Darlings of Decay Page 13

  Katherine responded that she wasn’t sure her husband would like that, but would keep the race horse thing in mind.

  In her first class seat, airplane leveling from take off, Katherine laughed.

  She didn’t even realize she laughed out loud until Bret Barret said something.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked.

  “Oh," Katherine briefly closed her eyes in embarrassment. “Just thinking back about something Irma said.”

  Bret laughed. “I can only imagine. Irma is like a dose of good when you need it.”

  Katherine nodded her agreement. Bret was right. Irma was like Alka Seltzer, a bubbly medicine that kicks in and makes you feel good. She only wished they marketed medicinal versions of Irma. A miracle cure. Something in side of Katherine told her, the situation in Peru, would need just that.

  CHAPTER THREE

  May 3rd

  Carancus, Puno, Peru

  It was hard for Carlos to distinguish who was asking him questions. Between his illness and the biohazard suits the doctors and military wore, he never knew if he were speaking to the same person.

  It didn’t matter. Carlos’ story remained the same.

  Why was it so hard for them to believe a rock fell from the sky? Why were there so many government officials? He could see if it were a satellite or missile, but Carlos saw it with his own eyes. It was a rock. Now, he was told there was no rock, there was nothing but water.

  Whatever it was embedded itself into the earth.

  And if that rock caused his sickness, how many more others would be affected.

  At that instant, Carlos thought about his son and worried.

  He took comfort in the fact that his son was nowhere near the rock. In addition, Ben’s wife, who also was far away, was well. Carlos knew that, she had been taken into quarantine as well.

  The questions were the same. What did you see? What time was this? Did you smell anything?

  Carlos answered then Carlos ended it all with ‘excuse me while I vomit’.

  Another man from his village said he had eavesdropped and heard the doctors say there were 150 people affected. Anyone who went near the site turned ill.

  ‘Stay away from the site’, Carlos beckoned in his mind to his son. ‘Just stay away.’

  Carlos had thrown up so much in the last ten hours, there was nothing left but green bile. His stomach churned and twisted with pain. His head wretched and a fever raged.

  He was told by the medical people it would pass. That he probably inhaled fumes from whatever it was.

  If it was going to pass, surely Carlos would have been feeling better. Instead, like a raging infection, he just grew worse.

  <><><><>

  Juan was hungry, but it wasn’t time to eat. Not yet. He had gone back home to his village, to his home to get food and water for the trip. He knew it would take him days. But he would prevail.

  His stomach felt funny, but he attributed that to hunger. At only six, he knew what it took to survive. Before they moved to the village, when his mother was alive, he and his father were lost in the forest for several days. His father taught him much. Including being careful.

  Juan was.

  He knew he had better take the tree lined path, stay off the main roads, and move without being seen on the way to the next town.

  That was evident. The police, military, and men in space suits were everywhere, even more so near the big hole when he walked by. He was able to sneak unseen and get a look at the hole that drew attention, but it only held water.

  When a man shouted out for him to ‘stop, don’t move’, Juan ran. He would keep on running, too, until he made it to the next town.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  May 5th

  Carancus, Puno, Peru

  If it smelled like normal vomit, it probably wouldn’t have bothered Hans Riesman, however the regurgitation that erupted from the 603 patients was foul smelling, like death.

  Hans was grateful the journey into the tents of the aid town, were infrequent.

  He finished his report to Saul, the third and he hoped final one, typing it on the computer and preparing it to send. Hans who was a brilliant virologist was stumped as much as anyone.

  None of the infected showed signs of getting better, in fact, they deteriorated. A wellness camp, courtesy of the Peru Health ministry, WHO, and CDC, was erected twenty-three miles from the nearest town in a remote field. They had divided up the ill. Those initially infected, then day two infections. There were no day three infections because the town had been cleared out, and those who remained wore respirators.

  That told Hans a lot. Whatever it was wasn’t in the air nor was it airborne. The initial victims were tended to by local doctors twenty miles away and those doctors didn’t wear protective clothing, nor did they show signs of the illness.

  Then the other test confirmed. It showed a viral bacteria in the blood stream that had taken over. Hans was hopeful, with it being a bacteria, that meant antibiotics, but this was resistant. Why wouldn’t it be? It came from somewhere unknown.

  That same bacterium was found in the soil, on the rooftops, grass, invisible to the naked eye but it was there. It was more predominant around the landing site. Traces of the bacterium dissipated the further from town they went. After a ten mile radius, no traces were found.

  Hans and everyone else deducted, whatever landed in that hole released something that worked like a man made biological weapon. It affected everyone in an area, and diminished in time.

  The scariest part of it all was somehow it was contagious. No contact victims had contracted it, yet. However, tests showed when healthy cells were introduced to the bacterium; the bacterium took over within four to eight hours. Blood to blood. Fluid to fluid. At least with that route of transmission and infection it was easier to keep under control.

  Even though they no longer wore respirators, teams wore protective gear and exercised extreme caution when cleaning up.

  Hans was confident, and he expressed so in his report to Saul. Contained.

  No new cases, they were isolated, every person exposed was quarantined, and the impact site secure.

  He ended his report stating, ‘It is only a matter of time to finalize answers. The infected will either get well or succumb, and for that, we just have to wait.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Atlanta, GA

  The dining room table was all set for dinner when Saul came home, which was unusual. Irma usually set the kitchen table, seeing that it was just those two. But the addition of two place settings told him they were having company. Saul didn’t want to ask about it, he just wanted to jump in the shower.

  A napkin covered a basket of rolls, which Irma set on the table when a crisp smelling Saul returned.

  “Saul, honey, please, put on a nice shirt.”

  “I’m home for the first time in nearly 48 hours. I’m not working. I’d like to be comfortable.”

  “Fine.” Irma walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “I have a nice cheese plate made in the kitchen, do you want to nibble?”

  “No, no, I’m good.” Saul’s hands gripped the back of the chair. “Who’s coming to dinner?”

  “Bill and Lacia.”

  “Who?”

  “Bill and Lacia. Katherine’s husband and daughter. I figured they could use a home cooked meal while she’s out of town.”

  “Irma, I don’t think Katherine cooked.”

  Irma gave a little wave of her hand. “I’m sure they had meal time.” She glanced up at Saul as she fixed the table. “What’s going on? Is it that Peruvian flu? I’ve been reading about that in the papers, the net …”

  “You shouldn’t hear much about that after tomorrow morning.”

  “Over?”

  “Contained Hans said.” Saul remarked.

  “So you’re marking it contained.”

  “Actually, the news release is that it’s mass hysteria causing it.”

  Irma’s hand went to her chest. “Thank God.
What wonderful news to be telling Bill and Lacia.”

  “What news?”

  “That Katherine should be home. It’s not a flu it’s hysteria.”

  “No, Irma.” Saul shook his head. “The news release is gonna say it’s mass hysteria.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No.”

  “Saul why are you lying to the public?”

  “To stop mass hysteria.”

  Irma tilted her head with a look that conveyed she didn’t understand.

  “What else can we do?” Saul asked.

  “So there is a flu?”

  “Oh, yeah. Not airborne, but a highly contagious fast moving flu.”

  “Deadly?”

  “No one has died yet.”

  “Yet?”

  Saul shrugged.

  “But it’s contained?”

  “Yes. No more ill have come in, we have everyone that is infected.”

  “Saul, if it’s contained. Why not say that?” Irma asked.

  “Because how can we explain a flu or bacterial infection that we have never seen, that appears more and more every day to have come from outer space.”

  Irma gasped. “I’ve read novels about that.”

  “Yeah, so have millions of other people. It could be worse if the news of this thing gets out. No, no.” Saul walked slowly from the chair. “It’s better this way. This way everyone will forget about it. We can put it to rest and God willing.” Saul peered to her with his tired eyes. “We’ll never see this again.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  May 6th

  Carancus, Puno, Peru

  Katherine rubbed her eyes. If she stared at the microbes on the computer screen another second, she would go blind and or crazy. Peering to the corner of her computer screen, she saw the time of 2 AM. Things had been quiet, too quiet. She didn’t even hear many voices. She decided quiet time was the best time to check on things.

  She left her makeshift lab quietly. Hans was sleeping on the cot and she pulled the door closed. A soldier was posted right outside her door. He stood diligently on his night shift.

  “Evening,” she said to him.

  “Ma’am. Working late I see.”

  “Again,” she smiled pleasantly at him. He wasn’t young. He wasn’t old, but he wasn’t a baby face soldier. She was grateful for the protection that the Army provided. Of course, they had their own virology team there as well. Their trailer posted another mile or so away. They were there for research, not care. Katherine was there for both.

  She said a good night, thanked him for doing his job and walked over to the first tent about fifty yards away. No soldiers were posted there. No need. There were four that sat by a perimeter twenty yards away. Too far to shout out to them, she didn’t want to wake the ill.

  The first tent contained about two hundred people, the first wave of ill; she’d walk through there on her way to the next tent.

  She opened the flap. It smelled funny, sounded too quiet.

  Stepping into the clerical and nurses’ area, Katherine was surprised that the night nurse wasn’t there. Maybe she was checking on patients.

  With an extension of her arm, she drew back the curtain to the main sick bay. A place where cots upon cots were lined up.

  Katherine stopped.

  The tent was void of the hundred of patients. The cots were empty. Was she dreaming? Where were the patients? Just as she turned to find help, she saw a single patient lying on the bed.

  Carlos.

  He didn’t move. Katherine walked hurriedly to the bed.

  “Carlos.” She reached down to this arm and he fingers retracted. Cold. His skin was hard and cold. Her hand moved to his wrist. “Oh my God,” she wisped out. He hadn’t a pulse. She turned to call for help when a hand clasped upon her forearm. She peeped a shriek at the tight grip and shifted her eyes.

  Carlos stared at her.

  “Carlos?” She reached for his grip. “Carlos you’re hurting me.”

  A foul odor pummeled her when he widened his mouth and gasped.

  She turned her head, aiming her voice outward with a shout. “Someone!” But she never got a chance to get out another word. A sharp tearing pain ripped into her arm like she had never felt, and a silent scream of agony escaped her. She looked to see Carlos, his teeth sunk into her flesh. Strands of bloody ligaments and veins extended from her arm to his mouth as he pulled hungrily.

  Horrified, Katherine fought to free her arm. Her screams were muffled with pain and fear, and her escape attempt was in vain.

  From the cot, Carlos lunged. His flailing body careened into Katherine, knocking her into anther cot. Locked in almost a mad, fighting embrace, they fell to the floor.

  <><><><>

  Like a child with night terrors, Hans sat straight up on the cot, tensioning, unable to move, unaware of his surroundings. It took him a few moments to come to. He controlled his breaths and his mind began to think clearly.

  Was it a scream he heard? Yes, he heard a scream.

  Wait. He thought, no. No only silence.

  What was it that caused him to awake and sit straight up in bed?

  The lights in the lab were still on and he looked at his watch.

  Nearly three am.

  Needing a cigarette, Hans swung his legs over the cot, stumbled to the door, grabbing his coat and smokes as he opened it.

  The soldier on post looked over his shoulder at Hans and smiled.

  “Son,” Hans said. Not that the soldier could be his son, Hans had him by maybe 15 years tops.

  “Sir.”

  “You seen Dr. Welsh?” Hans lit a cigarette.

  “Yes, sir, she went to the tents.” The soldier nodded in a point at the tent area.

  “Did you hear anything?” Hans asked, blowing out the smoke.

  “No, sir, it’s been quiet.”

  Cigarette clenched between his fingers he brought it to his lips and inhaled deeply bringing his head upward as he did.

  Hans paused.

  Through the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of the light in the tent. “Did you see that?”

  “See what?”

  “The light in the tent flickered.”

  “No, I didn’t. Maybe . . .”

  It was clear that the soldier saw it at the same time Hans did.

  This time the light truly flickered as if it were being hit.

  “I’m going to go check that out,” Hans said, and started to walk toward the tent.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  The soldier kept up the pace and as they approached, they could hear the other group of soldiers talking and laughing.

  Hans took that as a sign all was well.

  Probably just a power problem.

  He walked into the tent. Nothing. No sounds. He lifted the nurse’s clipboard, to check to see when she did rounds last.

  He stared at it,

  “Something wrong?” the soldier asked.

  “Last notation was two hours ago. Where is the nurse? Katherine.”

  “In there?”

  Holding the clipboard, Hans parted the curtain. His steps were slow, as he was exposed to the same first sight as Katherine had been.

  “Where are the patients?” the soldier quizzed.

  “I … I don’t know.” Hans stuttered. His body shifted to the right and to the left. “God.”

  The shifting of his weapon startled Hans almost as much as all the blood by Carlos’ empty cot.

  “What the hell happened?” Hans spoke his thoughts out loud. “Soldier, go get some help.”

  “Yes, sir. I think you should come with me, though.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Sir…”

  “I’m fine. Go.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The soldier backed up and left. Hans walked to the cot.

  The bedding was still shimmering in blood and he stared at it in wonder. But he wasn’t going to stay long. After a quick examination he turned.

  The light flick
ered and he saw her.

  At the other end of the tent, Katherine stood there. He couldn’t see her clearly, she was a mere shadow.

  Hans sighed out in relief. “Katherine.” He rushed her way.

  She didn’t move.

  “Katherine. Are you all right.” He closed in on her. “What happened here?”

  On his last word, Katherine stammered to him and into the way of the light.

  Hans saw her.

  Her head tilted, her body bloody, her neck was wounded, and from her stomach, a gaping hole appeared to seep her insides. Her lifeless eyes stared at him.

  “Good God, Katherine.” In an instinctual leap to help, Hans grabbed on to her. His fingers touched her arm. He froze as he got a closer look.

  Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. He felt it when he saw her. And then Katherine made this horrendous gasping sound. Her mouth opened and it lunged for his arm.

  Hans drew back his arm quickly and Katherine moved in a slow attack mode. He shoved her back. “Soldier!” he cried out and she leapt for him again. Another shove, Katherine stumbled back, and returned in her pursuit.

  He couldn’t think of anything else, but to get out of there. But before she could touch him again, in order to make a clear escape, Hans swung out the clipboard, smashing her in the side of the head. He dropped it and ran out.

  <><><><>

  It was a blur.

  Hans took off from the tent with the mission in mind to call the CDC. Someone. He didn’t know what happened, what occurred. He screamed for help as he ran from the tent, looking over his shoulder only once to see the soldiers scurry to aid.

  But he kept on running.

  He locked the CDC lab. His hands shook. Calm. Calm. He had to calm down.

  He fumbled for his cigarettes and, against the rules or not, lit on in the lab and grabbed the phone. His fingers shook his badly as he dialed and inhaled his nicotine.

  A couple hits, a ring. No answer. A voice mail.

  Damn it.

  Middle of the message he heard a few shots outside and it caused him to jump and topple the phone.