Plague Book: One Final Gasp

by Druga, Jacqueline

“It’s here, Matt,” Nash said. “It's been here a few days. They just told us. It started in Boston at the airport. This thing, it’s deadly. The government just ordered a mandatory self-quarantine for people. Stay in your homes. Don’t leave.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Matt said argument. “No one will do that.”

  Nash shrugged. “It’s what’s being said.”

  “Are you saying my mother died of this flu?” Matt asked argumentatively. “She had a heart attack.”

  Nash nodded. “The virus will do that. The paramedics said they noticed markings on her neck consistent with the virus.”

  “How do they know that?” Matt asked. “If the news just broke.”

  “It broke to the public just now. We all got the health alert two hours ago.” Nash’s eyes shifted to Bart. “You don’t look well, Art.”

  Matt snapped. “He’s tired, his wife just passed away and he just got back from traveling …” Matt’s words slowed down as the revelation his parents could have been exposed.

  Just as Nash was about to say something else, he turned when a doctor wearing scrubs, a facemask and gloves entered the waiting area.

  “Chief Nash?” The doctor asked and approached. “Are these the family members?”

  “They are,” Nash answered.

  “I’m Doctor Lowen. My condolences for your loss,” he said. “I am sorry you have been waiting. We were waiting on preliminary testing before we knew. We believe it was this Marcum Virus that … Mr. Hader are you okay?” The doctor looked away. “Mr. Hader? Mr. Hader?”

  It took Matt a second for it to register that the doctor was speaking to his father. Just as he turned to look, his father crumbled to the floor. “Dad!” he cried out.

  “Nurse!” the doctor called. “I need help.”

  There was a rush of screams from those remaining in the waiting room.

  They backed away, some even rushed to the door.

  Matt, Nash and the doctor all bent down to Bart.

  “Back away,” the doctor ordered. “Do not touch him.” He held out his hands.

  “It’s my father.”

  “I realize this, please.” The doctor looked over his shoulder when the gurney arrived. There were two males and one female healthcare worker. All of them with the help of the doctor hurriedly lifted Matt’s father to the cart and rushed him away.

  It happened so fast, too fast. One second they were standing there, the next his father was on the floor.

  Matt tried to follow.

  “Stay here,” Lowen said. “Stay. I’ll be back.”

  Matt stood there frozen, watching as they barreled through the emergency doors to the treatment area with his father.

  “Matt, I am sorry.” Nash placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder.

  He couldn’t help but stare at the doors. His heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. “Nash, what the hell is happening,” he said breathless. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I just …” Matt turned around and again, another jolting shock went through his soul when he saw the emergency room doors slide open and Stew rushed in. In his arms he carried Hannah. The child looked so small in Stew’s hold. Her little arm dangled down as Stew cradled her into his chest.

  “Stew?” Matt rushed to him.

  “I tried to call …” Stew spoke frazzled. “I tried. She needs help. She’s not responding. No ambulances would come. Oh, Matt.” He whimpered. “Matt.”

  “Someone!” Matt yelled out, reaching for his daughter. “Someone help!”

  “Matt, I don’t think it’s her diabetes,” Stew said, handing the child over. “I think it’s that flu.”

  20 – Chaotic

  Franklin, PA

  The first thing Molly Webber did was look out the living room window of her second floor apartment. At first, the single mother of two panicked when she heard the news. She paced frantically wanting to scream, but she refrained simply because she didn’t want her children ages two and a half and eight to get worried. They didn’t need to know what was going on.

  Molly herself didn’t quite understand what was happening. After checking to see if there was any activity on the streets, she went on line.

  It seemed every site was down.

  Was it on purpose or was there just so much traffic she just couldn’t get on the web?

  If she was anything, Molly was resourceful. As hot as it was outside, she immediately took the duct tape and sealed all the windows and doors.

  The news said to self-contain, and she would do just that.

  After emptying the little bit of milk left into a cup, along with the remaining soda in a big bottle, Molly washed those and filled them with water.

  She pulled every available container and jar from recycling to fill. She’d do so right away before the water went down.

  Molly was a thinker and a planner, and after her first panic reaction she snapped into action.

  Her husband had died in the service when she was pregnant with their second child. Molly lost everything and had to move into this apartment. She didn’t mind, it was easier.

  Because daycare was so expensive, she worked part time and collected benefits for the children from her husband’s death.

  Money was tight, but she had enough.

  Except on this day, she didn’t have enough food.

  She examined her cupboards, pantry, fridge and freezer. There was no way, especially if they were to stay inside four weeks, they would make it.

  Two weeks maybe, but not enough for four.

  Molly knew there was no choice. She had to go out and get some food.

  Franklin’s local grocery store was two blocks away. There wasn’t much traffic on the streets. Molly could go there, get in and out.

  She supposed a lot of people thought the same thing, that there would not only be a rush of people running to the grocer, but to the Rite Aid as well.

  Molly had an advantage, Friedman’s Grocery Store was her place of employment. She knew the back way in, the locked employee entrance. She knew the passcode for that and where the food items were stored.

  The general public would flock to the shelves.

  Molly would flock to the back stock.

  She wouldn’t take much, only what she needed, and more than likely only what she could grab from the stock nearest the employee door.

  But surely there would be a ton of people and that meant a chance of infection, staying clear of other people was what the warnings were about.

  She couldn’t chance that with her kids.

  Even though they were young, she had to leave them home alone.

  It was for the best. She wouldn’t be gone long, and she knew she could get home quickly.

  She hadn’t worked in a couple days, she had been home with the children. She knew they didn’t have the virus, it took twenty-four hours to show symptoms and neither her, Molly or the boys had been out of the apartment.

  Molly hated the thought of going out. She absolutely hated it, even going as far to recheck again what she had in stock.

  It just wasn’t enough.

  Or was there?

  Again, she looked at what she had. Truly breaking it down. For four weeks she needed at least a hundred meals. Perishables first, Molly looked in her fridge. Left over spaghetti. That was two meals, that pound of ground chuck, she could get another two meals out of that. The chicken ... three. That was week one.

  Just as she realized she could squeeze by, her phone rang.

  She looked at the caller ID, it was Christopher from work.

  “Hey,” she said upon answering the phone.

  “Molly, its’ a madhouse here. You need to get here.”

  “What are you talking about? Chris, I can’t work.”

  “No, Molly, you have little ones. Phil said if we need to make a care package, he is letting the employees do so. But once the shelves are empty he’s putting it out to the public. You have to get down here. I have one all ready
for you.”

  Phil was the manager, more than likely he was letting the employees take food to justify that he was taking it.

  The food would come in handy and they’d have some for after the self-containment was lifted.

  “Alright,” Molly said hesitatingly. “I’m on my way.”

  “Meet us at the back dock. Hurry. Honestly, it's completely out of control. People are coming here from other towns, I guess thinking because we’re so small it won’t be that bad.”

  “Okay, thank you. I’m on my way.” She hung up the phone and told the boys. The youngest, Denny, really didn’t understand. She focused more on telling Sam.

  “Listen, just watch him, don’t let him out of your sight,” Molly told him. “And do not, under any circumstances, do not leave the apartment.”

  “What if you don’t come back?” Sam asked.

  “Why would you say that?”

  The boy shrugged.

  “If the sun goes down and I don’t come back, knock on Mrs. Stone’s door across the hall and have her call Chief Nash, okay?"

  “You’ll come back though, right?” He asked.

  “I’ll be back.” She kissed her son on the forehead.

  Before she left, Molly knew she had to find a way to protect herself. She didn’t have any of those face masks. So she tied a dish towel around her nose and mouth like an old west bandit and used her yellow oven cleaning gloves.

  With the help of Sam she duct taped them tight.

  It took her a few minutes longer than she told Chris she would be, but at the most it was ten minutes, how bad would it get in that little bit of time?

  She opened the door and slipped into the hall. As she closed the door she heard the soft chuckle and turned around.

  Luke Bridges was getting ready to go into Mrs. Stone’s apartment. Part of his community service was to make her lunch on Saturdays and read to her. She knew Luke before that, seeing him when he worked at the store bagging groceries. She felt bad for him because he had to leave his job there after the accident.

  People were cruel.

  They treated him as such and boycotted the store until he was gone.

  Molly remained in contact with him.

  Luke needed friends, even though he kept everyone at arm’s length.

  “Whatcha doing, Mol?” Luke asked. “You look like you’re robbing a bank.”

  “I’m heading out to get supplies. Luke, what are you doing? Haven’t you heard the news? There is a mandatory quarantine. They’re telling people to stay in their houses. A virus or something. It’s bad.”

  “No shit?” Luke asked. “I haven’t heard or watched the news. It’s been kind of a ... let’s say a sad day.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but it’s gonna be sadder if you run around. Especially without a face mask.”

  “Molly, you think that kitchen towel is gonna protect you?”

  “More than nothing,” she said.

  “If there’s a quarantine, what’s so important you have to go out?”

  “Food. I need food for the kids. Chris has a box for me at the store,” Molly answered.

  “I know Chris. Call him, I’ll go for you.”

  Molly shook her head. “No, I’ll go.”

  “I’m not gonna steal your food if that’s what you’re worried about. We just went shopping this morning, me and my mom.”

  “That’s not it. I’d rather not put you around that. Are you going home?” She asked,

  “After Mrs. Stones?”

  “Can you just keep an ear for my babies?”

  “I can go in there if you want.”

  “No. No. I would rather keep everyone away. If you get what I mean.”

  “Sure thing, I’ll keep an ear out.”

  “Thanks again.” Molly looked down at her phone to check the time. Now it had been fifteen minutes, when she saw that she hurried off.

  It didn’t take her long to get to her car. Molly took the back stairs and left out the back door where her car was parked in the lot.

  She truly didn’t feel anything would be as bad as Chris led on. After all, she made it down Main Street without seeing one instance of panic driving.

  Until she reached Friedman’s. The parking lot was jammed, people fought to get inside, some leaving their carts in the middle of the aisles.

  Molly just needed to get around back. It was impossible to even get to the side street. Molly backed up, she would go back one block and use Spencer Street to get to the loading dock of the store.

  As soon as she started moving, she had to swerve her car out of the way when police cars, sirens blaring, came barreling up Main Street.

  There were six of them. It looked like the entire Franklin police force.

  Once they passed her, she was able to turn around.

  She watched in her rear view mirror as they made a bee line for the grocery store.

  Molly was in the clear.

  Order would be restored, she was certain of that, she hurried making her way around the back.

  It was loud, she could hear the shouting and gunshots. Each one caused her heart to skip a beat.

  “Hell, Molly,” Chris yelled out from the loading door “What took you so long?”

  “Sorry. I had to make sure the kids were okay.” She opened the back door of her car and raced toward Chris who stood by the sliding door of the dock. “Thanks for waiting.”

  “I almost left. It’s insane out there.”

  “I see that.”

  He lifted the garage style door only a few feet, reached inside and pulled out a box. “This is heavy.”

  Molly moved to the edge of the dock and Chris pushed the box to her. When she lifted it, she realized it truly was heavy and struggled to carry it to the car. She was grateful for it. Even though she had to keep adjusting, she got it in the back seat.

  Instinct caused her to shut the back door and she groaned at herself for doing so. It was going to be a chore to carry the next box and open the door.

  She debated to go back and open it again, instead she went to the dock. Chris had waited long enough.

  She stood there waiting as he reached inside, pulling out the other box.

  “Last one. I could only fill you two,” Chris said. “We need to save the rest in there for when it’s all said and done.”

  “I appreciate it. Thank you so much.”

  After he pushed the box he pulled another out, probably for himself, slammed the garage style door, locked it and put the keys in his pocket.

  “Do you need a ride somewhere?” Molly asked him.

  “No my car is up the street a little,” he replied. “I’m good, thanks.” He jumped down from the dock, grabbed his box and turned.

  He and Molly stopped at the same time.

  Molly knew the two men and woman that stood before them. She didn’t know their names, but they came into the store a lot. They lived nearby.

  The one man extended a gun. “Well, well, I should have known the employees get the pick first. Hand over the box.”

  Molly was about to tell them, there was no need, there was more inside, but it happened so fast. Chris turned and took off running.

  He hadn’t made it ten steps before the gun went off, causing Molly to jump. She looked over her shoulder and saw Chris lying on the ground.

  One of the men ran to Chris and grabbed the box he had dropped.

  The main man with the gun pointed at Molly. “Give me yours and you won’t get hurt.”

  “Please. There’s more in there. He had keys in his pocket.”

  “Check his pocket,” the gun man yelled to the other.

  Back tracking to Chris, the man set down the box and began checking Chris’ pockets. “Found them.”

  “See?” Molly said. “Please let me go. Let me take this. It’s for my children. Please.”

  Bang.

  He fired anyhow.

  The bullet hit into her upper left arm causing her to drop the box and fall to the ground. />
  The woman ran over and grabbed the box.

  Molly couldn’t even register what was happening, not only could she only focus on the pain in her arm, she worried about her children.

  She swore they probably would have killed her, but the ‘whoop-whoop’ of the police siren caused the three of them to grab the boxes and take off running.

  She lay on the ground struggling to get up.

  “Molly,” Chief Nash raced to her.

  “They took my food.” She sat up.

  “Lie still, you’re shot.”

  “I need to get home. I need to get home to my kids. They’re alone.”

  Nash examined her arm. “I need to get you medical attention.”

  Molly shook her head. “I need to get home.”

  “Okay. Listen.” Nash helped her to her feet. “Let me wrap something on your arm. You go home and I’ll send Doc Christoph to see you, okay?”

  Molly nodded.

  Nash helped her to her feet, led her to her car and made sure she was stable against it.

  Molly held onto her injured arm, blood seeping through her fingers. Never would she have imagined it would have hurt as bad as it did.

  Nash had gone to his squad car. He retrieved some sort of case. Probably a medical kit.

  Molly wanted to cry. She should have just stayed home like she wanted. Now, not only had she lost half the food she went to get, she was injured and hadn’t a clue how bad it was.

  All she knew was she wanted to get off the street, away from people and get home.

  As Nash tended to her injuries, she hoped it wouldn’t be long before she got to do just that very thing.

  21 - PREVENTION

  Franklin, PA

  Stew held the clear, plastic bag given to him by the hospital. In it was a thick paper, yellow, one piece suit with a hood on it. Gloves, goggles and a face mask. Items he would put on when he returned back to Matt’s house. Not for protection from the virus, but protection for anyone around him. While he didn’t feel ill and probably wouldn’t until the next day, Stew was certain he would come down with the Marcum flu.

  He clutched the package close to his chest as he walked with a heavy heart to the hospital room where Matt wore the same protective get up and sat in a chair between two beds.