The Pill: A Short Story

Chapter 1- A Miracle Remedy

Hi my name is Mississpi Winters or Missy for short. I had a pretty normal life up until the end of  it. I was a normal child, with a normal family; or as normal as a family as one could get. And sure their were ups and downs but such is life. That was until The Pill became a thing.

My mother suffered from horrible anxiety, and her medications would work of course until she forgot to take them, because she felt fine. She was a wonderful person. She was incredibly smart, and talented at many things. She and I didn't get along so well when I was younger, but as I matured and she chilled out we got very close. She was one of the first to fall to the influence of The Pill.

My daddy was a very funny man, he could always make me laugh when I felt down. He could always make a bad day turn good. He suffered from bipolar disorder when I was younger, but he got his medications under control and learned coping skills to help him control his moods. He outlived me, but after I died he slowly succumbed to the temptations that The Pill exuded.

I had two brothers Avery and Will, Avery was my youngest sibling and Will was the middle child. Avery was a big mommas boy, and shortly after my momma started taking then pill, Avery was to young and to weak to defy my mommas demand. He started the pill soon after my mother. Will had done very well to avoid the dangers of The Pill, and I have helped him from the beyond to continue to avoid it.

The story begins a few months into the apocalypse caused by The Pill.

~four months earlier~

"Missy, can you believe what these people at the store were saying today?" My momma asked me. "What were they saying momma?" I asked her as I sat down at the kitchen table with a bowl of chips. "They were saying how there's this new pill, that is supposed to cure every ailment you've ever had or will ever have again. That's crazy talk! No pill can cure everything!" Momma exclaims shutting the refrigerator. "That is crazy momma. And it sounds like bad news too." I tell her.

Momma usually doesn't get this worked up about rumors she hears around town, but something seems to be bothering her about it. When momma gets like this its normally better to let her talk it through and figure out how she really feels about the situation.

"I mean that would be great if there was a such pill but it would be silly to not be skeptical about the true effects of such a thing." Momma says. "But imagine if we had something like that when your nana was still alive, could a pill like that have saved your nana?"  Momma asks. "But even if it did would it be humane to do such a thing without her consent? Because your nana wasn't really there mentally in the end of her life, poor woman." Momma continues. "And what side effects would come with such a drug. They didn't mention any of the side effects. But they surely can't be great if they weren't mentioned." Momma adds. "So I suppose we would have to learn more about the substance before we looked into using it. That's what I think." Momma finished.

"I know I wouldn't want to take such a thing. I take enough dammed pills already!" My mamaw says walking into the room. My mamaw is my daddy's mother, and my nana was my momma's mom. Papaw passed away late last year, and grandpa is on a motorcycle trip right now. Mamaw and her dog are staying with us right now because her house got blown away in a twister.

I have a peepaw too, he's my mommas biological father, he lives about an hour or two west of here. We go visit him in the summer and winter seasons. Grandpa was nana's husband until she died.

~Three months ago~

"Momma I need you to breathe okay? Take a deep breath. In and out in and out. Daddy will be home to take you to the doctor any minute now." I tell momma rubbing her back in soothing circular motions. Momma was having an anxiety attack again, this one was a particularly bad one. Then daddy pulls into the drive, and I help momma off the porch swing and over to daddy's car. "I'll watch the boys daddy, you just take care of momma." I tell him. He nods and helps her into the car, and speeds off.

"Missy, where's momma?" Avery asks. "She's getting some help from the doctor sweetie. She'll be home soon." I tell him, putting some cooked chicken onto his dinner plate. "Eat up sweetie, don't wanna be hungry by bedtime." I instruct. I hear the front door being knocked on. "Mississipi Grace get the damn door!" Mamaw yells from her room. "Yes Mamaw!" I call back getting up from the table. I walk into the front hall, and open the door.

"Cooper? What are you doing here at this hour?" I ask my classmate and close friend. "My parents kicked me out because I won't take The Pill, can I stay here? At least for the night?" He asks. "Yes of course. You live miles from here, and it's raining outside, you'll be lucky if you haven't caught a cold, come on in. I'll have some dry clothes and a hot supper for you." I tell him.

I lead him to my bedroom and pull out a big hoodie and some sweatpants. "I don't have any underwear in your size but I can put yours in the dryer. But you'll probably have to go commando for now. Here are some dry clothes for you. I'll step out so you can change." I tell him handing him the clothes. He nods. I step out of the room and close the door. He steps out of the room a few minutes later and I take him to the dining room.

After we had all eaten supper, I tell Cooper he can go sleep in my room and I am going to put the boys to bed. I take the boys up to their room, and read them a book by lamplight then sing them some lullabyes. When they were asleep I sneak out of the room and walk down to my room. Cooper was asleep on the bed. So I sleep on the window seat in my room.

A little after midnight I hear the front door open. I sneak out of my room and see dad bringing a sleeping mom through the door. "Does she feel better daddy?" I ask him. "She will soon." Is all he says. Little did I know that she had taken The Pill that night at the hospital.

And things around the house were about to change.