wish granted

Chapter 4: The Apocalypse

Chapter 4

The Apocalypse

Global cases top 1 million, and millions lose their jobs.

By April 2, the pandemic had sickened more than 1 million people in 171 countries across six continents, killing at least 51,000.

In just a few weeks, the pandemic put nearly 10 million Americans, including a staggering 6.6 million people who applied for unemployment benefits in the last week of March. The speed and scale of the job losses was without precedent: Until March, the worst week for unemployment filings was 695,000 in 1982.

Sam put her phone down, shaking her head from reading the article from the NY Times. Covid-19 has really blown up seemingly overnight. People are advised to stay home, avoid contact with other people, and avoid mass gatherings. Sam herself is lucky enough to be young and healthy, but the vast majority of the population is vulnerable. The elderly and the young, people with asthma and lung problems, people with autoimmune diseases, and especially essential workers and healthcare professionals. And then she reads about spring breakers going on about their holidays and raves, ignoring all safety warnings about mass gatherings and social distancing. Fucking idiots. People are dying everyday and these special few dimwits are still going out.

A loud beeping caught her attention and she peeked outside to find the truck from the contractor she hired to fix her house. Her mother insisted to let her cousins Miguelito and Octavio come and bring their friends to fix it for her, but she knew she shouldn't risk her cousins traveling from a state away to fix her roof for her. Plus she wasn't so sure the damage on her whole house can be fixed with a little DIY situation. Sam had received her severance pay from her job, so she should be okay for now. Plus, she's lucky her job can be done online anyway, so she's been freelancing in the meantime.

"Hey, smarty," Ella sat down beside her, a book in hand and a small smile plastered on her face. "Contractor's there?"

"Yup," Sam replied, peering through her window and waving at the men who started work on her house as usual. She felt bad that the men still had to work during a pandemic, but at the same time, she has to have her house fixed before the situation gets even worse.

"Yup isn't a proper word, sweetling," Ella corrected her, slipping into her 'teacher' mode by default. The redhead caught herself, biting her lip and looking at the amused Sam apologetically. "Sorry?"

Sam laughed softly, leaning forward and giving Ella a quick kiss. "Don't be sorry, mi vida. You know, you're always telling me that I'm adorable, but you're the adorable one!"

"Ah, but I will fight you on that. You're the adorable one!"

And then they kissed again, deeply this time.

Sam almost feels bad for thinking it, but being quarantined was the best. Working from home, being your own boss, wearing sweatpants from morning to night; absolutely banging. But being quarantined with your girlfriend? It was even better.

Sam giggled and pushed Ella playfully, pinning her down and settling on top of her.

"Girls, get a room please."

The two women broke off immediately like two teenagers caught making out inside their rooms and Sam saw Ella's father, Kevin, grinning at them.

Being quarantined with your girlfriend? Awesome. Being quarantined with your girlfriend AND her parents? Not awesome.