The Other Side Of Paradise.

April 15, 2020:

News broadcaster - “CDC and government officials have declared this a global pandemic and urge everyone to remain in lockdown. Mask are required along with a social distance of six feet when around others. Stay tuned at 11:00 for further coverage on the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Omar shuts off the tv, shakes his head and puts a plate of bacon and eggs on the table in front of his wife Marie. “Can you believe this?” He asks. “Everyone is overreacting, it’s just another flu variant.” Marie nods in agreement then calls for their daughter to come down for breakfast. “Jade come eat!” She yells to no response. “Jade! Listen to your mother and come have breakfast!” The pitter patter of footsteps echo as Jade runs into the kitchen. She stares for a moment then continues playing. “Eat!” They both say. She grabs a strip of bacons and runs off. “Alright, have fun getting her to eat, I’ve got to get to work” says Omar then gives them each a kiss. Marie finally gets Jade to eat then begins the remote schooling for the day. Jade is thirteen and has autism, the change in routine from in person to remote learning has been a struggle but they’re adjusting. This is the new normal for the next 18 months until news of a vaccine emerges.

June 27, 2021:

News broadcaster - “According to government officials it is expected for everyone ages 16 and up to be vaccinated within the next few months.”

“Do they really expect people to jump at the first vaccine after only a year ?” Marie asks. “It takes a minimum of five to ten years to know the full effects and benefits of a vaccine, yet they want everyone to just blindly get it?.” She grabs her cup of coffee and sits on the couch next to Omar. “I don’t know.” He says. “But I’ve heard a bunch of people who have gotten it and ended up sick or dying from it.” Marie sips her coffee then turns to Omar and says “yeah but you know the government will deny all that.” Just then a loud commotion ensues outside. The sound of people screaming, cars crashing and glass breaking can be heard for miles. Omar jumps to his feet and heads to the window as a trash barrel goes flying through the window. He leaps out of the way just barely getting hit. Marie stands to attention and screams “HUN!” He starts to stand and yells “I’m fine, go check on Jade!” Marie scramble through the living room, up the stairs and into Jade’s bedroom were she is sitting peacefully on the floor with headphones on, flipping through a book. Marie gathers her composure enough to not frighten Jade but still cautions her to get up and follow her. “Do not let go of mommy’s hand ok sweetie.” Marie says. Jade nods her head in confusion and follows her mother into the hallway. As they near the steps they hear a commotion downstairs then a loud thud. Omar races to the steps covered in blood. The look of fear stains his eyes as he yells at them. “HURRY! LET’S GO!” He waves them down as he looks around. “What happened? Are you ok?” Marie asks as the words fearfully tremble out of her mouth with Jade behind her still in utter confusion and unaware of the situation. “There’s no time, I’ll explain in the car. We have to go now!” Marie and Jade race down the steps and head to the door that leads to the garage. Omar grabs the keys off the kitchen counter and heads to the garage. Luckily he likes to be prepared for any and all situations so in the car is a first aid kit, bags of supplies and change of clothes. He grabs his gun from a safe then hops in the car and they take off. As they speed away Marie and Jade see first hand the mayhem going down. People that look sickly and inhuman, screaming and running full speed at others and attacking them, ripping them to shreds. Their eyes as black at night, their skin pale and blood stained and their hands dripping in blood with their bones protruding through their fingers. The world as we know is ceasing to exists. Omar tells Marie how after she went up to check on Jade a man bulldozed his way in & tried to attack him and how he had to kill him with a piece of broken glass from the window. They weave in and out of overturned cars and people being murdered as they ride off into the unknown.

September 14, 2021:

Three months after the chaos Omar, Marie and Jade have found shelter in a cabin by a lake. Traps are set to sound off if anyone gets within thirty feet of the property and a row boat sits by the water with supplies ready for an escape. Gas, food and water are becoming harder to find so most travel must be done on foot and in groups. No one is to be left behind. Each morning Omar goes out to check the traps for any animals they could possibly cook up and secures the perimeter. Marie continues with Jade’s studies as a way to keep some normalcy. Once again this change in routine has not come easy for Jade. She struggles to understand why they can’t go home, why she can’t listen to her music and why they have to run whenever they hear people. Trying to explain has been exhausting and with Jade being partially nonverbal it’s just as frustrating not being able to voice her distain for this new way of life. They muster through and check off another day of solitude. The next morning Omar is awoken to the sound of distress and hands shoving him to get up. He opens his eyes to see Marie, she has a look of unimaginable fear draped across her face. As Omar’s brain starts to process the words it hits him like a sledgehammer. “Jade is missing!” Screams Marie. “We have to look for her!” His eyes widens and he leaps out of bed, throws on his boots and runs for the front door grabbing his gun along the way. Marie follows behind. They reach the front yard but there’s no sign of Jade, they call for her but silence fills the air. In this moment they understand that they have to split up in order to find Jade faster. Omar heads left, Marie heads right and the ground beneath each step shakes as if there were an earthquake. As Omar nears the perimeter he hears a sound, “Jade!” He yells. When he reaches the sound his heart nearly jumps out of his chest as he spots a man standing by a tree, he raises his gun and aims to kill. “Wait! Don’t shoot!” The man yells. “I’m not a howler.” Omar keeps his gun aimed “who are you?” He asks. “My name is Lebaron, I’m just trying to find shelter for my family.” He points to a near by tree where a woman and two young boys are hiding in fear. “This is my wife Lynn and our boys Christopher and Andrew” he says. Omar glances at the woman and her kids, his gun still pointed at Lebaron. He pauses for a moment and before he can speak he hears screams from the other side of the yard. His head whips back as he takes off towards the screams, Lebaron and his family follow. They race to the other side to find Marie shouting for Jade to run, howlers are approaching and fast! Jade, wanting to do something of joy left the house early and has been admiring some near by flowers. Her head shoots up at the sound of commotion to see the howlers stampeding in her direction. She realizes the circumstances of the situation and begins to run towards her mother. Marie sprints to her daughter and just as she grabs her and shoves her towards the house a howler latches on to her back. She screams in pain, Omar in firing distance screams and shoots at the howler hitting it in the head. Both Marie and the howler collapse. Jade stands in shock staring down at her mother in pain, Omar grabs Jade and yells for her to get to the boat. He turns to help Marie as four more howlers approach. “No!” Yells Marie. “You have to get Jade out of here, it’s her before us!” Their eyes well up with tears, Omar grabs Marie. “I can’t leave you!” He shouts as he reaches for her. Their hands embrace as she looks up at him and with the sound of sadness and acceptance she says “it’s ok. I love you, the both of you.” Then she pushes him away and falls directly into the howlers. Omar frozen in heartbreak is pulled away by Lebaron and they all run for the boat. The sound of screaming echos as the six of them get on the boat and row away. Not a word is spoken by anyone. A few hours pass and Lebaron finally speaks. “I’m sorry.” He pauses for a moment. “For your loss.” Anger and grief builds as Omar looks up. “As soon as we find a safe place to dock you and your family need to go.” He says. “But I heard there’s a place a few miles from here where others have found refuge.” Lebaron says. “It’s a safe haven.” Omar stares at Lebaron, then he glances at Jade curled in fear. “It’s going to be ok sweetie.” He says to her then thinks for a moment. “I swear to you, if you’re lying to me & leading me to a trap then I will kill you and your family.” Lebaron crosses his heart with two fingers and says “I promise I’m telling the truth.” Omar nods his head in acceptance. They head towards the haven as Lebaron tells him how they overheard of this place and have been trying to get there for weeks but haven’t had safe access. “Everywhere is overrun.” He says. They finally reach land and begin to follow Lebaron’s lead. They find a passage through some trees and as they come out the other end they see across a field a group of people boarding a small plane. Their eye glimmer with hope and begin to smile at each other. But the joy quickly fades as they hear a death screech, they turn to see a dozen or more howlers. Without hesitation they take off for the plane, Omar grabs Jade and holds on for dear life. The plane is almost at capacity and is about to take off. The howlers are getting closer, they reach the plane and Lebaron and his family are first to jump on. Omar see’s that him and Jade won’t both fit and time is fading. He turns to Lebaron and with a pleading voice says “this is my daughter Jade, she’s thirteen and is autistic. Protect her as if she was your own.” Then he turns to Jade, gives her a kiss on the head and helps her get on the plane. Once aboard he hands her something and says “I love you sweetie, we both do.” Then shuts the door. Jade bangs on the door as the plane takes flight, Omar is overtaking by the howlers and with a river of tears Jade watches as what’s left of her family becomes a distant memory. Once out of sight she looks down at her hands to see her mother’s gold heart shaped locket. Marie gave it to Omar and Omar gave it to Jade. She opens it and inside is a picture of the three of them and an inscription that reads “Wherever you go, I go.” She smiles and hugs the locket as the plane continues to safety.