Chapter 20 - The Virus

I had hardly slept since Mish's visit the day before. Now, it was only half an hour to go until visiting hour - when I could tell my family all that had happened while I was in the torture chamber and what the Mayor had told me before I left. I paused mid thought. The Mayor. Should I still call him that? New Prentisstown barely exists, and he's not the figurehead anymore...let alone the President. Still, 'the Mayor' suits him. Calling him David Prentiss just wouldn't sit right.

I could hear shouting in the corridor, and I lifted my head up from the bed to see through the window in my door. What was going on? I couldn't see much, but from what I could make out, there was a young woman strapped to a stretcher. At first, I couldn't see what was wrong with her - she didn't seem any different from a normal, healthy person - but then she threw her head back and screamed, her entire body shaking violently. I gasped and tore my eyes away. She definitely wasn't a normal, healthy person. I could hear her protesting loudly as the doctors wheeled her down the corridor, away from my room. A minute later, a hot and flustered Mish swung the door open.

"Good lord," I heard her whisper to herself as the door closed shut. She turned to look at me. "I'm guessing you heard that?"

I nodded. "What was wrong with her? Is she going to be okay?"

"I'm not really supposed to tell you...but then again, we're not really supposed to tell anybody - now everyone on this floor is asking whats wrong with Ada. We can't lie. As doctors and nurses, its our job to tell the truth. So I guess I have to tell you now." She shuddered a little. "Theres a virus. A very rare one, but a virus. In the beginning. we thought it was only in one part of the planet, but it's spread, and has been spreading for the last ten years."

I held my breath. Ten years. For almost the entirety of Toby's lifetime, we had been living among this virus, completely unaware. What if it had affected one of us? I didn't dare to think about it.

Mish continued. "We thought it only affected the state of mind and mental abilities, but it turns out that we were wrong. The virus starts off in the brain, and then is sent into the nerves later on. It can eventually kill the victim, but that would take a number of years and its never happened as of yet. You can see what happens in the middle stages..." She bit her lip. Ada - the woman you heard in the corridor - is one of the worse patients. We don't know exactly how to treat her. According to the records we've collected, theres only ever been one other patient as bad as her, and they were treated on the other side of the world. There is no way to get Ada across there, so we have to have the medical supplies sent over - and they're extremely expensive. We're all sure we'll be able to treat her though."

"I hope she'll be okay," I said quietly. "She didn't sound too good out there."

"No..." Mish shook her head slowly. "Anyway. I need to change your bandages. Can you roll over please?"

I did as she said, and winced silently as she gently pulled the old bandages off me and replaced them with fresh, crisp new ones.

"There you go." She stated as she finished. "Your family will be able to come in soon - I'll tell you when its time. As for now...try to get some rest, Viola. You're not doing yourself any good by staying up."

She closed the door as she left and I shut my eyes, but I didn't sleep. I didn't even try to. After a while, I didn't even try to pretend to sleep - I just lay there, analysing the features of the room. If I let my mind wander, the time would pass quicker. At least, thats what I hoped.

Eventually, Mish returned with my family behind her. She led them through the door and gestured for them to sit down, then she nodded at me and closed the door as she left. I pushed myself up so I was sat with my back against the wall, and let them speak first.

"We missed you, mummy," Harper whispered quietly, a small tear running down her cheek. "We didn't like seeing you get hurt."