Valli : Personal Journal of Valli Pillay, a Living Dead Pandemic Survivor

Entry 7

I'm angry, angry at the bastards who let all this happen. Angry we didn't stop it all in time. Angry that people are so naïve, that the people in charge screwed us. And for what? For money? I went to see Fergie.

"Valli, you need to calm down," he said. "C'mon let's go for a walk. It's hot in here. I have something to help take the edge off." He pulled out a small paper bag with some dagga inside. I laughed.

"Remember when it used to be illegal?" I said.

"I know, right?" We both laughed.

For the past couple of nights since my last entry I hadn't been able to sleep. The walk, the weed, and talking to Fergie helped.

The reason I haven't been able to sleep properly is because I keep dreaming of my house in Rose Belle. It's empty as if everyone had just disappeared in the middle of dinner, leaving behind plates of food on the dinner table. There is food being warmed in the microwave and the radio is playing, but no one is there. They're gone. All normality gone. I haven't seen the house or Rose Belle in nine years. I doubt I ever will. I don't even want to go back, but in my head, I go back all the time.

Governments, Le Pen Industries, no one could hide the videos or information being posted online on a daily basis. In France, protests were a regular event. The people of France were fed up with their government being run by one company. French President Aurelie Vichy's popularity was on the decline as it became obvious she was not in touch with reality. The United Nations had imposed sanctions on France for not cooperating about Rémoire. When it happened, President Vichy said she considered the sanctions an act of war and was going to declare war on the United Nations and its member states, which ironically included France. The people of France came out en masse against her, the armed forces joined them, demonstrating that the spirit of the French Revolution was not dead. President Vichy was arrested and an interim government took over. The new government went after Le Pen Industries, and an arrest warrant was issued for Maxim Le Pen, who had gone on the run after the president was arrested.

The whole event was playing all over the internet and on the major news channels. Dad followed it all as if it was the World Cup. The French government had also quarantined the city of Dunkirk and was keeping a media blackout on the quarantine. But UWK activists in the city were uploading videos of the army and police shooting people in the streets. Dad said it was a historic city because this was where the British Expeditionary Force and what was left of the French Army evacuated to England in 1940. During the whole thing, Mom was on Skype to her sister Aunty Selvi, whose daughter, my cousin Nalina, was in Dunkirk as part of her degree requirements. We were all distraught; I could only imagine what Aunty Selvi and Uncle Francois were going through. Then we got the call. Nalina had died and had been cremated. Her parents didn't even get a chance to see her.

We were all devastated. Mam was hit hard. She wanted to fly to France to be with her daughter. Aunty Selvi said she could use the support. Although there was a new government in place, governments of other countries, including Mauritius, were issuing travel advisories for France, urging extreme caution when travelling to France. I told Andy, Nalina had passed away and my grandmother wanted to go to France.

"That's a good thing. Your grandma can go to Disneyworld in Paris," he said.

"What are you talking about, Andy?" I said. "A lot of weird things are happening in the world right now."

"Well, Disneyworld will help her feel better."

He had been acting weird for a while. Saying strange things. I didn't argue with him that day. I had been hoping he'd provide some support, but he didn't.

Dad thought it was a bad idea for Mam to go. He argued against it, saying it wasn't safe in France.

Mam didn't listen and went to France. In the end, Dad was right.