Heart of Death

It was 16 years ago when the world died. I was only 10 years old at the time, but I was old enough to know that the world was no longer the same. My family and I lived in a nice, small town in central Florida, nestled along the lakes on the east side of the center line of the state. I had grown up fishing, hunting, playing with my friends, riding our bikes, shooting hoops, and playing in the local Little League. It was a quiet, laid back, and easy-going type of existence. It was nice, I miss that boring life now.

At some point in February of 2084 a seriously deadly virus was released upon the world. Its origins were widely speculative everything from natural variant of some long-known virus, to a long dormant virus released from the ice pack drilling in the artic, to a man-made virus purposely released. Whatever its origins it was the most virulent virus the world had ever known. Within a week it had spread from the Asian continent to Europe, within two weeks it had made it to South Africa and northern Russia, by months end it was in the Americas. The virus had an incubation period of just 24 hours and once the symptoms appeared the infected was dead within 3 days.

A week after the virus made it to the US my dad decided to take the family out to one of the islands in the middle of Lake Kissimmee. We started by camping out, fishing for food, but eventually started cutting down trees along the shoreline of the mainland to build permanent structures. We listened to our camping, wind up, radio to try and stay informed on what was going on. The news at first was encouraging, with the government saying that they were diligently working on a cure and vaccine, they were forcing people to wear masks when they had to go out but were encouraging people to stay at home as much as possible.

As time went on and the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months the news came slower and slower. The number of infected and dead rose faster and faster as time progressed. We had made a good life on the island that we had dubbed Survivorland. Not long after we arrived on the island some of our neighbors started to show up and after 9 months we had a community of thirty people. Each of us worked to take care of the community. Some people tended crops that fed each person, some were fishers and hunters for meat, some were seamstress, we even had a couple of men that were good at making tools and fixing the boat engines, even all us children helped out as best we could. The most important fact was we were safe from the virus hidden on our island home.

Soon the information from the radio started to fade away as we were informed that even those who were doing all the government was telling them to do to stay safe were also not safe from infection. Within a year of the first reported infections there was no longer anything coming from the radio. We were, as far we knew, the only remaining living persons in central Florida.

Sixteen years past, children grew up, we survived, life was good and fulfilling. The community had set certain boundaries that no one would cross for fear of infection, we still didn’t know how someone could get infected, though we were fairly sure it was not airborne. We were also pretty sure it as not transferable from animal to human, but we still adhered to the boundaries that the community had agreed upon. Then one day in mid-June of 2095 a strange boat was heard coming down the river. We all knew the sounds of all the boats in our community and this one was a bit to deep in pitch to be any of the communities.

Everyone gathered their guns and prepared along the barricades on the shore. It wasn’t long before could see the boat in question. It was large, at least 50 feet in length, sat down in the water but appeared to just skim across the top. It was completely black, and the bulkhead walls were at strange angles. As the boat approached the island from the south it slowed and came to a stop about 50 yards offshore. A booming voice came from loudspeakers “We are not infected, need fuel and food.” “Show yourselves” my dad responded. Everyone in our community still had their guns trained on the unusual craft, floating just 50 yards off our island.

The top hatch popped open and 4 men in military uniforms climbed out. One of them spoke out, the same voice that came from the loudspeaker before “We are former US Navy. We don’t mean you any harm. We are hungry, almost out or fuel. We came up the river and lakes from the Atlantic hoping to find someone, some community. We are just looking for somewhere safe.”

After conferring with some of the other older members of our community my dad answered “We don’t have any fuel to spare, but we do have homemade food to share. The dock is around to your left,” as he pointed towards the dock with all our boats. “tie up and join us.”

One of the men went back into the boat and slowly maneuvered the boat into place along the dock. “Leave all weapons onboard.” The Commander ordered “But sir…” one of the others started to protest. “Do it, Petty Officer” the Commander re-enforced his order “Aye Sir” The four sailors came ashore, walked up the dock and were met by the entire community at the head of the dock. “I am Commander Bill Thadke, this is Lieutenant Bill Hall, Chief Mike Waters, and Petty Officer 2nd class Todd Euwing,”

“I am Hyrum Blankenship” my dad started “My wife Lorrie, Case Matthews, and Philip Stoutameyer. We speak for our community. Come… join us. You bring much wanted news of the outside world.” We all made our way over to the center of the island where there was a large fire pit, tables and chairs. “So, tell us, is the world still alive?” My dad asked as we walked

“Only about 1/3 of the population survived the plague.” The Commander began. “After about 2 years the infection rates began to disappear. The rumors began that someone had a cure or a vaccine, but there was no proof. Only ones that seemed not to get sick were those in power and the rich. My comrades and I were on a Navy battleship in the middle of the Atlantic in the beginning. When the news of the plague became public, we remained at sea as long as we could but eventually, we ran out of food. So, the command had to make the decision to find land and try to restock but that was the fateful day when the virus found us.” Even though he tried to remain stoke you could see in his eyes that he was greatly pained. “As the first of the sailors began to show symptoms the next day it was a mad scramble to get off the ship. Many of them ran onto shore but a few of us were able to get away on the small boats. We made our way north out of the Caribbean up to the Florida Keys and set up camp. We were able to stay there for the last 13 years but a hurricane came through last year that forced us out. We have gone up and down the Atlantic coast, we have come across a few people and small communities. We have been trying to connect them via HAMM radio.”

“What was the virus?” my dad started “How is it transmitted? Is it still around?”

“As far as we can tell it was a man-made virus. It is only transmitted by human fluid contact. And yes, as far as we know it is still around and virulent.” The Commander answered. “In fact, we have come to believe that it was created right here in America and intentional released in China. We have heard rumors of a former Congresswoman that has the original virus. It is said that she keeps it hidden in her heart shaped locket, hanging around her neck. We have a former CDC Virologist waiting on us to return with the sample. He says he can make a cure from a sample to the original virus. Once we can get enough people together, we intend on going and finding this woman and eradicating this plague.”

That is how all this started, now we go on the hunt for the most elusive, hardest to find, and toughest to catch prey. A woman with the heart shaped locket hanging around her neck, that has the virus we can use to create a cure. So, after the heart of death we go.