After an hour of drifting in and out of sleep, I untangled myself from Leon's long limbs opting to read instead. My mother had set up a library in the adjoining room. I had yet to visit the place as it required spending extra time close to Leon. Leon groaned in her sleep as if sensing my negative thoughts towards her. Having sex had neither softened nor hardened my feelings towards her. Avoiding her now would be a moot point and I missed reading so I softly made my way to the library careful not to wake Leon and have her be my problem.
The library was originally meant to be a walk in closet. The shelves that were to be used to store clothing were now filled with books of all kinds. Someone, probably Monica, had taken their time organising the books according to genre and in an alphabetical order. I picked up Dan Browns Angel and Demons and settled down on the rustic grey table and chair that had been set up in the middle of the room.
It wasn't long before my focus was solely on the words that opened up a new world with each progressing sentence. Some hours later, Leon's head peeked in drawing my attention before the rest of her body came into view. I focused back on my book hoping my lack of interest in her presence would deter her from venturing in further. I let out a groan of frustration not bothering to mask my annoyance as I felt Leon's hands tighten around my waist. She let her chin rest on the crook of my shoulder as she nuzzled my neck.
My goodwill and every ounce of restrain I had vanished as I pushed her away unwilling to indulge her neediness. Leon had always been the emotional one especially when it came to sex. The last time Leon and I had indulged in carnal pleasure, a series of emotionally driven events had occured ending up with me tied up in her trunk.
"I'm sorry for that. You looked really delicious sitting there lost in your book, I couldn't resist."
"Okay, then go away" I retorted rubbishing her efforts to diffuse the tension.
"I came here to read and that is what I am going to do. I wasn't even aware you were in here when I came in so if you can't deal with me feel free to remove yourself."
She pulled out a chair and sat opposite me at the table. She set down a book that I had not seen her pick up opened a bookmarked page and settled in to read. I stared at her intrigued by the logic and clarity she had used to rebuff my dismissal. The Leon I knew would have gone on a tirade that would have ended in tears. Yet there she was calm and collected turning the pages of her book.
I didn't get the chance to get to my book before the library door was mauled by a panting Rebecca. She attempted to speak but choked on air instead. Leon ran to her soothing her back in an attempt to help her calm down. I did not wait for her to collect her breath. There was only reason why she would barge in here. Marcus and Charles were back.
Kevin had gone outside with his two brothers. According to the clock they had been out the whole day. The rest of us stood at a safe distance as they shed off their suits. After a bit of a struggle and a disinfecting shower we gathered in the living room eager for some news. Leon and Rebecca had joined us and chose to sit next to me despite my obvious disapproval.
"What did you find out?"
"Is the situation better?"
"Can we leave the bunker?"
"What about the government is it in play again?"
"What about the virus, did you get any news about the virus?"
Questions were fired in rapid succession at Marcus and his brothers as soon as they stepped into the living room. Everyone had been anxiously awaiting their return and I could see some people were hopeful.
Marcus held his hand up quieting the room. He dropped the contents of the garbage bag he had been carrying on the table. He had brought in long thick black cables, what looked like a internet routers, a bunch of satellite phones and pamphlets. He then passed around the pamphlets so that each one of us had one.
The pamphlets contained information about the virus. The synthesized version of the mad hatter disease was as virulent as it was lethal. The virus completely destroyed the brain of the infected, causing chemical imbalances leading to change in behaviour and interfering with neuropathic pathways which ultimately led to the body shutting down. Once infected the virus ravaged your body and death occurred after not more than two weeks. There was only one case that survived past the two week mark but died a week later. The only saving grace was the fact that the virus only spread through primary contact with the virus. This ray of hope was dampened by the fact that no one new exactly how many remote triggered canisters were still around. Apparently, the mad scientist had left several thousand canisters around that could be triggered remotely.
Marcus waited patiently until we all looked up from the literature in our hands. I was by definitely mot an expert on anything Marcus, but it did not require a genius to notice that Marcus was deeply disturbed. Susan, the slow reader, was the last to look up and Marcus took that as his cue to speak up.
"That is all I have on the virus. Everyone we came across was infected so it is safe to assume that if there are people who have not been infected then they have gone into hiding. The electricity is still out with the exception of a few generators still running. We managed to acquire three generators and a tanker filled with fuel that we brought back with us.."
Marcus motioned Kevin forward who immediately stepped forward speaking up.
"I contacted my former commander in the army and was lucky to find him using a satellite phone. The number of the infected is estimated to be around 3 billion with the number of related casualties more or less the same. This break out is no longer consider a pandemic but an extinction event. As such given the severity of the situation extreme measures are to be taken to ensure the survival of mankind.
Charles who had been fiddling with the routers took over from Kevin as if they had rehearsed thier speech.
"We managed to tap in to and intercepted a transmission that outlined the details of the measures to be taken."
Charles was skirting around the issue. His hesitation was as clear as day as he took forever to click a button on what I had assumed was a router. There was five seconds of static before a commanding voice cut through our silence.
"Attention to all units this is not a drill I repeat this is not a drill. All units are to report to the Limway runway before 0800hrs for the emergency evacuation. I repeat all units report to the Limway runway before 0800hrs for the emergency evacuation."
There was more static and then silence. We all turned to Marcus whose attention was still on Charles. Charles was connecting cables while pushing buttons that made no sense to me. Another button brought more static before a different voice came through. Unlike the previous message the next message sounded like a recorded conversation.
"When is the detonation set to happen " a deeply distinct voice made its way out of the static.
"We will start with Asia, then Europe, then Africa, then North America, then south America and lastly Australia and Antarctica" another voice joined in
"Have the warnings been issued?"
"Yes we have been broadcasting in all of Asia for a week now. The rescue teams have been working non stop to bring in the survivors to the shelters before the detonation date."
"Good. Ensure that enough supplies have been gathered. We won't be seeing sunrise for a while."
"The last atomic bomb has been deployed sir." A new voice joined in
The rest of the recording was muffled as they moved away from what had been recording them
YOU ARE READING
AGE OF INSANITY
Science Fiction...The world did not end with a bang or a whimper. It ended with the hysterical screeches as it was plunged into madness.... With no clear horizon and a burning furnace at the end of the proverbial tunnel, will the survivors last. Will thier fragile...
