Marchwood Hall

Prologue

"I had a little bird,

Its name was Enza.

I opened up the window,

And in-flu-enza"

November 12th 1918

Doctor George Crawford was no stranger to sickness and death. He saw it everyday of his life, even more so in recent years when the first casualties of war began to return home. Though he'd never expected it would plague his own house, not like this.

They'd been so careful. When first news of the epidemic travelled to London the good Doctor placed stringent hygiene and safety precautions upon his entire household. Their son was still weak through his own ordeal on the front lines, he would not be able to stand against the virus should it plague their house.

So while his own household remained in a virtual quarantine, Doctor Crawford barely returned home. The hospital was over flowing, both with injured men shipped back from the front lines, and now with people stricken with the virus; though most of those were too far gone to help by the time they were admitted. He was often too busy to visit with his family, and too cautious most of the time. But, even though he was surrounded by it, George managed to remain untouched by the hands of the Spanish flu.

By the time the ceasefire was called the country breathed a sigh of relief, even dared to raise a voice in celebration; the worst was over. Cases of the flu seemed to have dwindled and George took a chance to let his guard down. It had been too long since he'd properly seen his son, exchanged more than a passing conversation with his wife, the celebration of the hour of the ceasefire in the centre of London was far too tempting to refuse.

Thomas had declined the invitation. The shrapnel wound that had taken his leg left him unable to walk or stand for long periods of time, but mostly he didn't like the way people stared. So George allowed himself to take a well earned break from the chaos of the hospital to join the memorial and festivities with his wife, Catherine. But it had been a mistake, they should not have gone.

Such a momentous occasion was a landslide of emotions, none of the Crawfords could have ever anticipated the events that were set in motion by their attendance, and that something so simple could be so devastating.

One breath...one cough...one death...and suddenly everything would change.