Plague

A Fateful Encounter

Sorry for any mistakes

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Xander's POV

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I have been searching for days and I haven't found anything, I almost gave up all hope of finding anything useful in this rusty, dusty, old library, but then I spotted it; a newspaper with the title New Illness spotted in Springfield, Illinois. Named "Willow". I picked up the paper and looked at the date. It was dated 5/27/2118; that's right around when the plague first started. They used to give plagues, and sicknesses and all that crap these long scientific names, but now they just name them after patient zero.

So some chick named Willow was the first one to get the plague. Maybe if I find out more about her, I can find how the plague started, which is one step closer to finding a cure! I thought to myself as I scanned the article. It had where she lived and everything there. I folded up the article and stuck it in my pocket, knowing that I was going to need it later, and it's not like anyone else is going to come in here looking for that specific newspaper with that specific article. I started on my way home to pack a bag; I'm going on an impromptu road trip to Springfield, Illinois.

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Emerson's POV

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Waking up from a long nap, I twisted into an awkward position in my wheelchair, trying to stretch out my back but only succeeding in making myself even more uncomfortable. I adjusted myself, then started to wheel myself towards my kitchen. Humming a tune I learned in kindergarten about breakfast being the most important meal of the day or something like that, I checked my mini-fridge that I power with a small generator; it was empty except for an almost empty bottle of ketchup. I moved on to the cabinets and pantry, only to find barren, dust coated shelves.

"I guess I'm going to have to go to the supermarket" I said to no one, but still speaking out loud because I don't even know why. I wheeled out of the kitchen, navigating the house to get to the only door in my house that has a ramp built in. You would think that since I live here alone, all of the doors would have a wheelchair ramp, but out of three doors, only one has a ramp; why? I have no clue. I opened the door and slowly but carefully wheeled myself onto the ramp, trying to make sure I don't go flying down it. I'm lucky enough that my house isn't very far from the supermarket, so it's easy for me to stock up. Every since the plague hit, pretty much everywhere has been deserted, even the supermarkets, so I can just take anything i want or need without having to worry about the cost like people in the old days had to. It takes me about 20 minutes to get there, so its gonna take a while.

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Xander's POV

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Once I got home I grabbed a bag once used for sports that goes over your shoulder, but could easily be moved to your back; I stuffed it full of clothes and other stuff that i would need for my upcoming trip. I ran into my kitchen to get some food that would last me the trip, but the only thing I could find that wouldn't go bad, was a bag of beef jerky. "Yeah that's totally going to last me an entire trip from Indiana to Illinois" I said sarcastically to no one. I guess I'm going to have to stop somewhere to grab some non-perishables before I go. Great, just great. This is going to set my time back a bit now, and nowadays time is everything. I made my way to the supermarket. It about a five minute walk so it should be no trouble.

When I reached the supermarket, I ran in and started looking for non-perishables. Suddenly a guy in a wheelchair came in and gawked at me in awe.

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Emerson's POV

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It can't be! It's the guy from my dreams! Wait, he's REAL?!? It took me a minute to stop staring at him with my mouth open in shock. He seemed surprised to see me here too, maybe he's been dreaming of me; then again he could just be surprised that a guy in a wheelchair could get into this train wreck of an abandoned supermarket. He started to back up, and then I realized that I was inching towards him. Whoops I'm scaring him.

"Hey I'm Emerson and you don't have to be afraid of me."

"You're infected."

Sometimes I forget that I have the beginning stages of the plague.

"I won't come close enough for you to catch it."

"That would be very inconvenient considering I'm about to go and try to find a cure for it."

What?!? He's trying to find a cure? Just like in my dreams...

"This may sound crazy, but I've seen you before, in my dreams."

"I've seen you too."

"Huh?"

"You have been reoccurring in my dreams. I never knew who you were and I know that I haven't actually met you until now, so I have no idea how you were in my dreams, I mean you can only dream of people you've met right? I'm so confused." He said, his speech picking up in confusion and shock as he continued to ramble.

"Just calm down, I had no idea who you were and I still don't, so why don't you tell me your name?"

"Xander. My name is Xander." He was starting to get a bit more calm.

"Like I said, I'm Emerson and I don't know why any of this is happening either, but we just have to stay calm. You said that you are looking for a cure?"

"Yeah, that's what was happening in the dreams so I'm going to try to find a cure."

"How are you going to do that? Top scientists couldn't find one, so how will you?"

"I'm starting with patient zero, she lived in Springfield, Illinois."

"What was her name?"

"Willow Grace."