Today We Die (The Killing Sands Book 1)

by Daniel Wilde

  “Well,” Mike replied, “I think the IWO is probably hiding a lot more than you, or any of us, think. I haven’t learned anything that the media hasn’t already divulged, yet. There are some serious firewalls in place keeping me out of all the medical information. So someone’s trying to keep secrets. But don’t worry, I’ll get in.”

  February 9, 2093; late—Shift

  I just got off the Holo with Arilee. She wants me to stay. I’m the only family she and the girls have left and she wants the Bader legacy to continue. I cried when I heard her say that. She cried with me. She wants to live and she wants her girls to live. But, she wants me to help solve this crisis even more. She correctly pointed out that I can’t save her and her girls by being with them. Their only chance of surviving is a cure or a vaccine; and here, I can help with that. How can she be so logical and reasonable while I’m so torn up inside?

  February 11, 2093—Shift

  Mike found a little information early this morning that hadn’t been provided to the public. It wasn’t very useful, but it’s something. Apparently, our leaders now know that Anthrax E is spread by wind, as well as by person-to-person contact, and perhaps, even by contact with infected animals. That’s not news to me, but it would certainly be interesting for the general populace to learn. Somebody even found out about the gazelle we found in the Depression. I didn’t tell anyone except Yurgi and John. Anta says the same. What else don’t we know? Is there someone out there, in the IWO or elsewhere, who is keeping secrets? And if so, why?

  Latest reports are that at least 1100 people have contracted Anthrax E in Central AM. The Brazils have each reported the probable presence of Anthrax E too. What’s worse, at least to my family, is that there are at least seven cases in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

  There are several reports of looting and vandalism in Central AM and South AM, but so far, the United States has avoided that crap. I’ve never understood what causes people to vandalize their own neighborhoods when something they perceive to be negative happens somewhere far, far away. What did that ever accomplish? Thankfully, until the last few days, we haven’t had such idiotic displays of emotion too often in recent years.

  In other news, all 12 of our new guests have arrived. We have in our presence such notables as Mr. Threet “Street” Kimball of NFL football fame and Ms. Shylene Aristorma of international street dance fame. I’m thrilled to be in their presence and wholly understand the decision to list such celebrities among the “important” people in our society. Yes, that’s sarcasm.

  More importantly, we’ve been joined by four more medical professionals along with a virologist, a bacteriologist, two university professors (math and computer science), an archeologist, and one member of the CIA, who, I’m informed, is here due to his “knowledge of governmental functions and operations on both national and international levels”. Goodie. I hope this guy doesn’t try to take over operations here. Shevchuk’s doing a bangup job.

  There are a couple of people of note among our group, and I’m not talking about “Street” Kimball and Ms. Aristorma. Those two will have to earn my respect. I’m talking about Dr. Angel Robertson, a biological researcher from New York and Dr. Steve Porter, an archeologist from Nevada. These two are both renowned for their contributions to their respective fields.

  Dr. Robertson, a young, tough, silky-haired brunette is one of the leading researchers in what some people now call “supernatural” genetics. I don’t understand all that entails exactly. But her published research leads one to believe that there are various genetic mutations within our society that cause, or may cause a person to exhibit physical capabilities beyond what was traditionally thought to be the limit of human ability.

  Dr. Porter is a popular archeologist whose research and knowledge are highly sought after, worldwide, to aid film producers in their attempts to accurately portray the past through film. Plus, I’ve worked with the guy on a couple of occasions. He’s a stud!

  February 13, 2093—Shift

  More than 1,900 people have contracted Anthrax E now in the Americas. Many of them have already died. New cases are popping up all over South and Central AM. In the United States, cases have been reported in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and Georgia. So far, no cases have been diagnosed in the Eastern Hemisphere, which is good.

  Just four days ago, I sat in a staff meeting with my friends and complained, along with everybody else, that the government, uncharacteristically, seemed to be hiding information, or at the least, wasn’t being completely transparent in regard to Anthrax E. Well today, President Leroy Daniels, President of the United States, openly talked about Anthrax E. He seemed sad, but he didn’t cry. Daniels is a tough sucker. While the news was grim, it was a relief to know that the United States government, at least, is attempting to inform the public about the dire realities we face. Perhaps our elected leaders were just waiting for the appropriate time, to avoid chaos and confirm reports. In any event, I’m not sure I trust the IWO, but perhaps our United States government is okay after all.

  The President said:

  My fellow Americans, and those of you outside our borders who have access to this e-cast, we are presently facing a terrible epidemic, the size and character of which have not been seen in many lifetimes.

  Anthrax E is wreaking havoc in parts of Central AM and South AM. It is also within our borders, specifically in the southern states. We have been warned, by medical and scientific personnel, that, left uncontained, Anthrax E has the potential to cause the death of a major portion of our society, as has recently occurred in El-Alamein, Egypt and the lunar colonies.

  The IWO has issued a warning, and I want to reiterate that warning: do not cross the borders of the state in which you currently find yourself. Do not cross any international borders. Do not leave your home if you feel sick, are coughing, or have a headache. Instead, summon your local medical response team and do as you’re instructed.

  I want to go further, however, to educate you about this grave danger, as I have recently been educated. Anthrax E is spread through contact and by air—through coughing and sneezing and the various other means by which a common cold is spread. It is also probable, as is believed to have occurred in El-Alamein, that Anthrax E is spread upon the wind.

  Federal response teams, part of our National Security Agency, are presently being stationed in all major metropolitan areas within the United States. Countries around the world are acting similarly. From those metropolitan locations, local teams will set up in smaller communities. The job of these women and men will be to locate, educate and quarantine those who are believed to have been in contact with infected individuals, and to isolate those who are confirmed to be infected with Anthrax E. Summon your local response team immediately, via direct dial to 911, if you believe that you, or someone you know, is infected. While containment procedures may seem harsh, in the event you or your loved ones are infected, it behooves you, as a citizen of this great nation and our world, to help protect your neighbors, and to help protect our civilization. Thus, if you are infected, because there is currently no cure for the disease, you must help us stop its spread. You must voluntarily give up your freedoms so that others may live.

  Do not riot and loot, as we are learning has occurred and is occurring in other countries. There is no good that can come of it. Instead, love your neighbors. It would be wise, however, to stock up on basic supplies and necessities. Our stores and shops are full. There is plenty for everyone. Service your water and air support machines to ensure they will last as long as necessary.

  Rest assured, my friends and fellow citizens, that your government, the IWO, and governmental and private research facilities all across the globe are working day and night in an attempt to produce a cure and/or a vaccine for Anthrax E. One of the greatest research teams of our generation is located right here in our country, in Massachusetts. I have been informed that this team, along with several other teams around the world, is getting closer. They are work
ing 24 hours a day, tirelessly, in an attempt to protect us. Pray for them. Pray for their success. Pray for the health of your neighbors, for strangers, and for yourself. It is not selfish. We need the blessings of the Almighty to overcome our current difficulties.

  May God bless you. May God bless our country and our friends throughout the world.

  February 15, 2093—Entry in the Anthrax E database by Dr. Yurgi Shevchuk

  The Safars, and the tissue samples taken from their bodies and intentionally re-contaminated on January 26, still show no sign of decomposition. Our work with the subjects’ DNA continues, but still we have had little success in creating a vaccine or cure for Anthrax E. Our previous finding that certain dead human cells could be modulated to repel Anthrax E bacteria has not yet been replicated in live tissue.

  Young Suvan seems to be thriving in this environment. Her tissue samples have been very strong.

  Communications with the various research institutions around the globe who are working on this matter simultaneously still reveal no progress greater than our own.

  February 20, 2093—Anta

  “Anta!” Shift practically yelled at me from the other end of the hallway. “Hold up!”

  “What’s up dude?” Yeah, I’ve started to use “dude” a little. It’s catchy.

  “Dude?” Shift questioned.

  “Yes Shift, Dude.”

  “Okay. Come to the cafeteria with me. I feel like we haven’t talked for weeks.” He didn’t have to ask twice. I’d go anywhere with this guy.

  As we walked toward the cafeteria, to eat another gourmet meal from the hands of the great Javier, Shift asked, “Have you heard the latest infected counts?”

  “No, not for the last couple of days. Why?”

  “They’re really getting bad. I knew those travel restrictions wouldn’t do crap.”

  “Yes, Shift, you knew. What’s got you so excited?”

  “Well, it’s not a good excitement. Estimates are over 15,000 now outside the United States!” Shift’s voice had an edgy, raspy quality, like he was trying to control his emotions. “Here, there are over 1,300. It’s already spread to 18 states and Texas. That’s getting way too close to Colorado. What am I going to do?”

  Ahhhh, that’s the reason he’s so excited. His family.

  “Shift, just call them. Talk to Arilee openly. Screw the rules. Isn’t there some place safe they can go? Doesn’t Colorado have all kinds of open space and deserts and mountain caves? There’s got to be someplace they can hide.”

  “Yeah, I have a place. It’s a cabin they can go to, pretty remote. They’ve been there tons of times and the girls love it! We’ve already talked about them going there.”

  “Well, don’t stand here. I’ll save some food for you. Go call them. GO!”

  February 23, 2093—Anta

  Crap. There’s no stopping Anthrax E. It does what it wants to whoever it wants. Shevchuk and his colleagues are franticly working to develop a vaccine, but in the meantime, people are dying everywhere. Life outside the compound appears awful.

  While the official news reports haven’t really talked about it much, there are rumors on some of the satellite channels that small riots, vandalism and looting are occurring in several southern cities in the United States. Shift and I talked about the idiots that do that kind of thing. I agree with him. Why destroy your neighbor’s shop just because you might die of something that your neighbor has nothing to do with?

  It’s estimated, as of this morning, that there are over 31,000 people infected or dead from Anthrax E in the western hemisphere, including at least 2,800 in the United States. Those numbers don’t include as many as 40,000 already dead in El-Alamein or the approximately 14,500 dead in the lunar colonies. 85,000 deaths, or near-deaths, in only 50 days since Mr. Shafik, Dr. Ghannam, and his daughter entered the cave! That’s a pretty fast-moving epidemic, I think.

  I realize that I’ve been pretty pessimistic lately. But, with the current population of our world estimated at approximately 10.45 billion, and with the current rate of infection increasing exponentially, unless a vaccine is created soon, our world could succumb to this plague within a matter of months. Scary.

  At night, when I’m lying in bed trying to fall asleep, I think of Hasani, lonely, up there on the moon. He’s safe for now, but has no hope of returning home any time soon, or maybe ever. I think of mom and dad, also safe for now, but constantly worrying about what they will do if, or when, Anthrax E shows up in the east.

  Inevitably, I think about Shift. I even think about his family. I’ve seen them on the Holos a couple of times and I even talked once with his sister, Arilee. Shift says they are very close, and have been since childhood. They seem to be.

  Arilee is beautiful! She has a gorgeous smile that stretches all the way across her face when she talks to Shift about her daughters. Her light skin is perfect and her straight blond hair has these amazing natural highlights. Her voice, calm and soft, even under stress, is mesmerizing. Of course, she’s thin and petite too. And her kids are just as beautiful. They look like smaller versions of their mom.

  And Arilee is smart. Everything she says is logical and well-reasoned. She’s kind and deferential. It’s no wonder Shift talks so highly of her. Shift told me that her husband died in a hover accident just after their second daughter was born. How tragic that must have been.

  When Shift talks to his family, I can see the soft, kind side of him that he hides here at the bunker. Even though I know he’s afraid, just like I am, he hides it well. He’s a strong man.

  Others here in the compound don’t hide their fear so easily. I can hear several of my companions weeping at night, both men and women, old and young. They cry for their families and friends, and they cry for themselves. I don’t hold it against them. I understand the fear and the sorrow. Mom taught me to be compassionate toward others and their suffering, even when it appears weak and useless. I’m trying to do that.

  February 23, 2093—Shift

  “Hi Arilee,” I said, wearily.

  “Hey Shift. Sorry the girls aren’t awake. I put them to bed a little while ago.”

  “That’s okay. I actually wanted to talk to you privately anyway.”

  “What is it Shift?” Arilee asked, with concern in her voice.

  “Remember we talked about going to my cabin a few days ago? Well, it’s time to go.”

  “I knew this was coming Shift. We’re ready. We can leave first thing in the morning.”

  “Can you leave before light?” I asked, anxiously. “I think you should get out of Boulder while nobody can see you. I don’t want you to be followed. And yes, I know I’m acting a little paranoid.”

  “I think that’s a good idea, not paranoid,” Arilee replied. “I’ll wake the kids up in a few hours and we’ll leave.”

  “The sooner you leave the better I’ll feel about it.”

  Our cabin sits in a small clearing among tall aspen and pine; almost ten acres of lush forest on a remote hillside seventy miles outside Boulder. Year-round, it is hidden from view and most-easily accessed by hovercraft along a narrow, winding, mostly overgrown trail. Running through the clearing near the cabin is a small stream full of beautiful, but mostly small fish. I have stocked the cabin over the years with the basic necessities to live, fish and hunt for several weeks. I’ve always considered the cabin my “escape from civilization”. Now, Arilee has stocked the cabin over the past couple of days, at my request, with the additional provisions she may need to outlive Anthrax E in the inevitable event it comes to town.

  Anthrax E, according to reports, has now spread to every state east of Colorado. Clearly, the IWO’s travel restrictions have done nothing to stop the spread of the disease, and probably very little to even slow its progression.

  As of today, there are still no reports of Anthrax E outside the American continents and Caribbean islands, the lunar colonies and El-Alamein. This is fortunate, but I don’t have much hope that the rest of the world will remain
safe. One hurricane ripping through the Caribbean, or one rogue traveler could be the cause of devastation anywhere and everywhere else in the world.

  “Do you have everything you need?” I asked.

  “I think so.”

  “How did the girls take the news when you told them you would be leaving soon?”

  “They think it’s great. They love the cabin. I love the cabin. But we’ve never been there without you. I hope all the electronics are working, and the fireplace.”

  “Actually, maybe you shouldn’t light a fire. I don’t think you should have smoke coming from the roof giving away your location. You should probably just run the heaters.”

  “Okay. I will. I’m scared, Shift.”

  “I know. Me too. My friends here are working so hard and are getting close to a solution to this mess,” I lied. “Just get to the cabin. Stay out of sight. Keep the doors and windows locked and only use the repurposed air from the wall machines. Don’t go outside for anything. If you can do all of that, perhaps you’ll stay safe until Dr. Shevchuk finds a cure or a vaccine.”

  “How is your friend, Anta, and her parents? And how is her brother?” Arilee asked.

  “They’re all okay for now. Anta is as scared for them as I am for you though.”

  “You’re lucky to have her Shift,” Arilee said. “Don’t go ruining that relationship like you have with every other woman in your life.”

  “What are you talking about?” I objected jokingly. Arilee knew that I’d only had one serious relationship, and that one ended badly. “Anyway, she’s my colleague, not my girlfriend. It’ll be hard to ‘lose’ her until all of this is over.”

  “Good. I love you, Shift. You’re the greatest brother I could have ever asked for.”