Viral Misery (Book 1)

by Watson, Thomas A

  May 4

  Coming back from the morning chores, Arthur walked in the back door and stopped, tapping the completed chores off the list. He gave a long sigh, not feeling like doing anything at the moment and walked into his office. The e-mail Wendy had sent early yesterday morning was on the screen, telling him that a lot of passengers had come down with the flu.

  She and the others weren’t sick yet, according to her letter, but the captain had turned the ship around and was heading back early. That alone made Arthur feel better and he had already marked out a route to go and get her.

  He glanced over in the corner and saw his AR standing against the wall, after listening to the local radio station. They had reported a rash of break-ins and riots starting in Little Rock. It had been just this morning that Arthur had heard of deaths from the flu, and it had been over a hundred and thirty in Clarksville alone.

  In the living room, he heard the TV give off a blare of the Emergency Broadcast Network and then his computer blinked and started blaring as a scroll bar rolled across the bottom. ‘This is not a test, stay tuned for emergency information’.

  “Oh shit!” Arthur shouted, jumping up and running to the living room. He read the same ticker at the bottom of the screen, then the screen blinked and showed the national news anchor for the local station.

  “Mark Bryant here, and we’ve just received word that all stations are now under the authority of the government,” Mark said with a serious face. “We are awaiting a live report from the director of the CDC on the drastic turn of the flu outbreak that is spreading across the globe.”

  Mark stopped as if someone off screen was talking. “We are taking you live to Atlanta,” Mark said and the screen cut to a podium with CDC across the front.

  When Ernie stepped up to the podium introducing himself, Arthur groaned. “Oh, come on, can’t you get someone there that at least understands medicine?! Get the guy who mops the floors!”

  “I’m here today to tell you the virus that has broken out across the globe and here in our great country has mutated,” Ernie said, looking out across the room. “We were dispensing the antiviral meds and holding the virus in check, but we have discovered that it has mutated into at least two different strains.”

  “What the fuck?” Arthur mumbled, dropping down on the couch.

  “This virus is an H5N1 type and since the mutations, the mortality has climbed to over ninety percent,” Ernie said and Arthur felt his heart flutter as the room exploded with reporters shouting.

  Falling back on the couch and staring at Ernie holding up his hands for quiet, Arthur knew H5N1 was the virus that scared the medical community. Highly lethal and slow onset, but had never been recorded with human to human transmission.

  “People, please. I can’t give out the information the public needs with you yelling!” Ernie shouted. “You are killing people with your shouting!” The crowd fell silent at that accusation.

  “Thank you,” Ernie said. “People need to avoid crowds and public places. Stay indoors and only let immediate family in your house. Avoid all contact with all people as much as you can. People can look healthy but be infected. We have documented cases of people that once infected, can go for two weeks without showing any signs of illness. Then they will develop an itchy nose and sneezing. When coughing starts, death follows in twenty-four to forty-eight hours,” Ernie paused, looking around the room at the stunned faces.

  “That is why we have a sheet of glass between you and me,” Ernie told the reporters and more than one ran out of the room. “We offered each of you masks and told you they were needed, but more than one of you told us it would mess up your makeup and distort your voice.”

  “Now,” Ernie said, glancing at his notes and then back to the cameras. “Again, avoid people and closed in places where people have gathered recently; like schools and shopping areas. All schools are hereby closed and all students will be returned home and at home they should stay. If you need food, call your local Red Cross, or hang a white sheet outside of your house. Police will inform the Red Cross and the military who are mobilizing to start food dispersion. I’m telling you now, if you go out to a store, you will get infected. Stay indoors unless you have a medical emergency, then call 911. A travel ban is in effect in all states.”

  Pausing, Ernie glanced at the teleprompter. “Anyone found off their property will be detained and that’s the last place you want to be. The Attorney General has issued a draft that all prisoners will be on lockdown until further notice. All meals will be served in cells. Any confrontation with prison staff will be viewed as a deadly action.”

  “In public, any person not following a police officer’s orders, deadly force has been authorized. You must understand, the police and soldiers don’t want to get near people and they will instruct you to get in transport from a distance,” Ernie said with a depressed expression. “This transport will be enclosed trailers.”

  “This virus is airborne, so you can catch it if a person gets within ten feet of you or you walk in a room they have been in. If you have someone sick or who passes in your house, hang something red outside. Separate them from everyone else and wash your hands repeatedly.”

  Taking a deep breath, Ernie looked around the room. “People, I’m not going to lie. The next few weeks will be very hard. We were very close to a vaccine before the virus mutated. That mutation killed most of the chickens we used to develop our vaccines. We have gotten more from secured sites, but our scientists have had to start over.”

  “How long?” someone shouted.

  “I’m getting to that,” Ernie snapped, looking hard away from the camera. “Our current projections based on the past work, we will have test batches in sixteen days,” he said, turning back to the camera. “If those test batches work, then we can start mass producing the vaccines. Our scientists are working nonstop and many are sleeping right outside their labs. I assure you, we are working as hard as we can.”

  “Now, I will take questions but in an orderly fashion. But first, I must remind everyone that the President will be making a national address in two hours,” Ernie said as everyone raised their hands.

  He pointed and a voice asked. “What about the reports we’ve heard from Mexico?”

  “Yes, it’s been confirmed that there are horrifying death rates down there. The mutations reached them before making it here,” Ernie answered, pointing at another person.

  “So, the mutations came from Mexico?”

  Shaking his head, “Not that we know of because the mutations have been discovered in Europe, the Middle East, and all the way to China,” Ernie answered and pointed at another person.

  “Have any survived the mutated virus?”

  “Yes, no virus is one hundred percent fatal. If you get sick, you need to drink fluids and control your fever. Hospitals are pushed past their breaking point, so I caution you to use your own judgement about going to hospitals. I can guarantee you, the virus is at every hospital in the nation now,” Ernie told the reporter as he pointed.

  “Is this the Rudolph flu we’ve heard of on the internet?”

  Nodding, “From what we’ve gathered, we have to say it is,” Ernie said, pointing at another.

  “What if people run out of food?”

  “I suggest you ration what you have. It takes a long time to starve, but this virus will kill you in two weeks. Ration what you have until you are supplied by the Red Cross or the military,” Ernie answered, pointing.

  “People have to work?”

  “No, they don’t,” Ernie said, frowning. “The President has signed a presidential order eliminating all bills and interest for sixty days. There can be no repossessions, evictions, shutting off of utilities or any repercussions for financial reasons. Any business that does can be sued with unlimited damages for claims.”

  “Whoa,” Arthur gasped and heard several people in the room gasp in shock as well, as Ernie pointed again.

  “How many deaths have occurred here?”<
br />
  “We are still getting numbers because over the last twenty-four hours, the death rate has skyrocketed but I can tell you, it’s over a million and climbing fast,” Ernie said and all the hands dropped down in shock. “Are we done?” he asked, looking around. “You can e-mail me questions and I suggest you pick up the mask on your way out, but don’t think that mask is a tank. Avoid people at all cost and thank you.”

  Before Ernie turned to leave, everyone in the room bolted for the doors and the screen cut back to Mark who was staring off screen with a wide-open mouth. “Mark, we are on the air,” a voice said off camera.

  Shaking his head, “Sorry, as you’ve just heard from Ernie Ostimer, Director of the CDC, the virus has mutated,” Mark said, visibly sweating. “The Rudolph virus is highly contagious and people need to avoid all contact with others.”

  As Mark shuffled his papers, a ticker rolled across the bottom of the screen, repeating the answers to each question and all warnings. “Holy bitch balls, Batman,” Arthur mumbled, struggling to stand up. All he could think of was Wendy. He was certain Joseph would be okay in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

  Getting up, he headed to his computer. Dropping into his chair, he opened the folder for the servers in the basement, going through the library until he found a book on the avian flu virus and the different types.

  He sat reading, just to keep his mind occupied for several hours. When his computer beeped, Arthur jumped in his chair and saw he had another e-mail from Wendy. He glanced at the clock on the computer and saw it was almost six p.m.

  Moving the cursor over the e-mail, Arthur noticed it had been sent four hours ago as he clicked it open.

  Hey Hun,

  The captain just told us we can’t put into port until we are quarantined and he is going to look for another port on the eastern seaboard. The flu is here and people are dying. I’ve tried to call over a dozen times, but can’t get through. Got an e-mail from Joseph that he made it and is okay. He said he tried to get several to you, but they kept getting returned. He says he will find a way to get home before the end of summer.

  I’m helping the doctor and nurse on the ship because I know I have it and can help others as long as I can. The sneezing started this morning and the fever will be starting soon. In the last three hours, we’ve had four hundred die and there was nothing we could do.

  I promise you I will fight this, but you have to promise to stay safe for Joseph. Don’t get around anyone, you have to help our baby boy. I love you and you were the best thing to ever happen to me. Please stay safe for Joseph, I know he’s grown up, but he will need you after this.

  I have to go, there is another code. I love you and if I make it through this, I will come home. If I don’t, I’ll wait for you.

  Love you more than the world.

  Arthur felt his chest get tight and had trouble breathing when he’d finished the message. Tears flowed from his face as he reread the letter. Through teary eyes, he clicked ‘respond’ and typed, ‘I love you, Wendy’.

  It was all he could write before he started wailing. Finally, he clicked ‘send’ and fell out of his chair, crashing to the floor. As he wailed, the dogs ran over and curled next to him, whining. He didn’t hear the computer beep, telling him it was unable to send the message as he covered his face with his hands and cried.

  The stuffy nose and slight fever Arthur would get in the next few hours from his lottery present were his antibodies killing the visitor and he would never notice. It would be buried in his grief as he cried on the floor until he fell asleep. Arthur wouldn’t hear the computer give an alarm as the power from the grid was lost at seven a.m. on the dot. The computer turned off the feed from the grid, so it wouldn’t drain the power that the land was producing.

  Chapter Twelve

  Symptoms show a killer inside

  May 6

  Coming out of the airlock, Sutton stopped, seeing Sarah looking at him as she tapped her foot. “I came out,” he cried out in the bubble suit.

  “I told you to come out an hour ago to eat,” Sarah snapped.

  Thinking about running back into the airlock, Sutton cringed as Sarah stepped over to unzip the suit and pull it off of him. “You will eat, then take a nap,” she told him and then cringed her nose. “You will shower before taking a nap,” she added.

  Sutton looked at the dressing area where Sarah had a table and chairs brought in and the rest of the team was sitting down eating. None of them even turned around to watch Sutton get chewed out.

  An elderly man pushed his chair back and started to stand. “Dr. Skannish!” Sarah shouted and the old man dropped back down in his chair like someone had shot at him. “I told you that you had to eat two plates and drink two bottles of fluids before you could leave!”

  Sutton turned to the table as Dr. Skannish pulled his plate back over and continued eating. Dr. Skannish was almost seventy but seemed rather frightened of Sarah, as did everyone else.

  Feeling a tap on his leg, Sutton looked down and saw Sarah waiting on him to lift his foot up so she could pull the suit off. “You know, I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive,” Sutton told her as Sarah pulled the suit off his foot.

  “Sutton!” Sarah snapped and he lifted his other leg. “You and your team don’t take care of yourselves for shit! I took on this job, so shove it! I’m surprised you get anything done with the way all of you document your progress.”

  Sutton stared at her with his mouth agape as Sarah carried his suit over and hung it up on the wall. “Sit. Eat,” she commanded as she turned back around.

  Almost running, Sutton moved to the table and dropped down into a chair. Grabbing his plate, he was about to take a huge bite when Sarah darted over and grabbed his hand. “Smaller bites,” she said in a much gentler voice.

  “I’ve finished two plates and have taken a shower. Can I go back to the lab now?” Dr. Skannish asked, but didn’t move to get up.

  “You will take a nap on the cots or go to sleep in your quarters. If you want, I will wake you in a few hours,” Sarah offered, sitting down at the head of the table. “I put all of your findings in the computer and correlated them.”

  “Thank you,” Dr. Skannish said with a gentle smile. “I have to say, with your help we will get to the vaccine much faster, but can’t I go back to the lab?”

  “No,” Sarah said, but in a soft voice. “Your next batch won’t be done for two hours and seventeen minutes, so you can rest. I know you want to do that different… whatever,” she said, waving her hand off in the air. “But it can wait a few hours. You were stumbling around in the lab. I know, I was watching through the window.”

  Dr. Skannish turned to Sutton as he continued eating in small bites. “Sutton, a little help?” Skannish pleaded.

  Shaking his head, “Nope, she knows how to use the intercom and it sounds really bad when she yells over it,” Sutton replied and the others around the table nodded in agreement.

  “Hey, I was about to get in a suit and drag your ass out,” Sarah popped off at Sutton. Seeing Sutton emptying his mouth to protest, Sarah threw a hand up to stop him. “I don’t try to understand what you’re doing, but I can interpret the results you send out for me to put in the computer. Since I’ve been here, this group has progressed very quickly. I’ve been monitoring Atlanta and can tell they are just working away. If I was there, that would stop because I can see they are dead tired on their feet.”

  “Um, I didn’t tell you to put them in the computer,” Sutton mumbled and then took another bite, holding the fork up for a second to show that it was a small bite.

  “I know,” Sarah laughed and everyone loved the sound of her laugh. “But I’m sorry, that is not any of your strong points. You and your team continue to dictate your notes, and I will put them in the computer.”

  “You do know I have a great-granddaughter older than you, right?” Skannish asked from the end of the table and Sarah slowly turned and gave him a hard look. “I’m going to take
a nap. Will you wake me in three hours?” Skannish mumbled, getting up.

  “I would be very happy to, Dr. Skannish,” Sarah smiled and then Skannish walked out, heading to his quarters.

  The other four around the table turned to Sarah, holding up their plates to show that they were empty. “Very good. Anyone else want me to wake them in three hours?” Sarah smiled and the four nodded and broke for the door.

  Sutton looked at their young general and couldn’t help but grin. Sarah was barely five-foot-five and very slender, with long black hair that she always wore pulled back. Small black-rimmed glasses sat perched on her pert nose, giving her a bookworm appearance. After the first day with Sutton, she had stopped wearing the business suit and had donned jeans and a pullover shirt with tennis shoes.

  “I set up your desktop in your quarters,” Sarah said, grabbing a napkin and then reached over to wipe Sutton’s mouth. “We have a meeting tomorrow at nine a.m.”

  Sutton gave a long sigh, slumping down in his chair. “Those meetings interrupt my work,” he mumbled.

  “I know. That’s why I cancelled your appearance at the last two, but you have results the President can understand,” she said, pushing a bottle of water closer to his plate and hoping Sutton would take a hint.

  The vision of Sarah holding him down and pouring the water down his throat filled Sutton’s mind and he snatched it up. “You can interpret the results that well?” he asked, then drank half the bottle.

  Shaking her head, “No, but I understand your dictation. Give me a little while and I will understand the nuts and bolts better,” she told him.

  “I believe that,” Sutton chuckled, setting the bottle down.

  “May I ask you a question?” Sarah asked in a low voice.

  “Sarah, you are part of this team now, so you can ask whatever you want,” Sutton laughed. “I’ve never seen Skannish listen to anyone, including me.”

  Leaning back, the smile fell off her face, “How accurate do you think Dr. Skannish’s death rates are?” she asked.

  All cheer left Sutton’s body and he looked down at his plate. “Accurate, but on the low side,” Sutton said in a low voice.