Redefining 'Normal'

It had happened while I was asleep, a disaster that tore through our civilization like a plague inspiring hate and distrust among friends. Everyone called it a disaster, the birth of monsters, an act of God, or Satan, but if you ask me, no god would ever have done this to us.
Every man, woman, and child had a different name for it, too many names to count. They called us names as we stood apart from our own civilization.
...Monster....Creature.....Spawn.....
Those of us who had been effected by this 'Disaster' were family now, nothing could break the bond we bourn from adversity; and together we named it 'The Tide' and we redefined the world's version of normal.
This is the story of how even while I was asleep, I awakened.

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This is an alternate reality story based around what I wish had happened instead of Covid-19. The formal beginning of the pandemic is mentioned and represents the beginning of the story. Our tale begins on January 27th 2020.