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.

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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”.

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“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.

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      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.