Premeditated Ultimatum

The sound of Fred's hooves pressing into the moist soil was becoming hypnotic. I have traveled this path so many times in the last 3 and 1/2 years that I could ride it in my sleep.

Every week, someone from our community makes the 5 mile trek into town on horseback and brings back whatever supplies, tools, food, or medicine they can carry; and it was my turn again. Most people don't make it on their own for very long, and occasionally, we have rescued loners, but we're not supposed to do that anymore.

We are the forgotten ones that our government abandoned. The ones who got left behind when our small towns were deserted and people started dropping like flies. You see, there's no one left but a few communities of outsiders and the government does not care about us. We chose to stay and refused their injection, so they left us behind to die off one by one.

Although, it wasn't always this way.

There used to be people driving down the streets, kids playing basketball in the park, and parents watching their children at the playground.

The elderly patrons of our small town would sit on their porch swings and enjoy the peace and quiet of the day while listening to the sound of children's laughter. You could walk into any store and purchase whatever you and no one batted an eye.

But not anymore. Not since the virus.

It didn't happen like it's been portrayed in the movies. Where an outbreak spreads and seemingly overnight everyone is running for their lives.

No. It was slow and calculated, it was evolving and methodical; and it was no accident. This virus that turned our world into something unrecognizable, didn't "leak" out; it was released!

They told us it was deadly and that we needed to stay in our houses. We were told to avoid all contact with other people, even our families, for fear that we could spread it unknowingly. So we listened. After all, no one wanted to harm their friends or family members; and so life took on a whole new image.

For a year, the world complied; even though nothing seemed to make sense.

Where did this virus come from? How was it so contagious? Would we ever find a cure? These were all questions that noone seemed to have real answers for. Everything we heard on the radio, what we saw on tv, and read in the newspapers contradicted each other so often that, as time passed, it was hard to believe anything anymore. As a result, there was so much confusion, fear, and chaos that it was difficult to trust anyone.

There was no rhyme or reason as to how it spread or who would be infected. All we knew was that it didn't affect children; only adults. And it didn't manifest the same way for everyone. We never knew what to expect from one person to the next. For some, it was just a mild cold. Others were sick for weeks and even months. But for the unlucky ones, it cost them their lives.

Personally, I never believed what the government or the media had to say about this virus. Nothing added up, and anyone who spoke the truth was mysteriously found dead or completely discredited and deemed a conspiracy theorist. Many people tried to bring these contradictions into the light, but it was no use; the government controlled the media as well.

Before long, the division caused by everyone's differing opinions changed how humanity treated each other. Slurs were slung from all sides and noone could agree. It was unreal how quickly we lost friends. If you believed in the virus, you were considered a pushover and naive. If you believed it was a government takeover, then you were selfish and didn't care about the safety of others. And if you didn't pay it any mind, then you were accused of not taking either side seriously enough.

There was no middle ground and everyone knew they were the ones who were right.

The part that got me, though, was that just when it seemed like the world was at it's most vulnerable and miserable, our government produced a miracle cure. All other medical treatments and prescriptions had to undergo years of extensive research just to be deemed ready for testing; let alone going straight to mass production and global administration. But not this one, and it only got worse. In one last attempt to cause division and segregation between communities of people, the powers that be touted that any citizen who received this cure (which, in my opinion, was experimental at best) would be free to go back to life as normal. No more check points, no more solitude, no more avoiding family, and people could go back to living their normal lives. All we needed to do was receive a single injection. It sounded wonderful, but what was the catch? It seemed to me like a very devious and carefully thought out plan, and I was right.

This one time injection, was supposed to be the cure-all that would ensure everyone's safety and give us our lives back. But in the end, it only brought more destruction. At first, it seemed to be working. There were special clinics stationed around several parts of town and all over the cities to give everyone equal opportunity to partake in this lifesaving drug. Life started to feel somewhat normal again and people loosened up; until we heard rumors of terrible side effects. The media tried to assure us that these occurrences were rare anomalies and that for most people it was perfectly safe.

Administration numbers continued to rise as more people lined up for their shots; and so did the death toll. Some of us knew better than to sweep these results under the rug and continued to refuse it. Almost overnight, one by one, our neighbors started falling ill and never recovering. At an alarming rate, the populations of our towns were dwindling, children were fast becoming orphans, and there wasn't enough people left to keep the businesses running efficiently. Again, the government presented a cure, but this time, it came with contingencies.

And that's when I knew for sure that we were being played.

This new medication worked more like a vaccine booster. Like the ones you get every few years for childhood diseases; though, with one exception.

If you previously received the injection, then you needed to take this booster pill every month; no exceptions. It was that, or you would die.

Of course! Our government officials were never going to hand these pills out for free; there was always going to be a price. In order to receive the pill that would save your life, you were required to willingly sign all your assets over and move to one of the core cities to integrate into a new system of society; one where money and possessions meant nothing. Each person would agree to work 40 hours a week with no pay to keep these cities running.

In exchange, their living quarters, food, transportation, and most importantly, their boosters would be provided to them as necessary.

The weeks that followed were chaotic in an "end of the world" way.

It was constantly announced over all forms of communications that all booster clinics would be relocated to the main cities, and anyone who didn't follow suit before their next booster would face their eventual fate.

None of that really mattered to the rebels who refused the injections, because ther lives were not at stake.

"Let those sheep move to the cities", some thought. "Serves them right for falling prey so easily", was a common answer at first. Until it became our problem as well.

With everyone relocating to the designated cities, there would no longer be gas stations, grocery stores, post offices, or shipping services. Not even phone service or internet. Anyone who chose to stay would be left behind...completely. Our towns would be shut down and become tumbleweeds in the wind. And as if it couldn't get any worse, we were only given one chance to submit. Once the gates into the cities were closed, we would be on our own for good.

That's when it became our problem too, and that's when almost everyone else gave in to the demands. Even the strongest resisters crumbled under the pressure and signed the agreements.

It was heartbreaking to watch our friends and families become so defeated and desperate. Many of us had to say goodbye for what we knew in our hearts would be forever. The very thing that divided us for a whole year, was the one thing that brought us all back together in the end. But it was too late. No one wanted to say goodbye, but we all knew the previously treated individuals couldn't stay. None of them would live to see another month; and so we sent them on with love and prayed they would find peace again.

The decision to stay behind was not made lightly. We knew what we were giving up, but our hearts were determined to remain free...

I hadn't noticed that I was already in the middle of town, until Fred's whinny arrested me from my thoughts. I had to wipe the tears that had streaked down my face so that I could see my list properly.

Necessities:

Aspirin

Tree spiles

Peroxide

Picking lime

A syringe (and antibiotics if possible)

Box of nails or screws

Any type of rubber tubing

Matches

Rare items:

Books about aqua culture, fish farming, gardening, ancient irrigation methods, lost remedies etc.

True fruit and vegetable seeds (hybrid seeds can't reproduce)

Live chickens

I tied my horse up and began my search. There wasn't much time left since the days were getting shorter, so I got right to it. I started in the blue house this time; collecting what we needed right now and taking notes of things that could be valuable later. I found almost everything on my list except the antibiotics, and I even found a book about plant identification and their uses.

Just as I was buckling my bag, I heard a commotion outside and Fred braying. I ran out and calmed him as my eyes darted back and forth. I didn't see anything for a while, but then ever so slowly, I saw a head pop out from behind the crates in the garage.

To my surprise, it was a little girl. She looked to be about 6 or 7. Her hair was severely matted on the one side, she was filthy, and her clothes were pretty tattered. One thing did stand out about her, though; she was wearing a silver heart-shaped locket around her tiny neck. My heart broke for her. How did she manage to survive all by herself for so long? I could see the fear written on her face and at the same time there was deep longing in her eyes.

"Hello", I said.

"What is your name sweetie?"

"It's ok, I won't hurt you."

I don't think she had talked to anyone for so long that she had forgotten the words. Though, she must have been comfortable with me because she let me go to her. She didn't speak but she pointed at her locket.

It read, "To our dearest Savannah. With love, Mom and Dad."

"Is your name Savannah?", I asked

She nodded her head carefully.

"Are you alone?"

Tears started to fill her eyes.

I couldn't bear it. I pulled her into me to hold her, and to my surprise she returned the embrace.

That was it! She was coming with me!

We're not supposed to bring anyone back to the ranch, but I just couldn't leave her there.What kind of person would that make me? No. I would face whatever consequences would be waiting for me.

Saving her life is worth them all....