Home Again, Finally...

After traveling for several days by vehicle, the car broke down. So as usual, I go attempt to find another car. I open the first one I come to and try hot wiring it, nothing. I figure the battery must be dead so I go back to my car, grab its battery and bring it back to this one. Nothing. I figure this car must just be dead so I go try another and another, none of them work. It's the strangest damned thing I've ever seen. Why is every car dead? Then it dawned on me, perhaps the government fired an EMP weapon to attempt to control the infection? It was really strange because the car just quit suddenly, total loss of power. So, since that point I was riding a bicycle. Going cross country on a bike is not only slow, it is one tough mode of transportation. At least it's faster than walking plus I'm faster than the infected though I'm more exposed this way. I arrive back in my home town finally, just glad to be back. I pull up to the sheriff's station and find one of the windows has been broken in. I gather maybe the infected are starting to get smarter? Hmm, I'll reserve judgment on that one later.

So I slowly and very quietly enter the station using the broken window as to not make any noise. I plan to find whomever or whatever broke that window. I start like I usually do at the top and slowly work my way down each level. Creeping ever so slowly, I hear slow footsteps but not like the shuffling ones. Now I'm really curious and kind of freaked out. Could there be a survivor like me that broke in? Maybe that’s the case. I hear them coming closer and closer so I raise my bat. I don't want to kill them but I want information. They appear around the corner and just as I begin my downswing, I see it is one person I swore I never would again, my wife. I stop short of clubbing her over the head with my bat. She screams but then realizes I was just reacting in a way that would be normal considering the situation. I ask, "Hon, how? Why aren't you infected? I swear you were acting just like those things..." She stops me and says, "Apparently, I must have developed an immunity to this infection though I'm not exactly sure how." I agree but this is incredible news. Sadly, we have lost so many people to the disease that I figure 2/3 of the world's population is gone. The majority of those still alive are infected. She asks me about her family and I tell her the last I saw of her mom and step father they were OK. Her sister, brother in law, nephew and niece appeared to have escaped the city.

I then tell my wife about the NIH and how they just need a blood sample to create a vaccine to treat those that are infected but still alive. She seems skeptical but I assure her that they only need one vial of blood. Plus it's a place we can run to for food, shelter, showers, and a good night's sleep. She agrees to come with me but asks me to not let her out of my sight, I agree. Perhaps one of the cars in the parking garage across the street didn't get impacted by the EMP. And we're off to the NIH.