Quarantine

Chapter One

Almost everyone has the mindset of "it couldn't happen to me."

The quarter flipped over and over in his hand, face up, face down, face up, face down. All value is relative. It only takes one man with the power over others to establish the definition of value. A quarter is only worth 25 cents because that man decided it was going to.

Holden sometimes wished he were that man. Instead, he was just a man.

Holden was shocked when his mother allowed him to "go get some fresh air." He had been staring at the same four walls for months. Admittedly, he'd stop counting. There was no point to keep track of something that was so uncertain. He had things to feel uncertain about, but they were always within his reach. This wasn't. This year felt like a never-ending climax. He just wanted things to go back to normal.

His friends were stuck at home too, their parents being more paranoid than ever. Holden was able to talk to them online, but it was slowly getting old. His 12th grade friends had become shelled within themselves after finding out that there wouldn't be a graduation ceremony. They would all have to return after the chaos to finish their high school career.

The sun was covered by clouds, slowly setting as day became night. It had been a respectively hot day, most likely his mother's reason for sending him outdoors.

He wondered what those seniors were doing now. He knew Sabrina wasn't taking it very well. She was usually constantly posting on every social media site; suddenly she posted an all black screen with a questionable statement, then no one heard from her again.

Holden just needed to see a different face.

There wasn't a single soul out on the streets, most houses having their curtains drawn tightly. He hadn't expected to see anyone, there was just a part of him that wished so. He began his short journey back home, shoving the quarter into his pocket.

After a brisk 15 minute walk, Holden turned down the street that his home resided. Not a single soul. The loneliness started creeping up on him again, the four walls of his room being pushed to the forefront of his mind.

He forced himself up the steps into his house, turning around one last time to see the world. He would soon be engulfed by nothingness. His eyes scanned the landscape, finally landing on a person.

A person.

He visibly flinched, not expecting anything like this. It was like seeing a racoon on your front porch, shuffling through the trash.

It was a person - a real, human, person - that wasn't his mother.

It felt like eternity that him and this person locked eyes. They seemed just as shocked that they were seeing Holden as he was seeing-

They were gone.

He must have blinked; he must have missed it. The only other person he'd seen in months was gone just as quickly as they were there. He tried to bring the image of the person back into his mind, before it disappeared, before he forgot forever. Turning the knob to him, he pushed the door open, returning to the time before.

-

"It's about time you're back, I should've given you a time limit when you left..." Holden's mother mumbled on, moseying around the kitchen. The news was on again. There wasn't a minute in this household that the news channel wasn't turned on. Holden was able to name, first and last, which news reporter was talking without even looking at them.

His mother probably held on to more hope than he did. She always seemed to be tuned in, hoping for one good story. She recently made a social media account to see if there was anything she was missing out on. It was the same stuff, just with more emotions.

By the lack of dishes on the countertop Holden assumed they were having frozen dinner again. At least it was easier.

He walked back to his room, collapsing on his bed. He felt exhausted from his long walk away from home. Reaching over to his nightstand, Holden grabbed his phones. He swiped through it, hoping something would show up. He so badly wanted something- anything. He peered out his curtain, searching for the person again. Of course, there was nothing.

The TV grew louder in noise as he desperately looked for something that wasn't there. He could hear...Robert Stein's voice loud and clear, then Holden's mother calling for him. He lifted himself from his bed, forcing his legs to take him to the living room. He knew what was about to happen.

Whatever time back it was, Robert Stein came onto television and announced some half-decent news. She became convinced that he would always be the one to deliver superb news. He hadn't reported anything good since.

Holden sat down on the couch next to her. She was leaning forward, elbows on her knees with her face resting atop her hands.

He wished he felt the same sense of hope like her. He lost it long ago.

He stayed just to make her happy.