Life In Death (Book 1): Surviving Death (The Struggle)

by Holmes, Ethan

  “I see. I’m surprised you weren’t a high ranking officer, Frank. You certainly have the mind of one,” Diane said.

  “Eh, in our line of work officers don’t spend much time in the field after they hit captain. The field is the only place that I’m really useful. Never had the patience for deskwork reading reports.”

  “I never really had the patience for it either but it got me into the CDC. It was a logistics officers dream. I got to see all the nitty gritty that the CDC had been working on. You wouldn’t imagine the horrible stuff that they were looking to cure. The only thing I could think that was worse is the virus were dealing with now,” Diane said.

  “Sounds like a nightmare to me. I would be a nervous wreck if I knew that I was around a bunch of infectious diseases. I get creeped out if someone sneezes around me,” Jim said.

  “I was nervous about it at first but I got to know the doctors there and saw how professional they all were. I knew they took every precaution they could. After a while I started to feel better about it. It became my norm,” Diane said.

  “So what was your background before logistics,” Anna asked.

  “I ran scouting missions for the CIA for a few years before the CDC. Going behind enemy lines and locating targets for bombing runs. I also did counter intelligence for the NSA on and off for a while. A lot of that was when I ran with Special Forces. For a while I did interrogations in Guantanamo back before you had to play nice with the prisoners.”

  “Quite an impressive resume,” Tommy said.

  “Thank you. I was coming up for retirement, well, was supposed to retire a few months ago,” Diane said.

  “Didn’t take you for the retiring type,” Steve said.

  “I’m not. The NSA offered me an analyst job,” Diane said.

  Frank chuckled. “Good way to get back into field work.”

  “Yep, with much better pay. In any case, I think we have plenty of field work to go around in the next few weeks,” Diane added.

  “Truer words have never been spoken,” Frank said.

  Chapter 25

  The Sickness

  The next morning, Frank and Tommy were coming in from night watch. They were met at the door by Eric and Anna. Eric was carrying the 240B.

  “What are you guys up to,” Tommy asked.

  “Eric and I are going to go clean this up. Diane put quite a few rounds through it,” Anna said.

  “I was planning on doing that when I got up but if you want to then have at it. Probably the only weapon I don’t like cleaning anyway.” He looked at Eric. “How are you doing?”

  Eric rubbed the scruff on his cheek. “Can’t say I slept very well but I think I’ll be ok.”

  “Alright. Let me know if you need anything,” Frank said, then lightly slapped Eric’s shoulder.

  “Thanks, Frank.”

  Frank kissed Anna then went upstairs.

  Later that day, Frank woke the sound of Anna’s voice. He felt like hell but forced his eyes open.

  “Hey, honey. It’s 4pm. Ready to get up,” Anna asked.

  Frank breathed deep and stretched.

  “Yeah.”

  He lifted himself up with a groan and sat on the side of the bed. Anna sat next to him.

  “You ok,” she asked.

  “Yeah. Didn’t sleep well. I’ll be ok though,” Frank said, lying.

  “Frank… You need to skip night shift tonight. I know you don’t want to but you need to.”

  “We’ll see who volunteers for tonight. If we don’t get enough volunteers then…”

  “Then I’ll take it,” Anna said, interrupting him.

  “Anna…” Frank said.

  “Hey, don’t ‘Anna’ me. You’re the one who said that we’re all in this together, right? We have to be there for each other or does that not apply when you need the help?”

  Frank chuckled. “Now that is low. Fine. I’ll behave.”

  Anna smiled then kissed him. “Good. Come downstairs. Natalie is almost finished with dinner.”

  “Ok. I’ll be down in a minute,” Frank said.

  “Ok. Don’t be long,” Anna kissed him then left the room.

  ‘Jesus, I feel like shit... How much longer can I keep this up? Everyone relies on me. They’re counting on me. Got to push through it,’ he thought.

  He rubbed his face and sighed as he stood up to go down stairs. It was a struggle, his whole body ached. He was putting his shirt on as Isabelle burst through the door.

  “Daddy,” Isabelle yelled as she ran up to him.

  Frank smiled.

  ‘More than worth it,’ he thought.

  “Hi, sweetie.”

  “Dinner’s ready! Let’s go eat,” she said.

  “Ok. Let’s go,” Frank said.

  They went downstairs to the kitchen. Everyone was already there waiting for them.

  Steve looked at him. “You doing ok, Frank?”

  “Yeah,” Frank lied, again. “Why?”

  “You don’t look ok,” Tommy said.

  “I didn’t sleep well,” Frank said, still lying.

  “Well, get some food. Maybe you’ll feel better if you eat something,” Eric suggested.

  Frank sat down.

  After dinner, while everyone help clean up the dishes and the watch went out, Frank went to Steve.

  “Steve, you got a minute,” Frank asked.

  “Yeah, sure,” Steve dried off his hands and followed Frank to another unoccupied room.

  Frank shut the door.

  “Steve, I’m not ok.”

  This got his attention. Steve knew it was serious if Frank was admitting something was wrong with him.

  “What’s wrong, Frank,” he asked.

  “I feel like hell. Body aches, chills, headache, and dizziness. Anything you can give me,” Frank asked.

  “Are those your only symptoms? Sore throat? Nausea?” he walked up to him.

  “No.”

  Steve put his hand on Franks face. “Jesus, Frank. You’re burning up.”

  “Figures.”

  “All the symptoms point to the flu. Nothing I can really give you besides ibuprofen for your fever. It will take the edge off. We’ll have to let it run its course and hope for the best, but you’re going to have to take it easy for about a week. And I mean it, Frank. Healthy people die every year from the flu and we don’t have an ER to go to.”

  “Alright. I’m going to sleep in the basement. Don’t want anyone else getting sick. Could you keep everyone out?”

  “Now I know you feel like shit. No resistance what so ever.”

  Frank chuckled. “Contrary to popular beliefs, I do know my limits. I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Frank left the room. Steve followed him out and went to Anna, who was washing dishes. Most of the group still sat in the kitchen area.

  “Anna, you need to change your bed sheets,” Steve said.

  “What? Why?”

  “Pretty sure Frank has the flu.”

  Everyone in the room looked at Steve.

  “Is he ok? Where is he,” Anna asked, concerned.

  “He’s basically quarantining himself in the basement. No one goes into the basement without me. We all know how fast the flu spreads. Can’t have you all getting sick,” Steve ordered.

  “Shit. Wonder when he got sick. We were sitting outside together all night. He never said anything about feeling bad,” Tommy said.

  “The symptoms come on quick. Probably started not too long after he went to bed,” Steve explained.

  “Steve? I kissed him this morning…” Anna confessed.

  “I think you’ll be ok. Try to limit your contact with everyone, especially Natalie and the kids. Come to me if you start having any symptoms,” Steve said.

  “Ok…” Anna said, still worrying about Frank.

  Hours later in the basement, Frank had made a place for himself on the couch. He felt like his body aches were getting worse. He was freezing and his whole body shook. He heard the basement door open and
footsteps of someone coming down. It was Steve and Anna, who had dawned gloves and medical masks. Frank giggled.

  “You would have been a sexy doctor, Anna,” Frank said, slightly delirious.

  Anna blushed. “I would have been a sexy anything.”

  “Very true.”

  She saw how much he was shaking. “Why don’t you have your blanket on? Or your shirt? You’re freezing.”

  “Think my fever is back up again. Didn’t want my body to get too hot,” he said, his words were barely interpretable.

  Steve took his thermometer and handed it to Frank. Soon it beeped. Steve took it out of Frank’s mouth and looked at it.

  “Shit. Your temp is 105.” He took five ibuprofen out of the pill bottle and a water bottle out of his pocket. “Take this. Now.”

  Frank took the pills into his mouth and tried his best to drink the water. His hands were shaking so much he dropped the bottle.

  “Damn it,” Frank whispered. Before he could reach for it, Anna had already picked it up.

  “Here, honey. Let me help.” She put the bottle to his lips to help him drink.

  After he was done, he wiped off his mouth. “You know, Murphy is a fucking bastard.”

  Anna and Steve looked at him, confused by the comment. They were worried that his fever may be affecting his mind.

  “What do you mean?” Steve said.

  “It would figure that us being so close to a cure, I would get sick. I never get sick…” Frank explained.

  “Well in Murphy’s defense, I doubt you’ve ever gone this long going at a hundred percent either. I did tell you so, although I figured you would get sick long before now,” Steve said.

  “Maybe now you’ll see the need to take a rest,” Anna said.

  “Don’t count on it. We’re so close to seeing the end of all this. We can’t afford for me to slow down,” Frank said.

  “God damn it, Frank! You need to start thinking about yourself, too,” Steve said.

  Anna sat down on the coffee table in front of Frank and took his hands. “Ok. I get it. But from now on, you and I go a hundred percent together. Whatever the job is, we do it together.”

  Frank looked at her. “You’re a damn good soldier Anna, and an even better wife.”

  Anna smiled. “So I’m told.” She caressed his cheek. “Now, get some sleep. We’ll be back down later to check on you.”

  Frank laid down on the couch. “Ok. Karen said that she would be down later to check on me.”

  Anna and Steve looked at each other, worried about the comment.

  “He’s delirious. It happens with a fever sometimes,” Steve explained.

  “You’re sure he’s ok?”

  “For certain, no. All we can do is keep an eye on him.”

  The next morning, Steve walked into the basement to check on Frank. He reached the couch and saw that Frank appeared to be asleep.

  “Frank, wake up. Need to check your temperature,” Steve said. Frank didn’t respond.

  “Frank?” Steve reached down and shook him. Still no response.

  Steve checked his pulse. It was racing.

  “Shit.”

  He scrambled to get his thermometer, shoving it into Frank’s mouth. It beeped and Steve checked it. 107.7 degrees.

  “Tommy! Eric! Get down here,” Steve screamed.

  Within seconds, the two plus Anna and Jim raced downstairs, weapons drawn.

  “What is it,” Anna yelled.

  “We need to get Frank upstairs to the bathtub! We need to get his fever down,” Steve yelled.

  Tommy and Eric hoisted Frank up off the couch and Tommy lifted him up onto his back. He shuffled as fast as he could upstairs, careful not to hit anything. Steve led them into the bathroom on the top floor where the garden tub was located. He plugged to tub and turned on the cold water. Since the property ran on well water it was already ice cold but Steve worried that this may not be enough. Tommy knelt down in the tub and eased Frank’s unconscious body off his back, with Eric’s assistance. The entire group was in the bathroom, most of which were crying, worried for their leader.

  “Help me get his pants off,” Tommy said.

  “No time,” Steve said as he took a set of medical shears out of his bag.

  He cut up each pant leg and within seconds, Frank was pant less. It took a painstakingly amount of time for the tub to fill but it finally reached Frank’s chin level, covering his entire body. Frank’s shivering increased dramatically.

  “He’s freezing, Steve. He can’t stay in there,” Jim said.

  “No. His brain thinks he’s cold because his body temp is so high. If it gets any higher, he will die. Anna, get me a saline bag ready,” he said as he fiddle in his bag for the ibuprofen. He took five pills out.

  ‘Shit. He’s not going to be able to swallow these. Been a long time since I had to do this,’ he thought.

  He took each pill and forced it down Frank’s throat with two fingers. He followed up by forcing a small amount of water into Frank’s mouth and pushing on his throat, forcing him to involuntarily swallow. He then took the IV needle from Anna and an alcohol swab. He cleaned Frank’s hand then forced the needle into the vein in his hand and taped the line in place.

  “Anna, push it,” Steve ordered.

  Anna took the IV bag into both hands and squeezed it with all her might, forcing the cold fluid into Frank’s blood stream. While she did that, Steve took his light out of his bag and checked Frank’s pupils. Both were responsive.

  “Frank? Can you hear me,” Steve asked. Still no response.

  Steve took a pen out of his bag. He place the tip of Frank’s index finger between his thumb and the pen and pressed hard. He was checking to see if Frank responded to external stimulus. Steve watched Frank’s face to see if he could feel anything. Frank’s face grimaced slightly, responding to the pain.

  “Ok good,” Steve said with a sigh.

  “What? What does that mean,” Natalie asked through her sobs.

  “Means he’s not in a coma. I think we got him in here just in time. That being said, he’s not out of the woods yet. We got to get his fever down and keep it down until the virus runs its course,” Steve said.

  He checked Frank’s temp again. It was down to 106.7. “The fever is going down. We’ll need to keep him in here for a while longer.”

  Later that night, they had Frank on the couch in the living room, where they could keep a better eye on his condition. He was still unconscious. Anna was on her knees next to him, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Steve came into the room.

  “Any change,” Steve asked.

  Anna shook her head.

  Steve stuck the thermometer in Frank’s mouth. It read 103.5 degrees.

  “Why won’t he wake up, Steve,” Anna asked. Her voice cracked and tears ran down her cheeks.

  “Worst case, he could have brain damage. We’ve had to dunk him twice now. Best case, he is just exhausted,” Steve reasoned.

  Anna’s head sunk. She started to sob uncontrollably. Steve knelt next to her wrapping his arms around her.

  “Come on. If anyone can live through this, it’s Frank. Right?”

  Anna sniffed then took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

  “Right.”

  Days had gone by with no change in Frank’s condition. He still had a slight fever but it was not very high, but Frank still would not wake.

  The group was having a meeting in the kitchen about where to go from there.

  “We need to get started on the lab,” Steve said.

  “I don’t know if I’m comfortable doing this without Frank,” Jim said.

  “It needs to get done, regardless of whether Frank is with us or not,” Diane said.

  Tommy glared at her. “You’re stepping over the line, Diane.”

  “If it gets us started on the lab, I will step over any line I need to.”

  “So you would just put us all in danger to get what you want,” Tommy yelled.

 
; “If it means getting the cure, yes.”

  “You say that but you need to remember that when we do this, it’ll be the doctor’s lives at stake.” Kim said.

  “Their lives would be at stake either way,” Diane yelled.

  The argument grew louder and louder. Anna sat there silent, listening to the ensuing madness.

  ‘This is why Frank has to work so hard… he knows that this would happen if he didn’t constantly take charge,’ she thought.

  Finally, she had enough. She leaned forward and slammed her fists into the granite countertop ledge, breaking a chunk off the corner. The sound echoed through the house.

  “Enough,” she screamed.

  Everyone jumped at the show of force from Anna, who up to this point never showed anger toward any of them. Her body relaxed to its normal posture.

  “Look at us. We’ve become so dependent on Frank that we can’t even make a move without his input. Do you really think that he would want us at each other’s throats like this? Because of him? I, for one, am not going to wait for him to set up the lab, because I know he wouldn’t want us to.”

  “No, I wouldn’t.”

  Anna twisted around her chair to look at where the voice came from. The door to the living room slowly creaked open revealing Frank, who was using the door frame to support his body.

  “Frank,” Anna yelled, leaping up from her seat, wrapping her arms around him.

  Steve rushed over to him as well. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired but I feel a lot better,” Frank said.

  Tommy walked over to him and lightly tapped him on his arm. “Took your sweet ass time waking up.”

  “Needed my beauty sleep. Thought I heard a gunshot.”

  “That was Anna putting us in our places,” Diane said.

  Frank looked at Anna. “Good job, honey.”

  Anna, who was still crying, giggled.

  “You should probably go lay back down, Frank,” Steve said.