I worked as Surgeon on the Children's floor of the local Hospital and I often worked on children or babies. But most the time I worked as doctor on the floor with the younger children. I used to be military for about 10 years right out of high school I joined up and they paid for my schooling which only took 5 years since I went to school year around instead of just during the school year. Plus I was a faster learner so I picked up on things and remembered them twice as fast as most people did. I was an army solider for the first 5 years while I got my doctor degree and then a medic for the last 5 years. I was missing to much of my son's life as he was already Four and I had missed so much so.
I went into reservers when my oldest son Matthew Bryce or Matt as we call him just turned 4 and I wanted to be there for him instead of just relying on my husband Dean to look after him. The military thanked me for my service by offering one of the best jobs at the hospital on the army base which I declined not wanting to have to live on the army base. I wanted to live in the house that Dean had built for me and our family. I was out of the army for about 2 months before I found out I was pregnant again. I was so happy that our family was growing that I couldn't wait to meet our next baby. I was hoping for a girl to even out the numbers but a boy would make us just as happy as long as the baby was healthy.
I wasn't surprised at all to hear that it was another boy since my family on both sides had mostly boys the past couple generations. Matt birthday was a couple months before I gave birth to Samuel Aidan or Sam as we call him. He was a small baby and looked more like me than his dad. I was so happy to have another baby that we really focused on our family. I got to start teaching Matt more and more about hunting now that he was older and could understand that guns weren't toys and he picked up on it faster than I thought he would. Matt loved to hunt and really good at both hunting and tracking. We bought an Rv that week looking to go hunting as a family every year on the weekends.
We loved to hunt together as a family we pretty much lived off the forrest and what was found in it when we hunted. We taught our children that the forrest gave you everything you could ever need you just had to know how and where to find it. I loved watching my boys explore the woods and see the animals and insects that lived in it. Sam was getting older so he could start hunting himself. Of course we would only let him have the gun when he shot the animal and the rest of the time Me or Dean carried it. Life was great and then we were blessed again with yet another baby and we were so happy to be adding to the family once again but this time I really wanted a girl but had a feeling I wouldn't be getting one.
I gave birth to another son Ethan Tala or Ethan as we called him and almost died in the process so we both agreed to get fixed. The c-section went wrong or the doctor screwed up or something because with Ethan being sideways when I went into labor we didn't have a choice. I remembered Ethan coming out then hearing that I was bleeding so it sound like they nicked something by accident and didn't notice it until after Ethan came out by then the little nick was a tear and it was bleeding so bad that I was quickly put to sleep as both Dean and Ethan were rushed out of the room. All I could think about as I was being put under was I never got to see him what if i died I would never have had seen him.
Me and Dean agreed when I first got pregnant should something ever go wrong that they could do a hysterectomy, tie my tubes, or both what ever it took to save me because I didn't want to miss out on my children's lives as they grew up. I would rather have no more children than risk not being able to see mine grow up. After Ethan was born and my brush of death I started to teach Matt especially. I had started to work with both boys at home. Teaching them how to track, hunter better, medical plants, medical herbs, safe plants to eat in the wild and several other things about surviving in the wild and they loved it. Always wanting to know more about this and that made me happy they were enjoying nature.
It was when we were getting the Rv fixed up for the upcoming hunting season when the first word of a virus spreading rapidly. I was getting ready for work one morning when the first news story came on and I looked at Dean and he must of had the same feeling that I did because he went and got his and mine conceal and carry permits out of the safe and gave me mine as he passed me pistol and a couple extra clips to put in my hospital bag. I also started to carry a couple days worth of food and water in backpack. I was cooking french toast for us to eat that morning before I went to work, Ethan to the doctor, and the boys to school.
I was scrambling 10 eggs when the boys came out of their bedrooms looking for food that they smelled cooking. I was finishing up the eggs as Dean my husband was putting food on the dinning room table. We were having french toast, bacon and eggs today since that is what I felt like cooking. i was setting the big square plates down on the table with the syrup container as Sam and Matt were sitting down to eat breakfast. The french toast was sliced in half into pieces, bacon was on a plate and eggs were in a bowl on the table. I was now sitting down with Ethan on my right and Sam on my left and was making Sam's plate so that he didn't get to much.
Dean and I got 4-6 pieces, Matt got 3-4 pieces, and Sam got 2-4 pieces of french toast. We all got two pieces of bacon and the eggs were divided up between us Dean and Matt got the most usually and then Sam got some and I usually got the left overs since I didn't really like eggs but I wasn't going to waste them. We ate as family and between bites I fed Ethan his baby food which was a jar apple sauce and pears mixed together. He loved apples, pears, and peas seemed to be his favorite out of all the flavors there were. I was now burping Ethan after feeding him while the boys went and got dressed so they could catch the bus.
I followed them first going into Matt room and laying out him a white undershirt, plaid button up and a pair of jeans and some boxers out on the bed with a pair of socks. In Sam's and Ethan's room that they shared. I got Sam bright green tee shirt out and a long pair of jeans, I also laid out some boxers and socks for him to before going to change Ethan. I went and laid Ethan down on his changing table while I put one hand on his tummy to keep him from rolling while I reached down into the lower drawl. With my other hand to get a clean diaper and some wipes out. I was closing the drawl with my knee. Dean walked in the room and took over changing his diaper so that I could get my blue scrubs on for work.
i got dressed and did my hair and teeth. I walked back into the bedroom to find Dean getting Ethan dressed in elephant onesies with brown pants on his legs. I went back out front to get my lunch ready which was a sandwich, fruit, and some carrot sticks. I was adding the lunch bag to my hospital backpack that I took with me everyday and it held anything that I had to take with that day to work. I also checked Ethan's diaper bag making sure he had enough diapers, wipes, and changes of clothes incase he had an accident. I walked back into the living room where Dean was playing with Ethan on the couch with his stuffed wolf. This new virus was going around so I was going to take the kids hunting to get away.
"Dean get the Rv ready to go and start packing the kids up to go in the Rv. We might go on a road trip even if we have to go out to my dad's old hunting cabin out in the middle of nowhere for a couple months we will while all this blows over. So be ready to buy enough food to last us through the winter." I told him as I got my shoes on.
"O and Dean I'm taking Ethan in with me to get his shots. Amy said he could spend the day in the nursery with the other babies while I work. All the nurses and doctors want to see him so he will be watched all day." I told him as I kissed him.
I picked up a sleeping Ethan and let Dean kiss him before putting him in his blue and green carseat. I put his carseat cover over it with his name on it. i also had his blanket and diaper bag that was a matching set that also had his name on it in his diaper bag. I was walking out the door with both our bags and Ethan when Matt came running into the room calling for me to stop. I saw that I still had a couple minutes to spare before I wanted to leave so I gently set Ethan down and walked over to the table where Matt was bringing his tablet over to the table, where Dean was cleaning a gun, to show us a video that he had found online about this new virus going around.
"Okay Matt but you got to hurry I going to be late." I told him as I walked over to where he had sat his laptop down on the kitchen counter.
I saw a news story about the dead coming back to life in Africa and how the virus was spreading across the globe quickly and faster than most people thought possible. It screamed at my instincts to protect my children, to prepare and run, survive. I looked at Dean who was thinking the same thing based on the look on his face because he went to the safe and got out about $ 1,000 out for me to take with me and also made me pack an extra canister of formula in Ethan's bag for me to take with me incase I got caught out in the city and couldn't get right home. I knew that with this and my bug out bag that was in the car I would be good for a couple days if I got stuck in the city before I ran out of food.
"Dean, Matt our meeting spot should we find none of us here at home is the old quarry outside of Atlanta. Be careful while I'm gone. I going to get Ethan his shots and do my shift and stop and get some supplies on the way home. Matt and Dean you going to start getting the Rv ready to leave. Seal off the second entrance in the boys bathroom I want it nailed shut with as many boards as you can fit on that door." I told them as I started to write a couple things down.
"Matt keep an eye on your brother at all times while at school or at least when you can. Study together during lunch so that you will sit together. Ask you teachers for school books early for hunting season. Matt try and get a couple math and English books that are a few years older to but don't get caught." I told him as I kissed him on the head before leaving with Ethan.
I got to the hospital and all was normal like usually but I couldn't get the feeling that everything was going to go to hell and fast. I took in Ethan's carseat since he was still sleeping and I didn't want to wake him. I passed by several people who cooed at Ethan and wanted to touch his arm or foot and I let them smiling acting as normal as I could but I still couldn't shake this bad feeling that I had and I went through the whole day carrying that feeling. I stayed on the Children's floor all day passing on a couple surgeries to the other younger doctors who happily took them not caring what was really wrong they just wanted the surgeries.
I took Ethan to the doctor and he got his shots and check up everything was great he was growing good a little small but completely healthy. I thanked her and waited until she left to grab some hospital supplies from the room sticking it in my hospital bag no one would think twice about it. It was getting towards the end of my shift when the first patient came on the floor with a nasty bite mark on her arm and I knew that this was the beginning of the end. I put her at the back of floor away from the other patients. i made sure the doctors and nurses knew that it was a closed off area. A lot of the fellow doctors and nurses trusted me with their life.
I have made strange and weird calls before and ended up saving lives and kept other people from getting hurt so they trusted my instincts. I made sure everyone knew to keep that door with the patient closed all the way at all times and if anything strange happen to find me immediately. Sure enough about three hours after she came in one of the nurses came running over to me and told the patient had died and came back to life. I grabbed her and told her to start shutting all the patients doors and to let everyone know that we were in lock down. She looked scared and I told her have all the nurses move the patients calling system from the nurses station and put it in the staff room.
"Listen up everyone patient Zero of the Z virus in Atlanta has died. We will be moving all must have equipment into either large play room, baby nursery, or the staff room. start putting patients beds in the large play room Now. Lenny call the CDC and tell them that Sergeant Gates has Atlanta's patient Zero." I told him writing down what to tell the people.
I went to phone at the nurses station and called the security to let them know that we hat a patient Zero of pandemic Z virus. Most the older guys there knew from past experience that if I called a pandemic that if was real i had been through lots of them helping overseas and the started lockdown protocol. I then grabbed Ethan and moved him to one of the patients empty rooms and put him in the bathroom with his diaper bag and a small crib. I grabbed Beth as she walked by and pulled her into the room. She was the most trust worthy nurses out off all of them and good with Ethan plus she never question me.
I showed her the bathroom and helped her move a chair in the shower area for her to sit down at. I checked her over for bite or scratched marks before leaving her there with Ethan. I motion for her to stay here and quiet and she nodded quickly she was scared but she listen. I pulled out my military ID badge and put it on so others would know who I was. I also grabbed my gun and the extra ammo clips out of bag which shocked her. I grabbed the smaller of the dollars that I had and went to the vending machine. I had a bag that I had picked up at the nurses station and was putting crackers, chips, power bars, nuts, fruit bars, water, energy water, and a couple milks into the bag.
I then moved to the supply closet where I loaded a whole bunch of suture kits, bandages, gloves, Iv stuff, and lots of other lose medical supplies into the three bags that I had making the so full they were barley shutting. I check on the other nurses and told them go grab some of the lose snacks from the nurses station and divid it up between the three rooms. I took my supplies into the room with Beth and Ethan. I also took several blankets, pillows and blankets in there with me since one of us was going to have to sleep on the floor. I went to each room and told them the same thing.
"Don't let anyone but the CDC in there once this door shuts no one in no one out we are under lockdown. Don't worry everything is going to be fine follow the rules and nothing bad will happen." I told the nurses and doctors before putting someone in charge to monitor the whole thing.
I went back to the room with Beth and Ethan and grabbed the bags that I had packed when I saw that there was enough daylight to get home. I knew that Beth lived about an hour and half from here on a farm she was young at 16 just helping out with the babies for free. I gave her half the bag of food and drinks and added two blankest to her bag before telling her to go straight to her car and go home don't stop anywhere or talk to anybody. She took the bag and left leaving me with Ethan. I grabbed his carseat and our four bags and headed for the stairs and started down them I went quickly and quietly trying not to draw attention to myself.
Once at my car I packed it full I saw Beth wave at me as she pulled out of parking spot and head out of the parking. I got in the car and called Dean telling him to get the kids and get the supplies loaded into the Rv yesterday. Dean seemed worried but agreed and hung up. I stopped at the local grocery store stocking up on toilet paper, paper towels, canned goods, some boxed goods, rice, beans, nuts, chips, snacks, powder eggs, powder milk, baby food, diapers, formula, and some clothes for when he got bigger. As I was packing the last of my bags into my car I was attacked by someone who looked normal except for the large chunk missing from his neck.
I fought him off and tried to shoot him in the chest but that did nothing to slow him down. Hell I basically ripped his heart out and he was still coming at me so I took out my hunting knife since he was too close to shoot and stabbed him up threw his jaw into his head which dropped him like a fly. Now I was cover in blood and guts and still had to get home before I could even think about showering. I stopped at a gas station and got 6 jugs of gas buying the jugs from the store which he was happy to give me for twice the normal price since I was buying more the limited amount with a pandemic going on. It also helped that this was the station that I always used to get gas from so they knew me well.
I had even got some medicine from the pharmacy that right next door to the gas station as a connecting building. I got most of the pain medicine and anti infection and anti inflammatory medicine since the guy working had no idea what half the stuff was I lied and told him it was for my sons heart. I didn't feel bad at all for stealing the medicine and was getting back into my car before driving home when I realized that this was most likely going to be the last time we got things legally. I was pulling up to the gate to get out of the city when my best friend Jake came over asking for the reason for leaving the city.
"Ma'm why are you leaving the city."
"I live about an hour outside the city so i'm just heading home." I told him not giving to much away
"ID" He asked me.
I used my Military ID badge to get out of the gate since my buddy Jake was running this check point. I talked to him and gave him the quarry address for him to meet me at but I knew that he wouldn't abandon his post until the last possible moment. I notice that when he was putting my bags back in the car he slipped a folder in with it before winking at me and tapping twice on the trunk of my car. The military was only letting out select people out of the city and with a military ID it would get almost any where with my rank at least for now it would get me places.
I notice that they were also letting school buses out of the city with a two guards on board to protect the kids as they made their way home. I knew that all hell was finally breaking lose or at least I thought it was. I got home and got the car unloaded into the Rv that was busy under construction by Dean and Matt. Sam was sitting in the living room playing on Matt's x-box which was rare because Matt hardly ever let him do this. I knew that Matt was trying to keep him from wondering around or asking to many questions. When Dean saw the blood on my clothes he froze and grabbed Sam who tried to run towards me keeping him back.
"NO NO No Dean I'm fine just had to kill one that's all." I reassured him.
"Matt get Ethan and our bags out of the trunk please. I need to get a shower and change." I told him walking past making sure not to touch any of them.
After a shower I notice that everything that would be needed was moved into the Rv and it was up and running like camping season. I notice when I was changing my clothes that our master bedroom had now three sets of bunkbeds instead of a king size bed. I also saw that the boy's stuff was already moved into the bedroom and they had picked out a bunk. There was also one bunk that was a built in crib and the top of that was Matt's things. Sam's was across from his on top of mine and Dean's bed.
I left the bedroom and saw that the deep freezer was being moved into the boy's old room with Matt's help. I knelt down and hugged and kissed Sam now that i was clean and he was happy to give them. Hunter and River tugged on a toy together trying to take if from one another while their mom Lady watched them while laying around Ethan's carseat. Hunter was a year old black brindle boxer, River was a full brindle boxer puppy same age as her brother, while their mom Lady was a white boxer with bridle patches on her back and legs. I petted the hunting dogs before paying extra attention to Lady who was my hunting dog and Ethan's protector.
I walked into the boy's old room that was now a storage room while their bathroom was stripped and being turned into medical cabinet with a mini fridge. I started to touch things as Dean moved behind me hugged me from behind telling me that he was so worried about me when I didn't come straight home like normal. I laughed and teased him about going on a date which made him laugh and start to tickle my side making me laugh. I got a call on my phone about a hour later from the CDC I answered it and they told me that I was going to have to come back to the hospital for testing. I knew that if I did there was a good chance that I wouldn't be leaving where ever they sent me.
"Dean they want me to come back in for testing and bring Ethan along for testing to." I told him sadly as I was still on the phone with them.
"Let me have it now." Dean said taking the phone from me.
"I know you want them both to come in but Ethan is barley six months old bringing in a healthy baby could put him at risk. Could I keep him and let my wife come and if Ethan shows any signs at all of being sick I will bring him and the rest of his brothers in for testing." Dean asked explaining the situation to them.
"No he is fully formula fed that why he had to go get booster shots. Here talk to Katie about it." Dean told them handing me the phone back.
"Okay, so I got there and parked in my normal parking space and took Ethan to see his doctor. No, the only time he left his carseat was when Doctor Reed looked at him and gave him his shots. Yes, Doctor Reed looked healthy at the time. I went to the Children's floor where I worked next by taking the elevator #3. No, he never left his carseat after that or went anywhere near sick people. Patient Zero came in at 10:29 am I told all the nurses and doctors to put her back away from everyone and the other patients because I was afraid of the Z-virus since my son showed me a article before work this morning and the one thing that stood out was a bite mark."
"I had the doctors and nurses close every door to each patient's room all the way so no one went in or out without us hearing them. At 12:13 patient Zero died i wasn't alerted until 12:15. I started immediately quarantine and lockdown protocol. I had all healthy patient divided up by age into three room babies under 1 stayed in the nursery area one nurse or doctor for every three babies. There were only 9 patients in at that age. Toddlers up 1-5 went to the large play room at the back of the floor. There were 10 patients fitting that category so 3 nurses and 1 doctor were in that room. That left the rest of the older kids which there were 7 of with 1 doctor and 2 interns and 1 nurse." I told them explaining step by step of our lockdown protocol that I made sure happen.
"Thank you Sir. I will be there in a couple hours Sir. No Sir I can stay a couple days. Thank you Sir." I told him as I hung up.
"I have to go back in but Ethan can stay he says to plan on staying the rest of the week there. Dean go get more supplies, food, water, ammo, arrows, a couple extra bows, clothes a couple sizes bigger for each boy because we both know come winter they will start growing again. Same with shoes. Stock that deep freezer full of meat because come winter we will need it plus what we eat this hunting season we can replace. Make sure to pack the snow chains, gloves, scarves and hats for the boys and dogs sweaters as well." I told him going on and on as he wrote all this down.
"Kathrine I got this now go make sure to pack some more ammo as well. Take three of the gas jugs I will by more and some extra bags incase you come across some supplies we might need." Dean told me kissing me and hugging me.
"Dean get this Rv ready to go the school books for the next three years should be coming in it's just mainly math and english subjects and some ancient history books. That stupid Top secret thing that Sam and Matt like are sending us the whole bundle of both versions in the next couple days." I told him as i put my military boots on tying them extra good.
I grabbed several extra pistol ammo clips putting them in the small compartment of by backpack as well as some different snacks and canned goods for me to eat. I added two extra hunting knifes to my bag as well. I knew that I would have trouble getting this in but I knew that Jones who worked security would let me by for a big pack of Oreos which was easy to get. I made sure to keep them separate so that I wouldn't crush them. Dean called the boys in and explained what was going to happen and they were sad that I was going but understood the importance of me going since I had been their and help the sick patient. I made sure that Dean put my scrubs from earlier in a bag for me to take with me to the hospital. I hugged and kiss both boys telling them to be good for their dad and that I loved them.
"Okay boys I have to go now be good for you dad and help him out with the Rv the sooner this is ready to go the sooner we can go hunting. Sam I need you to be a great big brother and help daddy with Ethan you and Lady need to protect him okay buddy." i ask him kneeling down to his level.
"I will be the bestest big brother ever." Sam told me puffing out his chest proudly.
"Good because Matt will show you how to feed him since you will be in charge of watching him while Daddy and Matt work in your old bedroom turning it in to storage so we have enough food for winter." I told him knowing that he would step up to the plate.
"I will mommy promise." Sam told me putting his arms around my neck and kissing me on the cheek before hugging me.
"Good now go play buddy" I told him tapping him on the butt as he took off to the Rv where Matt's x-box was hooked up for him.
"Matt and Dean I killed one of those things already and nothing stops it unless you kill the brain then it drops faster than Santa on christmas." I told them.
I grabbed my bag checking it over making sure I had everything I wanted to have. I also grabbed my bug-out bag that would last me up to a week if I stretched what was in the bag. I knew that it was ready to go I kept it that way. I put the first bag in the back before adding the gas jugs, and my hospital bag. I was getting into the car as Dean went back inside the Rv with the dogs who had followed me out to see what I was going I pulled out of the drive way looking in my rearview mirror as I drove down the street and prayed that this wouldn't be the last time I saw my family.