Immune

1. Contaminated

Somewhere, in an isolated village located in Burma, doctors swarmed around a patient, infected with a severe case of ischemia*. The patient's limbs were swollen and black due to blockages found in the major blood vessels supplying the body parts. The doctors were operating on the patient's neck, desperately trying to dissolve a clot found in a carotid artery* to allow the oxygenated blood to flow to the brain. It was a race against time; if the brain died, the patient was as good as dead. Suddenly the heart monitor* beeped, signaling that the patient's heart had stopped beating. Murmurs spread through the doctors as they removed their operating tools from the patient's body. Never did the doctors realize that their diagnosis of ischemia was incorrect. 

A virus, originally affecting the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey, had transferred hosts due to the frequent contact between the monkeys and humans. The extremely contagious and airborne virus invaded the human body through any gateway that it could find. After a week of dormancy*, the virus unleashed its fatal attacks.  Deadly and potent, the virus attacked the cells lining the blood vessels, creating dangerous blockages that prevented blood flow. As a result, the heart pressure was dramatically increased, exhausting the cardiac muscles* and eventually causing death as well as kidney failure. Doctors usually diagnosed the patient with a severe case of ischemia due to the similar symptoms; however, they never took a sample of the patient's blood to check for any pathogens. Resulting from incorrect diagnoses and the potency of the virus, no survivors have ever been discovered.

Scientists desperately experimented in their lab, searching to obtain a vaccine; however, due to a lack of live victims, their work resulted in failure. Eventually, the scientists sent a request to the government, pleading to use a human to test their experiments. It took several years for the request to reach the president, who, at that time, was in his last year of office. He denied the scientists their wish, causing great anguish and anger in the scientific community. By this time, the virus had spread from Burma to other parts of southern Asia, devastating almost all the affected countries. Eventually, the airlines were shut down and traveling was prohibited. The fearful citizens of the Earth helplessly and desperately trusted that their governments would discover a method to prevent the human race from succumbing to death. 

Suddenly, the death toll rose exponentially. The airborne pathogen, now nicknamed ISC due to its similarity with ischemia, had diffused across all of Asia, even reaching Europe. Scientist were failing to discover a cure and vaccines. People started to panic, causing chaos and disorder on a global scale. 

In this dark time, a glowing figure stood up, promising to save the people and providing light to all those who stood with him. His genuine plans for the future and generous personality were quickly recognized and he rapidly gathered supporters, eventually becoming the 69th and youngest President of the United States, a country globally recognized for its power.

★★★Ἀβαδδών★★★

His face was so close to hers that she could feel his warm breath on her face. She inhaled deeply, devouring his sweet scent and wrapped her arms around his body, pulling him closer. He leaned forward, aiming for her lips and then he-

Loud, blaring sounds from her alarm clock awoke her from her intensely intimate dream; she stretched and yawned while peeling herself out of bed to see her younger sister staring strangely at her.

"You're such a pervert," Krystal said. "What the heck were you dreaming of? Did you lose your virginity?" 

Jessica glared at her sister, embarrassed and annoyed. "Go away," Jessica waved her hand across her face, motioning for her sister to scram.

"Anyway, breakfast is ready," Krystal shouted as she left. 

Jessica sighed and hastily tied her hair back in a messy bun. After recent reports about the ISC, the United States had ordered an immediate lock-down and therefore, families could not leave their houses. Food and supplies were delivered to them on a weekly basis by men who were heavily clothed in protective gear. She thought about the ramen that they provided and winced. Ramen was delicious, but after a couple of days, it began to make her feel sick. 

Jessica lived in New York City, the most populated city in the entire nation. She lived on the outskirts, away from the urban core, near a large forest. Her house was narrow with two-stories and six rooms. She lived with her little sister after they had both been accepted into Columbia University. Her parents lived in California, on the opposite side of the country. To be honest, Jessica and Krystal did not have much love for their parents. During Jessica's childhood, her parents had neglected their kids for their own selfish reasons. Jessica and Krystal had studied hard to get scholarships and acceptances into good colleges far from California. 

"JESS!" Krystal yelled from down below. "COME DOWN!"

After clambering down the stairs, Jessica smelled the delicious aroma of bacon. She licked her lips hungrily and walked towards her little sister who was watching the TV. Krystal was taller and had dark, black hair unlike Jessica's hazel brown. She had a pale, slender face with big, round eyes that were currently staring at Jessica, wide with fear.

"The first case of ISC has reached the shores of the US, here in Manhattan," a news reporter's panicked voice blared out of the television. "Several people are infected already. Please adhere to extreme caution!" 

Jessica stared, silent and dumbstruck. Manhattan was just a fifteen minute drive away from her house and ISC could have already contaminated her neighborhood. She turned to look at her sister and suddenly started to scream, horrified with what she saw. 

☆☆☆ἄγγελος☆☆☆

●Ischemia: Blood vessels suddenly become blocked or restricted, preventing blood flow, leading to tissue death due to the lack of oxygen (red blood cells carry oxygen). This condition can lead to (in severe cases) amputation or even death.

●Carotid Artery: This is one of the major blood vessels that carry blood to the brain.

●Heart Monitor: A machine that tracks the heart rate.

●Dormancy: A period of time when a pathogen does not reveal any symptoms and does not affect the well being of the patient.

●Cardiac Muscle: Muscle located in the heart.