Last Hours of Ordinary

Posted on Tue Apr 25th, 2023 @ 10:11pm by Hale Stratton & Vienna Quinn & René Rouen

1,946 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Bangor or Bust
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Timeline: 25 AUG 2010 - 8:00 p.m.

[St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]

René sat on the steps to St. Andrew's Church quietly thinking on the day's events. He did have a strong attraction towards Vienna, but it was extremely complicated. She was currently inside talking to her parents about the no travel order issued by the governor and if there was going to get home. Town officials were supposedly working on obtaining permission for the students being able to return to Bangor tomorrow, but there was no word on when or even if that would be given.

Father Dominic stepped out of the church and spotted the young man. He walked over sat down with René. "Evening son, you're the exchange student correct?"

René glanced at Father Dominic and nodded. "Oui Monsignor." He sat there waiting for the priest to continue speaking but the priest simply sat there. René was about to ask if there was something he could help the priest with when the Father spoke.

"It must be difficult for you with what's been going on in the news today. Have you been able to contact your family in France?"

René shook his head. "There have been delays with even the landlines and service with the mobiles have been even worse throughout the day. Vienna is inside right now talking with her parents. I just wanted to come outside, get a little air and...clear my head."

Finishing her call with her parents Vienna made her way outside to find René. Seeing him with Father Dominic she offered a warm smile. “Hello father.” She looked towards René, “I managed a quick call to mum & dad, they said to stay safe, and they’ll be there to meet us when we can get back.”

René looked up at Vienna and nodded. He was thankful for the the fact Vienna had been able to contact her parents and let them know what was going on. "I'm glad. It's fortunate you were able to talk to your parents."

Father Dominic just smiled. "Good to hear young lady." He glanced between Vienna and René. "Have you been given a place to bunk down for the night?"

Vienna shook her head. “Not that I know of” she looked towards René. “Have you heard anything René?”

René shook his head.

Father Dominic gestured to behind the church. "The two story building behind the chair has areas set up. Boys are downstairs in the big hall. Girls will be in smaller groups in the offices and conference room on the second floor. We have a few adult volunteers at the floor level to keep the boys on their floor."

Vienna looked a little uncertain, but nodded nonetheless. “It’ll be better than nothing if you’re happy with that?” She looked at René for confirmation.

René glanced at Vienna and a slight blush colored his cheeks. He had come outside to to be alone and work out what to do about his emerging feelings for Vienna. Her presence was confusing him all over again.

Father Dominic caught René's reaction. He shifted position to glance at Vienna and keep René in his peripheral vision. "Something I should know about the two of you?"

Vienna shook her head. “No father, nothing. It’s probably better if I do stay with the girls.” She offered René a polite smile.

René blushed deeper.

Father Dominic sighed and in a very paternal tone addressed both of them. "Yes, that would be best."

[Festival, Downtown Millinocket]

Attracted by the sound of the last band playing an Irish folk song, they came. Max, with one Croc missing, and the doctor, his stethoscope still draped around his neck, and others, patients who had died earlier in the day. In number, not so many. Maybe ten in total, moving together, following the sound of music and conversation, animated by their ever growing need to eat.

Steve stood in the alleyway with Madison and Brin. All three trying to remain quiet as Dave tried to snag them a bottle of liquor from the store. It wasn’t long before he appeared and motioned for the others to join him. He parted his jacket just enough to show the bottle of whiskey he had successfully shoplifter. "Come on let's head back to the church. We can grab Courtney and Jordan maybe see if they want to get their drink on too."

Madison nodded. "We could see if Vienna and René want in too." Dave shot Madison a look. "Why?" Madison shot a look back. "Because, despite what you guys think. He is kinda cute and...if get everyone together. We'll play spin the bottle." Steve looked at Dave. "Dude, you can put up with Jordan and René’s drama if it means we get a chance to kiss any of the girls."

Dave shrugged and wiggled a finger at the two girls. "Okay, but none of that quick peck on the lips stuff. Honest to God, curl your toes kissing. Cool?" Madison and Brin exchanged looks before turning to the two boys and nodded. The four teenagers darted down the alley and into a throng of shuffling individuals, all appearing to be severely intoxicated.

Dave dropped the bottle and swore. He immediately shoved one of the drunks back. "Uncool dude!" The throng turned and lurched towards the quartet of students. Dave was grabbed by the two on either side of the one he shoved. He tried to fend them off until the one he shoved joined in and they knocked Dave to the ground.

Steve and Brin were stunned by the group attack on Dave and didn't notice the people lurching towards them. Two attacking Steve and among two attacking Brin.

Madison yelled as she stepped forward and grabbed one of the two on Brin in an attempt to pull the person off. Madison was bitten on her wrist and stumbled back. She was about to stepped forward again when the screams of her friends and the scene unfolding before her made her realize her friends were not merely being bitten...they were being eaten. She turned and ran as fast as she could while screaming for help.

A pair of patrol cops, with the dual task of keeping the peace and answering the questions of panicky tourists, heard the screams and came running. The older of the two stepped in front of the fleeing teenager, looking for information, while the younger of the two stepped slightly forward, his head cocked to one side as he tried to make sense of the scene in the alley.

"What seems to be the problem," the older officer asked Madison.

Madison stopped abruptly as she came face to face with the two patrol officers. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out initially. Her brain was trying to process what her eyes had witnessed and still found it almost impossible to comprehend. She just clutched her wounded forearm and began to cry.

"Stay here," the older officer said. "Dispatch, we have a teenaged girl in need of medical services." He waited for the response and then nodded to his partner. With their flashlights on, the pair started down the alley and saw, some twenty or thirty feet ahead, a group of individuals hunched over something on the ground. "Millinocket Police," he called out.

One of the group raised their head, turning to look at the officers, and made a low, guttural sound. Jack Randall, with nearly fifteen years in the police, blanched at the sight of blood dripping down the man's face and onto the stethoscope hanging around his neck. "What the hell ..."

The doctor, dressed in blood-stained scrubs and a white lab coat, rose to his feet and began moving toward the officers.

"Stay where you are," Jack ordered.

But the doctor didn't seem to be capable of listening and the younger officer, murmured, "maybe he's high on something." He pulled out his handcuffs and stepped in while Jack was drawing his gun. The doctor turned into the grip on his arm and bit down hard on his exposed neck.

The angle was wrong for a gunshot and so, he holstered his weapon and stepped in to pull the doctor off his partner. Together, they wrestled the doctor to the ground and got him handcuffed but the noise had attracted the larger group and before the officers could get back to their feet, the crowd was upon them and they went down under the weight, screaming.

Madison could scarcely move. It was even difficult for her to breathe as she watched the two police officers being devoured. She spared a furtive glance down the alley towards the bodies of her friends. Her eyes grew big when one of her friends rose from the ground and started shambling down the alley towards the group on the officers.

Two things happened to Madison when she recognized Dave as he reached the two downed officers and he dropped down to join the feeding. One, she found the will to move again. Two, her mind snapped. She ran towards the only place she could. Saint Andrew's was only four blocks away.

[St. Andrew's Episcopal Church]

Father Dominic had just confirmed that Rene and Vienna would be on different floors when movement from down the street caught his eye. He saw a slight figure running what could only be hell bent in the direction of the church. He rose from the steps. "Now what in God's Creation is going on?"

René looked in the direction Father Dominic was staring. He only could tell the person running towards them was of small build, but something about how she was dressed seemed familiar.

Vienna turned to look in the direction that Father Dominic and René were looking in, She squinted as she looked closer. “Wait, that’s Madison...”

Madison reached Saint Andrew's and collapsed on the grass. She was already pale and seemed to be shivering as she lay ten feet from the people on the steps.

Rene was on his feet and at Madison's side in an instant. He touched her face. He looked up at Vienna and Father Dominic as they approached. "She has a fever, but she is shivering as if she is cold."

Vienna approached René “It’s because of her fever, we need to cover her, but not too much it’ll make her fever higher.”

Father Dominic scooped up Madison and nodded to the front door. "Let's get her inside quickly." He paused for moment and sniffed the air. He could smell the strong scent of whiskey on the girl. He looked at the two teenagers. "Move! Now!"

Vienna nodded and headed towards the church, Madison needed to be in the warm where she could be tended to.

Father Dominic carried Madison up the stairs and started for his office.

René paused before rising. Something had caught his eye. He touched the substance staining the grass and realized it was blood. He rose quickly and ran to catch up to Vienna and Father Dominic. "Madison is bleeding from somewhere. We will need towels, bandages and probably a disinfectant."

And while the Wildfire virus raged through a young teenager's system, elsewhere, the police wrestled with a new reality. Explanations were demanded. Reinforcements needed. Millinocket struggled to adapt. The police, retired and active, abandoned all pretense of shift work and in the late hours of the night, adopted a shoot to kill order for any victim of the virus who was beyond reasoning with. The Mayor started calling every favor he had, begged shamelessly, and fought to keep his people safe.

 

RSS Feed