My Dead World Read online

  Still, there was no news about the virus, nothing on the internet or on conspiracy sites. I wondered if there really was an outbreak. Had my own brother not told me about it, I would have sworn we were living a contagion version of another, ‘War of the Worlds’ fake out.

  Then as I was wrapping the birthday present for the party, listening to Paul brag about how he was the better parent to take Katie, the news broke.

  It didn’t matter that we were laughing and joking around in the kitchen, the sound of the news story cut through and became the only sound in the room. At least to me.

  It was a short news tidbit. Almost too short.

  ‘Pittsburgh Pirates won their opener, there’s supposed to be a storm this weekend and a flu outbreak has officials concerned. Back to you, Bill.’

  Maybe not that nonchalant, or that short. They basically reported that there was a mysterious flu outbreak, the CDC was not overly concerned at this time, and for anyone who had visited the following areas, please report to health authorities.

  Then following a list of places, they moved on to other news.

  Paul just looked at me. “Well?”

  “It’s like an iceberg. They’re only showing, or know about the tip. It won’t be long,” I said.

  “Won’t be long for what, Mommy?” Katie asked.

  “For you to go to the party!” I said with a fake smile and upbeat voice.

  I had to get going. After dropping off Addy at my father’s I would head to the cabin. I didn’t expect a rush to the store or a huge exodus from the city. The outbreak was passed over. However, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be long before things cascaded out of control.

  SEVEN – THE HAND THAT FEEDS

  May 5

  I made my last run to the cabin with a full truck on April 21. That was the last time. After that, things got crazy and at the urging of my father, I had to stop. People would see and possibly follow. They were stocking up. The price of a case of water had gone to forty dollars. It was insane. My father purchased a handgun and we expected another flag from Homeland. It never happened.

  We were still in the city waiting on Bobby to give us the go ahead to leave. When he finally did, all we would have on us, when we left the house, were minimal supplies.

  I went from thinking we were wasting our time, to wondering if we had waited too long to leave. Initially, after the news broke about the virus there was very little mentioned about it. Then all of the sudden, it went from updates, to news segments, to continuous coverage.

  They closed down the schools a week earlier. I had to explain to the girls what was going on. At first they asked if they were going to get sick, but after a day or so they faded into their own world, oblivious to it all.

  What started as a few cases in Europe turned into a full-fledged, global pandemic. Israel was the first to close their borders and within days many others followed. There were arguments about if it was inhumane to shut out people, or to quarantine them.

  I stopped focusing on the cases overseas when the first case appeared in Houston.

  It was one case, then two, then another in Atlanta, then a hospital shut down in Dallas. The news coverage showed maps with red spots indicating every place the virus appeared. Every day the red grew. The worst thing was not hearing from Bobby. He was on communication lock down and his calls were monitored because of national security. His messages became cryptic.

  Most of my information regarding the virus I received from the news. It was always the same thing.

  “What do we know now about it?” The newscaster would ask.

  “We know it’s not airborne, but it is easily transmitted through bodily fluids, saliva and such,” an expert from one of the health organizations answered.

  “What are the symptoms?”

  “Flu like symptoms. Fever, chills, vomiting and diarrhea, and in some cases abnormal behavioral changes.”

  “Like with rabies?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say.”

  “Have there been reports of violence and death?” the newscaster asked.

  “There’s a lot of chaos and rioting, we’re fighting to keep that under control as much as the virus.”

  “Meanwhile, cities are closing down, quarantine borders are being placed into effect as a precaution to try to contain what is being called this generation’s Spanish Flu.”

  Even though I learned nothing new, I still listened.

  Then we heard from Bobby. He called from a landline. “I’m on my way back to the states,” he said. “I’m being placed in a thirty day quarantine lockdown. I don’t believe I was exposed, but it’s a precaution. My access to calls will be limited.”

  “Thirty days? What happened to three days from exposure to infection?”

  “We’re seeing cases that extend that time frame. In some instances the infected were injured almost a month ago, had no other exposure and got sick.”

  “Injured?”

  “I have to go. Just remember it will be time to go when you hear of a case in the city.”

  Then he hung up. I questioned whether we would know if there was a case in the city. There seemed to be cases everywhere.

  It sent my father into a tizzy. On our last day in the city, he rushed into the house. “We have to go. We should go now.” It was typical, he did it daily.

  “Bobby hasn’t said …”

  “Bobby hasn’t said much,” My father cut me off. “Hell, he’s in quarantine. We won’t hear from him for two more weeks. What are we waiting for? Are you afraid we’ll use our supplies too soon?”

  “Yes.”

  “No. We’ll be fine,” he said. “Listen to me, Bobby doesn’t know what’s going on. I was on Pal Book, a nurse friend of mine said they have an overflow of virus patients. Right here, right now in our city.”

  If my father was right, then according to Bobby’s suggestion it was time to go.

  “Get the girls, Nilie. Pack some things and let’s go. Let’s go now. Lisa is waiting and loading the truck.”

  I loved and trusted my father. He was always my greatest protector and right then he was exercising his right to protect his family. Beyond all that, I sensed a state of chaos growing around us in our own home town. I was just about to answer, just about to agree to leave, when my phone rang. The special ring told me it was Bobby.

  “That’s Bobby,” I said. “Grab the girls and tell them to get their bug out bags. We’ll all go in your SUV. Do you have enough gas?”

  “Yes and extra in the hatch.” He grabbed my shoulders. “Thank you.”

  I nodded and answered. “Bobby?”

  “Listen, they just put in the order to close down Pittsburgh. It’ll happen in about three hours. You have to go and go now. When I can, I’ll meet you at the cabin. But go. Go now.” Bobby hung up.

  My father returned to the living with both my girls at his side. “What did he say?”

  “He said to go,” I answered.

  “Lock up here so we have something to come back to. We’ll go grab Paul, is he at work?”

  I was trying to absorb it, the moment had come. Just as I was about to nod that he was at work, Paul burst through the front door in a panic.

  In all the years I had known him I had never seen him panic, he not only looked beside himself, but disheveled. His dress shirt was dirty and his right hand had a towel wrapped around it.

  “Paul.” I rushed to him. “We were about to come and get you.”

  “Is it time?” he asked. “I was coming home to tell you that I think it’s time.”

  “Yeah, we …” I looked down and noticed the blood on the towel.”Are you hurt?”

  “A riot broke out at the store. People were everywhere, taking things. I was attacked, someone bit me when I was trying to stop him.”

  “He bit you?” I asked with concern.

  “Was he sick?” My dad asked. “They say they have behavior changes.”

  “Dad!” I scolded.

  “I don’t thin
k he was sick,” Paul said. “It’s not bad. Just hurts. We should go. It’s really getting crazy out there.”

  “Can you grab our backpacks?” I asked Paul. “They’re in the bedroom, I’m gonna get the first aid kit for your hand. I can clean it in the car. Dad, start heading to your house with the girls.”

  My father agreed and headed out the door.

  I rushed into the kitchen, reached under the sink and grabbed not only the first aid kit, but the two bottles of booze I had there as well. There was so much I wanted to take, but in our mad dash to leave, I was sweeping things into my arms as I ran out with Paul. The phone, the tablet, a family photo …

  Both Paul and I walked outside at the front door. I locked it and closed it. My father and the girls were on the sidewalk. I guessed Lisa was already to go, she had been for days.

  The moment I stepped on the sidewalk, a car accelerated up the street. He was out of control. He zoomed past us and just as I registered the car in my mind, I heard the crash.

  It was bad. I could tell.

  “Son of a bitch,” my father yelled. “He better not have hit my car.”

  “Dad!” I scolded and handed Paul the things in my arms. “Call 911.” I took off toward the accident.

  “They won’t answer. They haven’t answered all day!” Paul shouted.

  “Try!” I ran by my father.

  “Niles, what are you doing?” My father asked.

  “Get everyone in the car. I just want to make sure they aren’t hurt.” I said in a backwards run, then spun and raced forward.

  Lisa was in her driveway, putting something in the car, with a phone to her ear. “I’m on hold with 911,” she shouted as I ran by.

  I acknowledged what she said. Others were running toward the accident with me. It was three houses beyond my father’s. The driver had missed the bend and not only hit a tree, but the car bounced off of it and had slammed into a parked car.

  A plume of dust blocked a clear view, probably from the airbag. The blinking lights of the wrecked car were my direction.

  “Did anyone call the cops?” someone yelled.

  “Yeah, I tried.” There was an answer.

  I slowed down in my run.

  “Hey,” Someone shouted to the figure who stumbled about. “You all right?”

  “That the driver? Is he bleeding?” another asked. “Hey, kid, you okay?”

  It seemed like fog, but it wasn’t. By the second, it diminished. The figure was that of a young male, thin, he had a hard time walking.

  One of the onlookers, a middle aged man with vibrant gray hair, made his way to the car crash victim. “You need to sit down. You’re …”

  Gray haired man screamed.

  I jumped back when it seemed as if the car crash kid lunged at his help. Others ran over to pull him from the gray haired man, and the car crash victim went insane. Swinging his arms about, lunging from person to person.

  Something more than the car crash happened to that young man. I didn’t want to stick around and find out. Pandemonium, fights and screams ensued and I turned around and ran back to my father’s house.

  Lisa was in the SUV, as were the girls. Paul was outside with my father.

  “Go. Let’s go.” I shouted.

  “Niles?” My father asked. “What happened?”

  “Dad, just go. Go.” I jumped in the third row seat with Paul. The girls were in the middle seat.

  My father hesitated before getting in the car, watching people run down the street. He jumped in and closed his door. “What the hell happened down there, Niles?”

  “I don’t even know.”

  My father put the car in reverse, started to back up, when a pair of hands slammed against my father’s window.

  Not only did my father jump, but my girls screamed. Jillian Green, the woman who lived next to my father, hit against his driver’s window. Her hands and face were bloody.

  “Help me. Please.” She begged.

  “Go!” I shouted.

  “Pap, help her,” Addy cried.

  “Go. Go!” I demanded.

  “Earl, for Christ sake,” Lisa said. “She’s hurt.”

  “Dad! Go!”

  My father was never one for being a Good Samaritan or bleeding heart. After saying, “I’m sorry.” He pulled out of the driveway full speed and took off.

  EIGHT – STUNNING TRUTH

  It started to rain, which was typical for Pittsburgh weather. The gray skies added a gloomy look to all that was going on. My girls were upset which was evident by their silence. The first ten minutes in the car they cried, then nothing. The squeaky windshield wipers added a sort of backbeat to the, ‘Best of Neil Sedaka’ music my father played.

  I hated living in the city, so I moved south. It was the first time I wished I lived in the city. To get to the cabin we had to go through downtown and hopefully catch the expressway to the interstate.

  Traffic moved slowly, but it moved on the way into town.

  Once things calmed down, I pulled out the first aid kit and decided to work on Paul’s injury. He washed down four ibuprofen with the vodka. Lisa had stronger pills, but Paul said he’d rather wait in case he needed them.

  “How are you?” I asked Paul in a whisper.

  “I’m okay.” He said breathy.

  I knew he wasn’t. His face was pale, he wasn’t breathing right and his eyes were bloodshot.

  “It hurts really bad,” he said.

  “Let me take a look.” I rested his arm between us on the seat. The second I touched his arm to undo the towel, I felt the hotness of his skin. I reached up and touched his forehead. “You have a fever.”

  From the front seat, Lisa said, “It’s pain. Pain can do that.”

  “It’s a bite,” my father said. “A human bite is the worst. You took the antibiotics to the cabin, right? We’ll make sure he takes them when we get there.”

  I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe to pull the towel back and see a circle of teeth marks. But when I removed the expedient bandage, a chuck of flesh flapped out. It was still attached to his arm by a thread of skin.

  “Oh my God,” I gasped and gagged.

  Blood oozed out. And using my finger I flipped the piece of flesh back into place.

  “Mommy, what is it?” Addy asked.

  “It’s okay, baby.” I said, looking at Paul. I had to take a moment. “Dad?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I think he needs to go to a hospital.”

  “We can’t take him to a hospital Niles,” my father said. “If there are sick there, we all risk infection. Plus they’re shutting down the city soon.”

  “But his arm, he needs stitches. He has … there’s a piece of his arm that needs sewn back on.”

  Addy and Katie both groaned out ‘ohs’ of disgust.

  “Super glue it,” my father said. “There’s super glue in that kit. Super glue it. It’s the best we can do.”

  I looked at Paul, wanting him to give me an answer. “If you want to go to a hospital we’ll take you.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “We have meds at the cabin. Glue it.”

  I fumbled nervously for the kit. At that point we had entered the tunnels and knew I had to wait until we went through. The lighting was off, half of them didn’t work, and as we drove there was a strobe effect adding an eeriness to Paul, as he stared at me with glossy eyes.

  Once out of the tunnel I gathered my courage to work on him.

  “Do you need help?” Lisa asked.

  “No, no, I can do this,” I said.

  The first thing I did was prep the super glue, removed the cap and had it ready. I then lay his arm over the towel. Gently I poured water over the wound to wash away the excess blood. It still bled, but it had stopped flowing out.

  My hands shook out of control and I did the best I could to run a line of super glue over the circumference of the wound. It would take a few seconds to dry, especially with the blood. After a minute or two I watched the skin tighten
and pull around the glue.

  We moved at a turtles pace toward the express way, but we were moving. I prayed we’d get out of the city.

  Once I knew the super glue was holding, using gauze, I gently cleaned around the bite and bandaged his arm.

  Paul thanked me and rested his head against the window.

  “Is daddy okay?” Addy asked.

  “Yeah, he’s resting.” I replied. It was then I noticed Neil Sedaka was still playing. “Dad, can you see if there’s anything else on the radio?”

  “There’s nothing on the radio, Niles.”

  “Can you try?’

  “Fine. But I like this song. It’s not gloomy.” He switched off the album and scanned the stations.

  “Authorities are urging everyone to stay in their homes …” Switch. “Not the outbreak, but rather riots of desperation …” Switch. “Rumors have it that Mercy Hospital, is not accepting patients at this time and Allegheny General, is not far behind ….” Switch. “Stay calm. This virus will get out of control if we are on the streets spreading it.”

  Off.

  “The girls don’t need to hear that,” my father said.

  Switch.

  ‘Come a come a down doobie do down, down,” sang Neil Sedaka.

  I sat back.

  “Can I smoke?” Lisa asked. “Mind if I smoke? I know the girls are in the car, but I need to smoke.”

  “Smoke.” I said. “Go on.”

  I was able to relax, we were clear sailing on the express way. Another hour we’d be at the cabin, if we kept up the speed.

  Looking out my window, I saw military trucks heading toward the city. We had made it out in the nick of time.

  Paul groaned, shuffling in his seat some. I reached out to touch him and quickly retracted my hand. He was hot, burning up.

  Twenty minutes later we were safely on the interstate. There were very few cars and once we crossed the county line my father pulled off the next exit.

  He had to use the rest room and didn’t think he’d make it to the cabin. The exit was far enough removed from the city, and the small gas station and quick shop was operating as if all were normal.

  “We might as well top her off,” my father said. “I’ll go pay inside, Niles, get ready to pump when you see it’s authorized.”