Red Rain

When the pandemic hit, Earth was unprepared. Hundreds of thousands died every day. Governments verged on collapse with their incompetent and nay-saying leaders. Allegiances split: half believing the science, the other believing the virus a hoax. Life as we knew it came to a halt and everyone was locked up inside; hole-up to weather the storm.

Then we found a vaccine. In the rush to produce enough for the masses, corners were cut, trials not completed, the green light given too soon.

A global mandate was given: each country, province, state, and city dropped the hammer and required every citizen to receive the vaccine.

And they did. En masse, like a herd of cattle, we were put in line and fed through the mazes of people, propaganda and needle pricks - all promised a cure. Not just protection, but a cure.

They were wrong. The virus mutated and much deadlier variants began popping up all over the world. After almost two years the deaths were in the millions - already far exceeding the deadliest of plagues in human history.

Society was spiralling. Hate and fear choked the throats of every person on the planet. Countries burned, cultures crumbled, genocides came to light…

Then, in a small town, in a tiny home lab, a retired doctor and professor found the answer. Dr. Fergus White found a cure. A red dust. And then came the Red Rain.

Across the world, the powers that be took Dr. White’s cure and dropped it from the sky. A system was created that dispersed the red dust into the clouds and caused them to rain - rain a blood-red cure down on the world and all its people. And it worked. The virus was gone. We thought it was over.

It took less than ten years before we realized we were so very wrong. The Red Rain cured the virus, that was true, but it caused inconceivable side effects in all those it touched.

Those who had diseases - even mild and manageable ones like diabetes and asthma - died quickly and by the millions. It was as if the Red Rain was culling the herd of its weakest. Hospitals were made almost obsolete. No one who went in came back out.

In about ten percent of the population, the Red Rain caused a manic state and hundreds of thousands in every city leapt off buildings, ran into oncoming traffic, climbed into zoo enclosures… all believing they could fly or that they were invincible.

Another 15 percent of the population just stopped. Stopped doing anything. Eating, sleeping, talking, moving. Just - stopped. People were found dead in their homes emaciated - often laying on the floor looking to the ceiling, placid expressions still on their faces.

Worse still, nearly the entire population became sterile. Those who were still fertile became highly sought after, and were either sold like slaves or revered - practically worshipped.

The flora and fauna were not immune to the effects of the Red Rain. They mutated in uncountable ways. Some grew, even tripling in size; others shrank to mere fractions of their original selves.

Society as we knew it crumbled. Governments were overthrown. Spiders and mosquitos the size of cars swept through cities, draining all those in their path. Livestock shrank to the size of cats and small dogs, causing a shortage of meat. There was no longer a reliable source of food, and millions starved.

Just eight years after the Red Rain, the world as we knew it came to an end, the global population cut down to a tenth of its number.

Some fled the cities, believing what was happening was another pandemic, contagious or a conspiracy. Others closed their ranks within the cities and guarded their supplies and comrades with vicious intensity.

But where was Dr. White in all this? Was he really to blame for the end of the world? No one knew what became of the Doctor after the collapse. Most believed he died. Others spoke of him in whispers, like a ghost story around a campfire. Was he still out there? He made the Red Rain; could he also hold a cure? A way to fix the world? Those left could only guess…

Seth,

We packed the truck today. Dad made me go through all my stuff and told me I could only bring “the essentials”. For dad that apparently means an entire room of books. But for some reason it can't include my toys or rock collection. Seriously unfair…

I hate that we’re leaving. But dad said it's not safe in the cities anymore. Said we’re moving “far far away from civilization”. LAME.

At least you said you'd call or email every day. Promised we’d stay best friends even though I'm moving to the middle of nowhere. So I'll still have you. Even if you won't be next door anymore. I'm really going to miss you…

Seth,

Days. Actual DAYS in the truck. Gross motels. Even grosser truck-stop bathrooms… But we finally made it to the cabin. And ICK. What a run-down dump! Can't believe dad expects us to live here!

The water comes out of the pipes brown. Lights only work half the time. Wifi only works in the attic - we have to use cables. CABLES! And friggen spiders everywhere! And I swear they are getting bigger…

At least the cats are entertained. Hugin and Munin love that we are in the woods. Chasing birds and bugs (they take care of the spiders!). Rolling in the dirt. Climbing trees. I hope you liked the pictures.

Seth,

We aren’t far from a tiny town. Possibly the smallest town you could imagine. Dad won’t let me go with him to get supplies. But he’s fixing up the cabin and he always brings me back gifts.

I’ve got a ton of books now. Dad said I should educate myself in every possible subject. From math to how to fix an engine. I don’t get why. But some of this stuff is pretty interesting. Like there’s this book that tells you all about plants and what you can use them for. Pretty neat.

Dad has been spending his days teaching me things - completely off in left field from what we were learning in school. No more history! So boring. I’m glad we’re focusing on more interesting things. I’ve got a serious knack for mechanics and horticulture.

I worry about dad though. He teaches me all day and then he hides in the basement with his books and equipment. He spends every night down there, hours past my bedtime. Sometimes until morning. He won’t tell me what he’s doing. He looks so tired...

By the way - you were right - the cats ARE getting bigger. Dad says it’s cuz of the rain. Says they’re just getting bigger, but they are still our good boys.

Seth,

I haven’t heard from you in a while. I hope you’re doing ok. It’s really lonely out here. I wish the cell reception was any good, then we could call each other. Dad said it’s the woods. They are too thick. I have to resort to these emails. My phone is basically a paperweight now. But dad said he could teach me how to take it apart and put it back together. So that might be kinda cool.

We’ve fixed up the cabin. Dad has even been adding extra rooms from the outside. He built me a greenhouse too! He promises to build me a room for my projects - so I can “stop leaving bits of everything around the house” he says.

He says there will always be room for you here too, Seth. So if you can ever visit I’ll have dad draw you a map! You, your mom and sister can all come and stay! You’ll love it. I promise.

Seth,

I miss you. It’s been months now since I’ve heard from you. Are you getting my emails? Dad says the internet isn’t very reliable any more, so I’ll have to write physical letters. “Snail-mail” he calls it. But he promises he will mail my letters to you every day if I ask him.

Seth,

I’m scared. Everything is changing. And I miss you. Why won’t you answer? Two birthdays have passed since I left. I really wish you were here...

I saw a spider the other day - big as a DOG! My heart almost stopped. Hugin got it though. But it put up a fight. Poor boy got bit. Luckily I’ve been learning about animals and enatemy (anetamy? sorry if my spelling sucks). Dad took time to help me make a poultice and to bandage Hugin up. He was good as new in a few days.

The boys are big as Great Danes now! You probably don’t believe me - but I swear! I could ride them if I wanted. But I just sleep on them instead. You have not slept until you’ve slept on a cat, Seth!

Seth,

I don’t know why I’m writing you… I haven’t heard from you in… I’ve honestly lost track of the time. It’s kind of lost all meaning out here.

But I’ve grown. Like five inches. And “other” parts have grown too (not going into detail about that though - you perv!). Ridden the crimson wave for a long time now too. So it’s got to have been a few years since I heard from you last...

Dad stopped tending to my education a long time ago. I’ve spent my time reading and tinkering and learning on my own. He locks himself up in the basement all day. I leave food for him outside the door. Most times the food is still there when I come back hours later with his next meal. I worry about him. Years now and he still won’t let me in or tell me what he’s working on.

Seth,

I think I feel compelled to write to you because you were “my normal” for so long. Whether or not you ever read what I write you no longer matters. It comforts me to think about you and the life we used to have.

Dad is sick. It’s been really difficult. I’ve been studying medicine as much as possible (I swear dad must have cleared out an entire library over the years and brought it home!) But he says there’s nothing I can do for him. I feel so lost…

Dad still spends all his waking hours in the basement. Still won’t let me in. I take care of the house and boys. I grow the food and prepare the meals. I fix everything that needs fixing… But I can’t fix him.

Seth,

Dad’s gone. I went to wake him one morning and he was just GONE. It took me a few days to bring myself to move him. Let alone bury him. Munin carried him on his back. I got Hugin to dig the hole. It’s been really hard…

It was weeks before I could make myself go into the basement. His lab. All this time I had no idea, Seth. NO idea…

I’ve spent months down here. Sorting through files and notebooks. Not much made sense so I’ve been studying his advanced biology and chemistry texts - trying to make out what any of this stuff means…

And I found the box he kept… ALL the letters I ever wrote to you. He never sent them. I should have known. I even searched for another box, one full of the letters you sent back. But I knew better. If you weren’t getting my letters, there was no way I’d ever be getting anything from you. I guess I just really wanted to believe. Believe you are still out there. Believe you are thinking of me too.

Seth,

This will be my last letter. Note. Scribble into the void.

Please know I love you, Seth. If you ever find my letters, at least know that.

I’ve been to the town. I know now what’s happened to the world. To say I’ve seen hell would be kind. So many bodies. So much death. Bugs big as cars. I saw a cow as little as Hugin and Munin used to be. It was dead of course. No life left anywhere.

But I found a letter from dad today. All my studying brought only a fraction of his work to light… His letter explained everything he had been doing. Everything that had gone wrong. Everything he had achieved. He caused the Red Rain. His “cure”. He didn’t know, Seth. Didn’t know the dust would react the way it did with the pollution in our skies. THAT’S what caused all this.

He left me a locket. I think it was mom’s. Inside: a picture of the two of us and a blue pill. He said it was the answer. A cure for the “cure”.

I finally understand now. It’s up to me to fix the world.