Monday 13 October 2014

Six Days

It’s so very quiet. There is almost no sound except the wind sighing through the trees around me. The birdsong has stopped. There are no dogs barking. No lawn mowers. No cars. Nothing. Who would have thought? Six days could end everything.

Day - 6 Read about the virus in Africa on the news on my tablet over breakfast. We chatted about it. It was horrible but it was so far away. What could we do? Its incurable.

Day - 5 Read the virus had spread to Europe and Australia had closed its borders. This seemed pretty extreme, only a day after we hear about the virus the government are so worried they’ve shut us in.

Day - 4 First evacuated Aussies arrive home on planes and go into quarantine just in case. Apparently they’ll be allowed out if they don’t show signs after a few days. The virus runs its course extremely quickly so they’ll soon know.

Day - 3 Seemed pretty normal at first, I went to work but many people weren’t there and traffic was very light. Maybe people are just staying home. I went home early when I found out the virus had been reported here.

Day - 2 My family are infected, but so far I’m ok. This is unbearable. Why is it taking them and not me? I don’t understand. We went to the hospital but there are thousands there. Its incurable. All that can be done is sedatives and pain-killers.

Day - 1 Watching the people you love die before your eyes is unimaginably awful. Why isn’t there a cure? Why can’t we do anything? I can’t stand being helpless like this. I’m still ok physically but emotionally I’m just fucked. 

Day 0 : My family are gone. I spent the entire day burying them. I had to give them this last respect and love.

6 days later : I’ve kept things running as best I can. The power went a few days ago. Nearly everyone is gone in town. I broke into the hardware store and took a generator but I knew I couldn’t stay at home much longer. There is no water, only what we had in the small tank. I still go into town to get food, I’ve slowly moved most of the tinned and dry foods home with me. The fresh food is already gone. If I’m to survive I’ll have to grow it. The dogs went with the humans but the cats have survived. They’re hungry.

6 days later: I’ve moved into a farmhouse and live there now because it’s got water tanks and a dam and they had a fuel tank. I used their tractor to dig a hole and bury the farm family and everyone else I could find nearby. I’m so glad they died outside. This house doesn’t stink. There is no one else in town anymore. I’m alone.

6 days later : I’m now convinced there is no one else anywhere. I’ve driven into the city looking. There is no communications. No way to find out if there are people further away without going there. Every time I go out I have to be careful. The cats are now hunting in prides. They’ve taken over. Wouldn’t those #caturday fanatics be impressed now?

6 days later: I’m pretty comfortable now. I’ve migrated all the dry and canned food I can find in town and nearby houses into the farm shed. I’ve taught myself to drive trucks and brought three fuel tankers of diesel here that I found in during my scavenging runs. I have power and warmth and it should last for ages.

6 days later: There are others! I’ve seen lights moving around in the town at night. I’m not sure what to do. Should I go meet them? I decide to turn off everything and wait and see. Disaster brings out the best and the worst in humans. I don’t want to meet the worst. I'm afraid. 

6 days later: They’re here. They are what I feared. I write this entry in this journal knowing it will be my last. I’m bleeding pretty bad. They didn’t even talk to me, they just shot me and started taking the things I had gathered. I managed to get back inside. I can’t stop the bleeding. They’re ignoring me. Wait! What's that noise? They're coming in! The irony? I've got the fever. Maybe they'll catch it from me... 

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