Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 7 - THE REINCARNATION

Six o'clock on the next day came, many patients arrived at the hospital where Cally was admitted. Trestan went back to their home to get some clothes and when he returned, his phone rang.

"What's up doctor?"

"Where are you?"

"Hospital."

"Why are you there?" The doctor's tone was tinged with shock.

"My sister got sick, and doctor," He paused. "I don't want to think that my assumption is right but I think... I think my sister is infe---"

"Listen, save your explanations later but for now... you need to leave there right now! The virus that we're observing spread everywhere and I heard that they will lockdown hospitals. You might be trapped there, so hurry!" Trestan stilled when he looked at the television in the hospital's lobby.

["SL News... last 2020, an epidemic has spread throughout San Lorenzo that killed almost half of the town's population. And this disease seems to be returning and the side effects are even worse than last year. It was scattered throughout the town and everyone is expected to stay in their home to ensure your safety. Accidents are every---"]

'Cally!' He was so nervous while running. It's quite chaotic inside the hospital.

He let go of the bag he was holding and ran as fast as he could to reach his father and little sister.

"Dad." He said almost lost his breath.

"Where are the clothes? And why are you almost out of breath?"

"We need to leave." Trestan heavily breathed but Timotheus frowned.

"What are you talking about? Your sister is not feeling well and she needs medication."

"I'll explain when we get home. But for now, we need to leave this place!"

"Trestan Joern---" His phone rang.

"Dad please..." He ignored his son and lifted his hand to stop him from talking.

"What!? Virus? Epidemic? What are you talking about? Fine. Fine. I'll be there. I'll just make sure that my children are safe before I go. Okay." The call ended and there, he faced his son.

"Let's get out of here." Even though there is a big question why his son seems to know what is happening, he just put it aside because he needed to bring his children to the safest place.

Trestan wrapped his sister with a thick blanket and he was about to lift her but he moved away from her.

"No... She's..." Trestan moved a few steps backward. "...infected."

"Why did you---" Timotheus almost shouted at his son because he suddenly dropped his sister's weak body.

"Daddy... Kuya... S-so itchy... It's hot..." Cally cried with suffering.

Timotheus slowly tries to reach her daughter's little hand with his weakening body but Trestan held his father and shook his head.

Her little hand became purple, even her arms. Some purple spots were found on her little face. Cally started nose-bleeding and hardly catching her breath.

"No... Let's do something! We can't let her die like this! We... We can't." Tears fell from his cheeks.

"Dad..." Trestan was trying to pull him. "We need... to go."

Trestan silently cried. He can't do anything but to just watch her dying little sister. After a moment, the little girl lost her life.

Timotheus lost his mind and furiously threw things seen around.

"Dad we need to..." He hardly gulped. "... leave."

"What about your sister's body?" Timotheus asked his son, full of pain in his voice.

"We can't do anything about it! We can't touch her. It's dangerous! Let's go, dad!"

His son pulled him outside the hospital and they got in the car. Trestan volunteered to drive but his father insisted. Everything turned into a disaster.

Trestan opened the radio to hear some news.

["World News, a disease called Lila Virus or known as LiVi-20 named by the experts was contagiously spreading to different parts of the world and within a week, 48% of the world's population was infected and 13% of them were killed by this new and deadly disease. This epidemic rapidly turns into a pandemic crisis. It is not yet known where the pernicious disease came from, so every citizen must stay at home and stay safe to avoid the increasing number of infected."]

"Dad, we've been observing this virus for almost two years. We're currently finding an effective cure but there is some missing piece in the formula and we can't determine it yet. We don't know what it is and where we---"

"It's useless!" Trestan felt the pain in his dad's voice so he chose to just keep silent. "It's useless... Your sister is d-dead," His voice cracked. "And we have done n-nothing to help her. Many people are dying."

"Dad---"

In an unexpected turn of events, there were many accidents on the streets of San Lorenzo in which many were killed. It is believed to be due to the spreading disease.

They would have been saved but the uncontrolled bus and someone's car behind collided with them. Timotheus was the most injured in the accident.

Before he lost consciousness, he heard his son calling him.

"Dad... Dad... Dad..."

Full of sweat and catching his breath. He wakes up in a dark room where he'll just find a glimpse of light through the window.

The smell of cigarettes filled the whole room and he couldn't bear it. There are two doors inside that unfamiliar room and he entered the comfort room. His eyes were half-opened and faced the sink to wash his sweaty face.

He wiped it with a towel and faced the blurry mirror. There was a look of astonishment on his face and he could not believe what he was seeing. He scoured the moist mirror and clearly saw his face.

"W-What?" He stepped backwards and fear was written on his face while looking at his reflection. "Ferran!? What the heck!? No!"

He touched his face, slapped himself, and he could feel the pain on his cheek. He thought he was dreaming but he didn't. It felt so real.

"No. No. No. No. This is not true."

He almost tweaked himself and banged his head on the wall but he breathed in and breathed out to calm himself.

When he came out of the room, he saw filthy surroundings. Dirty clothes, trash everywhere, and an unpleasant smell. It's a real mess.

'Someone please tell me... It's just a mere dream like before, right!? Someone... please! Wake me up!'