Experiment 1.0

Thursday, June 7th, 2018 3:31 pm

When we reach the house I instinctively start for the door handle and push down. To my surprise, however, it refuses me. That's odd. Mom typically unlocks the front door when she comes home. I fumble with the keys stuffed into the left pocket of my black jeans and listen for a click to assure the door unlocks. Once open Arty sprints into the house and down the corridor leading into our parent's room. Each footstep bounces off the walls and rolls its way over to me. "Dad! Dad! Look what I made!" He chirps like a recently freed bird.

I hear the sound of an unfamiliar woman's voice behind me. I turn around to find the television has been left on, switched onto the news channel. A blonde haired woman wearing blue deep as the Atlantic is reporting. I settle into a worn-down chair we received as a Christmas present from my dad's mother 9 years ago and swing my feet over the armrest. "...doctors believe this may be the start of a pandemic with over sixty hospitalized worldwide in the span of just seven days. " Arty returns a few seconds later and jumps onto my lap.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" he asks turning around to face me. "I don't know, they're probably at the store." I stroke the white and gray fur of our lethargic house cat: Lucy. She purrs steadily in approval and squirms onto her back. Then startling sound echoes throughout the living room. RING! RING! RING! "I got it." Arty cheerfully announces. Lucy scrambles off the couch and down the hall. "...Hi, mom. I made this cool drawing at school today-you should really check it out..." Arty rambles. "I think it's really-what? Okay. ALEX, MOM WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!" He covers the phone with his hand and shouts even though I'm only about twenty feet away. Lucy returns and brushes against my legs.

"Hey, mom." "Oh A-Alex, how was school?" my mother stutters. It would be hard to ignore the uneasiness filling each word. "It was good. What's wrong?" I ask trying to cut to the chase. My mom clears her throat. "Look, Alex." I bend down and pull Lucy into my arms. "Mrs. Cooper will be over in 5 minutes to pick you two up and drive you here." "Wh-" I begin but am interrupted by a haze of static as my mom spontaneity hangs up. I explain to Arty what is going to happen and search my bag for my phone then shove it into my pocket along with the house keys.

Flashing head lights illuminate the driveway and shine through the window as a red SUV pulls into view. I lay Lucy back on the couch and creak the door open quietly. Arty smothers the feline in a lovingly (almost lethal) tight hug and commands her to watch the house for us. I lock the door behind us then step down the brick stairs that lead into our house. I climb into the backseat next to Arty. "Mrs. Cooper where are we headed?" I ask while strapping the seatbelt across my chest. Mrs. Cooper twists her head slightly and looks at me pitifully. "I'm sorry, Alex." Her look stirred an uncomfortable emotion within me and made me wish I could disappear into the eccentric fabric plastered over the seat.

"I'm taking the two of you to the hospital."