New Life in Chicago (English Version)

Chapter 28

On Sundays, Kelly has a call duty. He has heard from the stranger the day before. He died and a strain of Staphylococcus strain, necrotizing fasciitis was the cause of the infection.

During the day, there are new cases of this infection. It is an infection which is very rare so several cases in the same city it is not very reassuring.

On returning from his shift on Monday, Kelly tells me that a large research laboratory has caught fire. A chemical fire broke out and the extinguishing system was not working. They took a long time to get people out of the mini laboratory which was located in the basement because there were very thick double windows. It is a laboratory that works on infectious diseases. The stranger on Saturday kept repeating "BRT" which was noted in the basement of the laboratory.

He returns there in the evening for the fire investigation. With the various investigators, they discover that the fire started from the basement before spreading to the second floor.

On Tuesday, we learn on the news that there are more and more cases. People are starting to panic a bit. I stay with Jaxon at home until there is any news on how this infection is caught and how to fight it. Kelly taught me that one of the victims was a baby and I definitely wouldn't want that to happen to Jaxon.

The next day, Wednesday, the emergency room called me because they no longer had enough staff to deal with the extent of the infection. I have to drop Jaxon off at the hospital day care before going to the emergency room because Kelly may return to the barracks to be on duty. I admit that I am a little afraid not for myself but for Jaxon. Not for his health, because I know he has nothing to fear in the hospital day care because I know that all precautions are taken but because I have not left him for more than a few hours since I have recovered from the operation for my childbirth.

I prepare a bag for myself as well as Jaxon's with everything he will need at day care. I send a message to Kelly to warn him before I put Jaxon in his car seat and tie him up then I go to the hospital. Once there, I see that I have a missed call from Kelly. I take Jaxon with me and our bags before calling Kelly back.

"Did you try to reach me?" I ask once he picks up. "Yes, I saw your message. I'll go get Jaxon as soon as I can. Please be careful", Kelly tells me.

"Yes, you too. I love you and Jaxon sends his dad a kiss" I answer. "I love you too and you can tell Jaxon that I received his kiss and give one to him for me" Kelly says before hanging up.

I take Jaxon to the hospital day care. I give him a last hug and big kisses including those from Kelly before going to change to go to work in the emergency room.

After changing and leaving my things in the locker room, I go to the emergency room and I was assigned to the infections. I go to the old wing of the hospital where they put the individual quarantine tents. I learn that these are people who come from the residence which has been declared zero point. With other nurses, I ask a whole series of questions to examine each case and take samples to culture them and check that there is no infection. It takes a long time because there are about 40 people.

We finished all the samples when suddenly, one of the men of the residence complained that it was itching on his arm and he had red sores. So, he must have been infected with the bacteria. He is removed from the tent to be placed in solitary confinement in a room. He is very scared but the medication calms him down before he goes for surgery. I learn after his intervention that there were no more live muscles in his arm and they had to amputate him.

After a while, the tension begins to rise in quarantine. Some people make more and more noise in their tents and start to get really restless. It becomes so much madness and they all come out of their tents and become unmanageable.