Islands - The Epidemic: An Airborne Ebola Disaster Read online

  Judith looked up at him, confused.

  “They were the first man and woman on Earth – we’re the last,” he explained.

  “We might not be the last,” Judith proposed. “There are those people in the military complex; there might be women amongst them.”

  “If we don’t survive, they won’t survive,” Max said, firmly. “They’ll run out of food and eventually have to venture outside.”

  Judith nodded. “True. Still, there might also be some remote tribes who’ve remained untouched. As long as they have had no contact with outsiders, they might be lucky enough to survive this.”

  “Let’s hope.” Max turned from the graves and led the way back to the building.

  “It’s a bit gloomy in here,” Judith said as they entered the corridor. She looked around. “What’s different?”

  Max looked up. “The lights, the power must have gone off.”

  Judith took off, running for the stairs. “The samples in the fridge, they’ll be spoiled,” she screamed.

  Max entered the lab close behind to find Judith holding up several phials.

  She looked around, her eyes brimming. “It must have been off for hours; they’re all warm, they’ll be ruined. Everything is spoiled.”

  “Could we not still use them?”

  She looked down and shook her head, “No, they’ll be either dead or dangerous. I’ll have to start from scratch.”

  Max turned from the room. “I’ll try to find the generator then help you get started.”

  The remainder of the day was spent going through all the research notes and files.

  Max lifted his head from a pile of papers on the desk. “There seems to have been a lot of half-concocted ideas on the go at the same time.”

  “That’s usually the case. They were obviously brain-storming anything. That serum was a long shot at best, but when it comes down to it, anything’s worth a try.”

  They had been at it for seven hours solid and Max initially blamed his growing headache on this, until he realised he was starting to feel sick.

  He stood and crossed to stand beside Judith. “I think you had better test me again.”

  She raised her head and looked at him as though she had just been slapped. “No, Max,” she said, her voice cracking, “Please, not you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  The Disease Control Centre, Chantry Wood, Kent

  Judith woke in the middle of the night with a sense she was being watched. She turned over to find two pairs of eyes looking across the room towards her.

  Max was lying on his cot, with Seb alongside, cuddling up to the dog.

  “Can’t you sleep?” she asked.

  “I don’t want to. I want to hang on to every moment that’s remaining.”

  The room fell silent, broken only by the sound of the man kissing his dog on the back of the neck.

  He fondled Seb’s ears. “I do love how soft his ears are.” He looked up, raising his head enough so he could see over his pet. “I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry. What are you sorry for?” Judith asked. “I’m sure given the choice you’d rather not have it this way.”

  “I’m sorry I’m going to leave you. I was worried it might come to this.”

  “Don’t worry,” Judith said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle of pills, then shook the contents to make them rattle. “I’ve got my backup plan. In fact, there’s enough here for two.”

  Max smiled. “Practical to the end.” He looked down at the dog. “What about Seb?”

  Judith shrugged. “What about him? I’ll look after him.”

  He dropped his eyes, avoiding her gaze. “What if you become ill?”

  “Do you think he could survive on his own? What do you want me to do?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure I’d want him to suffer like that.”

  Judith turned and lifted herself up onto her elbow. “He caught that rabbit.”

  Max nodded thoughtfully, his mouth turned downward. “True.”

  ****

  Judith felt as though she had only just managed to get back off to sleep, when she was woken by a strange noise. At first she was reluctant to leave the warm, safe cocoon of her dreams, where for a while more she could pretend everything was normal. She could not identify the source until suddenly she realise it was the sound of someone vomiting. She sat up and looked around. “Max! Max!”

  “It’s all right,” came a call from the kitchen. He returned to the room with the washing up bowl in his hands. “I had some water and it’s just come straight back up.” He placed down the container and pulled a chair alongside Judith’s cot. “You know what? I think I’d like to take you up on that offer.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked, intensely.

  “Yes. Absolutely. I don’t want to wait until there’s nothing left but pain and sickness. Tomorrow I’ll watch the sun rise, then you can help me die.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The Disease Control Centre, Chantry Wood, Kent

  “I helped Max to die this morning,” Judith informed William later that day.

  “And how are you?” he asked, concerned.

  “So far, fine. I did another blood test when Max became ill and so far so good, I haven’t got the disease. I don’t know why, but it obviously took longer with some to get a hold.”

  “Maybe it’s weakening,” William suggested hopefully.

  “Maybe. If I could only find a cure, or even better a vaccine, then you could all return to the surface...”

  “What’s wrong?” William asked, when Judith’s voice trailed off.

  “I was so focused on a cure I haven’t checked to see if they were close to a vaccine. I’ll look into it and get back to you.” She severed the link and hurried to the lab.

  Several hours later Judith found a file buried deep inside one of the computer folders which offered some hope. A vaccine was in the early stages of development, but carried some risks to the host as a live, genetically altered virus had to be used.

  She went to the fridge and found the sample on the top shelf. “I’ll need to check it’s still active,” she said to Seb as she crossed to the electron microscope.

  Fitted with a nanolens, it would allow her to see particles on a nanoscale of ten microns, enough to reveal viruses on a microscopic level.

  “There are some still active in there,” Judith said, as she studied the single drop in the centre of the screen, “but I’m not sure if that’s enough. Most of them are inert.” She looked down at the dog. “Either way I’ve nothing to lose?”

  Suddenly a small drop of blood appeared at Seb’s feet.

  Quickly Judith raised her hand and wiped her nose with the back of a finger; she looked down and sighed deeply at the crimson mucus smearing her skin. “Well I guess that’s it. I’m out of time.” She looked at Seb, “So what are we going to do about you?”

  Judith stood and made her way from the lab, urging the dog to follow. “We’ll do a little test. I’ll open the exit,” she said, leading the way to the stairs, “and if you go outside then you’re on your own, but if you choose to stay,” they entered the passage and crossed to the fire door, “then you’re coming with me.” She pressed the bar and pushed the barrier open. “So what’s it going to be Seb? It’s up to you.”

  ****

  “Are you sure you definitely have it? It couldn’t simply be hypertension or something?”

  “No, the blood test confirmed it. I’ll forward the research details for the vaccine to you. You’ll not have a live virus on the premises, but it might give you something you can work around.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Whatever you do, do not allow anyone else to follow. Your only hope is if that army base finds a cure, but they weren’t prepared to discuss us even coming close, so it didn’t look too hopeful for them.”

  “Thanks for everything Judith,” William said, sadly, “and have a safe journey, you’ve definitely earned it.”
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  Epilogue

  The Domes, Two Miles off the North East Coast of Scotland.

  William stood and addressed the meeting. “No further contact has been made with Judith Somerville, the last of the team who returned to the surface. Judith thinks that a vaccine may have been close to being developed, but they ran out of time before they could implement it. There were several possible cures, all of which would be difficult to apply since the power went out and the surface has just about returned to a pre-industrial state.

  Our only hope is if a medical military base in Cumbria has had any luck, but so far we have been unable to establish contact.

  We may well be the last human beings, and possibly the last primates, left alive on the planet.” William raised his hands. “Can you all stand now and join me in two minutes’ silence in honour of all those who have been lost to this terrible disease – and for our heroes who returned to the surface in the hope of finding us a future.”

  The End.

  About the Author

  I have enjoyed writing stories all my life. I also had a fascination for astronomy and science and would lie in bed from a very young age looking at the stars.

  I joined a local astronomy group when I received my first telescope at Christmas a number of years ago. Since then I’ve enjoyed many a night, freezing until I can’t stand it anymore, looking at the delights of the Universe and the magical wonders of alien worlds.

  I started my career in computing, but presently work at a college helping students improve their maths and English. The rest of my time is worked around my writing.

  I live in Northumberland, England, with my husband and three cats. Whenever possible, we (not the cats) like to fit in some walking and mountain biking in the magnificent Northumberland and Kielder hills.

  In the last ten years I have written, for publication, the novella, Time Split and the novels: Distant Suns, Distant Suns – The Journey Home and Islands Beneath the Sea.

  Distant Suns started life originally as a short story, but always felt like a novel waiting to burst out. Discussions I had as a child, with my father, about the possibility of Jupiter becoming a sun were the start of its creation.

  I strive in my writing to give the reader a rollercoaster ride of emotions and excitement, mixed in with a good dash of fear – all from the safety of their armchair.

  Note: The third in the Distant Suns trilogy should be available in autumn 2015.