//------------------------------// // Chapter Four: Pandemic // Story: Flu Season // by The Fields of Ice //------------------------------// Day Seventeen Infected: 13,328,426 Dead: 5,912,437 Sweetie Belle sat beside the window of her apartment, her gaze fixed upon a passing ambulance cart. It’s sirens wailing louder and louder before fading off into the distance. Once it was out of sight, she looked down to the sidewalks, now covered in trash bags and even a few bright red bags labeled with a black biohazard symbol. Not wanting to look at the disgusting sight any longer, Sweetie Belle looked to the sky hoping for some source of comfort. Unfortunately, the only thing to meet her sight was a dreary, ugly, sky. This caused her to laugh emotionlessly. ‘How fitting,’ she thought. With a sigh, the unicorn rose to her hooves and found the remote. As soon as she flicked on the television, she was bombarded with more bad news. A yellow news pony sat, wearing a brown suit, with a map of the world behind him. Much of it was covered in red, with only the least populated areas being spared. “With infections spread from Hoofington to Marescow, it has become evident that the black flu has spread globally. But the question on everypony’s mind is simple; how bad will things get? Well, here to answer that is Doctor Maneston of the Canterlot EDC.” The camera then panned over to show a white colt with a blond mane sitting in a nearby chair. “Well, that’s a very good question,” replied the doctor. “However, it’s a question with far too many variables, but I’ll give it my best shot. From what we know, there are roughly nine or ten million infected with four to five million of those dead. This means that the black flu virus has a mortality rate around fifty percent, give or take. Now, we’ve always assumed that this virus would have its mortality rate drop due to the mutation that would allow it to spread pony-to-pony.” “This obviously didn’t happen,” interrupted the reporter. The doctor nodded. “I’m afraid not, and with the current rate of infection for the virus, we expect it to infect between one third and one half of the world population.” “So it’s like the seasonal flu or the feather flu?” “Oh no, the seasonal flu infects only about twenty percent of the population annually. The black flu has the potential to infect thirty to forty maybe even forty five percent of the population.” “So it’s more contagious than seasonal influenza.” “Well, yes and no. It’s more contagious because we don’t have any vaccines or immunity to it; however it’s hindering its spread with its high mortality rate. Though, it’s not being hindered much.” “That raises another question, if we’ve known about this virus for a little more than a decade, why isn’t there already a vaccine?” “Because each strain of influenza is different and we can’t vaccinate against it until that particular strain comes into existence. You see, the only reason we have seasonal flu vaccines is because we can predict how that virus will change since it uses antigenic drift; which is where the virus changes over time, but this black flu virus uses antigenic shift. That’s when the gene structure changes suddenly and creates an entirely different virus. This usually occurs when two viruses meet up in the same host.” The reporter nodded. “And you’re saying seasonal flu vaccines offer no protection?” “Not one bit.” Suddenly, the television screen went to black. Sweetie Belle looked up to see Spike laying the remote back down. She was just so focused on the screen that she hadn’t even noticed him enter. As the dragon took a seat next to her he said “I just got off the phone with Applejack and she said that Applebloom’s back on the farm. Took a good bit of convincing, but she finally came around.” Sweetie Belle smiled slightly. “Looks like she picked up a few things from her sister.” Spike let out a light chuckle. “Yeah, that’s what AJ said… And you’re not going to believe this, but they’re closing Ponyville elementary and a whole bunch of other schools.” The unicorn shot Spike a look. “Wow, you really don’t notice much do you? That’s all they’ve been talking about on the news. Every school in Equestria is being or has been closed.” Spike shrugged. “I don’t like bad news, so I don’t watch it.” “And that’ll be the death of your dumbass,” said Sweetie Belle as she laid her head onto Spike’s lap. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you, okay dufus?” He rolled his eyes. “You have such an eloquent way with words, you know that?” Sweetie Belle shot him a sarcastic smile. “Oh I know, honey.” ---------- Day Twenty Three Infected: 24 Million Dead: 13 Million Spike pulled the sheets off of his and Sweetie belle’s bed, about to start a load of laundry. As he passed her in the living room she quickly stood up. “Hey, let me help you with that,” she offered. Spike was a little surprised by her sudden action, but simply shook his head. “It’s okay Sweetie. I’ve got it.” She was about to say something else, but Spike went into the next room before she had the chance. As he loaded the washer, he noticed that there was still a little room left over, so he looked around for some more dirty cloths. Noticing Sweetie Belle’s coat on a nearby rack, Spike took it down and began searching the pockets. He wasn’t about to go through another repeat of the last time he had washed her hundred bit watch. The first pocket was clean, so he went to the next one. To his surprise, he felt a small piece of cloth. It felt almost like nylon. Curious, Spike pulled the cloth out of the pocket and examined it. It was a red armband with a white cross at its center. Immediately, he dropped the coat and looked up to see Sweetie Belle in the door way, she had a sad, expecting, expression upon her face. “What is this!” he shouted. “Spike I can explain,” Sweetie Belle pleaded. “You can!? You can explain going behind my back!?” “You’ve seen the news! Nurses aren’t showing up to work anymore!” she snapped back. “Yeah! Because they’re dying left and right! Don’t tell me you applied at the Central Station shelter.” Her eyes began to fill with tears as she looked away. “I just want to help, Spike.” Upon noticing this, Spike’s expression quickly softened. He took in a deep breath before walking over to Sweetie Belle. As he wrapped his arms around her, he pulled her into an embrace much tighter than usual. “I know, Sweetie. I know.” “I’m careful, Spike. You know that.” Quickly, he kissed the top of her head. “I know, it’s just… I don’t want anything to happen to you. Just please don’t go.” Sweetie Belle sighed. “I have to, my shift starts tonight.” The young dragon closed his eyes at that. Never had he cried tears of fear, but he was dangerously close now. After a few seconds, he opened his watery eyes and gently lifted up Sweetie Belle’s chin. They stood like that for a while before Spike pressed his lips to hers. The kiss lasted for what felt like minutes, but when they parted Spike continued to hold her. “I love you, remember that,” he said, his voice cracking. A tear rolled down Sweetie Belle’s cheek. “I love you too. And you always remember that.” ---------- Sweetie Belle stood in a crowd of about a dozen ponies, each wearing a red armband. They all listened intently to the mare at the front of the group who wore blue hospital scrubs and a white armband with a red cross. “My name is Nurse Moonlight. I will be in charge of your group today. Now if you haven’t already put your masks on, please do so.” This demand didn’t pertain to Sweetie Belle, since she was already wearing one of the face masks Twilight had given her. “Now, we’ll be in charge of taking care of the code black patients. You can identify them by the color of the sheet outside of their tent. Just try to make them as comfortable as possible.” Sweetie Belle had no idea what a code black patient was, however she did have a very dark guess. But to be sure, she raised her hoof. After a moment, the nurse nodded to her. “Excuse me, what is a code black patient?” “They’re the ones who are going to die regardless of what we do. They’re also the largest group here. Now please everypony follow me.” She then gestured for the entire group to follow her down a nearby stair case. Sweetie Belle was the last one to get a good look at the shelter as she descended, and what she saw would live with her until the day she died. The entire subway station had been turned into a massive tent city. There were at least a thousand ponies in here. Some were wearing hazmat suits, others were simply wearing a mask, while most laid helplessly in cots spread throughout the station. Despite the fact that Sweetie Belle’s mask was of the highest grade possible, the smell of vomit, blood, and feces still met her nose. She wanted to gag but managed to stop herself. Sweetie Belle then realized that if there is a hell, this is what it must look like. Sweetie Belle sighed and began looking for a tent with a black flag above its entrance. She looked for only a second before she saw a row of hundreds of tents, each with the mark of impending death. Never before had Sweetie Belle had so many emotions flow through her at once. Suddenly, she felt a hoof rest upon her shoulder. She looked up to see Pinkie Pie, her hair flat as could be. She shot her a small, reassuring smile. However it was well hidden with her mask. “Hey Sweetie Belle, first day?” The unicorn’s eyes began to fill with tears. “Yeah, what are you doing here Pinkie?” She sighed. “I came here to take care of my sister Inkie, she said that she wasn’t feeling too great so I wanted to see if I could help.” Pinkie looked down sadly. “She didn’t make it.” Sweetie Belle took Pinkie Pie’s hoof. “I’m sorry, Pinkie.” The Earth pony nodded. “Thanks, but now I’m taking care of my other sister, Blinkie.” “Is she okay?” she asked hopefully. Pinkie sadly lifted a hoof and pointed to a nearby tent. It too had a black sheet draped across it. Sweetie Belle had no words to offer. She couldn’t imagine what Pinkie must be going through, so she simply hugged her. She knew this was a bad habit, but it seemed incredibly fitting given the situation. Pinkie smiled slightly and wrapped a hoof around Sweetie Belle. “Thank you.” As Sweetie Belle broke the embrace she said “Well come on, let’s not leave her alone.” The pink mare nodded and began walking towards the tent. Upon entering, Sweetie Belle was shocked at what she saw. Blinkie Pie was lying under an emergency blanket on a cot, her face was a dark blue, despite her grey coat, and she was absolutely drenched in sweat. Pinkie Pie took a seat on the ground next to her and lifted up her hoof. Her eyes rapidly began to fill with tears. Not really knowing what to do or say, Sweetie Belle decided she should do something basic, like take her temperature. So she looked around and found a touch thermometer. Grasping it with her magic, she levitated it over to Blinkie Pie and gently pressed it to her forehead. After a second it beeped and the digital display lit up. “108 F” Sweetie Belle did her best to hide her reaction from Pinkie. “Is it still 106?” she asked, a trace of hope in her voice. “No, it went down to 105,” she lied. Pinkie Pie smiled, starting to stroke her unconscious sister’s hoof. “You’re going to get better real soon, Blinkie. Then as soon as you get out of here we’re going to get as much ice cream as we can eat. Then we’re going to play in the park and go ice-skating, just like when you taught me as a foal. Remember?” Her voice cracked as she uttered that last sentence. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, trying her best not to cry in front of Pinkie, all the while she was attempting the same. Then the young unicorn noticed something that she dearly hopped Pinkie Pie hadn’t; Inkie Pie’s chest wasn’t rising and falling steadily, it was slowing. Sweetie Belle knew what was coming, and knew that she had to be there for Pinkie when it happened. So she slowly made her way around the cot and sat down next to her. Then, just as she laid her hoof onto Pinkie’s leg, Inkie Pie’s chest refused to rise. It took Pinkie a few seconds to register this, but when she did her occasional tears turned into a full on bawl. At this sight, Sweetie Belle could no longer contain her tears either. It would be another two long hours before the two of them finally stopped crying and hugging each other.