Chapter 2: Helping Hands

     As Tony sits on his deck, smoking his cigar, he sees a head peek over the fence at the house next door. His first thought is that the kids ran out of food and needed some. He jogs down the steps, approaching the fence.

     “What’s up, Kid?” He asks Dustin who waves.

      “We…uh…need a favor.”

      “You need food?” Tony asks. Dustin shakes his head.

       “Can you keep a secret?”

       “Aww shit, you ain’t got one of the girls pregnant in there have you?” Tony narrows his eyes.

       “No! God, no! But we have a plan.”

        “A plan?”

        “We’re gonna go get our parents.”

        “Are you outta your fucking minds?!” Tony exclaims.

        “Look, Mr. Tony, we have to. We gotta. We can’t sit here not knowing what’s going on with our folks.” Tony, usually not an emotional man, sighs heavily, feeling the weight that the kid is carrying on his shoulders.

       “What do you need?”

       “Can you check Cami’s dad’s car for us? See if it can make it through the back roads?” Tony thinks about it. Could he really be an accomplice to this madness? He knew the city was in chaos right now. The kids could get killed or get sick…at the same time, he thought about how he would feel if he was without his parents at the tender age of 16 during all of this craziness.

     “I’ll meet you after the patrol goes off duty at midnight. What else do ya’ll need?”

     “We were gonna ask Miss Deidre if she had masks and gloves.”

     “Don’t worry about that. Me and Jenni will give you guys what you need. You don’t need to let too many people know about your plan.” Dustin nods with a solemn look on his face.

      “Thank you, Mr. Tony.”

       “Look, Kid. Are you sure you want to do this? Your parents might be held up in a hotel somewhere. There’s always a possibility that they are trying to get back home to you.”

        “Mom would have found some way to call us. I just want to make sure she’s safe…I’m…scared, Mr. Tony. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

        “I understand, Son. That’s why I’m gonna help you. Me and Jenni will help you guys. I’ll come check the car at midnight, then you guys need to get outta here before patrol comes around.”

         “Thank you…”  Tony nods as Dustin makes his way back to the house. How in the hell was he gonna sell this to Jenni? She was overprotective and vigilant already. He stands in the yard, blowing out the last bit of smoke left in his cigar before heading to the house to convince his wife that this was the best thing to do.

***********************************************************************************

Holly kisses Chase good-bye before he heads to the hospital for the evening shift. They had spent the whole day together, despite recommendations that everyone should remain in their own house. There was definitely a physical chemistry there, but Holly wasn’t sure if it was really emotional. Chase was an amazing lover, but after she was burned by Kenneth, she wasn’t interested in starting anything new. Besides, she was leaving soon.

     “I can bring you and the staff some dinner later if you’d like” she offers.

      “That would be great, thank-you.” She smiles at him as he darts quickly to his car, avoiding the roaming eyes of the street patrol.

       She sits on her couch with her laptop, perusing the internet for updates on the virus. Suddenly, an alert pops up, indicating a new video has been shared. She cautiously clicks the link, and to her surprise, she sees the familiar face of Dr. Jack White, Cami White’s father. He had been missing in action for weeks, leaving his daughter alone. She immediately clicks “play”, thankful to see his face but also frightened to hear what he was about to say.

     “This is Dr. Jack White, head neurologist at Mercy Hospital…I am…making this video to make the public aware of what we are going through here. We have almost run out of protective equipment, and this…this virus is mutating. The patients are starting to exhibit bizarre psychotic behavior a mere twenty-four hours after infection. While I’m doing all I can, I have advised the nurses and doctors to seek refuge from patients who are experiencing the psychological effects of this virus. They are attacking us, using the closest objects as weapons. I implore you all…please…stay in your homes. I don’t know when this will be over…” The video abruptly stops, making Holly’s heart jump in her throat. Still shuddering from what she’s just heard, she leaps off the couch as her phone vibrates loudly on the coffee table.

    “He-hello?” She answers, clearing her throat of the terrified squeak.

     “Are you okay? “Deidre asks.

     “Um…yeah, I’m fine. What’s up, Deidre?”

     “I’m…uh trying really hard to convince Mark that this is serious. It’s getting frustrating.”

      “Deidre…what has Chase told you guys about this virus?” Holly asks, cautiously.

       “Just that when it hits, it’ll be devastating for our town. Hasn’t he told you the same thing?”

       “But…he hasn’t said that there are any new developments?”

        “No, why? What have you heard?” Holly is silent.

        “Holly?! What have you heard?!” Holly exhales, a shaky breath escaping from her lips.

    “I’m gonna send you a video…”

    “A video?”

    “Yes…a video…maybe then Mark will believe you.” Holly hangs up, realizing the risk she’s taking as she pulls up the server for the town email directory. Slowly, she types the words “FYI” in the subject line, and copying the link to the video, she presses “send”.

******************************************************************************

“Holly? Holly?!” Deidre hisses on the phone until realizing that Holly has hung up. She cautiously opens her laptop, clicking the button for her email. In an email titled “FYI”, she sees a link to a video. Her eyes grow wide as she sees Jack White on the screen.

“Mark! Mark!” She calls her husband who comes running down the stairs.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“You’ve got to see this…” she whispers, pressing the replay button.

“That’s Jack!” Mark exclaims. Deidre can do nothing but nod slowly as the video plays.

“It’s not coming here…” he declares.

“You know that’s a foolish way of thinking! You can’t believe we’re gonna be safe here forever!”

“I can and I will. They have the roads blocked…nobody with that virus could get through here.”

“Mark! I love you but you’re not using the common sense God gave you. This virus is coming, and it’s mutated. You saw what happened in the video!”

“Deidre, how?! They said it wasn’t airborne!”

“Mark, I may just be a nurse, but I know that if this thing has mutated, there are probably more ways it can spread.” Mark gazes at his wife seriously.

“What the hell can we do about it, then? Are you telling me that there’s nothing we can do to protect ourselves from this?”

“I don’t know! Look, don’t your parents still have that cabin by the lake?”

“Yeah, with no electricity.”

“That might be our best bet.” Mark scoffs.

“You’re telling me that you want us to go to the cabin…with no electricity, no phone…no nothing?”

“I’ve been kinda buying extra food…look, we can pack and leave out of here as soon as we need to.” Mark sighs.

“You’re just gonna abandon your job?”

“You saw the video! Jack said he’s advised his nurses to stay away from the infected!”

 “Okay, Deidre, okay…” Mark concedes. Obviously, his wife wasn’t going to let this go. Maybe he was being foolish by not believing her from day one. To see the fear in her eyes now brought him a new element of discomfort.

“When do you want to go?” He asks.

“Let me…work one more shift at the hospital and make my arrangements. Okay? I’m scheduled for the morning.”

“Let’s pack then…” The pair both trudge up the stairs, an unspoken fear between the two of them. Never did Mark think he would have to flee his hometown for a virus, something he couldn’t even see. Deidre finally realizes that her fears were not so unfounded after all, and wonders what exactly the future holds now.

****************************************************************************

      The four teens and Jenni look on quietly as Tony checks under the hood of Cami’s dad’s Range Rover. As he finishes, he lowers the hood gently, returning their stares.

      “Everything looks fine, but I’m gonna ask again…are you sure you want to do this?” He asks the concerned faces.

      “Yes, I wanna go…I wanna go now” Jake responds. The teens all nod in agreement. Holly Lane had released a video with Cami’s dad attempting to tell the world how the virus was changing. More than ever, Cami wanted to see her father…she saw the fear and worry in his eyes. She just wanted to hug him.

     Jenni looks over at Tony who nods at her. She goes over to the fence retrieving a big box and handing it to Jake.

    “There’s masks in there, gloves and food if you get hungry.” Tony gives them a bag.

     “This is an auto safety kit. If you get a flat tire, dead battery, anything…the tools in here will help you.”

     “Thank you…” Leslie whispers as he loads everything into the back. Jenni suddenly bursts into tears, pulling all of them into a big hug. She had known these kids since they were babies, and she was deathly afraid for them. Tony closes the trunk quietly, gazing over at them.

    “You’ve gotta go now…Jake, do you know the way through the back roads?” Jake nods.

    “Then get outta here…” The teens jump quickly in the car and Jake speeds off, heading towards the dark abyss of the curvy roads.

     “How long do you think it’s gonna take us?” Dustin looks over at his brother.

    “No longer than forty-five minutes. Watch for patrol…” Jake orders.

     The two girls sit in the backseat in horrified silence. Both were afraid but knew this might be the only chance to see their parents again. Leslie tried all day to call her mom and dad, but the blaring busy signal mocked her attempts to gain contact. She was ready to see them, feel their arms around her, know that they were alive and well.

Thirty minutes later, Dustin breathes a sigh of relief when the city limit sign comes into view.

“Slow down, Jake…” He says.

“I’ve got this!” Jake argues as he slows down the speed of the vehicle.

The city is desolate, the roads are empty with a few abandoned cars on the side of the road.

“Look out!” Leslie exclaims as a helicopter flies dangerously low to the road.

“It’s fine…we’re fine. Where do we go first?”

“Your mom’s office…the pharmaceutical company…it’s the closest” Cami says, quietly. Jake pulls off on the exit, slowing down to a stop on the side of the road.

  “Jake, we gotta keep going, Man!” Dustin says.

  “What if…what if mom is dead?” Jake asks tearfully.

   “Jake don’t think like that…everything will be fine…we’re gonna be fine” Leslie whispers, an inch of hope in her voice. Jake looks back at her nervously and she gives him a small smile. Finding a little bit of bravery from her encouragement, he slowly drives the car towards Melton Pharmaceutical company, unsure of what they will find when they get there.   

 

Chapter 1: Uncertainty

Jenni throws peppers, onions and chicken in a skillet as she nervously watches the news reports on the TV in the living room. There have been more infections and more deaths in the closest city, and it scared her tremendously. What was going to happen when there was nowhere to run? Would people from the city flee to the town? Would the virus finally come and destroy the town she’d lived in most of her life? There were so many unanswered questions, so many uncertainties.

    “Jenni?! What the hell?! You’re gonna burn it!” Tony exclaims. Jenni gasps, being brought back to reality by the harshness of her husband’s voice.

    “You’re gonna drive yourself crazy with the news…” He changes the channel to cartoons which gains all of the kids’ attention. She sighs, shaking her head.

    “I’m already crazy”

     “Yeah, I know, but we don’t need you to be crazier.” Tony smiles at his wife, grabbing her around her waist. She laughs at his false insult.

     “Now I really will burn the fajitas. Go over there” She commands, playfully.

      “Margaritas?” He asks.

       “Why not?” she responds as he begins to hastily throw the ingredients together for a margarita. One thing Tony stocked up on first was alcohol. The two had been drinking since they first went into the town-mandated quarantine: wine, beer, tequila, vodka…you name it.

   The couple had been out of work since the quarantine started, and Tony preferred it that way. Jenni’s good friend Deidre was still working at the hospital and was always worried about the virus. Since she was a nurse, he took everything she updated him on seriously…even if her knuckle headed husband, Mark was a skeptic.

     After dinner has been cooked and eaten, dishes washed and kids to bed, Tony and Jenni sit on their deck, sipping the poisonous margaritas Tony blended so perfectly. Tony lights up his cigar, blowing the smoke into the eerie quiet darkness.

     “Do you think this will ever be over?” Jenni asks her husband. He shakes his head.

      “I don’t know, Jenn.”

       Jenni peers into the brightly lit house in front of them.

      “I’m worried about the kids. Their parents have been gone for a while now.”

       “Well, their parents know we’ll take care of them until they get back.”

        “Do you think they will?” The uncertainty hangs in the air as Tony thinks about it.

         “Maybe they just decided to stay in the city, so they don’t bring anything back to their kids.” He tries to comfort his worried wife, but he honestly didn’t know if the kids’ parents were even alive. No one had heard from them, and he knew they usually wouldn’t go this long without even checking on them.  

      “Still, you would think that Jack would at least call us. Cami said he was working in the viral unit.”

      “Can you imagine how busy he must be?” Tony looks over at Jenni.

       “But what about Brian and Nicole?” Tony shrugs.

        “I don’t know, Jenn. We just have to keep praying for them, that they’ll come home to their kids.” Jenni sighs. It’s not the answer she wants. She knew that this was completely out of anyone’s control, but she just wanted things to be normal again: for the country, the town, everyone.

********************************************************************************

     Holly checks the fluids and gas levels in her truck as she does every night. She knew that soon, it would be time to leave the town and drive as far west as possible to the secluded cabin she had put a deposit on months before. She had confirmed an infinite stay with the owners, nearly depleting her savings account. As she carefully plans out her next steps, her phone begins to ring in her back pocket.

     “Yeah?” She answers without looking at the caller ID.

      “Holly…it’s Chase.”

      “Chase? I thought you’d be working the late shift at the hospital.” No one knew, but Holly and Chase McFarland, the head doctor at the hospital, were engaged in a lusty love affair…not that she thought it would go anywhere beyond the bedroom. She hadn’t even told him that she was planning to leave town. She knew he would object, knowing that he had to stay and man the front lines at the hospital.

     “I am, but I’m on my dinner break. It’s fairly quiet here, tonight.”

     “Enjoy it while it lasts…” she comments. He chuckles.

     “I know, right?”

     “When do you think you might see a case of it?” She asks.

      “Whenever someone from the city decides to take refuge here.”

       “But I thought they closed the county lines.”

       “Doesn’t mean someone won’t get through. There’s not enough manpower to block all the backroads through here.”

     “Is the hospital equipped for that?” She inquires.

     “You want the honest truth or the sugar-coated version?” He asks. Holly sighs, knowing that she’s not going to like what he’s about to say.

      “Tell me the truth…”

      “Once it hits the town, it will hit hard and fast…first affecting the elderly population, then everyone else. We only have one psychiatric doctor here who can deal with the delusions and a neurosurgeon who can deal with the paralysis. Hopefully, there will be some who don’t move into the last phase, but at this point, who knows? We just have to be careful not to initiate the spread. I think you need to tell your ex that it’s time for a strict lockdown.” Holly scoffs.

     “Now what makes you think that man would listen to anything I have to say? You’d better have Dr. McGruder talk to him.” Chase sighs.

      “I guess that’s our only option, seeing that Dr. McGruder is old enough to be the guy’s grandfather.” Holly laughs.

      “I’m certain he will get the point across.”

      “Kenneth is an idiot, it’s amazing that we even have the stuff in place that we have now.”

       “He’s an idiot but he has a tiny bit of common sense. He knew he couldn’t jeopardize the town because of his stupidity. That would cost him his re-election.”

       “Shit, there might not be a re-election with all of this going on. Right now, the focus just needs to be on keeping us all safe. We’re a small town…this could truly wipe us out.” Holly takes a deep breath at the sobering news. He wasn’t wrong, though. With a population as small as them, no one in an official capacity would even pay attention to their medical needs. All of the support would go to the major cities. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that stowing away in the cabin would probably be best.

      “Well, why don’t you come see me when your shift is over? I can make breakfast.”

      “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day. I’ll see you at six?”

      “I’ll set my alarm…” They hang up, and Holly continues to prepare to escape what is certain to be a crisis. She knew that if she stayed there would be consequences and those consequences might lead to death. She was no longer unsure of her plan she had to get out. Her only concern was that she would have to be completely silent about her plan; otherwise, it might fail. She couldn’t let it. She wasn’t ready to face death yet. There were so many things that she wanted to do. Thirty-five years on this earth wasn’t enough. She wanted to be around for a very long time…even if the world completely changed.

*********************************************************************************

     Dr. McFarland sits with the staff of the hospital as they watch a daily update from the CDC. The cell phone towers and power grids have been disrupted in the metropolitan areas. Smaller areas will soon be affected as well. The governor has mandated that the National Guard stay in the larger cities for an undisclosed time period. All medical supplies will be diverted to the counties and cities with the highest need which will take the town off the map. Dr. McFarland shuts off the TV in frustration.

     He never thought he would ever witness the catastrophe that has happened with this virus. Even though the town hadn’t been hit, his colleagues were freaking out all over the country and frequently called him for advice. He didn’t know what to tell them anymore. The virus had gotten completely out of hand, and the spread was rapid. He knew it was coming to the town and wanted to prepare his staff.

     “So, listen guys, we know it’s coming, right? We can’t stay safe forever.” The staff all nod in agreement.

     “The minute someone comes in with a fever, we have to quarantine immediately. I need staff at the ER entrance to take temps. Once it hits, it will hit hard. We need to be as prepared as we possibly can.”

     Deidre regards the doctor’s orders with complete horror. This town wasn’t ready for an outbreak. They barely had enough hospital beds to cover the few residents they had now, and equipment was even more scarce. What were they going to do?  She bites her nails nervously.

    “Now, Deidre, no need to get anxious. We just have to have a strategy. This hit fast and hard in the cities. Our advantage is that we will be one of the last to experience it. Medicine is progressing and the CDC is working hard on a vaccine. Until then, we just need to be ready.” Deidre nods at the doctor’s attempt to comfort her, but his attempts have failed. She can’t even get her husband to believe that this virus is as bad as it is.

     After leaving her shift at the hospital, Deidre takes time to observe the quiet streets of the town. Usually at five in the evening on a Friday night, the town was bustling. Either the factory workers were celebrating the end of the workday at the local pub or families were pulling into Holly’s Burger Place for dinner. She missed the life of the town, even though she knew that it couldn’t be helped. They had to be proactive about this virus, and with the unpredictability of its strike, they were taking all of the precautions they could.

      Once Deidre pulls into the garage, she shamelessly strips herself of her scrubs, placing them in a paper bag along with her shoes. She wipes down her car with disinfectant and kicks the car door closed.  She had been in the routine since she had read of nurses in the cities who had unknowingly infected their families. Of course, her husband thought she was overreacting, but she didn’t really care. She grabs her paper bag, heading straight to the laundry room to toss her clothing in the washer.

     “I can’t believe you’re still doing that shit…” Her husband says from the doorway with a smirk on his face.

     “Look, whether or not you believe this is a conspiracy theory, I still need to protect you…even if you think you don’t need it…” Deidre covers her thick ‘fro with a shower cap and slides past Mark to jump in the shower.

    A few minutes later, as Deidre is reveling in the sensation of the warm water cascading down her skin, she feels a chill. She whips around to see Mark standing behind her in the shower.

     “Are you sanitized yet?” He asks, seductively. Suppressing a giggle, she nods her head as he pulls her close to his muscled physique.

     “Mark…” she scolds.

     “You forget…we’re still newlyweds…” He murmurs in her ear. Yes, they were, and her hopes of an explosively passionate honeymoon had been dashed…but this ultra-intelligent, virile, muscled specimen was still married to her. Why not take advantage? She looks up at him as he hoists her against the tiled shower, her eyes wide in anticipation of the pleasure she was about to acquaint herself with.

********************************************************************************

     “Leslie, any luck?” Dustin asks as she sighs at the busy tone on her phone. She shakes her head sadly.

      “I keep getting a busy signal for both of their phones. I just wish they would pick up!” She tosses the phone on the couch.

    “Hey, don’t worry, Leslie. For all we know, they might be stuck in some hotel in the city, unable to call. I’m hoping the hospital put my dad up for these few weeks.” Cami tries to reassure her best friend.

    “At least you guys’ parents are probably working. Mine were only supposed to close their office and come home…” A tear runs down Leslie’s face. She was devastated that she hadn’t heard from her parents. Her family was extremely close, and it was unusual for her not to see them or hear their voices. She missed them dearly.

    “Aww, Les…” Cami feels a twinge of sympathy for her best friend. While she was worried about her own dad, he had told her it was possible he would be stuck at the hospital until the virus slowed down. He had prepared her for this when the virus first tore through the city, but Leslie’s parents weren’t in the medical profession and were only trying to tie up loose ends before their office had to be shut down. She hugs Leslie tightly.

   “What if we…just went there?” Jake suggests. Everyone in the room gawks at him in disbelief at his proposal.

    “The roads are closed!” Dustin argues.

     “Not all of them…look, Mom once took the back roads to the city when I rode with her. I remember it like the back of my hand. We can go to the city and check on them.”

     “What if we get caught?” Leslie gazes at Jake.

      “Do you really think they’re going to spend their energy chasing after a couple kids who are looking for their parents? Look, Miss Deidre works at the hospital. We can get some masks and gloves from her, pack a few things and go. I miss Mom…” He answers. The group is silent, considering the possibly dangerous plan.

     “Would they even let us out of here? I mean, Kenneth has been pretty strict about who goes out and comes in” Leslie says.

      “We could leave tomorrow night, when we know everyone will be inside. Cami, you got keys to your dad’s Range Rover?” Jake looks over at Cami.

      “Of course, but…Jake maybe we should just stay put. None of us want to get sick.”

      “No, but we will have protection. You know Miss Deidre will give us what we need.” Everyone looks at each other.

      “I wanna do it…” Leslie says.

       “Really?” Dustin stares at her incredulously.

        “I want my parents. If Jake knows a way we can get to them, I wanna go.” Jake stares at Cami and Dustin for their vote. Cami sighs heavily.

        “Okay, let’s do it.” Everyone turns towards Jake.

         “Fine!” He exclaims, not happy about the decision. He missed his mom dearly but thinks his brother is crazy for wanting to go through with this.

Cami gets off the couch, grabbing a big bottle of vodka out of her father’s liquor cabinet and setting it on the coffee table.

     “If we’re gonna do this, I need a few drinks. I’m scared. What if we catch the virus?”

      “I’d rather catch the virus knowing my mom is okay than sitting here waiting for the shit to hit the fan here…” Jake says quietly. As she sniffles, tears running down her face, Leslie nods in agreement. She would rather die looking for her parents than never seeing them again.

     Cami pours vodka into red plastic cups while Dustin ventures to the kitchen to find mixers. He finds a full bottle of orange juice in the refrigerator and brings it to the living room.

      “Screwdrivers?” He says, looking at the terrified group in front of him. Everyone murmurs in agreement, stating their preference as to how much juice to mix with their vodka.

    They knew that their plan was risky, deadly, and completely ridiculous. However, the love for their missing parents surpassed any sense of safety. As they toast their red plastic cups, each teen realizes that they could be in for the fight of their lives….and in that moment, it was okay.

     

Quarantine: Stories from the Inside (Intro)

Part I: Trapped Inside

It has been a month since the CDC has warned about a potentially deadly virus that causes delusions, paralysis and, eventually death. Many rumors are swirling around about the origin of the disease: some say that the NGE virus was manufactured and was released in an accidental exposure, others assume that this is a form of biological warfare. Whatever the cause, the residents of a small mountain town have been fortunate enough to avoid infection, and they intend to keep it that way. Therefore, the town has required that everyone stay inside their homes, coming out only for their weekly grocery shop every Friday morning. Because no one knows if the virus is airborne, the residents are required to wear masks and dispose of clothing worn outside. Hazmat crews from the next town over immediately burn all clothing worn by residents during their grocery shopping appointments on Fridays. Even though this seems extreme, it is this way of the law that has prevented the residents from contracting the virus. The residents still have electricity, water, and even luxuries like cable and internet. However, sitting in the house and hoping for this epidemic to finally be over has exposed some skeletons, true personalities and intentions of some in this tiny town. Each part of this series will feature a household of this town and give a sense of reality to their quarantined lives.

Household 1: Jennifer and Antonio Rossi

Jennifer and Antonio have been married for 10 years and have three children: Angel (6), Margaret (Maggie, 7), and Tony Jr(9). Jennifer is the town’s only dental hygienist and Tony runs the local garage. They are considered one of the families that are better off than their neighbors. Despite this, Jennifer (Jenni) and Antonio (Tony Sr.) are well-liked in the town. They are friendly to their neighbors and participated in numerous volunteer activities before the virus hit. They are managing to keep their household calm by keeping the kids occupied with various activities, but both are fully aware that things could go left any second. Tony has slowly started stockpiling their cellar with food and weapons, citing the events he’s seen in the metropolitan areas. Jenni is not thrilled with his stockpiling but tolerates it, as long as the kids and the rest of the town aren’t affected.

Household 2: Holly Lane

Holly is not a native to the town, but her downtown burger restaurant stayed full during lunch and dinner time. She is highly involved in the community, even volunteering to cook meals when the quarantine first came about. The town heads suspended her services once the virus took over the nearby metropolitan areas. She still did what she could, donating all the unused meat, veggies and bread to the needy. Holly doesn’t mind helping, but she’s a little resentful of the mayor, Kenneth. After their relationship fizzled, he seemed to be highly motivated to piss her off at every turn. Even when news of the virus first came out, he was nonchalant, citing that all viruses came and went. He frequently blamed the media for the anxiety of the townspeople. However, as the virus continued to spread and the horrific effects began to be filmed and shared, he became very quiet, not knowing how to meet the situation head on. He seemed to be even angrier that she had been right when she had warned him that this wouldn’t turn out well. She spent her time reading numerous research articles and watching medical videos indicating that this virus wasn’t going anywhere soon, and that the infected could easily make their way past the feeble blockades set up around the town. She could only quietly stockpile supplies, ammunition and keep her pick-up truck running and full of gas. She knows that everything will soon come to a head, and she is ready for it.

Household 3: Deidre and Mark Hammonds

Deidre and Mark are newlyweds, having only married this past fall, only to come to grips with the virus ruining their plans for a spring honeymoon. Deidre is a labor and delivery nurse at the local hospital while Mark is the head mechanic at Tony’s Auto Shop. Because Deidre works in the hospital, she has to participate in a rigorous disinfection procedure after each shift, even though there aren’t any cases of the NGE virus in the town. Mark understands, though he has asked her repeatedly to take a hiatus until this “virus thing” blows over. He strongly believes that the media is totally exaggerating this virus and doesn’t think there’s anything to prepare for even though his boss has been stockpiling supplies in the garage. Deidre, on the other hand, understands medical crisis and spends her time trying to convince her husband that this is not something he can take lightly. Since she feels like she can’t get through to him, she’s been secretly buying extra groceries and hiding them in the trunk of her car. She sincerely believes that when, not if, this virus hits the town, the aftermath will be devastating.

Household 4: Cami, Dustin, Jake, and Leslie

These four rambunctious teenagers have decided to stick together after all their parents, who commuted to the nearest city, never came back from work a few weeks ago. They are hoping that it is only because the city is quarantined, but, day by day, their hope dwindles. Luckily, their neighbors have made sure that they are taken care of until their parents return. Since Cami’s house is the largest, they stay there, initially cleaning out the liquor cabinet. Now that they haven’t heard from their parents, the partying has dwindled, and the doom of an uncertain future is like a dark cloud over their heads. Cami’s father is a doctor and single parent. As the only child, she is spoiled rotten and everyone knows it. Though she has her moments of generosity, she is usually out of touch with reality and doesn’t understand why her dad had to work those extra shifts at the hospital anyway. Dustin and Jake are adopted brothers. Their mother is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company and hasn’t been heard from since the virus first came about. She warned them of this and left them both with enough finances to last them a month. They are still frightfully anxious that the worst has happened as they haven’t been able to reach her. Leslie is Cami’s best friend though they are obviously mismatched. Leslie’s parents are both lawyers and initially went to the city to close their office once the city mandated a shut down in response to the virus. Leslie, unlike Cami, is humble and modest. She spends most of her days attempting to contact her parents and fending off Jake’s advances.

Overall, most of the citizens know that an imminent danger is approaching and are attempting to prepare in advance. However, there are some skeptics who are convinced that this is simply a “scheme” by the government to assert control over the population. The local doctors and nurses know that it is very real and are waiting anxiously for the day that their precious town will be hit. All they can do is make the townspeople aware of the damage it could cause…whether they believe it or not.