Science Fiction - Pandemic

Pandemic - a Science Fiction Story by Karen

First - a One-Hit Wonder from the 1960s

In the year 2525

If man is still alive

If woman can survive

They may find-

In the year 9595

I'm kinda wonderin', if man is gonna be alive

He's taken everything this old Earth can give

And he ain't put back nothing

Whoa-oh-oh

Zager and Evans - 1969

The song talked about man destroying themself and our planet.  

So, today, let me write some fiction:

*****

In the year 2050, a virus quickly developed.  It was airborne and within a few days, the prevailing winds had taken it from Africa to the Middle East and then to the huge populations of India and China.  Air travel helped get it to Europe, Australia, North and South America. It was so strong that one airborne bacteria was all that was needed to infect a person.  Within a week of the infection, that person started hemorrhaging and died within two weeks.

At the first sign of a new virus, the various scientific agencies locked down their labs.  No person was allowed in or out. Air cleaning systems were set on high for these labs as people outside died.  The death total was so huge, that bodies were left where they fell. Any attempt to bury a body would just stir up more germs floating around.  Within two weeks, some 90% of the population had died, and most of the remaining population was sick.

Within a month, the only living beings were in highly protected labs.  The CDC (Center for Disease Control - now a global entity with headquarters in Shanghai China) could claim about 2,000 people still alive.  Satellite feeds to the CDC showed the devastation that covered the earth. Airplanes crashed as pilots died at the controls, but the seats on the plane already held the dead.  The satellite feeds showed as lights went out around the world as power plants stopped working since there were no people to run them. Even though hydroelectric plants and wind turbines were turning out electricity, there was little usage.  Lights and television sets that had been left on were still on, refrigerators were still running with food that was slowing deteriorating.  

Even within the CDC complex with air cleaning systems was threatened, as food supplies dwindled.  Fortunately, water was not contaminated. Robotic systems could bring food to the huge CDC complex where it was moved into airlocks - not unlike those on space stations.  But, the global supply of food was not being replaced other than by robotic farms.  

The virus affected all animals who breathed air.  Fish still existed. Cattle, deer, bear, even turtles, and alligators died.  

The CDC had developed three potential solutions - but with the outside population gone had difficult decisions.  They were like Noah and his family on the ark - any human population in the future would be descendants of CDC workers. 

Testing devices that could be monitored at the CDC headquarters determined that the virus still raged.  After three months, the virus was less as there were no living beings to propagate the virus, but the decaying bodies still were incubators for the virus until the decay became complete.  It wasn’t known if the virus could be dormant, and if so, how long. If the CDC waited five years before opening its doors could the remaining scientists survive?  

“Volunteers” from the CDC were separated into rooms and after receiving samples of one of the three solutions, were observed as these volunteers were exposed to the virus.  One of the solutions failed quickly and those volunteers died quickly as did their fellow humans. The others were subjected to various blood and lung tests to see if the virus would infect them.  

After five years, one of the solutions was considered safe and totally viable.  One-by-one, the remaining CDC staff were inoculated with the solution and started to live on the outside.  

The world was different.  There was no money - no shops - no manufacturing - no buses, trains or airplanes.  A ‘dark age’ settled on the earth. As power plants failed, the CDC used their computers to find and solve the problem to keep the electricity running.  

The 1800 remnants were differentiated into various occupation groups.  Eventually, the earth’s population grew to one million. Mankind had somehow survived, but the cost had been great.

*****

I have no idea how the coronavirus will turn out.  Will it be as deadly on a worldwide scale as the “Black Plaque” of the middle ages?  

On the other hand, I’m 72 and will die someday.  I was anticipating living to 100, but hey if I live to 73 that is the way it is!!!

*****

Taking a quote from two days ago:

“If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.” Calvin Coolidge - 30th President of the United States.

*****

It will be interesting!!!

Hugs!!!

Karen