Death Is Equal To All

Chapter 2

France, 1347

Chapter 2

The Black Death

It all started in 1330 in China, with a battle between the Mongol and Italian soldiers. The Mongolian soldiers launched an attack at a thriving Italian trade center in attempts to capture it. During this fierce battle, a sickness crept up on some of the Mongolian soldiers; oozing large dark sores and blisters decorated several areas of their bodies. This is how it earned its name, The Black Death. In the end, the sickness caused the sick to die. Willing to do anything to win the battle, some of the Mongolian soldiers launched the dead, infected bodies into the Italian's trade center, which caused them to also acquire The Black Death. The Mongol hoped that the Italian soldiers would become sick with the same disease and die, winning them a victory. But in the end, the winner took no human form.

As soon as there was a lull in the battle, some of the Italians crept out of the fort and into the darkness of night to where they stored a boat at shore. However, they did not know that they were already carrying the disease with them, along with a few stowaway rats. 

When the soldiers arrived back home to Messina, Italy, they were greeted with hugs and kisses, which spread the poison. Those who were not infected by the direct contact of the sick, would contract The Black Death when the rats came indoors in search of warmth.

The residents were terrified and soon turned against each other, which left for only the nuns and priests to take care of the sick.

'God said, I abandoned you, go into the shadows, where there will be perpetual waiting. May evil spirits arise with the power to devour you. May you have no escape from this time forth.' - A Fourteenth Century witness.

The disease eventually reached Europe in 1347. Edmund and Evelyn's village has been lucky so far. The disease has yet to infect a since person, that is, until travelers came to town.

"What? New people coming to this dead town?" A female voice speaks in surprise outside of the Dering household.

"Probably travelers." Another comments.

From what Evelyn could pick up thus far, travelers had come into their small village to seek refuge. Along with the travelers, was a supposed helper of the king, whom was sent to look after their village. Apparently, the king was confused of why not one person in the village had not conducted The Black Death. Since he was a helper of the king, he was granted the finest house of their village.

As days passed, the villagers began to realize why the people had fled to any open village. One by one, people whom were living closest to the newcomers or had greeted them, got sick. But it wasn't a normal sickness; large black swells and blisters swarmed on the infected's bodies. The strangely sickened people were quickly quarantined.

The king's helper panicked. He could not have this village die, and have everyone against him.

The day that Evelyn returned home that evening, was one not to be forgotten. She watches, as three more new people enter the village and walk past her house. They are each wearing long black cloaks with a bird-like masks and carrying heavy brown cloth bags with long canes stuck in them.

"I wonder who they are..." Evelyn whispers. "They each have a large aurora of death surrounding them." The creepy bird mask was not helping that factor. 'They're like scavenger birds.' Evelyn though to herself. 'They're here to take what's left of us.'

"Who do you think they are sis?" Edmund asks her.

"...nothing good." She mutters. "Why can't people just leave us alone?!"