... and the meek
That night was supposed to be a very special occasion for Jenny.Her parents were very proud that their little girl had grown into an intelligent and helpful young woman. Their little Jenny was always thoughtful and helped with chores. She received letters in three sports, highest marks in most of her classes and volunteered at the local soup kitchen.
That afternoon, she gave the address at her graduation and in a few short months was to begin college. She was well known in her town and liked by all.
But that was her night. First, a small party where her parents and relatives brought gifts or cards and praised her achievements. Then she was to go with friends to the prom. And then a party with friends until sun chased the night away.
Jenny's parents did not worry that she might drink or take drugs. She had not done so during her youth and they had no reason to believe she would start now. She was allowed to use the car so she could get to and from the festivities at the school. Her father and mother hoped to hear in the morning that it was a happy and memorable night.
But the cruel world had other plans for Jenny.
Soon after the music began and the other children started dancing, Jenny and a few friends left the building. Outside, they were met by an older man that all knew as Pietro. He once spoke at their school about how some animals are abused so that cosmetics and medicines can be made. Many adults felt is was a sad but necessary duty. Pietro, Jenny and the others did not agree that this was anything but cruel.
After a short drive, changing their clothes along the way, they broke into a local company that they knew had such a lab and saved the abused animals. No one noticed that the children were gone from the dance or were too involved with other students to care.
The wild animals, mice and rats, were taken to the country and their cages opened. They ran away without saying "Thank you", happy to be free of the pain and horrors of the lab. Thankfully, they would soon forget the wires and knives that were used to torture them. The cats and dogs were taken to an area away from town where they had plenty of food and room to roam but close enough that no larger animals would eat them. Everyone was thrilled with their good deeds. Jenny broke her rule and drank from the bottle of champagne Pietro had brought to celebrate the beginning of Liberation.
The only animal who did not run away was one that Jenny called Neko, a name from a story she once read. It was a kitten that was only a few weeks old and was barely able to cry. Jenny thought it looked more like a ball of fur than a kitten and immediately adopted it. She held it to her face and it purred louder than it had whined. It licked her face in gratitude. It was the cutest animal any of the group had ever seen. It was considered a reminder of what their good work had accomplished. It was also what killed them all within an hour.
If any of them had read the signs before opening the cages, they might have seen the one that said "Biohazard! No contact is safe!", but in their haste to free the small creatures, their youthful inexperience kept them from thinking about anything other than the torture that occurred at the lab.
Jenny was the first to notice the itch around her eyes and the dizziness. By the time Pietro knew something was not right, Jenny and the other students were bleeding from their eyes, noses and mouths. Each was coughing as though infected with the flu. They shivered and perspired at the same time but none were wise enough to link their illness to their activities. Most presumed it was a bad bottle of wine or were too frightened to think beyond survival. One by one, their faces turned purple and they gasped for breath before collapsing near the van. Pietro was no longer proud of his work. As he watched each child die, he expressed gratitude that he would soon join them.
Soon after death, the bodies seemed to turn to jelly and after the blood finished seeping out, they developed purple and grey spots and their skin looked more like moldy cheese than flesh. It did not stop Neko from licking Jenny's face because he did not understand that he had murdered the first person to show him kindness.
Constable Aucocisco hated the day after graduation. He knew it would be a long day. With the high school parties the prior night, there would be many children whose parents would call. A few had run out of gas in remote places or were still at a party at some secret location. A few had been detained for intoxication or drugs. Of course there were a few instances of vandalism or graffiti.
He sent other officers to look for the children in the places they usually went, called those parents whose children were in custody and finally decided to check the report of a robbery at the medical facility just outside town. Of all the reports, this seemed the least likely to be part of the graduation activities.
His town was a friendly place where there were few crimes. Occasionally, a husband and wife would argue and need to be separated. Once or twice a year some criminals would enter the town to try and rob or steal but usually, his work was traffic tickets and accident reports. Except for the day after graduation, much of the activity was completed by noon but it was necessary to bring all the deputies to work on that one day.
As he drove through the broken front gate, he was met by a man in a white coat who called himself Dr. Nick. He was merely an assistant but was the first one to arrive and notice the broken gate and windows. He was very nervous. Constable Aucocisco thought he might be too nervous. As they walked to the lab, he explained that most of the research animals had been set free. The constable noted the way Dr. Nick was perspiring heavily and thought there may be more to the story than a rescue of a few animals but it was also a time when the seasons changed and colds were common. Many of the rooms had file cabinets that had been emptied of their contents. Most of the papers had been thrown around the office.
They toured the facility and looked for any clues as to the identity of the thieves. There were many but only to one with an eye for investigation. He did not say so to Dr. Nick, but the constable knew that this was not a major crime. If the damage had been done by an organized group of animal activists, they would have been proud to leave a calling card and would have damaged the equipment along with the cages. If a competitor had done this, they would have been much more subtle and not caused the broken gate or emptied the file cabinets. Perhaps it was a graduation prank after all. Aucocisco took the doctor's business card and said he would be in touch later if he needed more information and to report any progress. As he put the business card in his pocket, he wondered which subordinate would be eager to chase down the vandals.
As he left the parking area, he was surprised at the number of cars. He did not realize the lab employed so many people. A cousin of his was busily repairing the damaged fence and that made traffic a little difficult but many of those reporting for work pulled their cars to the side to let the official vehicle pass.
The day was still young but already the radio was busy with reports of more students reported missing and some who had been found. There had been a party behind the drive-in theater and easily noticed from the empty liquor bottles were numerous partially dressed students. When the deputy who found them started his siren, they seemed more concerned with their headaches than their missing attire. Eventually all were dressed and names taken before they were sent home for some later punishment.
Thankfully, most of the students returned on their own and their parents were happy to report this. By noon,the police radio had less traffic and Constable Aucocisco was almost ready for lunch when he received a call about an abandoned vehicle outside the town. "Finally", he chuckled, "a real mystery".
When the officer noticed the car at the top of the hill, he chuckled to think "A 1987 Rolls Canardly". It was a local term for an old and poorly maintained car as in "Rolls down one hill and can 'ardly make it up the next." He thought a couple of young lovers had driven there to be alone and wait for the dawn. He hoped they had fallen asleep. Sadly, he was wrong. As he reached the car, he noticed that the engine was still running and dark smoke belched out of the rear. The inside of the windows were fogged and when he opened the door, he saw a young couple who had been interrupted during their youthful lovemaking. No doubt the exhaust had leaked into the car and slowly they had suffocated. The spirits enjoy lovers and treated these two kindly. There would have been no pain, just a sleepiness that was unending. He turned off the engine and rolled down the windows. Of course he knew the children, the young girl was from the nearby reserve/reservation and had often cared for his niece and nephew. The boy was from one of the wealthy townsfolk. He knew there would be some very upset parents. In some areas, it was still considered taboo to mix the races. All four parents had been vocal about their children dating so their deaths would be blamed on the other. As he covered the bodies with a blanket, he could not help but think of "Romeo and Juliet". Two young lovers who were only interested in life and love who had been brutally shown the real world by parents and their foolishness.
He notified the dispatcher of his discovery and asked her not to call the parents until the local doctor, Dr. Hiro, had examined the bodies. Sometimes things are not what they seem and although it looked like an accident or possibly a double suicide, he wanted to be sure.
The driver who reported seeing the vehicle had not mentioned the bodies and the officer was grateful that there would be no scene. He walked back to his car and noticed a van about a quarter of a mile away, partially hidden by some bushes. It appeared too new to be abandoned so he drove up to it cautiously. He froze when he saw movement. Something near the front where perhaps a gunman crouched. He lungs filled with air and oxygen to prepare for any attack. It was then that he saw the small thing that had caused the stir. It was a kitten or more like a small tumbleweed in the desert. He nearly scared it away when his breath escaped loudly. By the way he or she was rubbing against the tire, it seemed quite friendly.
Before he reached it, he saw the bodies of the students. The officer had no choice when he saw them and he vomited his breakfast. By now, the graduates were nearly impossible to identify and a few of the animals had returned for a meal before the flies deposited their maggots. The sun was hot and the aroma made the scene nearly unbearable. But the constable began examining the area and trying to keep his stomach in check. He started taking notes to keep his mind occupied and wrote that the clothes were casual although a few of the bodies looked too well groomed to be in jeans or shorts. He counted one adult, three boys and two girls. Apart from their longer hair and youthful breasts, it was difficult to determine gender without further examination. Aucocisco decided that it was entirely possible that his count was wrong but was more than happy to wait for the medical examiner to decide.
He radioed the dispatcher and requested that the doctor and a deputy join him but was intentionally vague to prevent anyone listening in from getting too curious. Two deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning would be news but would not bring a flock of curious onlookers as six bodies would. In the van, he found the formal attire and was suddenly struck with sadness to think of the students found such a horrific death when they should have been enjoying their last summer of freedom. It appeared to be a far more painful death than the two he had just left. A few of the jackets and purses contained identification. He could put faces with the bodies but that only made his job more difficult. One student was the son of a close friend and another was the minister's son. The valedictorian, who only yesterday had talked with such hope for the future, appeared little more than some eerie mannequin with part of her face chewed away.
About the time the ambulance and deputy arrived, the constable found the auto registration and recognized the owner as a local who he had arrested on a few occasions for drugs or public drunkeness. He thought that Pietro had become more responsible when he took up several causes. Perhaps not. Then he remembered that Pietro had tried to interrupt the annual seafood festival the previous year and the connection to the laboratory hit him. The thought was quickly overshadowed by sound of the deputy losing his breakfast as loudly as the constable had a short while earler.
Dr. Hiro left the ambulance and placed a handkerchief over his nose and mouth. When Deputy Turner seemed fit again, Constable Aucocisco told them both what he found but did not mention the factory. When he was sure the area was secured from any on-lookers, he decided to return and talk to Dr. Nick.
He noticed that the dispatcher was coughing as she related the other cases. Most of the children were now at home except for the seven he had reported. As other deputies called and reported, he was surprised at how many seemed to be catching the flu or a cold. Their voices were more nasal from the congestion or they sneezed and hacked. It also struck him that he felt fine. His stomach was growling from hunger but he felt no desire to tend to that while his mind still saw the bodies.
When Aucocisco reached the factory gate, he noticed that his cousin had done an excellent job repairing it. Had he not visited earlier, he would not be able to tell it had been broken. He also noted the smaller number of cars in the lot. He hoped it was from work being cancelled and not the outbreak of some disease. No one met him at the front so he wandered the halls until he reached the office used by Dr. Nick. When no one answered, he opened the door and entered.
The office was cluttered and seemed quite normal except for two items. There were many papers and folders thrown about the floor and Dr. Nick was hanging from the ceiling with some type of electrical cord around his neck. Clipped to his shirt was a poorly scribbled note that said simply, "please forgive me". Dr. Nick also had blood all over himself and his skin had the same horrible lack of color as those near the van. As is often the case in hangings, his swollen tongue hung from his open mouth.
Suddenly Constable Aucocisco knew that this was a very serious problem and hoped the entire town would not become infected. He cut Dr. Nick down and was not very gentle. He decided it was best if he did not touch the body. As it plopped to the floor, it fell over awkwardly, almost like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Among the folders across the desk, one was bright red and was the only one that could be sealed. It had the initials THIQ and "Top Secret" stamped on it in several places. Perhaps this was what led Dr. Nick to end his life and beg forgiveness so the officer put it under his arm.
So it was an infection and one that was obviously created here. He ran to the cruiser and called the station. He did not like the idea of causing a panic but needed to close the town. After several minutes talking to the dispatcher and all the others that were on duty, he felt a little more in control. His nephew, a new addition to the police force, claimed he felt fine so he was assigned to block the road leading to and from the town so that the disease would not spread.
Most of the other officers and the dispatcher were sent home to be with family and tend to their illnesses. Aucocisco believed that most would never return but felt it best to allow them to die with those they loved, not knowing why or how.
As he reentered an office to look for a clue as to the nature of the disease, a red phone on the wall rang. This phone had no dial or buttons, just a receiver. It was a direct connection to someone, somewhere. He thought long before deciding to answer it.
As soon as the receiver reached his ears, he heard a voice say with little emotion, "A survivor! Please identify yourself by name, position and clearance." It was a short time before he answered, "Constable Aucocisco, chief of the local constabulary and civilian. What the hell have you people done!" There was a brief silence and the voice on the other end said, "Please hold for the command duty officer."
Military! That is all that the officer needed to know. After his graduation, he did his patriotic duty and served in the military for nearly five years. It was not something he enjoyed nor did he often speak of the horrors he had seen in battle but he represented his tribe and therefore had no choice. The command duty officer was the highest ranking person available at whatever office or installation was at the other end of the telephone line.
As he waited, he opened the folder and started reading. The title inside said,"Tetra-Hydro-IsoQuinaline: Potential weapon usage in Military or Civilian Crises". It seemed quite a mouthful and he was sure his clearance, in or out of the military was not adequate to read this. He thumbed through the report quickly and noticed chemical symbols,charts and references to DNA before a female voice spoke through the phone.
"Constable Jillson?" He felt no need to correct her. "This is Captain Lynch. I understand you have some problems at the facility. We received a call from the crew earlier about a break-in but have not gotten anyone to answer since then. Can you give an assessment of the damage there?"
The constable was tempted to say "Complete" but instead talked her through a short version of his day.He omitted the two unfortunate lovers in the car or half dozen victims at the van and only discussed illnesses. He decided it was prudent not to mention Dr. Nick or his note. He finished by telling her that the town was secured and that no one would be entering or leaving until they came and cleaned up their mess.
Captain Lynch thanked him for the thoroughness of his work and his report and mentioned that a crew would be there in approximately two hours with an antidote and a crew to help with the bodies. She spoke as though murdering an entire town happened every day on her watch. It frightened him to think someone could be so nonchalant about so many deaths. Perhaps she had no loved ones except the military. What really terrified him was when she said that the most important thing was to keep the town closed even if it meant using deadly force. He did not trust her and knew that in a few hours, someone or something would arrive but he doubted their intent would be helpful. Her use of the term bodies although he only discussed sickness suggested she already knew the damage and was simply stalling for time to send troops or worse. As soon as she hung up the phone, he ran to the car and spoke to his deputy.
In the unlikely event he was wrong, he did not want to spread fear so he spoke to the deputy in his native language. They met at the highway leading to town and left one cruiser across the road with a huge banner that said "Quarantine. Go back or be shot!". Hopefully any lost tourists would be adequately scared to return to the highway. Then they drove through town looking for survivors. Cars were pulled over to the side of the road or onto the sidewalks with the occupants hanging out the window or lying in the street. At the far end of town was the local bar. It separated the town proper from the reservation and was the one place that was frequented by both. As they drove up, Dr. Hiro came out with a few bottles of Scotch and the look on his face that suggested he had already had one or two shots.
"Boy am I glad to see you! I thought I was the only one left!", he slurred Pardon me for stealing a few drinks but I was not able to help anyone and it was the only thing I could think of doing. I have seen enough death today to last a lifetime and the sooner I can wash those memories away with alcohol, the better." Dr. Hiro was not known as a drinker so it was odd to hear his slurred speech and see his poor coordination.
After the doctor was safely in the back, they headed to the reservation, hoping to find some relative or friend still alive. Of course time was short and anyone left would have to be gone soon. It was just a fifteen minute drive to the houses that marked the tribal village. Most were new from the wealth that came with the nearby casino. Normally, each would have at least two vehicles in the driveway but it appeared everyone was gathered at the great hall. As the officers approached the door, they expected to see many bodies together as though making a mass migration but were pleased to see that everyone was gathered around just two. Both were from 'mixed' marriages.
Constable Aucocisco had no official authority on tribal land but he was respected by all. They waited patiently while he explained about the infection from the laboratory and how some people seemed to survive while others did not. Regardless, the military would soon arrive to clean the evidence of their misdeeds and he was quite sure that the reservation would follow quickly after the town. Everyone gathered their families and to prevent being followed, they started on foot to the nearby mountains to hide until it was again safe to return.
The constable and his nephew made sure the tribal records were burned and after changing from their uniforms to regular clothes, they set out on foot to follow the others. When they reached the hills, they found many had already started constructing small huts or found empty caves. A few had brought bows and arrows fearing guns might attract attention from the military and were off hunting birds or deer for food. Water was taken from a local stream and the officer was proud to see such cooperation. He sat near the brook and hoped no one heard him cry. There were too many dead, most before their time. He heard a twig snap and turned to see a more sober Dr. Hiro.
He looked sternly at the constable and asked, "Which would you like first, some whiskey or my translation of the lab papers. He did not often drink, certainly not while on duty, but today, Aucocisco chose some whiskey. It burned his throat and he felt like coughing but it stayed in his stomach. The second drink went down easier and he could feel the medicinal value of alcohol restore some of his strength.
He looked at the doctor and said, "What did the report say?".
Dr. Hiro stood proudly and said, "Please forgive me for bragging but I am a country doctor. It has been years since I have read any research material. I was surprised that I could read it. I would have preferred getting drunk to reading this horror but now that I have read it, I doubt I will ever drink again."
"The report states that scientists attached to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare recently discovered a genetic difference between social drinkers and alcoholics. It involves a chemical agent called tetra-hydro isoquinaline or THIQ. Trust me, you don't need to remember the name. Physicians may someday accurately predict which people have a tendency to alcoholism by this single chemical agent."
Dr. Hiro seemed very pleased with himself and it seemed the pride was appropriate. "Initially, they thought of creating a test to check for this and possibly a method to counteract it but their research came to the ears of the military. It was perverted into some program to find genetic differences in certain nationalities or races as a way to develop biolgical toxins that would only affect specific enemies. The lab was working on the first attempt to isolate a virus but instead of affecting only those with high quantities of THIQ, it instead attacked those without it. There was an incomplete list of races that should survive but it is safe to assume that your tribe and mine are safe. A lot will depend on whether the toxin mutates. The lab reports that people who are not affected do not become carriers. The virus simply realizes it has an unfit host and dies. Animals, however, can easily become carriers.
The constable understood only some of what the doctor said but realized what had been going on in his town was horrible. He knew that before the white men came, there were nearly two thousand tribes but now there were less than one hundred. The blacks were kidnapped and sold into bondage, the Japanese Americans who were treated as criminals and of course, the Jews. Simply because of their color or heritage or name. The two decided to take another drink off the nearly empty bottle when they heard the sounds of a large plane. It was not a jet, just a large cargo plane that appeared as a dot against the eastern sky. As it neared the city, it dropped a package that opened a large parachute. Then they turned toward the reservation. At first they thought that the military had started dropping the antidote until both were knocked to the ground by the large explosion.
A large brown mushroom cloud grew from what used to be the town but there was no blinding light to suggest the bomb was nuclear. By the time they were back telling the rest of the survivors to get into the cave, a second blast threw them into the side of the mountain and rocks and dirt fell from overhead. The plane circled for a few minutes, no doubt checking to see if anyone was still alive and then returned to wherever it started.
Dr. Hiro tended to the few scrapes and bruises from the falling debris and everyone settled into the cave as the sun set. One of the children had brought a radio. The only stations broadcasting were quite a distance away or obviously, pre-recorded. No one was sure if the disease or the government shut the others down. Throughout the night, people talked about what to do. How could they ever feel safe. If the government knew that they had the evidence from the lab, they would likely be killed. Or worse. Perhaps they would be taken away in chains to replace the tortured animals when the testing restarted.
Just before morning, most agreed that constable Aucocisco and his nephew would travel west to the next town and see it there was a government presence and whether or not people outside the area had heard. The rest would stay in the mountains and hills until they returned. They hid their fires and left no trace so that planes flying over would not notice the people. They left early and travelled away from population. By car, thirty or forty miles is not a long distance but on foot, the sun seems to take joy in burning and blinding. The only life the two saw were the animals that wondered "Are you my next meal?".
They rested as often as they could but the walk was not easy. Eventually, they had reached a neighboring town. As with many small towns, most of the people were gathered in the only bar, listening to bad music and exchanging news. The constable and his nephew ordered beers and thankfully, no one recognized them. There were three men at one table who were obviously not locals and watched the people without exchanging any words. One would occasionally cough and another sneezed once or twice. It was not long before they noticed several other people coughing or sounding ill. When their sandwiches and beers were delivered, the waitress said the two recent arrivals looked like they had been on a long walk and asked if they knew what had happened over in the next county. To be safe, they lied. Both claimed to be from the north and not aware of anything that had happened. The three suits seemed satisfied and returned to their task of examining everyone from their corner. The waitress just shrugged and turned on the television. It showed static until she pounded it on the side. Suddenly, the picture appeared and a white haired man in a suit continued giving the news. She started smiling and said "What do you know? That hasn't worked for three weeks. I guess I found the right spot!" She went into the kitchen to tell the cook of her skill.
"... there is still no word from the government as to when the residents will be allowed to return. From what we are told, most of them survived and are living the life of Riley with room service, heated swimming pools and cable television. With the poverty in the area, I imagine most will want to stay for a while. There is no word yet as to the source of the outbreak and the scientists from the CDC have not decided what the cause of the illness was. As a precaution, any people or animals found in the area will be evacuated and tested.
The deputy and his nephew understood immediately that no help would ever arrive and that witnesses would be eliminated. There was no plan for the government to reveal what had happened. They silently finished their food and beer and were almost ready to leave when the constable noticed a little girl on the television. She was squeeling with laughter and enjoying the new pool that her city had installed. Her bathing suit seemed oddly familiar and he started laughing loudly. Most of the people in the bar stared as if he were insane. Amid the chaos, death and horrors, she reminded him of Uran, sister of Tetsuwan Atom. It was a cartoon he watched as a child and thought often how the mischievious little girl seemed as troublesome as his younger sister. His laughter ceased when he thought of his younger sister and how she had joined the spirits several years ago. And today there were so many others to join her. And tomorrow ...
He spoke briefly to his nephew about the need to return to the mountains and make sure the others were safe. If they travelled at night, they would not be as likely to be caught except by spiders or snakes. He also knew that someone had to tell the citizens what had happened. To somehow get the proof to a newspaper or television station that would tell the rest of the world of the horror that occurred in his area. But he did not know how that would be done. More coughs and sneezes were heard and one of the three men in suits began perspiring and was dragged out by the other two. They quickly left in a long black car. The deputy wondered how long it would be until his companions murdered him.
It appeared that whatever efforts were made had been inadequate. People seemed to be catching it but he didn't think humans could pass it along. Perhaps the genetics caused a mutation that now made it contagious. They paid for their meals and were just ready to leave when the announcer on the television said, "and for something a little lighter, let's go to Liz Agutter at the animal shelter. What is going on, Liz?". A smiling blonde woman, no doubt hired for her appearance and not her broadcasting skills, smiled and said, "Hi, Richard. I'm here at the shelter with one of it's newest residents. Each week we encourage people to adopt some of the homeless animals that find their way here. Today we have a special treat. A few tourists found this kitten out of highway 9 and I imagine there are plenty of children who would be happy to give it a good home." She held the kitten up and it started licking her face and did not seem to mind the makeup she wore. Suddenly, the reporter started coughing and could not say "Back to you Richard" so instead waved to the camera.
Highway 9 was fifteen miles or from where the town was. Or where it had been before it was destroyed. The two survivors left the bar and headed back to the mountains. Now it was obvious that telling people would not do any good. At least not yet. Perhaps a week or two from now, they would again venture out of the mountains and into the cities. But it would only be to see which tribes survived and which did not. And also to be wary of cute little animals that seem affectionate.