Anya bundled up the next morning and headed out the door towards the clinic just after breakfast. The crisp weather made her breath come out in cold white puffs but the walk felt good as she came down around the bend and the clinic and the store came into sight. Coming in the clinic she was surprised to see Dr. Masters looking so tired.
"Have you been up all night?" Anya asked as she took off her coat and went to join the Dr. in his office.
"I had five more cases come up last night. I was trying to do rounds and check on the families, but the community is spread further apart for one person to be trying to connect with all them in a short period of time." Dr. Masters shard and handed Anya the results. The tests were all over the place, and Anya was unsure what to make of them.
"The virus isn't being transmitted through the air then?" Anya asked as she looked back at the doctor.
"I don't think so, three people in one family are sick but the two looking after them haven't had symptom yet. One child is sick, but the other four are fine but their father has it."
"We don't know the primary case?"
"Everyone I've seen over the past two months have had no symptoms like these and then all of sudden twenty four cases in three days." The doctor shared. "None of my medications appear to be able to resolve any of them symptoms. I'm hoping that this just runs its course and people just get better on their own."
"Chrissy mentioned that you thinking of trying some natural remedies?" Anya asked and Dr. Maters nodded his head and Anya went to the back part of the clinic in which her harvest of supplies were being kept and started to pull things out and got to work with some of the other supplies that were in the jars and other containers. The morning slipped by and it was just before she left Chrissy caught up her.
"Dr. Masters has just received notice that we have another twelve cases in the past few hours. I just wanted to let you know that Dr. Masters has called a meeting of healthy only members of our Community. You are expected at the community centre in an hour." Chrissy was getting ready to go out and as already out of the clinic. As it turned out, nearly every household in the community had at least one person sick by time Dr. Masters started his meeting.
"I share with the rest of the community and Anya bundled up to head home to let Kyle know as Dr. Masters wrealize that this isn't something that we normally think about doing in this day in age, but due to limited resources and so many sick people, I can't get out to see all the people who are sick and still respond to their ever changing needs. I want to convert the community centre into a triage centre. I would like all sick brought here and those that can will help nurse them. I haven't seen anyone that has any symptoms improve yet, and I'm stumped at how this is being transmitted. The only thing I'm sure of is that it's not airborne or all of us would be sick by now. So if we could have volunteer rotations helping to look after the sick I would be greatly appreciative. Dr. Masters looked around the room and his eyes lingered on Anya for a minute. One of the nurses had started a list of things that needed to be done and as Kyle and Anya looked over the list Dr. Masters came to them.
"Maybe Anya you should stay home, away from the sickness." Kyle suggested but one look from Anya, Kyle knew that he had lost the battle before he even tried it. Dr. Masters came over to couple and Anya then asked the question that made her nervous.
"My parents aren't here." Anya started.
"She didn't want to worry you, but your mom has been at Fletcher's place all day with his family. Sara, Fletcher and Jonas are all sick."
"What about Daed?" Anya asked.
"He's ok right now, but he's been watching the kids." Dr. Masters then went on the group. The rest of the early evening was taken with setting up cots and bedding in the community centre. Anya listened as best she could to what Dr. Masters requested from her and tried to stay away from the sick as they started arriving. Yet when her family arrived she couldn't stay away. It was obvious that Johanna was tired out from nursing her family all day, but she looked ok other than that. Anya helped get the others settled and then took the children to the nursery where volunteers had gathered to keep them occupied and now it was turning into a giant sleepover. Anya rested a bit that night, cots set up for those that were helping were set up on the stage and a bit of sleep helped get her going the next day. When she showed up for her shift it was then she realized that every single cot that had been set up was now occupied by someone who was sick. It was well over a hundred people at her count.
"What's wrong?" Anya asked as she looked over at the area where her family was. Dr. Masters shook his head.
"I don't know, but I just caught sight of Kyle and he's looking unwell." Dr. Masters shared and Anya felt her heart drop into her knees.
"Where is he?" Anya asked and Dr. Masters pointed in the direction of the cot that Kyle was laying down on. Anya handed Dr. Masters the coffee that she had just poured him and rushed over to her husband.
"What the heck Kyle? Just starting our work here as helpers and you've had enough?" Anya asked quietly as she ran a cool hand over his feverish brow.
"Don't know... Just felt like I've been hit by a phaser…" Kyle tried to joke and Anya tried to smile although she felt like crying. Anya wasn't sure how the rest of the day went, she went from nursing Kyle to helping with preparing herbs into teas and tinctures to help reduce the fevers. As the day went on children's cries, people's soft groans and coughs filled the room. Anya sat down and tried to drink some tea later that day and rub her stomach. The baby had decided that they were going to work on being a gymnast throughout the day and its foot continued to kick at her.