The Plague of Blood

Ch 7 - Darling Jeremy

Chapter Seven

Darling Jeremy

     For Jeremy Reinhardt, the end of the world was not a huge inconvenience.

     Sure, he'd had plans, but he'd always believed flexibility was a very important personality trait. You had to be willing to roll with the punches if you wanted to get anywhere in life. And Jeremy definitely wanted to get places.

     Although he was only sixteen, Jeremy had decided to go into politics. He lived with his older sister, who was his guardian since their father had died, and they didn't have much money, but he was confident he could get a scholarship based on his grades to a prestigious university, where he planned to major in political science. He wasn't sure what sort of government role he wanted to play, but he knew he wanted power, and politics was the surest way he knew to get it.

     Of course, it now appeared that eighty percent of the world was dead, and although the infrequent radio reports were reassuring citizens of Great Britain that their government was safe and in control, Jeremy had serious doubts. He had a feeling that, at least locally, laws weren't going to be upheld for a while. He hoped the disease had done some work for him and gotten rid of a few people who'd been making his life hard.

     Jeremy was small for his age, and had the kind of looks that old women called "adorable." There was something feminine about his slender hips and cupid's-bow mouth, but he had a self-assuredness in his manner and voice that let people know he wasn't a pushover. He had a slow, lazy smile and sleepy eyes, and although he had a soft, low voice, people listened when he spoke.

     Now his fair skin was speckled with red marks and his face was sunken and exhausted. The illness had taken a heavy toll on him, as it had on everyone who'd survived, but he wasn't letting that get in the way of what he had to do.

     At the moment he was kneeling atop the prone figure of his older sister, smothering her with a pillow.

     At first, Sarah had struggled weakly, kicking and thrashing, but now she lay still. Jeremy continued to press the pillow over her for another minute, alert to any movement. When she had been still for some time he raised it cautiously, then felt her neck for a pulse. She seemed to be dead.

     "Finally," he muttered, hopping off the bed. He'd come out of the fever before Sarah, and had spent two days hoping she'd die naturally. When she'd shown signs of getting better, though, he'd had to take matters into his own hands. At least she hadn't put up much of a fight.

     He went downstairs slowly, muscles still weak after days of being unable to eat, and made himself some tea and toast. The electricity was still working, although he wasn't sure if it was the generator or the regular grid. He'd have to check that out. Right now he had more pressing things to worry about. Like whether his 'friend' Seth was still alive. He was really hoping so; he was going to need muscle in the days to come, if everything were to go his way.

     "Sarah, I'm off out!" he called gaily, opening the door. He knew he had an odd sense of humor, but it didn't bother him. He liked to laugh.