I stare around at the crowd that's gathered in the police station, wondering how on Earth I'm supposed to keep it under control. With only a few of us here we've been getting by, but it's still been dangerous, we've still lost people. Now, I feel like I'm responsible for the safety of people who can't even take care of themselves. People who've already been through enough.
This is a nightmare, I think desperately as I press my hands into my hips. What are we going to do with everyone? They can't all stay here.
I suppose, in a way, they could. We have cells with beds in, physical room to hold them all but that isn't all we have to consider. What about food and other supplies? What about a long-term plan? This isn't viable for an extended period of time, especially since it won't stay like this forever. Something has to change one way or another when it comes to this virus, and we need to be prepared for it. Especially the police force. We'll be at the forefront of it all.
"Shall I send everyone to find a bed?" Enrico asks me nervously, twiddling his thumbs as he looks to me for guidance. "At least for now while we work out a plan?"
I turn my back on the crowds, not wanting them to hear my next comment. "Are you sure that no one here is infected? Did they get properly checked?"
"One of the doctors checked them, I checked them, and you did. I think we're safe on that front. That isn't really the main issue right now...
I hope he's right, I really do, but I'm geuninly afraid. If even one person slipped through the cracks then we're endangering everyone here. We'll end up in as big a mess as they already were at the specialist medical facility. Enrico is wrong, that will always be our main issue.
God, I hate being in charge! I don't understand how I've somehow ended up in this role. I wish someone else would step up to the plate but they keep waiting for me.
My breaths feel heavy and my heart pounds in my throat, but I get past all of that for long enough just to nod. "Okay, yeah. Send everyone to a cell for now."
People scatter in every direction under the instruction of Enrico which allows the stress to roll off my shoulders just a little bit. There's still a lot of pressure there, I don't know when I'll be able to get rid of it all, but at least for now we have a resolution.
I'll just go and check on everyone, I think decisively. Just to ensure that no one is infected.
I can't let it go, I don't know if I'll ever relax again. It doesn't matter how tired I am, sleep feels a million miles away.
As I move from cell to cell, I have to admit that all looks okay. I believe we've left all the infected people behind. Of course that bothers me too because now they're simply out there, adding to the ever-growing problems out there, but I suppose I can only tackle one issue at a time. I'm just one man.
"Are...are you okay?" I ask, leaning against the bars of one particular cell. "Miss?"
A blonde lady lies on the cold, hard floor, her knees up by her chest and her hair splayed out everywhere. There's something about the terribly sad image that makes me want to reach out to her, to hold her delicate frame in my arms, but I can't.
"I don't think she is," the voice of a teenage girl speaks to me. "I think she's sick. Not infected," she corrects herself rapidly just as I'm about to freak out. "Just ill. It might even be stress. She was one of the nurses at the specialist medical facility and I think she's taken it hard."
There's a powerful jolt in my chest as I realize who I'm looking at. This is the pretty blonde nurse who I've spoken to a couple of times. My heart goes out to her even more, I have to believe that she might be ill and not infected because there's no way I can send her away.
"I suppose..." I cough a little awkwardly. "I guess we'll have to have someone watching her all the time, to check she doesn't get worse. And maybe some antibiotics would be a good idea, what do you think?"
The girl shrugs helplessly. "I'm not sure. Luckily there are plenty of doctors about to ask. Don't mind helping out with keeping an eye on her though."
"Is she a friend of yours?"
"Sort of." She bites on her nail thoughtfully. "I mean, I didn't know her before all of this but we're all friends now, aren't we? We have to be. To support one another."
I guess that's another way of looking at things. I've been so focused on survival that I haven't considered actually building relationships with everyone. I suppose that might be another way of making this whole horrible mess a little more bearable.
"I'm Oliver, by the way." I extend my hand to shake hers. "Since we are all on the same team."
"Yeah, and I'm Rachael." She points her thumb towards the cell. "And she's Katie."
Katie. I stare at her shuddering body, wishing I could make this easier for her. Nurse Katie.
"We'll muddle through this," I promise Racheal. "Somehow."