Decrease

Wednesday - September 15

As we continue standing in the anteroom, we hear a crackling sound coming over the intercom system. Julie rushes over to it and presses the talk button. "This is Dr. Nguyen. Is someone trying to contact the lab?" She releases the talk button expecting someone to answer, but we both hear only crackling noises.

"Now what?" she says, as she exits the anteroom into the corridor. I can still hear the crackling sound, wondering what it means. Then, I hear the alarm blaring inside the lab. I dart to the window and notice a lab technician turning around in circles, holding their head with their hands. The other lab workers immediately swarm to the exit to vacate the lab. But they can't. Because of the alarm, the door is locked. People begin banging on the door, screaming to get out.

I rush over to the keypad and quickly enter my security code, but the door remains locked. I pick up the emergency phone, waiting for someone to pick up at the other end, but no one answers. I throw the phone down in disgust. I look around the anteroom seeing if there's anything I can find to open the door. I find nothing. Within seconds, the screams in the lab begin to dissipate. I go to the window to see what's happening. "No! No!" I cry out as I begin to see friends and co-workers falling over like dominoes. I try to break the glass with my fist, screaming, "I can't get the door open!" I hit the glass hard, turn around frustrated and hopelessly helpless. "God, help me!" I plead. I continue to look through the window as I watch everyone collapsing to the floor. I hit the window again, yelling, "No! No! No!" Gradually, their screams become silent. I press my forehead against the window, banging the glass until I become exhausted. I slump to the floor in shock by what I'm witnessing. I'm now terrified of the perniciousness that has been let loose among us. "Help us, God!" I yell as I begin to cry, "Help us!"

Seconds later, a security team and hazmat team barge into the anteroom. As I sit in shock, somebody grabs my arm and helps me out the exit. As I feel myself being pulled, I turn around to look once more through the lab window. I see only a white cloud. The lab room is being decontaminated and entry will not be permitted.

"Dr. Bennett, what happened?" asks a figure standing before me. As I try to focus, I could only mumble, "God, help us! Please, God, help us!"

With the figure holding my shoulders, another figure rips the top of my suit down to expose my arm. I feel a pinch, which soon fades. I try to look at everyone around me, but I find it impossible to make out anything. Everything's blurry, and the room begins to spin, then darkness falls upon me as I cry out, "Claire!"

___________________________________

"Good afternoon. I'm Jack Neely with the noon report. The terror that's annihilating Atlanta's population, as throughout the rest of the world, is reaching astronomical numbers. The World Health Organization has estimated that approximately one million of the Earth's population has been infected, and many have died from the unknown menace with numbers continuing to rise."

"The CDC has not released any findings to the cause of the pandemic, and it is unclear as to when they will have any answers."

Taking in a deep breath, he continues, "The CDC, the Population Control Administration, and all government entities urge all citizens to please stay calm, and to be aware of their surroundings to prevent the infection from spreading. For now, all anyone can do is to pray and hope that this peril will vacate itself just as quickly as it entered. We will return after these following messages." The television's turned off.

"Well, well, well, Raymond. It looks like the plan's working," Henry articulates, as he returns to his seat, lighting a cigarette.

Raymond stares at the black television screen, getting a bird's eye view of his self-afflicted mutilation of which he despises wholeheartedly. He wishes that everyone who believes in him would quit thinking he's a damn genius. Not one to dwell on his woes, or wisdom, Raymond turns his head, holds his chin high, and comments, "What did you expect, Henry? I knew as well as the others that this would work. I'm living proof."