The Iris Epidemic

The Beginning of Forever

Usually when going into town I would take a horse with me. Bloom and I would ride in quicker then on foot and it gave her a new scenery to look at and to meet people who came up to us. She was my beauty, my baby girl that I adored so much. She was a black clydesdale, had a little highlight on her head and around her hooves like little white socks. She would sometimes sneak off to the bigger field from the barn to go to the flowers that grew on the other side of the property. Every spring I tell you. She was always so curious. Hense her fitting name.

Bloom was also social, making it easier to go in town with her since she was gentle with everyone. But, I was not risking her life to simply just go down to town because I was not sure of what the illness could do to her. Who knows, people and animals could be infected and I'd rather have her safe. So, I took a walk to town after helping my wife with the animals and moving some of the wood.

Walking the trails was a long stretch for most days because it would almost be 40 mins to an hour out of our way by foot, also the fact many knew if having transportation in anyway would've made it cut half the time of travel and would help carry items and food we needed, no one really walked to and from their farmland to the town. But I was expecting to carry nothing much then a uniform and some written information, maybe even less.

I remember making it into the town and walking the streets of the main strip. This France that i knew, did not have many famous historical sites until 1887 when the Eiffel Tower was built. So, let's just say Paris France was nothing like you would see today. No tall buildings with luxurious condos or apartments. No modern structures or and roads of concrete. No vehicles to drive us around, just little markets that gave us what we needed to get by. I can't say I've seen Paris ever since I was cursed... but social media,newspapers and photos now a days definitely shown me how it's changed.

As I was walking, I passed many that I knew and gave them a friendly nod and hello as usual. Most would wave back and make short conversation, as I was on a mission to meet the man that was at my door from the night before.

I never caught his name that evening but I eventually was introduced to him properly with his name being Dave Barley. A current tailor in town while he was brought into the position of recruiting new doctors from the surrounding area. He too had a lovely wife and children. But certainly four children was quite different than having one son. I use to tell him 'Hey, more helping hands around the house, huh?' And he would just shake his head and pat me on the back.

He ended up being one of my close pals back then while I was working. Mind you, he was almost a sidekick making sure he was all caught up with my diagnoses, writing and documenting things and running everywhere to help me supplies for my, i guess, 'crazy mad scientist" procedures and methods of trying to heal and care for patients...

hah... lets just say many didn't believe on how i did things, but these times were desperate, there was no point to bicker about such things when towns were getting whipped out faster than you could think of one simple thing! Anyways..

I managed to meet up with him at his little tailor shop, just midway through the town and he shook my hand with delight and gave me a smile.
"Good afternoon Mr. Iris"

I nodded back as a response.

"I almost thought you weren't going to come to town today, hm?"

"I'm a man of his words." I said confidently yet calmly. "My wife may have seen distort by this matter but she knows my intentions are good."

"She seems to love you greatly. Always a good thing to see with a young family" Dave replied while showing me the way into his shop.

I nodded again and followed him in.

Dave's shop was not too busy at the time since business was slow with not many people needing nice new suits and ties for special events and such,especially for awhile after the Plague was full force in our and neighbouring towns. It just seemed to be the two of us there, walking around and weaving through the displays of the cleanest and sharp looking dress shirts in town. Coming in dark shades of browns,grays and blacks. Simplicity at its fineness but definently missing the vibrate colours of the modern age of this formal attire.

He guided me near the back of the shop where he slid a merlot red looking curtain to the side showing an entrance to the back of the shop. I remember thinking it was a change room that was in use and almost went to stop him from opening it, but against my odds, it wasn't a change room at all. Witch at the time was quite a relief, since I was not about to see a man being revealed without his trousers on. Certainly not in that day's list of things to do and see I'm afraid.

Scooting back the curtains more as i walked through, he lead me through a dim lighted hallway towards some stairs going down into the basement. Down there was a room quite the opposite of how neat his business looked from above this dusty place. I stopped and stood at the bottom of the stairs and watched as Dave wandered into the dark to light up a candle on a old abandoned looking wooden table, lighting up half of the room dimly.

Just then before i could move an inch, I caught sight of a half naked man.Sitting in what looks to be in a uncomfortable position, he sat in the dark corner just near the table where Dave was. Sitting there staring over at one of the candles like a fly with the bug zapper. A look from his eyes wishing for hope as he looked at the candle. But this also gave me shivers up my spine. I wasn't ready for another presence to be around at this time... it was unnerving.

Dave just lit the candle like nothing happened and I remember even then I had many silent questions.

"Don't worry about that. That's just Tommy, it's normal." Dave says as he turns to me from lighting the candle. "Alright. So where do we begin?"

"May i ask why he is down here?"
I asked trying not to let my eyes travel back to the man in the corner, now just starting to get up on his own two feet.

"i would tell you..."
Dave looks over to Tommy Briefly and then back.

"That will have be for another day for now Mr Iris."

"ah...alright then"
I replied back as I was partly watching him from the corner of my eye as he slowly walked backwards. with his eyes locked on me he disappeared into the dark area of the room and went unnoticed for the whole conversation afterwards.