lady. Elizabeth just nodded in agreement.

  After their somewhat sumptuous breakfast courtesy of the hot coffee, Garreth stood up and took out the batteries from the heater and plugged them into the radio. He tried to receive a transmission signal from different radio stations but most of them have no signal. Luckily there is only one station that was able to operate.

  Reporter: The South Carolina local government is asking for more supplies as the cities were heavily damaged by the typhoon. Residents of Jacksonville, Goldsboro, and Rocky Mount were without electricity and water and were running out of gasoline four days after Typhoon Riza hit the most populated cities in the Southern Carolina. The typhoon hit South Carolina territories last Friday knocking out electricity on the 48-square-mile island. About 83,000 people live in the commonwealth’s four populated cities with most of them living on Goldsboro which took the brunt of the storm. Nearby areas also got some damage. We have not accounted for most of the upper part of the state because the communication was hard. We have not heard from them. The cell site signals were down and it will take some time for telephone companies to restore the heavily damaged sites.

  About 20 generators were being shipped from Alabama to power water pumps in Jacksonville, but the
harbor was closed Monday because of a listing boat that was half underwater.

  In the connection to the Typhoon Riza, the casualties increase to seven now. The information just came in that four delivery personnel were still missing in the area of Jacksonville. The witnesses narrated that two delivery trucks were traveling in the middle of the storm last night carrying loads of deliverable when they were swiped by the strong storm. The passengers of the truck were two drivers and two assistants, all of them were carried by the strong rush of water. They were all found dead this morning in a vacant lot where the flood must have carried them.

  Garreth and Elizabeth felt hopeless again after hearing the news. It looks like they will be stocked here for few more days and wait for the flood to disappear. Garreth turned off the radio and placed the batteries back to the water heater.

  We will be staying here for few more days, we need additional emergency lights. We have four more remaining emergency lights in the car. I will swim through the flood to get them. Garreth informed Elizabeth.

  Ok, I will make more coffee for you when you come back. Please be safe. There may be live electricity wires lying around and the flood may have electrical grounds. Elizabeth said feeling worried about Garreth’s plan. I know that, but I have to get those lights before the water level increases. It will be so hard to move around here if we run out of emergency lights. Garreth explained. He appreciates the concern of the teenager but he knows how important to have emergency lights in situations like this. It may take some time before the flood dies down and they couldn’t move out to the streets until that happens. They have enough stock of food, though. Thanks to the gasoline station they have come across the other day. They were able to collect so many instant packed food, enough to cover their one-week consumption.

  Elizabeth, on the other hand, felt that it is quite ok to stay in that abandoned stock room for few days. She does not feel any danger inside that space for some reason. Maybe because at the back of her mind, she knows that because of the typhoon, her kidnappers and followers will not be able to roam around looking for her. They are humans too, and they couldn’t beat the super typhoon washing them out in the streets if ever. She smiled silently at the idea. She could have few days of mind rest.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Garreth was done getting the emergency lights. He was back to the stock room and was sipping the hot coffee promised by his companion. He secured all the emergency lights; they have a total of five. And they are good for about a week of consumption.

  Would you like to listen to the news?Garreth asked Elizabeth.

  Let’s save it for tomorrow morning, there is not much that could happen in a day. The flood level has not decreased, so most likely there is no progress yet in the situation outside. Elizabeth answered to which Garreth agreed. They slept that night on both sides of the wall. Thankfully Garreth was able to fix the windows and it is not that cold anymore. They woke that morning feeling a little better. The sun is not yet up but the heavy rains were lesser compared to the other nights. Elizabeth made their morning coffee and sandwich from the food supply that Garreth gathered from their van. It would be a day of planning for them, as they needed to face typhoon aftermath in North Carolina when they decided to come out on the road. Garreth was hesitant to leave the place today but he can see from Elizabeth’s eyes that she wanted to get home the soonest possible time. He would try to talk to her to give it one more day until the flash floods subside. They both listened to the news as they sip their morning coffee.

  Reporter:

  Great news from CDC; looks like the Superpox-99 dark hours of our nation has come to an end. The official vaccine testing for the virus treatment was facilitated yesterday in the observatory laboratory of CDC. Doctor Frankel the previous president of Microbiology and Virology Association of the United States has conducted and submitted his own research of the vaccine for Superpox-99. It would be noted that he is awarded for several vaccine discoveries and major awards in the field of virology in both national and international level. Just recently he was awarded as the top virologist of the year for creating around 50 vaccines for many viruses that never had any treatment before. While the reporter goes on, Garreth looked at Elizabeth who is smiling weird. Well, that was at least good news for this morning. I hope the testing will be successful so that they can start distributing the vaccine to the people. Garreth said, still feeling weird about Elizabeth’s smiling.

  He is my uncle; he is the smartest scientist slash virologist that ever lived in the United States. Elizabeth declared, feeling so proud of his uncle. Oh, he is? So every single good thing in this life was caught by your family. Garreth said laughing. He is the step-brother of mommy. He used to spend his vacations with us in Washington but he lives mainly in Raleigh. And he travels a lot being invited to different medical conventions. Despite that popularity, he kept his identity of being the step brother of the president. He likes to keep it that way. Elizabeth smiled; she realized how she misses her uncle so much.

  Well, I am sure the vaccine he created will work. I bet, given his proven track record.Garreth assured Elizabeth.

  Reporter:

  There was a small commotion that occurred during the presentation of doctor Frankel. The newly appointed Vice President appeared at the meeting and claimed that doctor Frankel’s work is a failure and that he has brought a better one that is proven and tested to work. Little did he know that President Hillary and his assistant Michael, submitted evidence to the police the day before? IT turned out, according to the evidence that Mr. Kennedy stole the initial research result of Doctor Frankel.

  The President at first tried to question Mr. Kennedy as to how he came up with the vaccine when he is not even a doctor. Mr. Kennedy said that he worked with private doctors to produce it. It was then the signal for the Chief of Police who was present at the meeting to order his men to arrest the vice president. After the scene that Vice President created, still the testing proceeded. Now the CDC and the rest of the team are just waiting for the patient to recover so that they can start reproducing and distributing the vaccine. It was an answered prayer for our nation and we couldn’t thank enough doctor Frankel for this. Garreth was shocked by the news but he was thankful that everything turned out well.

  Finally, that Kennedy was behind bars. He deserved it so much for trying to steal my uncle’s work and claiming it to be his own. How could he be so stupid, he is not even a doctor! Elizabeth was on fire in anger.

  Elizabeth, you are still too young. You have not seen how desperate people can be. Take it as a lesson that when you grow up, expect the worst always. Garreth laughed at the thought of how foolish Kennedy is. At least now, he is in jail. And I am hoping he will stay there forever. That’s where he belongs. Elizabeth added while laughing along with Garreth.

  In Mount Weather Operations compound, President just got off the phone with the police officer handling Kennedy’s case. Appointing him was the greatest mistake ever of my leadership. I was just thankful enough that we were able to put him to his rightful place. The president sighed at her own realization and Michael who is occupying the seat in front of her just nodded in agreement. Ever since he met Kennedy, he never trusted him at all. The accidental eavesdropping with his phone call to General McCrystal was just a confirmation of everything he already had a hunch for. So when Michael learned from President Hillary, about the missing research result of Doctor Frankel. He called for a private investigator to track back all the movements and whereabouts of Kennedy from the day of the robbery at Doctor Frankel’s apartment.

  Few days before the initial testing schedule of Doctor Frankel’s vaccine, Michael received the report confirming that the missing research of the virologist was indeed in the possession of Kennedy. The vice president ordered some private doctors to perform the chemical mixing and continue the creation of the fluid. He made the doctors believe that it was a legal operation and the order was coming from the president.

  Michael immediately pr
esented the result of the investigation to President Hillary and the latter requested for an arrest warrant without thinking twice. They have expected Kennedy to barge into that meeting anytime, so Hillary invited the Chief of Police and issued an order to arrest Kennedy the moment he denies the crime. Michael and the president anticipated those things to happen and Hillary would not allow such. She has seen how his step-brother belittled himself after being rejected by CDC for his previous work. She also made a mental note to request for an investigation as to why CDC chose a different vaccine for the Chicago virus breakout while Doctor Frankel was the first one to create a solution and somebody else got the credit. If the investigation results would reveal that there is a credit-grabbing involved, she would assure to hold them responsible.

  While the president and Michael were having breakfast, they discussed the current progress of the search for Liz. Michael was pretty sure that they will find her sooner because Kennedy was now in prison and nobody would give orders to the killers to look for Liz. He was pretty sure as well that it was the vice president who is behind the disappearance of the teenager after the helicopter crash. They just have to work harder to find her. Michael’s hope is now brighter because of Kennedy’s capture.

  Michael got some leads that Liz is probably in North Carolina right now, traveling by land to Virginia, but with the typhoon washing out the cities there, will she survive? He is worried about her safety.

  Reporter: After the scene that Vice President created, still the testing proceeded. Now the CDC and the rest of the team are just waiting for the patient to recover so that they can start reproducing and distributing the vaccine. It was an answered prayer for our nation and we couldn’t thank enough doctor Frankel for this.