Pandemic Pt. 01 Ch. 01-05

Shocked, I stopped and asked the woman, "Have you been sick?"

The woman looked at me over Annelise's shoulder, large light brown eyes and a wide smile, "I was sick but I am better now. Mummy and Daddy have been sleeping and I finished the biscuits. They are in the other house. Mummy does not move now."

I went upstairs and returned to Annelise with a tea towel smothered in hand sanitiser.

"Come. Let's go, let's get you back home."

The woman backed away, startled, looking confused. Annelise turned and held up her hand as I stepped from the stairs.

"No. Stop! Stay away Mark, put me in quarantine, I will sit in the back tray with her." Annelise requested.

"You won't be infectious yet."

"I will ride in the back, I can sit on the plastic with the girl. We can both be in quarantine, if she is no longer infectious we will both be fine. If not, I might as well have some company." Annelise smiled wanly.

"It is not fair on the others if you get infected because of me, stay back."

A knot of fear grew in my stomach but I held back. She spread out a linen table cloth and placed cushions in a corner of the tray of the Hilux, gestured to the malnourished woman to come, and helped her clamber up onto the tray. Annelise smiled sadly at me and followed the girl. Squatting on the cushion, she drew the woman next to her, and rested her hand on the woman's shoulder, gently caressing her black hair.

I took off my dust mask, boots, gloves, and spray suit, tossing them into the bucket in the back in disgust. So much for our precautions. I drove us home.

Maddy and I stocked two bunks with food, books, paper, toiletries and an intercom into the quarantine room that I had built. In the shelter of the external wall we provided food to Annelise and Tiffany. We discovered Maddy had gone to school with her and she was 24 years old. While we provisioned the room, Tiffany went to sleep, head in Annelise's lap.

Annelise led Tiffany into the room. We exchanged wishes of love to Annelise with a falsely cheery sureness that we would see her soon, then closed the door. With wet eyes and cheeks we walked across to the house. I offered to help Maddy with the cattle but she said she would be fine and hopped on the bike, 22 rifle across her back. Karen and I secured the chickens, ducks, sheep and goats for the evening. Walking back we realised we had not seen Eliza for a couple of hours. Usually she was quiet but she was rarely far away. We searched and found her by the vegetable garden, crying and holding one of the dogs.

Maddy returned, furious, she had lost two cows and a calf. A pack of dogs had stampeded the cattle still on her land. Four had injuries and a calf had been killed. She had to put down two cows, one with a broken leg and the other had staked herself on a fence picket. When she got there that afternoon she had found the dogs still consuming the dead calf. One dog would have a headache, a 22 rifle shot had ricocheted off its head. She had killed another one, but the four surviving dogs remained at large, including the injured pack leader.

I returned with Maddy to move her small herd of skittish cattle over to join ours, then went back to butcher the two cows she had shot. What a job that turned out to be! My image of butchers was always an immaculately clean, well built (and well fed) man in a white apron. Probably a disservice to most butchers and I wondered if any survived. In contrast Maddy looked like an extra in a horror movie and I looked no better. Hungry packs of dogs were an extra problem that we just did not need. Would keeping guard over the cattle as they grazed even be possible?

We ate beef stew for our very subdued dinner. Afterwards we sat silently dreading that tomorrow, day 12 after possible contact, would see the deaths of Linda and Michael. Karen drew Eliza from her silence, asking her about her family. We found out that her grandparents had fled from Vietnam in 1976, reaching Darwin after 16 days at sea which included surviving being attacked by pirates in the South China Sea. Her grandparents had been farmers and worked on labouring jobs on farms in the south west of Western Australia during her mother's childhood. For ten years they worked for an elderly widowed potato farmer who had fled Czechoslovakia in 1938. When he died he left the large potato farm to his daughter in his last will and testament, but deeded the smaller farm to her grandparents. The house there had been abandoned and the farm was just being used as pasture for cattle. Her mother and father married and initially lived in a shed they built on the property. Her grandparents and parents later built their current farmhouse. Soon afterwards Linda was born and then Eliza. Eliza had spent her whole life there. Some of her first memories were their family establishing the fruit trees in the orchard. It took an hour on the bus to get to school but she liked being in the country. We quietly listened and asked occasional questions, the night became late. It was the most she had ever spoken to us, of past times in another world.

We retired up to the bedrooms and Karen remained with Eliza for a while. I looked in and found them curled up together asleep, so I returned to our bedroom where Maddy lay. I switched off the light, appreciating the convenience of electricity while it lasted. Cool air blew through the open window. Across the moonlit landscape all was quiet. I watched, my mind having no solutions to my concerns but refusing to rest.

Arms gently wrapped around me from behind, hair brushed my cheek as a chin rested on my shoulder. I reached back and stroked her flank, finding bare skin. Silently she started to unbutton my shirt and shorts, and eased my shorts and jocks down. Both naked we stood there, looking at the moonlight, her hand fondling my cock. As I turned in her embrace she reached up to cover my eyes. My hands grasped her hips and drifting up to stroke the sides of her breasts, my thumbs and forefinger slowly rolling her pink nipples, pulling them out and pinching intermittently. Gasping, she removed a hand and grabbed my hardening cock, squeezing and tugging it strongly.

"Let's fuck to forget things."

She turned away, towing me by my erect penis to the bed. Pale milky skin lit by the moonlight, she leant over the end of the bed, pulling me against her, trapped my cock between my stomach and her ghostly white ass. Fingers reached back massaging my cock as I caressed her vulva, and ran my fingers through the curly hair of her mons. I moved my hand to rub her moist hood, she allowed it just long enough for her clit to become erect and moisture to pool in her opening. Moaning, she grabbed my hand away, pushing her buttocks back into my cock.

"No, just fuck me, don't think. Hold my hips and fuck me."

She grasped my cock, holding it by the base, as a tight glove enveloped me. I pushed slowly into her warm, wet vagina as she pushed back onto me. Three thrusts and we found a slippery synchronised rhythm.

"Faster, harder." She demanded.

I pushed her roughly forward against the mattress, grabbing both of her thighs and pulling her back against me as I thrust faster and harder against her soft ass.

"Fuck, that's good. Faster!" She gasped.

A challenge, I would show her. Excitement flooded through me making my cock even harder. Tightly grasping her waist I pulled her against me, pushing my cock into her hot, luscious, sodden folds. As I withdrew, her pussy seemed to suck and grip me, causing me to groan. The wet slaps of our joining grew louder as we grew hotter and slicker. I gazed down on her back, noticing the dotting of red freckles against her marble white back. She felt so good, smooth muscled flesh gripped in my hands and bliss enclosing my cock. Pulling her upright, she pushed back harder against me. I reached forward grasping a soft firm breast tightly as I wrapped my other arm tightly around her, snaking down between her thighs to rub over her hard clit quickly.

She moaned and shuddered as I grabbed her and I thrust even harder. So, so good, her contractions against my cock clearing my mind of any other thought but my pleasure. I thrust as hard as I could against her once, twice and three times as pleasure built within me. Another thrust and I started to cum inside her. Two more slower powerful thrusts and she clamped tightly around me.

Clapping came from the doorway as I collapsed forward beside Maddy.

Then moments later, "Get off my bed you two, until you have showered and dried yourselves."

I stumbled up whereas Maddy needed a little more persuasion, a slap on her bare buttock from Karen.

All three of us fell asleep quickly, cured of sleep destroying worries about the day ahead.

* *** *

The 23rd of February. "Twelve days" flashed into my mind within moments of opening my eyes. Once dressed, I went and spoke to Michael, all was well. Then a quiet greeting to Annelise, she was subdued but deliberately cheerful. I asked how Tiffany was and Annelise replied that she was eating a lot and could we bring some apples and roll them through the holes in the roof. I returned with the requested apples and we had a chat about the gardens and future plans. We spent the day processing the butchered cattle which had hung draining away their blood overnight. Some we portioned into cuts, wrapped and placed into the freezer. There was also beef jerky made and Karen found a recipe for canned beef. We decided to save that for an upcoming day. At dinner time another chat with Michael revealed that he was well and Linda was also feeling fine.

A quiet simple dinner of roast beef and vegetables was very welcome after the day's work and tending the various animals. I sat thinking about the state of the world, Maddy's approach was best, choose to survive and not be overcome by the vicious dooms that fate can choose to deliver.

Karen stayed with Eliza for a while then came back to bed. Early in the morning I stumbled over Eliza curled up in a corner of our bedroom. I persuaded her to lie in the bed with Karen and be warm.

Yet another day with Michael still sounding well and reporting that Linda was fine too. She spoke today and described how she was, stating she had no signs of viral infection. By the end of the day, relief and hope were evident in Michael's voice. Eliza was looking brighter now too, buoyed by Linda and Michael's continued good health. She was very on edge at times though.

Annelise said she would love to do something more productive. I layered plastic over the door, she contained Tiffany and I moved in a bundle of books on farm maintenance. She might as well study. More important than exams, it might save our lives or at least make them more enjoyable with a surplus to eat.

I asked about Tiffany. Annelise said Tiffany had got infected before her parents. She remembered very little for some days while she was sick. She remembered waking and sleeping, pain and headaches, every joint aching. She vaguely remembered her mother looking after her while she was ill and then her parents getting sick as she recovered. Strangely, Tiffany could not remember much at all about anything before she was ill. Annelise also mentioned that Tiffany had some interesting habits but that she was getting better at managing her. She was recovering well with the increased food.

After dinner Maddy slumped against us on the sofa. Eliza quietly came to my side when we went to bed and we made room for her. We did not say much, just took solace in each other's presence and company.

The following days and into March were similar. I started pulling down fence railings and collecting wooden boards from John's place and the Thompson's farm with Karen's help, while Eliza helped Maddy maintain the gardens and animals. When outside the wall we were very wary but we did end up with a large stack of timber from sheds, wooden railings and fence posts. I piled the timber in the corners of the stone outer wall. The gatehouse now had a wooden walkway for ten metres each side and solid steps down to the ground. A walkway beneath the wall near each corner tower was the next task. The new duck and chicken pens at the front had running water thanks to some irrigation pipe I found. Karen gradually expanded the front garden beds. I had not been further than John's, it was too risky to go further with just the three of us.

CHAPTER 5. LINDA AND MICHAEL

The 4th March, 21 days since Linda and Michael had been chased by John and they were fine with no signs of illness. We opened the door. Eliza was overjoyed, tears running down her face as she tightly wrapped her arms around each of them in turn. Our welcome was a little subdued as was now ten days since possible infection for Annelise. If she were to get symptoms because of infection with the virus it would be in the next few days.

We led Linda and Michael to a welcome breakfast we had laid out. Over breakfast they assured us they still wanted to stay. Just from their limited view they had already observed our property was more developed and protected. Quite apart from that Linda and Eliza agreed they could never live at their home again.

We had guessed that they were university students from the textbooks I had retrieved from their rooms, but we had never asked them or Eliza their backgrounds. Michael said he had just finished his fourth year of an engineering degree and Linda noted she had completed her fourth year of a clinical science degree. She had recovered considerably. She was quietly observing everything, self-confident and offering suggestions. After breakfast I gave her the jewellery that I had recovered from her room in a jewellery box Karen had found in Megan's room. Her eyes teared as she opened the mother-of-pearl box and saw her possessions on the white velvet. She smiled thanking us for the gift.

As we chatted, Karen mentioned that we had had a ceremony and cremation for Maddy's parents. Linda asked if they could hold a Christian service for her parents. We discussed a burial ground and walked around to show them the ridge to the south east, a couple of hundred metres from the wall. An arc of trees overlooked the valley leading down to their parent's farm. Flowering shrubs and ferns covered the ground among the trees, and we found a level area with deeper soil.

The graveyard decided upon, we showed them around inside the enclosing walls. Michael had suggestions that would enable us to build the elevated walkway around the wall more efficiently and securely. Linda had ideas for a medicinal plant garden. She wanted to return to her parent's farm for more plants as some of the herbs there had medicinal properties. I smiled to myself, thinking perhaps her knowledge of Vietnamese traditional medicinal plants and the historical use of herbs would be as useful as her medical skills. They were keen to assure us that they would work hard for our community.

When we passed the caretaker's cottage against the back wall, they asked if they could live there rather than with the rest of us in the main building. They would appreciate the chance for some time alone together. I had not investigated inside the cottage before. It seemed cosy to me. Simple and comfortable with a main bedroom and a spare room, a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom and a sitting room. In the sitting room a now useless TV took pride of place. I helped Michael remove it and get the fireplace functional again. We thought Eliza would want to shift in with them and stay in the spare room, but she preferred to stay in the main house.

Once the cottage was made comfortable, we went to dig four graves. Initially we tried to dig with mattocks and shovels, but quickly realised the hard stony subsoil and tree roots meant it would take days. Michael though was familiar with the tractor and soon had it running. The tractor was not all that big compared to the massive commercial ones, just 45 horse power but had a back hoe, blade and even a lawn mowing attachment. Not that we needed to mow the lawns, the goats, sheep and cattle looked after that just fine. Michael and the backhoe made digging four graves seem simple, I suspected he had a fair bit of practice working with tractors.

Maddy and I went to collect the bodies after Karen and Eliza introduced Linda to the range of afternoon tasks. Michael realised what we were doing and wanted to come. At least we persuaded him that he could see what we were doing in the distance by staying by the car.

It was not a good time to collect the remains. Maddy found insecticide and plastic sheeting in the shed. I got some more blankets from the house. The stench had changed but the smell was even sicklier than I remembered. It was dusk by the time we had wrapped up the remains and returned towing the trailer carrying them. We had laid the bodies in the graves and covered them with a layer of soil before the others arrived.

The service was by candle light, which seemed appropriate to me. It would just have been a sleepless night of nightmares had we had delayed.

Michael, Linda and Eliza said a general prayer of offering that the women had prepared after lunch. Prayers commemorated the virtues and love of each parent and grandparent, then a final prayer for our safety. We finished filling the graves with soil by hand and quietly walked back to the house. Linda and Michael took Eliza across to the cottage for the night.

The 5th March was eleven days after Annelise had first had contact with Tiffany. It was another solemn day. I chatted with Annelise before breakfast, and again after we had eaten, Michael and Linda drove to their property to collect the herbs and plants she wanted. When they returned Michael and Linda learnt more about the care of our livestock and gardens. They quickly worked out what we were doing. Evening arrived and Karen, Maddy and I sat twenty paces away from the quarantine building chatting with Annelise. Except that chatting meant shouting so mostly we were a silent company. The evening grew cool, Annelise got her bed ready for sleep and we drifted back to our bedroom.

The 6th March passed with my thoughts kept busy working on the walkway along the wall with Michael. Evening arrived and Annelise and Tiffany were both well. Sitting in the lounge after dinner on the 10th March, Karen, Maddy and I persuaded ourselves that sixteen days of quarantine was a sufficient period and that we would release them from quarantine the next day. Their release was the thing on all of our minds and we just wanted it over with. That they were diseased now seemed unlikely as they both seemed perfectly healthy and Annelise agreed she felt perfectly clear headed with no aches or the slightest sniffle.

Next morning on the 11th March, when Linda and Tim arrived for breakfast, we let them know we would be releasing Annelise and Tiffany. Linda frowned but agreed it was likely safe. She asked if she may question Annelise first and returned, agreeing there was nothing so far to indicate Annelise was infected. I wondered if we were doing the right thing, but I wondered that after we released Linda and Michael too. None of us knew for sure the longest time until symptoms showed, all we had to go on was the brief WHO information we had found initially, which suggested 12 days until symptoms showed and death occurred. My doubt was that it was likely far easier to work out the shortest time until symptoms occurred, than the longest time before symptoms showed. However we all desperately wanted them back.

We had a delayed breakfast and were united again. The first true celebration with us all together. Tiffany clung to Annelise's arm while the eight of us gathered in the dining room. Brewed coffee and bacon raided from the freezer joined tomatoes, pancakes, mushrooms, strawberries, figs, mulberries and of course eggs. I even found a bottle of Canadian maple syrup at the back of the pantry. It smelled, tasted and felt like the most lavish feast ever.