Ah, another chapter! Man, this one made me feel so terrible! It's kind of angsty, so don't say I never warned you.
Date:
March 24th, 2012
Days after Outbreak:
3
It seemed as if that day would never end. Someone was constantly by Beth's side. Most of the time it was Abby. I remember one time she was on watch while I was making lunch for Tommy. I heard her scream from upstairs.
"BEN!" She flew down the stairs in a panic. "Ben, it's Beth! She just… She got sick. Everywhere." She panted.
"Alright. You stay here with Tommy. I'll be right back." I set down the plate in front of my son and headed upstairs. Beth was horrible sight. She sat on the floor trembling, still in the same nightgown she'd been wearing that morning. It was soaked with seat from her fever. The sheets were covered in a thick mess. I felt slightly ill myself at the sight of it.
She let out a little whimper. I knelt down beside her, and she burst into tears. I held for a few moments. "Why don't you change into a different gown? Can you do that?" She nodded weakly. As I began to clean up the mess she'd made, I closed my eyes in a silent prayer.
Abby walked into the room with a laundry basket which I placed the dirty sheets in. Then I put some fresh ones on the bed and told to her to get some rest. She didn't even need to be asked, as her eyelids drooped as soon as she climbed into the bed. I only wish I could say that was the end of the ordeal. But it had only just begun.
Date:
March 25th, 2012
Days after Outbreak:
4
Beth dozed on the chair in the packed waiting room, resting her head on my arm. Abigail sat beside me, dark circles under her eyes. She hadn't slept the entire night, and she looked exhausted. Beth hadn't kept anything down since the morning before, and Abby had refused to sleep in case she needed help. I had actually had a bit of a hard time resting myself.
"Elizabeth Gates?" A nurse in pink scrubs popped into the waiting room. I roused Beth, who let out a small yawn. We walked into the neat and tidy doctor's office, waiting for Dr. Williamson to arrive. He walked in a few minutes later with a polite smile.
"Mr. and Mrs. Gates." He greeted us both. "I understand your daughter has been ill the past few days." Abby and I nodded. He grabbed a small tool and looked into Beth's eyes, ears, and mouth, then checked her heartbeat. He scribbled a few things down on a notebook, then licked his lips and turned back to Abby and me.
"What have her symptoms been?"
"Fever, vomiting and weakness." I listed. He looked at her thoughtfully.
"A pale complexion." He murmured. He looked down at his notebook, then back at Beth, then back at us. "There's no doubt. This girl has the White Fever."
Abigail let out a little whimper and covered her mouth. I gently patted my wife's hand.
"Is there anything we can do for her?" I asked. Dr. Williamson seemed to consider this for a moment.
"All you can really do for now is try to keep her fever down, but only when it's high. Her temperature will soon start falling as well. Other than that, I'm afraid there's nothing else you can do." He paused, and cleared his throat nervously and walked towards us, speaking so that Beth wouldn't be able to hear. "There is no cure for this fever. I think you should know that the chances of her surviving this are very slim. She'll be lucky to live until the end of next week. I'm sorry."
I could see tears shining in Abigail's eyes. "My baby." She whispered, her voice strangled. I put a hand on her shoulder and thanked the doctor, who then left the room after suggesting a few more tips to keep Beth comfortable. I could tell Abigail was struggling not to cry in front of Beth, whose eyes were wide in fear.
The little girl let out a whimper. "What's gonna to happen to me, Daddy?"
I looked up at my daughter, heartbroken. I walked over to the little seat, stroking her hair. "I don't know, sweetie."
She stuck her thumb in her mouth, closing her eyes. I picked her up in my arms and we left the doctor's office, not wanting the doctor's words to become reality.
Date:
March 28th, 2012
Days after Outbreak:
7
By the 26th of March, we had 2 sick children to take care of. Tommy was also sick, and we knew what to expect this time. I had painted a white mark on the door of our house, marking the illness. Nearly every building in town had been marked or abandoned. Hundreds were already dead in the US alone, and panic was rising.
I remember waking up that morning, hearing a faint cry from the bedroom where the twins were sleeping. Abigail was gone, probably checking on the kids.
Then she came in the room, sobbing.
"B-B-Be-" She couldn't even bring herself to say our daughter's name. She buried her face in my chest, and I put an arm around her. "It's not fair! She was just a little girl! And – And we didn't even get to say goodbye."
I willed myself not to cry, but it was hard.
"We need to take her out of the room before Tommy wakes up." I said softly. Abigail nodded wordlessly, sitting down on the bed. I walked into the room silently, my heart breaking in two. She was lying there like a sleeping doll, her blonde hair spread all over the pillow, her big blue eyes closed. Tears sprang into my eyes, but I wouldn't let them run.
I carefully scooped her up in my arms. Her face was the palest I'd ever seen, and her body went limp in my arms. I closed my eyes, walking out into the hall. I took her into my room, laying her down on the bed. Suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door.
I flew down the stairs and opened the door. A man wearing a surgical mask and gloves stood at the door.
"Bring out your dead."
"What?" I couldn't believe my own ears. "I'm sorry, this is my daughter. Can't we just…"
"We can't just have infected bodies lying around. Bring her out here." He ordered, his voice edgy.
"Can't we just have…" I tried to protest.
"You could be arrested if you don't cooperate. Bring out your daughter now!" He barked. I sighed, tears threatening.
"One moment." I mumbled, closing the door. I went back upstairs and found Abigail clutching to Beth for dear life.
"NO!" She screamed when I attempted to explain. "I'M NOT LETTING HIM JUST DUMP MY DAUGHTER IN SOME KIND OF PIT! I WON'T LET HIM!"
"We have to!" I cried in exasperation.
"NO!" Abigail cried, clutching Beth even tighter. I bit my lip, letting out a long sigh.
"We have to. There's no choice." I said simply. Abigail looked up, ready to fight back, but she stopped herself. With a little sigh, she let Beth go, and I took her in my own arms, carrying her down the stairs. The man took her.
"She will be taken care of, sir." He said softly, as if he had heard Abigail's argument.
He left the house, and for a moment I stood there numbly. Suddenly I slammed the door shut and the tears made their way through, and I found myself sitting against the door, crying as if I would never stop.
I warned you! -kicks self- Dang it, I feel terrible.