Chapter Nine

Honey, where are you?

"Charles, we have not heard from your brother for a while. Perhaps you should check in with him."

Nicky, I have tried all weekend. His phone is off. Have you tried giving Julia a call?

Alex, go and play with your sister, "Dad, you said we would visit aunt Julia; I won't play with my cousin Kathy, so did I, says crystal.

We will make a trip in the morning, instead of phoning Julia, we will go there and surprise them all.

How will we visit them if we are not sure they are at home?

And these restrictions we can't travel we need permits wherever we go but as long as we sanitize and wear mask we should be fine.

Charlie is Roberts's brother; he is an ordinary man with a regular job as an accountant, well-built mid-forties he had two kids Crystal and Alex his wives name was Nicky, who is a stay at home mom.

"Honey? Yes, Charles replies, "

Phone Julia, I have tried calling her, her phone is off, That is unlike her, Julia's phone is never off. "Says Nicky,"

Let's call tomorrow maybe her phone will be on,

"Crystal starts coughing ; drink some water says, Nicky."

"Crystal falls to her knees as she starts coughing more drastically."

Alex collapse and has a seizure. What is happening, "Crystal's eyes tilt as she wipes foam comes out of her mouth."

We need to get them to the hospital. Looking over the fence, Charles notices all the neighbor's doors are closed.

Why don't you go, DR Gilbert, his two houses away, says Nicky.

"Charles runs out by the gate and runs down to the DR. house." The entrance is locked as he rings the bell frantically. There is no answer " help," he screams, but there is no response.

Running back the house, he sees Nicky is crying on her knees, trying to help her kids. " The doctor is not there" Get the car, Nicky snaps of it, he screams.

The neighbors are usually outside this time, but the road is quiet.

Alex and Crystal have passed out. They have a fever. Nicky stands up as she stands up. She suddenly throws up and coughs.

Charles looks at Nicky; what is happening? He then put Alex and Crystal in the car. Nicky, where are you? He runs into the house.

Nicky is lying on the floor motionless. Nicky? He drops to his knees as he checks if she is breathing.

He lifts her from the ground and carries her into the car. And takes off to the hospital, when reaching the end of the road there is traffic moving slow. Cars are driving bumper to bumper as he hoots, trying to pass traffic.

He pulls and climbs out, trying to see what is holding traffic up, and notices the cars in the front are not moving. He climbs in and checks on his kids.

And they are burning up. Nicky is lying unconscious. He then turns on the radio.

"There is an outbreak of an unknown virus that is in the air. Please stay in your houses and close all ventilation."

This virus is deadly. We urge you, if you have been in contact with this virus, to stay away avoid making contact with others. At this stage, this virus in the air is unknown.

Charles looks around him and sees his family in this condition. He knew he had to do something.

He turns his car and heads back home.

After carrying his family inside, he attempts to call Julia again.

"Hi, Charles says Julia calmly, knowing that Charles never calls her. Is there something I can help you with? says Julia"

"Julia, thank you for answering my call. I attempted to call my brother, but his phone was off. Yes, it says Julia is busy at the moment she lies."

"It is rather urgent. Can I please speak to him? Julia now looks into the car's rearview mirror. Listen, I am sorry, JULIA! THIS IS A MATTER BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH"

"Julia takes a deep breath, Robert and Kathy have been kidnapped, and I am on my way to get them."

What are you talking about?

It is a long story. I will fill you in when we see you. Is there something I can be of help with?

Charles breathes deeply in my family,

Is Nicky okay?

"Charles drops to his knees feeling helpless."

"We were outside earlier, and Crystal had a seizure, and then Alex and Nicky."

It would be best if you kept focus listening to my every word, says Julia.

"Take a deep breath. Do you have any symptoms of the virus?"

I never mentioned the virus? Exclaimed Charles.

There is a virus in the air, spreading extremely fast. One of a few people is immune to this virus. If by now you have no fever, you are one of the few.

I do not have much information on this, but if I am right, I hope I am.

Get a syringe and a needle, draw 1ml blood and inject it into a vein of each of them 1ml each, not more, not less.

Charles now runs to the kitchen and gets a syringe holding Julia on the loudspeaker.

Are you there? I am here Charlies, do you have three sterile syringes.

"Yes, I do. Are you sure this is going to work?"

I am not sure, Charles, but if this does work, Kathy and your life are in danger.

You guys might be the antidote to this virus.

"Charles draws a 1ml blood from his vein. His hands are shaky. Julia, I cannot do this."

"Charles, listen to me. Your family's life is dependant on it. You need to focus on."

"Charles wipes his forehead and looks down at his daughter and son and his wife, Nicky. Where do I inject it into?"

A vein, Charles! Charles nervously injects the blood into Crystal. There is no response from Julia. Julia was afraid she might be wrong. I AM SORRY CHARLES

What are you saying? I am. Just then, Crystal starts to shake. What's happening?

Charles? Are you there? She is shaking, and the white foam is coming from her mouth! What do I do?

Thats good to turn her on her side. It's the antidote killing the virus in her body, Turn her on her side and hit her on her back. The blood you injected her with is taking effect.

Julia! Yes, Charles, she woke up,

"Daddy, where am I? says Crystal was sitting up looking around confused, " you are where you should be, honey.

"Charles injects the other two with the syringe and needle" after a while. They also cough out foam as Charles sits them up.

Julia? You were right. You saved my family.

Julia is relieved to hear they are OK, "listen carefully, just because they got well now does not mean they can go outside, keep your windows closed you and do not let anyone know what happened.

Lookout by your window Charles, do you see the bodies in the road?

Charles walks over to the window, opens the curtain, and sees a few dead bodies in the street. Thats reality. You cannot save everyone, so this needs to stay between us.

Charles's eyes are teary as he watches his neighbors around him dying.

Charles snaps out of it says Julia, if I remember correctly, you have a basement?

Yes, I do. Move as many supplies to the basement and keep your family in there.

There will be people coming after relatives of Kathy and testing their blood. If they find out you carry the Antidote, they will suck you dry and kill your family.

Julia? How do you know all these things?

Charles, even though we never visited you, we always kept a close eye on you guys, Im an agent remember?

"Charles can,t help but smile. Please let me know when the family is back home safe."

Will, please do so, Charles, change that brown shirt you are wearing and burn the clothes they had on as well as yours. We do not want to leave any traces behind.

"Charles looks back at his family and smiles. Yes, we dont, he never felt so scared before, and it made him realize how much his family meant to him."

A few moments ago, he was this accountant with an ordinary life and kids and a wife he came home to constantly tired and angry this occurrence shook him.

Honey? Tell Julia I said hi. Charles looked to the back and saw his family healthy again is the best feeling in the world.

Who would have thought he the antidote? "You heard that, Julia? Yes, I did. Tell Nicky we will catch up soon."

Bye for now, Charles, and remember to move your stuff to the basement.

Goodbye Julia, and Thank you.

Charles hangs up the phone as he walks over to his family and hugs them. We need to burn the clothes you have on, he says.

Nicky has never seen this side of Charles and remembers why she fell in love with him at prom night.