Respect the Dead. Shawn McLain
better."
Several seconds ticked by. Finally Beth broke through the awkwardness. "We’ve been watching the news. Dad is getting really worried. ” Beth explained.
"Yeah, I get that." Wes tried to sound casual, "I keep trying not worry about the coughing and hacking coming from the living room." Even as he said this he kept watching the pictures on the TV. Hospitals overrun, stores picked clean, pharmacies looted and burned, people protesting outside of pharmaceutical companies demanding drugs.
“Listen," Beth paused to collect her thoughts. "Dad thinks it might be a good idea to get out of town. He says to tell you that if things don’t get better soon we are going to come get you guys.”
“I don’t know, Reg is really sick. I don’t think we can move him.” Wes frowned as a fresh wave of coughing erupted.
“I think Dad…um meant…" She took a breath, "only you and your Mom.” Beth hesitated. Wes didn’t answer. She hurried on as if it would be easier faster. “Wes, the stuff on the news. The sick people have been doing stuff…They've hurt people.” Her voice trailed off.
Silence stretched again. When Wes spoke it was calm. “No Beth, no. Not Reg. he would never hurt us. Never." Beth tried to interrupt. Wes spoke over her. "He promised!" It was her turn to cringe. When Wes spoke again it was with finality. "Let me know where you are. We’ll meet you if things get bad and Reg is better.” Wes shook his head. She couldn’t be serious. The silence on the phone only accentuated the coughing from the living room. “Beth…I gotta go.”
Worse News
“The CDC is now discouraging the public from using hand sanitizer as it seems to speed up the rate of infection.” The male news anchor stated as the female anchor took over in a dramatic serious tone. “Coming up next on your six o’clock news, our top story is the continuing team coverage of the flu epidemic. We’ll have all the latest closings and cancellations including this evening’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions.”
Steve McDaniel glanced up at the clock. With a frown he confirmed it was getting almost time to go to work. His father sat with him in the living room watching the end of 5:30 news. “This is crazy.” Mr. McDaniel muttered. “This new flu epidemic is completely out of control." He thumbed through a couple of channels all showing "Breaking News" or "Special Report" He frowned. "The government should have had some kind of plan in place." He flipped past pictures of Baltimore burning. "Two weeks ago there were reports of this thing in Asia, then last week it showed up in New York." He pointed to a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge jammed with traffic and people. "Then in a matter of days it has spread across the country.” He exclaimed over an advertisement that spoke of whiter teeth in two weeks.
Steve nodded, “The Speed at which this thing has spread and the lack of information has a lot of people panicked.” Then he laughed. "But you still need a nice white smile."
His father frowned at him. “So many people are already sick. I heard local hospitals and governments can’t get help to people who needed it." He pointed to the crawl running along the bottom of the screen. "Look at that a lot of businesses and services are already closed. Man that is only causing more people to panic.” Mr. McDaniel’s annoyance was clear in his tone.
“I heard there were reports of riots in some of the larger cities." Steve shrugged slowly rising to his feet to stretch out his back. "There were strange rumors coming out of Europe and Asia I heard." He headed toward the closet. "Something about a complete breakdown in law and order. Some of the more populous places like Mexico City are under Marshall Law.” Steve noted without much concern.
“Your new car is waiting for you are Draydon’s ford.” The cheerful announcement concluded followed by the theme music for the newscast.
The six pm news started with reports from Moscow. The international reporter explained the situation there. Anyone trying to leave the city or who were out on the streets without a pass were being shot on sight. Tokyo’s uninfected were being evacuated to the other islands and even to Korea. Rumors had spread about a terrorist attack gone wrong. This lead to violence in Detroit against its Muslim population. That in turn leading to rioting and the fortification of several city blocks by the Muslims. The Detroit police were unable to respond because of so many officers being were too ill to come in to work. The Fires had been burning for three days already. The Mayor and Governor had requested the National Guard help but what they had received very little assistance as the army was spread so thin already.
“Where are you going?” Steve’s father questioned. The note of concern evident in his voice. He eyed Steve as if he was trying to get away with something.
Steve laughed. “The schools might be closed but the distribution center is open.”
“I really think you should stay home.” Replied his father. “I think we need to be ready to get out of town if things go bad. I told Beth to have Wes and his mother ready, but since Reg is sick they don’t want to leave.”
“Dad, I’ll be fine.” Steve shrugged.
“Things are starting to get bad. I want to be sure you’re safe.”
“Seriously Pops, we live in the most boring city in the state. What do you think is going to happen?” Steve gave his father a smile and a pat on the shoulder, Steve ignored a few muttered protests as he opened the hall closet. His coat wasn't in there. "Must have left it in my room." He walked the short hall to his bedroom. The door to the room next to his was halfway open. Steve pushed it the rest of the way. Leaning against the door frame. He looked in at his younger sister and shook his head smiling. She was lying on her back one knee up with her other leg crossed over it bouncing her foot. Her long hair lay in loose curls fanned out on her pillow. She was reading.
“You still reading that?” He asked. No answer came. “I thought you’d make it through a kiddy book like that quicker.” He goaded. Beth looked over the top of the book. Steve was smirking at her. He knew calling it a kiddy book would annoy her.
“This is the third book in the series and it is NOT a kiddy book.” She responded.
“I thought you girls were into the mopey vampires not the kiddy wizards.” An aggravated huff was her reply. He knew he was getting to her so he persisted. “Ya know I hear the vampires are all sparkl….ow!” He was hit by a pillow thrown with excellent aim.
“You know I think that whiny girly stuff is crap!” She gave him her most menacing look. “Now knock it off!”
“Just kidding sis, relax!” He laughed. Now that he had her annoyed it was time to finish the job before he left for work. “So, uh did Wes loan you that one too? By the way I never did ask, how did your date with him go?” He asked in a would be casual tone picking at a spot on the door. She shut the slowly. For a moment she glared at him then her face softened.
“Since you seem sooo interested?" Now it was her turn to annoy him. "Feeling a little lonely?" There it was the flicker of annoyance. She did not feel the need to press it. "If you must know, yes he did loan me this one as well” then she sighed, “As far as the date, we didn’t get together." His eyebrows rose yet before he could ask she explained. "Corey flattened his tires, then his mom wanted him to stay home to help her take care of Reg.” She seemed to deflate as she spoke.
“So that Corey asshole messed with Wes’ car?” He replied angrily. “His brother was a dick too. Never liked that family. Seriously you don't mess with someone's car.”
She returned to her book. “The immature jerk. Because that will win me back, destroying my friend’s property.”
“That asshole.” Steve mumbled.
“Yeah, He is.” She sighed.
“So why did you date him?” Steve fired up at once.
“What does it matter it’s over now?” She shot back. She wasn’t about to be lectured by her Brother.
“Well