Lia's files 1_Presumed extinct

by Kathrin Kilambya

  I grimaced which made her laugh even more.

  “Okay, I’ll stop it. Honestly, no more teasing!” She was giggling now, then playfully bent over to Nin, planting a kiss on his cheek.

  Now it was his turn to look a bit embarrassed. As if we hadn’t watched them doing this time and again! But it made us all smile and relax.

  Yuki snuggled up to Nin and said. “We might as well enjoy this afternoon to the fullest. Let’s spend it out in the garden. The weather is wonderful, let’s sit in the sun a bit!”

  She was right, the weather really was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, the sun shining, the promise of another summer’s warmth already in the air.

  It was the sixteenth of March.

  Our last day out for several weeks. We really might as well enjoy it!

  Tomorrow, time zero would start.

  In a strangely cheerful mood we finished tea and went outside.

  Just as we had done Saturday afternoon one and a half weeks ago, we were playing in the garden, tying up some plants, cutting away some dead branches. Nin even started to chop some wood for the fireplace and the grill – as if we’d use any of them in the foreseeable future.

  Then he disappeared for some time and when he came back he told me that our car had no tracking device attached to it.

  Thanks!

  For a while we sat on the stone bench along the southern wall of the house, overlooking the valley with the airport beyond, the river, in the distance the hill and the little town of Belp with the mountain chains behind. It was all almost unbearably beautiful!

  It would be over soon, but we must enjoy it to the fullest while it lasted.

  We behaved as if everything was normal, and so it was, for one last sunny afternoon.

  Alice went inside to fetch Piglet and Malinda. That she dared going downstairs alone and came back completely at ease was a good sign. She was as relaxed and carefree as we were. We played with her a lot, Nin suggested a round of hide-and-seek and we all had great fun running around in the garden. Then we decided to climb some trees and that it was time that Alice learnt this vital skill. She didn’t dare go up very far and Yuki promptly took this as an excuse to stay with her on the lower branches, while Nin and I climbed as high as we could. The neighbour who saw us must have wondered about what madness had taken hold of us.

  Even while enjoying this carefree afternoon, I glanced about me every now and then, searching for some sign that we were being watched.

  A dark green car that I had never before seen here caught my attention. But it moved away, further up the road after about twenty minutes and I was uncertain what to make of it.

  Other than that, I saw no suspicious things, people, car or otherwise.

  Which meant absolutely nothing in terms of our safety, after all. The threat by Steve had been clear enough. He knew where we were and didn’t need surveillance to get us. But I banished these morbid thoughts from my mind and enjoyed the afternoon with Alice, Yuki and Nin.

  The sun set early, as usual at this time of the year, but it seemed way too early to us. It signalled our retreat indoors, out of the sun, out of daylight.

  We lingered as long as we could, but then we finally had to give in and go inside.

  Nin closed and locked the house door, looking ominously at every one as he turned the key. I felt like making a snide remark about his theatrical attitude, but then I checked myself. This wasn’t the time and place to be flippant.

  It was, after all, a momentous occasion. We would never again open this door to the world as we knew it.

  We closed all the shutters of the windows. Silly maybe, but it felt comforting.

  Alice’s earlier cheerfulness had left her by now; she grabbed my hand, holding Piglet and Malinda close as we went through the house, downstairs, and approached the cellar doors.

  “I am scared now,” she said with a quiet, tight voice.

  I patted her hand, “It’s okay, Tiger. We are all feeling very awkward. Don’t be afraid, though, we’ll be alright.”

  A promise to me as well as to her, Yuki, and Nin.

  Nin carefully closed the heavy door of the bomb shelter.

  Now we were underground. Locked in. It felt too awful, final and definitely scary.

  And then we approached the sub-basement and, as if on cue, paused to look at each other.

  It was Nin again who tried to rise to the occasion with the right choice of words.

  “I don’t know how you are feeling, but I am definitely uneasy and scared. But let’s trust our Dad, Uncle Phil and Josh: they helped us prepare, they will not let us down, and we will see them all, in the nearer or more distant future. Once we go through this door, we will not open it again for several weeks. A horrible thought, to be honest, but we’ll make it. After all, we have each other.”

  At that we spontaneously took each other’s hands. Then we descended the stairs down into the sub-basement, I first, then Alice and Yuki and Nin last. He closed the door. We stood at the foot of the stairs watching him as he bolted and locked the door.

  It felt very final.

  But it was also a lot less scary down here than in the bomb-shelter. Maybe it was the colours and paintings on the walls, maybe we had become familiar with these five rooms by now and it felt already a bit like home.

  Nin went straight for the TV and set it on our favourite news channel. Then we trooped to the kitchen and decided what to eat. Alice and I volunteered to prepare dinner, so that Yuki and Nin could have some time to themselves, they needed this.

  We were hungry after all the outdoor activities of this afternoon and made pasta and some steaks. The meat was mostly for Alice and Nin, as Yuki and I were no great meat-eaters.

  Alice wanted to try baking bread and so we also set about making the dough for tomorrow’s bread and left it to rise a bit.

  We set the table in the kitchen and called the others.

  Yuki had been crying and Nin looked upset. But their expressions showed that they didn’t want to discuss anything, so I pretended I had seen nothing.

  Had Yuki told Nin about her pregnancy? But why would he then be upset? He should rather look joyful and caressing. I quietly wondered.

  While we were eating, it was announced on the news! The United States had issued a global terror alert to all its embassies, embassy personnel and citizens. Whoever could was being recalled and asked to register at their nearest embassy for evacuation to the States. There were speculations as to what this could mean and the government’s spokesperson ventured only very general explanations. Nothing was said about an imminent bio-weapons attack.

  “Do you think they will talk with Dad?” Nin wondered, just as I was about to say something along the same line. I couldn’t imagine Dad not trying to get his bout of media attention and chance to set the record straight. Cynical of me, I knew, but nonetheless probably nearer to the truth than not.

  But obviously he hadn’t dared come forward in person, as there was just a report about some scientists having told the government months ago about the possibility of a bio terror attack. They quoted a message which sounded like it could have been Dad’s – very general, no real facts to go by and a bit theatrical.

  I know, I was being unfair; but Dad had become my vent for frustration and distress. I knew it wasn’t his fault all that this was happening, but I still felt angry at him.

  Meanwhile there was real concern and a sense of panic in the news room of the TV channel. Suddenly the program was interrupted and a person from the Swiss Federal government appeared on screen, the minister of Homeland Security. He spoke very seriously and officially. He said that the Swiss government had received intelligence by the Americans about an imminent bio terror assault of global dimensions. The Swiss government urged its citizens to stay at home, not to panic and contact their respective local security hotline.

  Honestly! What should some phone operator be able to help? Clearly a very helpless attempt at doing something! Anything.

  Yu
ki looked over to me and said. “It’s starting! Just imagine! It’s really starting! I feel almost relieved. The waiting is finally over!”

  Nin reached for her hand and answered. “And just to think of all these poor people who won’t have a chance to prepare in time. I wonder whether Dad and Uncle Phil really did everything in their power to inform as many people as possible.”

  “Don’t be unfair,” I snapped. “They did what they could. You know full well that nobody wanted to listen to them. Maybe now they would, but not yesterday or before that.”

  Meanwhile the program was switched back to the English news channel and we kept on watching there and on many other channels how news about this disaster spun out.

  “Do you think that they can still do anything to prevent the assault, or to at least lessen its impact?” Yuki wondered.

  Nin shrugged his shoulders helplessly and we speculated about what would happen next.

  Only when Alice couldn’t stop yawning any longer, did we realize how late it was. Reluctantly I left Yuki and Nin in the main room, they weren’t willing to switch off the TV or to go to sleep, and brought Alice over to the sleeping area.

  She undressed, put on her pyjamas and went to brush our teeth and comb our hair. Back in the sleeping room, she had to get Piglet and Malinda ready for bed while I sat next to her on the bed.

  “Don’t you undress and get ready to sleep with me?”

  “Don’t worry, little tiger, I won’t leave you alone, I just don’t feel like putting on my pyjamas yet. I’ll sit with you like this and watch you sleep. There are too many things whirling through my head right now. I wouldn’t be able to sleep.” I assured her.

  She sighed, lay down on the mattress and snuggled up to me.

  “Lia, you don’t have to tell me a story. I am so tired, I’ll sleep right away”, she mumbled, her eyes already closing. But then she started up again, anxiously demanding, “You won’t leave me alone, will you?”

  “Of course not, sweetie, of course not! I’ll be right here besides you, the whole night! Now go to sleep.”

  I kissed her hair and gently pressed her back onto her pillow. I lay down beside her, put my arm over her and she finally relented, sighed, rolled over and went almost immediately to sleep.

  As I listened to her gentle breathing, my thoughts were racing.

  What was I to do now? When should I act? What would Steve expect us to do? Should we just play along or do not? The plan I had concocted up before suddenly seemed impossible, silly even.

  Take an inner step back, count to ten, silly, and think! You were born with a mind, use it!

  And then, as I slowly and very consciously breathed in and out, still trying not to disturb Alice in any way, I saw the path I had to take.

  I would have to wait. Steve would expect us to wait out the worst in our house, and he would have us watched throughout. Once I made my move, he would home in, follow “us” or have “us” followed. But he wouldn’t act now or tomorrow, not yet. He wouldn’t dare come to our house and try to get us here. It would be too conspicuous and dangerous for him. He would be ever the bragging coward; dangerous because of it, no doubt about that, but in the end still only a coward.

  Josh had talked about two weeks during which we mustn’t move out of the sub-basement. That meant that the worst would be over by then, didn’t it?

  And there would be my window of opportunity.

  In two weeks’ time! Not now!

  And until then I must remain focused and never let Yuki or Nin guess anything.

  With this settled and dealt with, I started to relax.

  I also became hyper aware of Alice again. How sweet her gentle breathing sounded. The way she moved in her sleep and dreams. An overpowering feeling of love for her and anger for Steve washed through me.

  This little, helpless creature beside me! I would protect her and no-one, absolutely no-one would harm her! I wouldn’t let them!

  Just you come and try!

  I didn’t allow myself to think about Josh this night. Not yet, first I would have to deal with Steve, afterwards we’d see.

  Mulling over my plans again and again, until I knew by heart how I would proceed, I slowly but surely slipped away and sleep got me.

  Chapter 7 – time zero

  Thursday, 17th March 2072 onwards

  The next eighteen days were tough. On all of us; but we could all see that it was most difficult for Yuki. Alice, Nin and I knew where our loved ones were and that they were as safe as they could possibly be under present circumstances. But for Yuki it was hell! Not knowing whether her parents where somewhere safe! Wondering whether she, we, could have done more to warn them. The self-doubt. It all got to her.

  Plus, of course, being pregnant and not being able to tell Nin about it.

  During the first week, we still could follow events on TV. It was like a wave, like a tsunami rolling over the entire earth! City after city, country after country reported incidents of rapid, flue-like infections of tens of thousands, then hundreds of thousands, then millions of people. It seemed that whoever tried to help just served as a multiplier of the infection.

  And death came incredibly quick; within a day or two the affected succumbed. And even in death they were contagious. And terribly so, according to first-hand reports that were broadcasted. Some brave or just plain stupid reporters ventured out into the streets, reporting about the dead and the dying. The pictures were gruesome and horrible! Streets full, entire cities full of dead and dying people! We didn’t allow Alice to see this

  Nin and Yuki remained like glued to the TV for a week. I had to distract Alice and couldn’t follow events as closely as they did. But what I heard and saw was still heart-wrenching and utterly frightening.

  In one report they speculated that a virus similar to bird-flue had been created on purpose and released by some as yet unknown terrorist organisation. But whatever measures the authorities of different countries were trying to come up with, they were all hopelessly inadequate. Citizens were told to stay indoors, but there was wide-spread panic as people tried to stock up and looted shops and stores. It was like in a war.

  All hell had broken loose and people were panicking and committing the worst our species is capable of. All the while millions upon millions lay dying.

  It was utterly horrible to watch these unimaginable events unfold from our safe haven underground. We had been able to prepare. We stood a reasonable chance of surviving at least the first onslaught. What about all those millions of people who hadn’t stood a chance! It was agonizing! Unbearable!

  Then, the screens went dead! We were cut off from the outside world.

  Whether this was because there was no-one around anymore to broadcast a TV program or because the Nemesis people had finally taken over, we’d never know.

  However, the ensuing silence was even worse than the horrible scenes of the days before.

  Now that we were really on our own, with no influx of information from beyond the concrete walls of our temporary prison, for like a prison it now felt, time was ticking away agonizingly slow. And the feeling of being buried alive got to us all. We tried everything we could think of to distract ourselves, but it quickly became unbearable. And the worst, at least for me, were the panic spells when I thought we were suffocating. When I almost panicked with fear that the ventilation system that cleaned and brought in fresh air had broken down and that was it. I tried to calm myself with breathing exercises – as if! In the end, the thought of Alice and that I was responsible for her, as well as Nin and Yuki, helped me through.

  Yuki had a break-down on day eight and I had to chase Nin out of the sleeping room to deal with her. It took me a good two hours of talking, arguing, even threating, before she saw reason. And then she cried and cried. Clinging to my arms she cried as if she would never stop again.

  Twice Nin peeped into the room, anxious and tormented, concerned how she was doing; and twice I waved him away. When he tried the third time, I nodded fo
r him to come in.

  By then Yuki had a hick-up from all her crying and was slowly relaxing in my arms. She was about to fall asleep and I knew she’d want to reassure Nin that she was all right again. As all right as was possible for someone who had just had to face the heart-wrenching fact that she would never see her parents again.

  Nin came in, uncertain of what to do. He settled on the bed next to Yuki and took her in her arms. When he wanted to say something I shushed him. All Yuki needed now was to be held. The security of his arms and his love. Now was not the time for words. She wasn’t ready for this yet. What she needed now was just Nin’s silent presence.

  Nin was totally stressed out. He’d obviously been crying too. And probably been blaming himself for all the mess, too, the way I knew him. He took over my place beside Yuki and I left them, after having pressed a gentle kiss onto her hair.

  It was all very heart-wrenching and I had Alice to take care of now. She needed consolation just as much. And I had to carefully break the news to her. She had to understand about Yuki’s loss and the need to treat her gently now. When I explained, Alice nodded gravely, sniffed and snuggled up to me. She didn’t cry, but it took all her effort not to.

  Late on day nine, Dad contacted us.

  He was still in the States; but he informed us that Uncle Phil and all our family members who were with him, had reached the safety of the ocean and were on their way to Kenya. And that they sent their love!

  When we wanted to know what Dad’s plans were, he got elusive. He didn’t tell us anything of value, but simply referred us to Josh and Uncle Phil. When we wanted to know when and how we could contact him again, he wasn’t able to give us clear and definite instructions. Then the connection went dead.

  This short talk with Dad left us very worried, because we wondered now whether he might have caught the pathogen somehow. Was he sick and dying over there and just didn’t want to burden us with the knowledge of it? Or was he just being Dad and trying to have it his way? It was agonizing, not to know!

  And we could reach neither Josh nor Uncle Phil. It was absolutely unbearable. But we had to manage somehow! I didn’t allow myself to think about Josh too much. And certainly not that he might not be perfectly safe and kicking over there in Cambridge. That was impossible to contemplate! He had to be alive and safe! He must!