The next morning Steph awoke with a start. She had fallen to sleep sometime last night but had not checked on little Genna all night long. Leaping from the bed, she ran to the baby's room and found Will sitting next to the crib in his pajamas.
"She woke up and was crying. I made her a bottle but she didn't want it so I got another with juice. She drank all of that and I changed her, but I couldn't button up her sleeper. Are you mad?"
"No, Will. You are such a big help. How is she?"
Steph checked the baby and found her fever was back. Steph felt like she had one too, but the baby came first. She drew another bath and dosed Genna with some Motrin. Charles wandered in the room, disheveled and looking like a bus ran over him. Only Ella stayed in bed for the time being.
The baby's temperature would not drop in spite of baths and medicine. Steph bundled herself and the baby up and went to the nearest Primacare but found it closed. It was then she noticed several stores were closed and the parking lots empty. She drove on the hospital but the streets clogged with dozens of idling and abandoned cars blocked her from getting within a mile of the building.
On a whim, she called the children's pediatrician on her iPhone and was delighted that someone answered. The nurse, whose voice sounded muffled, advised against coming by but said they would see the baby if no one else would.
The pediatrician wore a face mask the whole time they saw him as did all of the nurses. The office was packed with sick and very scared parents. The doctor only looked at the baby for a few minutes before having the nurse give the baby an injection in her leg.
"It's a new flu virus and this is the latest thing we have. I don't know if it's too late but let's hope for the best. Take care" and then he left.
The words "Too late" stuck in her head, but figured he meant Genna catching the darn bug and not the alternative. She asked about bringing Ella and Will in for a shot, but the nurse could not confirm whether they would be open much longer today. "Try back tomorrow".
At home, Ella had a fever, Charles was complaining about there being no soup or anything to eat and Will was trying to get the TV to work. The cable and internet were both out. Shortly afterward, the power flickered for a few minutes before shutting off entirely. Steph dug out an electric bill and called the customer service number. She felt like crap and intended on chewing out the first person who answered the phone. After she pushed send on her cellular, all she heard were some clicks and a long beep. Call failed.
That evening, Charles went out to the Kroger down the street with Mr Brandon from across the street. The store was not letting anyone in because of trouble with some shoppers earlier. There was shooting. Charles did not come home that night and Mr Brandon had no idea where he had gone to as they were separated when the shooting started.
Around two in the morning, Genna went into convulsions and passed away in Steph's arms. Nobody answered her frantic 911 calls. Steph, exhausted, sick and emotionally drained screamed and wept into Genna's stuffed bear while Will sat next to her. She wrapped the little Genna small body in a sheet and laid her in her crib not knowing what to do next.
Ella woke up and in a cracked voice called for her mother. Will came in and brought her tepid water from the still refrigerator. Steph had passed out around five in the morning and Will sat vigil all night next to Genna's crib. He did not tell Ella what happened.
Later that day, Will looked out the window and saw black smoke in the sky. Steph woke up and like a zombie, picked up the limp body of Genna and carefully buried her small body in the flower bed along the high cedar fence in the backyard. She then came inside, threw up and went back to her room.
Ella got better. Two days after it happened, Will finally told Ella what happened to Genna because she kept bugging him about their mother and the baby. He and Ella cried for awhile. They cried for their little sister and for their missing father and for themselves.
The next day, Ella and Will went outside and played with the two Brandon boys and some other children in the neighborhood. Many of their parents were sick or dead and there wasn't anyone telling them what to do. Ella decided to run down the street to her friend Jennifer's house to see if she could come out and play.
A few days later, Ella was dead and soon followed by Steph, their mother. Nobody heard from their father again and it was assumed that he had been shot at the grocery store and his body carried away.
Will last played with the Brandon boys before they disappeared or left, he could not remember but he remembered being alone for a couple of days. Sometime soon afterward, Ernesto and poor old Mrs. Whitcomb found Will near his home and then they met Jack a day or so later.
End Prologue
Be Prepared For Anything Survival Guide
The stories here are original and works in progress. Please leave a comment if you like them, hate them, or want more. Thanks
Monday
Prologue: Fragile Part Three
Stephanie woke with a start and looking at the bedside table, realized the older children would have to be woken up now if they were to get to school on time. Jumping from the bed, she saw the other half was empty and remembered that Charles was probably still asleep in the living room.
Before she put on her slippers and robe, she went to check on baby Genna. The baby was still asleep and her breathing was less raspy than before. There was snot caked in one nostril, but her skin was cool to the touch.
Her attention now on the baby, Stephanie forgot about the hour and the other members of the family and took the baby to the changing table. She removed Genna's sleeper and started warm water in the tub.
By that night, a number of things had taken place. The baby was better, but Charles had come down with it as well. Stephanie was exhausted, but still not sick. The other two children, Will and Ella, were fine, but naturally, very worried about their baby sister.
Stepanie was unable to reach the doctor or the hospital. The lines were either busy or nobody answered. She directed her attention to the baby and home care instead. She gave the baby regular baths, changed her crib sheets twice a day and washed her own hands religiously. She alternated between dosing the baby with the prescription she was sent home with along with some Benadryl to keep down the cold symptoms.
Charles hacked, coughed and blew his nose all the next day while fitfully sleeping in the spare room. Ella ended up with a runny nose by dinner time and complained about feeling achy. By this time, even Steph was starting to feel under the weather. Only little Will seemed unaffected by the bug.
The next morning, everything changed again.
Before she put on her slippers and robe, she went to check on baby Genna. The baby was still asleep and her breathing was less raspy than before. There was snot caked in one nostril, but her skin was cool to the touch.
Her attention now on the baby, Stephanie forgot about the hour and the other members of the family and took the baby to the changing table. She removed Genna's sleeper and started warm water in the tub.
By that night, a number of things had taken place. The baby was better, but Charles had come down with it as well. Stephanie was exhausted, but still not sick. The other two children, Will and Ella, were fine, but naturally, very worried about their baby sister.
Stepanie was unable to reach the doctor or the hospital. The lines were either busy or nobody answered. She directed her attention to the baby and home care instead. She gave the baby regular baths, changed her crib sheets twice a day and washed her own hands religiously. She alternated between dosing the baby with the prescription she was sent home with along with some Benadryl to keep down the cold symptoms.
Charles hacked, coughed and blew his nose all the next day while fitfully sleeping in the spare room. Ella ended up with a runny nose by dinner time and complained about feeling achy. By this time, even Steph was starting to feel under the weather. Only little Will seemed unaffected by the bug.
The next morning, everything changed again.
Prologue: Fragile Part Two
Stephanie did not like the look of the people around her. Many looked like they had no insurance or means to pay. "Fringe people" she termed them; those people who always have children they cannot afford and stories to accompany their problems. The people who hold up the line at the bank or grocery store with their long tales about missing ID's and bounced checks.
A nurse called for the baby by name and Steph took the baby and followed the nurse to an examination room.
Stephanie entered through the double glass doors and nearly fell over when she saw what waited for her and the baby. The entire hallway was lined with people; children, adults, old and young. And all sick. They leaned against walls, sat on the floor and ever a few, were laying down parallel to the wall.
The nurse guided Steph to a counter, sat behind it in a spare chair and asked without looking up "Age of the infected?"
Seven hours later, Genna had a fever and was laying on a bed in the hospital with an IV in one arm and a monitor attached to the other. The bed was wedged into a small room with two other beds each containing babies as well.
One of the other mothers blowing her nose after letting off three loud sneezes into the air without covering her mouth. "No wonder everyone is sick" thought Steph to herself.
Steph phoned home and found that Charles had finally returned from the office and had picked up Ella and Will from the Brandons across the street. Charles would make the two older children dinner and help them with their homework and wait for Steph to get home.
Steph hung up the phone a few minutes later and wished she had a bottle of water or some coffee, but she did not want to leave the baby. Not with that sneezing woman just a few feet away.
Genna was sleeping as the nurse had given her something for her cold symptoms, but her breathing was rattling with every exhale.
A young intern came into the room and made the rounds. When he reached Genna, he took a look at her chart, squeezed Steph on the shoulder and started out the door. The doctor shook his head after he left the room. The next few days would be difficult.
About 15 minutes later, a relieved Stephanie made her way with a sleeping Genna out to the car. She was thankful the parking lot was well lit with extra security lights mounted on trailers. They must have needed the lights with all the extra people still trying to get into the hospital. There were several police officers still directing traffic into the parking lot which made her feel more at ease as well.
Genna was still breathing heavily when they got home, but she seemed to be sleeping soundly. Stephanie checked on the other children and found Charles asleep in the living room with the television on. He has left Fox News on and there were scenes of some people fighting with each other in the streets while buildings burned behind them.
Stephanie assumed it was one of those foreign countries and turned off the set without a thought. Had she left it on, she would have heard the anchor person speaking with a reporter on the ground. The city was Los Angeles and the riots were taking place in other American cities as well at the same time.
A nurse called for the baby by name and Steph took the baby and followed the nurse to an examination room.
Stephanie entered through the double glass doors and nearly fell over when she saw what waited for her and the baby. The entire hallway was lined with people; children, adults, old and young. And all sick. They leaned against walls, sat on the floor and ever a few, were laying down parallel to the wall.
The nurse guided Steph to a counter, sat behind it in a spare chair and asked without looking up "Age of the infected?"
Seven hours later, Genna had a fever and was laying on a bed in the hospital with an IV in one arm and a monitor attached to the other. The bed was wedged into a small room with two other beds each containing babies as well.
One of the other mothers blowing her nose after letting off three loud sneezes into the air without covering her mouth. "No wonder everyone is sick" thought Steph to herself.
Steph phoned home and found that Charles had finally returned from the office and had picked up Ella and Will from the Brandons across the street. Charles would make the two older children dinner and help them with their homework and wait for Steph to get home.
Steph hung up the phone a few minutes later and wished she had a bottle of water or some coffee, but she did not want to leave the baby. Not with that sneezing woman just a few feet away.
Genna was sleeping as the nurse had given her something for her cold symptoms, but her breathing was rattling with every exhale.
A young intern came into the room and made the rounds. When he reached Genna, he took a look at her chart, squeezed Steph on the shoulder and started out the door. The doctor shook his head after he left the room. The next few days would be difficult.
About 15 minutes later, a relieved Stephanie made her way with a sleeping Genna out to the car. She was thankful the parking lot was well lit with extra security lights mounted on trailers. They must have needed the lights with all the extra people still trying to get into the hospital. There were several police officers still directing traffic into the parking lot which made her feel more at ease as well.
Genna was still breathing heavily when they got home, but she seemed to be sleeping soundly. Stephanie checked on the other children and found Charles asleep in the living room with the television on. He has left Fox News on and there were scenes of some people fighting with each other in the streets while buildings burned behind them.
Stephanie assumed it was one of those foreign countries and turned off the set without a thought. Had she left it on, she would have heard the anchor person speaking with a reporter on the ground. The city was Los Angeles and the riots were taking place in other American cities as well at the same time.
Prologue: Fragile Part One
Nobody knew where the virus came from or how it was created. Many thought it was a natural occurrence, others thought it was deliberately created while some thought it was simply, "an act of God". Regardless, it came, it killed, it left.
The virus attacked in two ways. Some people simply got the virus, got sick and died within three or four days. That was the really young and old who fell into this category. Others got sick, got better a few days later and then relapsed a week or so later and then died.
A small number got sick, but never relapsed and of course, never died, but they were carriers. Others, simply never got sick. Those people are still here to this day.
The first week, over one hundred million Americans were estimated to have been infected. After that first week, nobody bothered with tabulating the numbers, it did not make any more sense and the medical experts were too overwhelmed to make any progress.
The hospitals and doctors offices filled in the first few days before the public was warned to simply stay home, drink plenty of fluids and rest. It must not have made much of an impact as most hospitals were surrounded by abandoned vehicles for miles around. The overflow of patients and dead, were placed in tents and temporary shelters spreading out from the parking lot between the abandoned cars, trucks and vans.
Within three weeks, the virus had swept the world over. Most were dead or dying. How and who the virus infected and killed versus those who lived, made no sense. Even as the virus wound down, many who were still alive, infected or not, were left to deal with a world without any infrastructure or organization.
This one was story...
The Taylors were not much different than the rest of their neighbors in their upper middle class suburb. Dad Charles worked for a mortgage broker business. Sure, business had not been great the past few months, but he had high hopes things would get better in the next few months.
Mom, Stephanie, was a stay at home which was a bit of a misnomer. Most of her time was spent carting the two older kids, Ella and Will, to school, sports, friends and activities in her SUV. Then there was her tennis game and the club she belonged to with a dozen other women she met at her kids' school. The baby Genna, a surprise, was Stephanie's joy and life.
When the virus hit, the Taylors heard something about it on the news, but those stories came up all the time, especially with kids in school. Another flu bug was standard, so they thought. The kids and Dad had taken flu shots last November so they should be fine, right.
When the youngest, Genna, age 15 months, came down with a cold, Steph gave her some Benadryl and kept her in plenty of fluids in the form of watered down juice. On day two, when the baby kept Steph and Charles up all night, Steph decided to call the baby's doctor.
The doctor's office informed Steph to bring the baby to the hospital. "We are no longer seeing patients" said the receptionist who then hung up. Indignant, Steph packed the baby up in her car and drove over the Presbyterian which was only ten minutes away.
Worried she forgot her insurance card, Steph quickly forgot everything when she saw the sight at the hospital. Police were directing traffic into the overflow parking lot. A lighted sign, the kind found on highways and construction zones flashed "Emergency cases left only!!!".
After parking and bringing the baby, now crying uncontrollably, to the door of the hospital, Steph was alarmed at the state of the place. People were everywhere. Sick people. In the lobby, she was handed a clipboard by a volunteer wearing a mask. Steph filled it out and attached her insurance card to the clipboard. She waited 45 minutes for the volunteer to make her rounds through Steph's section of the lobby.
The insurance card was not needed and handed back to Stephanie. "Strange" she thought.
Stephanie waited for over three hours in the lobby, all the while the baby was getting more and more cranky. Virgina would not take the bottle or be consoled. Not that it mattered as the whole lobby and other waiting rooms were full of crying, sniffling and sneezing toddlers and infants.
The virus attacked in two ways. Some people simply got the virus, got sick and died within three or four days. That was the really young and old who fell into this category. Others got sick, got better a few days later and then relapsed a week or so later and then died.
A small number got sick, but never relapsed and of course, never died, but they were carriers. Others, simply never got sick. Those people are still here to this day.
The first week, over one hundred million Americans were estimated to have been infected. After that first week, nobody bothered with tabulating the numbers, it did not make any more sense and the medical experts were too overwhelmed to make any progress.
The hospitals and doctors offices filled in the first few days before the public was warned to simply stay home, drink plenty of fluids and rest. It must not have made much of an impact as most hospitals were surrounded by abandoned vehicles for miles around. The overflow of patients and dead, were placed in tents and temporary shelters spreading out from the parking lot between the abandoned cars, trucks and vans.
Within three weeks, the virus had swept the world over. Most were dead or dying. How and who the virus infected and killed versus those who lived, made no sense. Even as the virus wound down, many who were still alive, infected or not, were left to deal with a world without any infrastructure or organization.
This one was story...
The Taylors were not much different than the rest of their neighbors in their upper middle class suburb. Dad Charles worked for a mortgage broker business. Sure, business had not been great the past few months, but he had high hopes things would get better in the next few months.
Mom, Stephanie, was a stay at home which was a bit of a misnomer. Most of her time was spent carting the two older kids, Ella and Will, to school, sports, friends and activities in her SUV. Then there was her tennis game and the club she belonged to with a dozen other women she met at her kids' school. The baby Genna, a surprise, was Stephanie's joy and life.
When the virus hit, the Taylors heard something about it on the news, but those stories came up all the time, especially with kids in school. Another flu bug was standard, so they thought. The kids and Dad had taken flu shots last November so they should be fine, right.
When the youngest, Genna, age 15 months, came down with a cold, Steph gave her some Benadryl and kept her in plenty of fluids in the form of watered down juice. On day two, when the baby kept Steph and Charles up all night, Steph decided to call the baby's doctor.
The doctor's office informed Steph to bring the baby to the hospital. "We are no longer seeing patients" said the receptionist who then hung up. Indignant, Steph packed the baby up in her car and drove over the Presbyterian which was only ten minutes away.
Worried she forgot her insurance card, Steph quickly forgot everything when she saw the sight at the hospital. Police were directing traffic into the overflow parking lot. A lighted sign, the kind found on highways and construction zones flashed "Emergency cases left only!!!".
After parking and bringing the baby, now crying uncontrollably, to the door of the hospital, Steph was alarmed at the state of the place. People were everywhere. Sick people. In the lobby, she was handed a clipboard by a volunteer wearing a mask. Steph filled it out and attached her insurance card to the clipboard. She waited 45 minutes for the volunteer to make her rounds through Steph's section of the lobby.
The insurance card was not needed and handed back to Stephanie. "Strange" she thought.
Stephanie waited for over three hours in the lobby, all the while the baby was getting more and more cranky. Virgina would not take the bottle or be consoled. Not that it mattered as the whole lobby and other waiting rooms were full of crying, sniffling and sneezing toddlers and infants.
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