Plague City

Lincoln - DAY TWO - April 5th 2024

5:04 AM - I wake up and realise that the events of yesterday were not just a bad dream. I started to think about what I should do today and how I can handle the situation. I can't help but think about Scarlet and Neleh, and it makes me feel both happy and sad at the same time. I look at their picture on my phone and gently kiss the screen.

5:12 AM. The dim glow of the emergency light cast eerie shadows across the carpeted floor of my makeshift bedroom. My stomach churned, a reminder of my basic needs-food, water, and, right now, a toilet. But this wasn't just any ordinary morning. The world outside had changed.

I clutched my makeshift tools-a mask, a torch, and a hammer. Survival had become a game of resourcefulness. The corridor stretched ahead, its walls adorned with motivational posters. "Teamwork Makes the Dream Work," they proclaimed, their optimism mocking the grim reality.

As I walked westward, I headed towards the office wing of the building. The lift lobby, which was located in the centre of the building, separated our office into two sections. The east side was previously bustling with activity, while the west side remained dark and unoccupied for several months.

I looked through the window into the lobby and found it empty. This was a good sign. The lobby had eight lift entrances, which looked like portals to an uncertain fate. The restroom doors were located to the north and south with the lifts between them. The men's on the west and the women's on the east. I knocked on the northwest door and heard a sudden bang, followed by a guttural groan and scratching sounds. Something was trapped inside. I decided to lock that door and repeat the process with the southwest door.

The women's restroom was next on my list. Walking across the lobby, the silence was broken by a soft, continuous scratching. I nudged the door open, my flashlight cutting a path through the dark. Except for two, the stalls were empty, yet the scratching didn't stop. I checked the locked ones-groans came from inside, but they were secure.

These cubicles had doors that went all the way down-no chance for any surprises crawling in. I picked the last stall, the green glow from the emergency light stretching shadows across the walls. The groans and scratches echoed around me, like some creepy soundtrack. My thoughts were racing. What's the next move? I couldn't just check the other floors-not worth the risk. Was I the only one left? I couldn't help but wonder, but hey, staying alive was more important than satisfying my curiosity.

With dawn on the horizon, it was almost time to see what was left out there. I planned to head up to the roof terrace, take a good look around, and figure out where to go from here.

5:47 AM - The sound of the flush was a stark reminder of normality in these abnormal times. I stepped out of the restroom, feeling a bit more settled but still on high alert. Hunger nudged me towards the kitchen. I picked a spot to eat an ideal lookout to keep an eye on the floors below.

Crunching into my apple, I took in the view. The first light of dawn spilt through the windows, stretching shadows across the floor. There they were-Kirsty and Marko, my colleagues, now just shadows of themselves. They moved clumsily, bumping into others, their eyes empty. The coffee station, once a hub of morning chatter, was now the stage for a grim spectacle.

The smell of decay hung heavy in the air, a reminder of those who didn't make it. My stomach turned. I couldn't stay here. I got up, put the remains of my breakfast in the bin, and hurried away from the breakout area.

Back in the safety of what I now called my bedroom, I reassessed my sanctuary. It was a modest three by four meter, lined with shelves that held the last bits of my life. The sturdy fire door was my line of defence. And those shelves, about 70 centimetres deep, were where I slept.

Outside, the world continued to fall apart. But here, inside these four walls, I held on to the little routines that kept me sane, all the while hoping to see Scarlet and Nelah again.