The B61 Mod 7 was retarded by a parachute as it slowly fell to the Earth. When it reached a height of two thousand feet above the city, the bomb detonated. The surrounding air was sucked in as it created the radioactive fireball. The buildings of Baltimore rippled like paper before being bombarded by the two hundred pound per square inch force that literally disintegrated the buildings and surrounding areas. The buildings were hit with high levels of radiation, tearing them apart molecule by molecule, as the initial wave of pressure struck the city. Glass melted, buildings crumbled, loose objects tossed around by the strong forces generated by the bomb. The infected in the streets and those hidden in buildings were effectively killed by the bomb as the fires started around the city after the shockwave. Any animal in the vicinity of the bomb and the surrounding areas were instantly vaporized. The pressure from the bomb was so intense it was felt miles away from the impact crater, where the bomb detonated. Windows were shattered, cars flipped over, some small buildings reduced to rubble by the forces generated by the nuclear bomb. The mushroom cloud the bomb generated was seen for miles although the areas around the cities were vacant. The towns and cities close to Ground Zero were flattened and leveled as well. Millions upon millions of lives, buildings, families, lovers, enemies, were eradicated with a single event. Never before has the United States or the world had to deal with a pandemic such as this. Those alive prayed they would never have to see it come to fruition again.
Captain Howard steadied his arms as he braced for the pressure wave. The wave hit, sending the multi million dollar plane into a roll, that the pilot was ready for. Howard corrected the plane and continued on his course home. The co pilot had to look away from the blinding light or his eyes would've melted. Lieutenant Harrison, shielded his eyes as he vomited into his lap.
"Shit!" Harrison cried, as a second pressure wave hit. "Captain, we can't handle another hit like that!" Gauges and instruments started flashing red as sirens blasted in their ears, telling them that something was wrong with the plane.
"Warning. Multiple system malfunctions." The system warned as Howard hit the switch turning the female voice off.
"I know honey. Just let me land this land." Howard fought the plane all the way back to base. The B52H landed safely but would require a month of repairs to fix the systems the bomb destroyed. The second B52H, carrying the bomb for D.C. landed half an hour behind them, smoke bellowing from its engines.
Fireman and an ambulance raced towards the plane as a crew member was loaded onto a gurney. The pilot and co pilot stepped off the plane, both of their uniforms speckled with vomit. The enlisted man on the gurney had looked directly at the explosion, melting his eyes out of his sockets.
Captain Margaret Cooper stumbled onto the ground as she continued to throw up. A Navy Corpsman helped her up as he waved a wand around her.
"Ma'am you have radiation sickness. You received rads from the bomb, we need to get you to the hospital." The Corpsman looked at the co pilot, "Sir, we need to check you out as well just in case." The co pilot nodded as they were loaded into the ambulance and hauled to the hospital.
Lieutenant Harrison doubled over and vomited as well, a hint of blood attracted the attention of a Navy Corpsman. He came over to Howard and Harrison and waved the wand at them. "Lieutenant you received some rads as well. We need to get you to the hospital. Captain are you experiencing any nausea?"
"No Corpsman I'm fine." Captain Howard removed his helmet, followed by clumps of his hair.
"Sir you need to come with me."
The dust settled over Baltimore as the destruction was easily seen. The buildings of the city were obliterated, husks of them only standing. The area surrounding the impact crater of the bomb was radioactive dust and debris. Satellites orbiting the Earth saw the impact crater was in the dead center of the city. From initial satellite reports, the bombs were effective; no infection remained. Further evidence by NEST teams, or Nuclear Emergency Support Team, and the occupying SEAL Teams showed the infection was cleared. While drastic, the bombs had proven effective in killing the entire population of a once great city.
Carter and his team were over Virginia when they felt the shockwave hit and saw the mushroom cloud in the sky. Carter looked towards the mushroom clouded and felt the tears run down his face. Dr. Allen Rich, Chief Ramirez, everyone he knew and cared for in a city of the dead, gone. Wiped out by a nuclear bomb and scattered to the wind. He cried, the first in what seemed a lifetime, as he heard Pastor Cornnado pray for the souls of those taken away, first by the infection, then by hell.
President Dawson sat in his makeshift office at Camp David and listened to Ben deliver his brief as he sipped his coffee.
"Sir it appears the bombs worked. No signs of infection remains in the city. The initial reports from the NEST teams indicate that the bomb went off as planned. Both Baltimore and Washington are now rubble. The areas will remain in quarantine long until we're both dead. No human life will be able to live in those areas as well. Not until the radiation levels get back to normal and with all of the fallout that it generated, there's no telling when that'll happen." Ben finished.
Dawson nodded and thanked Ben for his briefing. Dawson looked out of his window, seeing the first signs of fall as a leaf fell onto the pond. Dawson would forever live with the hurt in his heart for the citizens, his citizens that he swore to protect, that were scattered by the bomb. Dawson wanted nothing more than to trade his life for those lost and would've done so if he could. Standing at the door, Erica Brown had heard it all and seen it happen but still could not come to terms that it really did happen. She knew her family living in Baltimore were dead; crushed and destroyed by the atomic bomb. She would never reveal that to her President but she knew it was the only way they could stop it from tearing apart other families. The President started sobbing, looking out the window, desperately wishing for the lives of those he cared about but didn't know to be restored. Days of frustration was let out and the President regained his composure.
"Erica, get Arlington in here. I need to make a speech."
YOU ARE READING
Seeds Of Hunger
Science-FictionWith the discovery of a new plant, the scientific community believes they may have the resources it needs to cure Alzheimer's for good. But once inhaled by humans, the spores hatch into parasites that drive the hosts to feast on the living.
