Series 1, episode 1.
This had been a nice neighborhood once.
Upper-middle class, houses set apart, gardens nicely laid out. Some still had toys thrown carelessly around them, toys no one had been quick enough to pick up.
Every so often Mark thought he saw a curtain twitch in the windows as he drove past. People were desperate for any human contact these days, even if it was only to see him drive past, even if he wasn't telling them anything new.
Sighing faintly, he turned on the speakers on top of his car and set the pre-recorded message playing…again.
"Code 1, civil priority, isolation now in effect. To avoid the risk of contamination, please stay indoors and await further instructions. Medical advice will be given. Code 1, civil priority, isolation now in effect. To avoid the risk of contamination, please stay indoors and await further instructions."
He turned at the bottom of the hill, passing no 57, and left the area, heading back to the city. He'd done his duty for today, now he was going home…and a rattle in his chest said he wouldn't be back tomorrow.
Trudy heard the van going by outside but paid it no mind. It had been going past for days now, saying the exact same thing.
On TV the news announcer-Smithson, she thought his name was-was saying much the same thing as the van had.
"Authorities are appealing for calm throughout the evacuation process. All children under the age of 18 years should report to their local sector for transportation."
"You have to go." her mother said quietly.
They'd had this argument several times already. Time was running out now, though, and she had to get Trudy to agree.
"But what about you? And Dad" Trudy protested.
"It's too late for us, Trudy." her father said. "You have to accept that. Save yourself, for your mother's sake." Voice breaking, he finished "And mine."
Oh, Trudy. he thought. Too young for this, my dear. Seventeen…still a baby, really.
"No…" Trudy whispered through her tears.
"No!"