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DAY 9: TOTAL CONFIRMED DEATHS 14,706 WORLDWIDE


Bubbles from her bath popped softly in her ears, like melting Rice Krispies in warm milk. The day had been uneventful, the same virus continued to spread, and the quarantine remained in place.

Early in the day the Orange Leader had been on the telescreen in what turned out to be a freak hour-and-a-half press conference where he rambled on and on about how no one had complimented him on all the work he has been doing to fight the virus even though three weeks ago he said it was a hoax and how he was so rich and how he wasn’t as rich anymore since he had become the Leader and he should again be thanked for not being so rich in order to serve the country. A reporter informed him that one of his archenemies had been infected and he responded with an irony “Oh really? That’s too bad.” His excitement, like that of a demon spawn who had finally cornered his prey, was palpable. He tried to play it off, but it was too late. The Great Leader had in front of a televised audience of millions, had mocked a senator who was now infected. If this hadn’t been his normal behavior, it would have been shocking. But the people were used to it.

There was news of another senator, a Libertarian who hated any governmental interference in regular life. He voted against any measure that helped the people in the form of spending money or instituting taxes. His father had just written an article about the virus as a hoax- this was one of the myths floating around the internet machines, initially started by the Orange Leader. This particular senator, the son of the hoaxer, tested positive for the virus. It had been days since he had been exposed, and between the time he was exposed, learned he was exposed, and took the test, he had been living his life as normal. He had not self-quarantined, he had attended lunches with fellow senators and even took a swim in the senate gym.

This was the sneaky thing about the virus. It infected, and then spread while the infector had zero symptoms.

One person could infect a hundred while just going about their daily business. And now this senator, a fan of “freedom to”, a man against government healthcare or government anything for that matter, was now a victim of the virus.

She chuckled at the irony.

The people who didn’t take it seriously, who cried that it was a hoax, a plot against the Orange Leader, they were now the ones being infected.

This was how it was going to go down, she imagined. At a certain point, famous people would get it and succumb. This would finally draw the eye of the people, and they would finally take it all seriously, but it would be too late. The point of no return would be surpassed and the hospitals would be overrun.

Bodies would pile up. The fiber of society would slowly rip apart, exposing how thinly it had been held together in the first place. Anarchy would ensure. Tribalism would devolve into actual tribes and warring factions. History would be lost to the ages...

The water had gone cold.

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