Quarantine

Chapter 1

"That'll be $6.52." The tired employee said. That was understandable. 5:30 in the morning is not a good time to be up. Eric gave him the money and stood to the side to wait for his bagel. He glanced at the tv.

"This new disease, biolisip, what can people at home expect in the next few weeks?" A news anchor asked a reporter. "You may have heard that it's been nicknamed 'The White Death' but that's no a reason to fear. While the symptoms are ugly, the Center for Disease Control is working round the clock to—"

"Order for Eric!" He pulled his eyes from the tv. He grabbed his bagel and thanked the employee. On his way out the door his phone buzzed. So did the employee's. The employee pulled out his phone and his face paled. Eric whipped out his own phone. On it was a message from the CDC.

CDC NOTICE: BIOLISIP OUTBREAK IN SE MICHIGAN. QUARANTINE OF DETROIT AREA IMMINENT. PLEASE REAMIN CALM AND STAY INDOORS.

The employee started pacing and muttering nervously. Eric briskly walked out to his car and got in. He started the car and began driving. The roads quickly filled with cars. Presumably people trying to leave too.

Eric made it to the freeway and traffic cleared. He sped up. He couldn't miss another day of work, not after he was sick for two weeks. And he couldn't afford to lose this job. Especially now that he was paying for a car.

The car ahead of him abruptly stopped forcing him to slam on his brakes. He craned his neck to see why traffic halted. A line of police cars with flashing lights stretched across the freeway.

A car in the lane beside him didn't stop but sped up. Eric only saw a flash but the driver was extremely pale in the morning light. The car kept accelerating even when the police started shooting. They were going to hit the blockade!

Police dived to the side as the car plowed through the line before rolling on its side. Several pale people on foot attempted to run through the hole. Gunshots echoed as police shot at them.