My name is Joey EverGreen, daughter to Rose EverGreen. She’s the nurse that helped Doctor Kim with Patient Zero. I just wanted to make we were all on the same level before I continue. Now that you know the basics, let’s get to the beginning of life as we now know it.

                                                         ---

I awoke this morning, rubbing the crust from my eyes as I do each morning. Sun rays shimmered against my raven hair. The light bleed down onto my face, illuminating almond shaped eyes the color of acorns. At least, that’s what mom says the color reminds her of.

"Ahh." I called out as I stretched my arms up to the ceiling.

A yawn followed shortly after as I rubbed my eyes, yet again. A small step forward was halted.

"Ugh! Not again." I said.

A fuzzy light gray sock turned dark as it soaked up the puddle of water below my foot.

"Mom! The roof is leaking again. Mom?"

My hair whipped back and forth as I rushed down the hallway to the edge of the stairs.

"Mom! Hello?" I asked

Creaking walls was my reply. Slumping down on the stairs I laid my head in my lap.

"Another eventful morning in the EverGreen household. Yay." I said.

Thunk, thunk, thunk echoed through the house and against the walls as I slid down the steps. Sure my bones ached as each wood step pounded into my body, but who really cares.

When I reached the bottom, "Fine, I’ll just make my own fun. All on my own!" I exclaimed as I waited for a reply.

I let out a sigh and slugged into the kitchen. Red walls turned runny and brown as a steady stream of water flowed down onto the carpet. The cardboard covering the hole in the sliding glass door is laying on the floor in a puddle.

"Great. If this keeps up we’ll need a raft to move around our own home."

"Joey?" called out a deep gritty voice.

"Dad? Is that you?" I asked.

A shadow wrapped around the hallway corner to reveal a sturdy figure. His curly hair was matted and his rich caramel skin caked in layers of a dark sludgy material. Joey pared down at the tracks of the same dark sludge piling up all through the hallway floors.

"Mom is going to kill you dad for making such a mess. What’s on you anyway?" I asked.

"Oh, this? Mud. I’m trying to plug up the leak under the house. It was worse than I thought. I’m going to have to call someone to stop in and fix it, too big of a job for me." replied Joey’s father.

"That’s what happens when a botanist tries to turn into a handyman. Oh, that reminds me! The board came down and there’s another leak in the living room." I said.

"Great, at this rate we’ll have to get a raft."

"Funny you should say that dad," I remarked with a chuckle.

"Well, it’s nothing John EverGreen can’t handle!"

"Are you sure dad, remember the last hole?"

Lowering his head, "Let’s not talk about that. Fine, I’ll call mark to come over and give me a hand. He’s the true handyman of this town."

"It’s for the best dad. Let’s not give mom another reason to go on one of her nagging fits."

"Right you are! I’ll go make that call now. Why don’t you go out and play for awhile."

"You don’t have to tell me twice. Later dad!"

"Later my veiled lady!"

"Really dad? A fungus joke?"

"It’s only because you’re so sweet to me, it’s almost sickening."

"Wow, that’s so funny I forgot to laugh." I remarked as I rolled my eyes.

"Alright alright. No need for the harshness missy. I love you dear, I’ll see you later."

"Later dad, love you too."

I rushed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, avoiding as much of the sludge as possible. I could hear dad talking on the phone with Mark.

Rustling and clanging filled the bleak room. Water streaks on pale green walls gave the room a marshy feeling. Lilies and ferns were painted on the walls along with fireflies. I worked hard on that wall only for it to be destroyed, what a bummer. 

Clothes flopped out of drawers as I rustled and shoved my way through shirts and shorts. I don’t normally care too much for my appearance but I had my eye on one of my favorite outfits. It is both cooling in this warm weather and comfortable.

"Where is my floral tank top? I know I put it away?"

The small pile of clothes began to grow with each swipe of my hand through the emptying drawer.

"There you are!"

I clutched a rolled up piece of fabric in my hand, "So, you were hiding in the back all along huh?"

I aired out my tank top and sniffed it, "Still fresh, yes!"

Snatching up a pair of blue shorts, I rushed off to the bathroom connected to my room, the door slam echoed through my ears. Some time passed before I emerged, changed and all cleaned up for the day. I stomped down the stairs, turning the corner for the door when...

Wham! 

"Ow!" I let out in agony, rubbing a growing spot on my forehead before looking up to see what I hit.

"Oh, I’m sorry Joey, I didn’t see you there." replied a frazzled man.

"Mark? It’s okay. I should’ve been paying more attention. This isn’t the first time this has happened." I replied.

"You’re father has told me. You’re such a spaced-out kid sometimes you know that." Mark remarked with a chuckle.

"Hey! I’m not a kid, I’m sixteen. That’s two years shy of being an adult." I retorted back.

"My bad, miss almost too grown for her own good."

"Humph, whatever. Anyway, I’m sorry. Later."

"Later grumpy britches."

I stuck my tongue out at Mark as soon as he turned his back on me and raced out the door for safety.

"He’s such a pain, always picking on me." I said aloud as I folded my arms tight across my chest.

I slumped down on the front porch steps, the sun scorched down on my face. Trees around my yard were brittle and wilted. It’s been a week after the first flood and the leaks are still flowing, the sun is too harsh for any plant life to gain nourishment from the water. California really has turned into a barren desert, everywhere. The world is flooding and the sun is burning. What a lovely combination.

"Leave it to the human race to destroy such a beautiful planet." Slowly my head raised and I set my sights on fun. "I better hurry if I want to make it to the yard before the doors are sealed."

                                                           ---

Each morning the play yard is opened for the kids in the neighborhood, but they cannot stay open for long. They must be sealed just to block out the heat and close off any water from leaking in. The town has adapted to meet the needs of the community, but it’s all in vain. I watched the news before the networks went down and they said that these storms caused the chemical plants to malfunction. That’s why the weather is only getting worse. Can’t they see that or are they just trying to ignore the fact that it’s only a matter of time before our time is up?

I guess it doesn’t matter anymore, though. Let them live in their ignorance. Teachers and the rest of the community are still trying to make us learn while all this is going on. They think that because the rain stopped we can resume our lives like nothing happened. I guess once you’ve lived so long in destruction all you want is a taste of the old but sweet life you used to have.

We did find a way to beat the acid rain, we place plastic covering over our houses and all repairs are made with plastic. If you aren’t aware of this knowledge let me educate you; acid can’t eat through plastic. It can however dissolve through glass, metal, rock, and ceramic. Now all buildings are covered in plastic. Kind of looks wonky but if it works can’t really knock it too much.

People tried to hide in their homes, behind glass doors and windows, only to find that the burning water couldn’t be held back. I haven’t seen my mom in two days since the last showers rained down. The hospitals are always busy with burns and other gruesome injuries.

                                                            ---

Each time I walk through the play yard I see less and less kids there. I swear there where at least twenty of them here yesterday but now there’s only thirteen. I wonder if they decided to stay home today, what if they got hurt? I walked over to one of the volunteer adults.

"Have you seen Brian? He hasn’t been here for a month." I asked her.

"No Joey, I haven’t. I talked to his mother two weeks ago and she said Brian wasn’t feeling too well. Maybe he caught a cold from all the nasty weather." she replied with a monotone voice.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." I replied.

"Sure, now go and play." she said as she turned her back to me.

My family has been in the hot seat ever since the towns people have been getting ill. They come by to pressure my dad in making them cures for their colds and are always dragging my mom away from dinner to heal some stranger who doesn’t even thank her. How did we get so jaded? Where did we go wrong? Was it the increase in power from chemical plants, that we demanded because of the war threats from overseas?

We marched off and shed blood like always, but we didn’t notice the slaughter coming from a familiar friend, our own planet. The plants died, the water washed us away, the sun is scorching us, and acid melts away any hopes of rebuilding. Earthquakes shatter our foundations and now people are falling ill. It seems at least five people report some type of illness each day. I wonder if I should just stay inside from now on, what if I get it. Mom is a nurse so she should be able to help me but I don’t want to add anymore stress to her plate. Though, she hasn’t warned me of any illness spreading around, so it must be okay to be out.

"Has anyone seen Brian lately?" I asked the other kids in the yard.

"I heard he died." whispered a scruffy-headed little boy.

My breath turned shallow, eyes squinted with annoyance and curiosity by his statement. Could it be? Could my friend really be gone. I heard of a few adults and kids dying because of a severe case of the flu but mom hasn’t said anything to me, not like she would. She wouldn’t want to scare me into staying inside all day. She already stays inside of a hospital and dads stays inside his basement lab for most of the day. That’s no life for a kid, but I’m not child anymore. At least I don’t feel like a child anymore, not in these times.

"What makes you say that Freddie?" I asked.

"My mom was at the hospital the other day when she spotted Brian’s mom running in with some man who was carrying Brian in his arms." Freddie replied.

"He could’ve passed out from a fever. A lot of people are getting sick but pretty much all of them get better." I snapped back.

"She wouldn’t tell me why but I over heard her talking to another adult about how there were plants growing out of Brian. Like he was becoming some type of mutant vegetable or something. That can’t be from a cold. I’d know, I’ve had lots of colds and never turned into a plant." Freddie replied.

"You can wipe that smirk off your dorky face. he’s not turning into a mutant and you need to stop reading so many comics, they’re starting to melt your ten-year-old brain. I know that my mom will make Brian better, no matter what. She’s the best nurse ever!" I replied as I crossed my arms firmly across my chest.

"Hey! Just because you’re older doesn’t make you the boss of me. I know what I’m talking about. I heard it from my mom and I didn’t imagine any of this." Freddie replied.

"Oh, well if you’re so sure of this than why are you whispering?"

"That’s what my mom did, I’m not supposed to know so that means that other kids aren’t supposed to know either. I don’t need to get into trouble because of you."

"You aren’t, I mean none of this could be real so it’s not like it really matters."

"You don’t know that. My mom knows what she saw."

"Sure, whatever Freddie."

"Why do you have to be so mean to me Joey?"

"Why? You are always telling stories and getting me in trouble. I don’t know why the adults think your such a perfect kid, your just a nerd who reads too much and doesn’t know when to shut his mouth."

"So that’s what this is really about. You’re mad that I told your mom about you sneaking out to the coves with Cody."

"Yeah it is Freddie, you didn’t even get in trouble for stalking us."

"I wasn’t stalking. I have really good eyes. My mom said my vision is the best she’s even seen."

"Your mom is filling up your head again. I know you have a little hide out near the coves."

"Oh whatever Joey. Get over it, it was either tell on you or get in trouble and I couldn’t leave my books behind."

"You picked saving your comics over helping me out?"

The other kids around us were starting to back away and move into smaller groups. They began playing hopscotch and jump rope.

"Why not? You aren’t my friend. I wouldn’t want to hang around someone as ugly and mean as you anyway."

"Why you little snot nosed liar..."

Suddenly, " Joey! Freddie! Break it up you two." Mrs.Stone called out to us from across the yard.

"Jeez, she’s got bats ears." Freddie said.

"Yes I do young man, now scoot." Mrs.Stone said as she strolled her way up to Freddie and I.

I swear, that Mrs.Stone is a vampire. She has to be. No one can hear that far away and be that quick without being supernatural. She’s tall and stalky enough to be a vampire. Maybe she’s part spider. Ew, actually I’m just going to stick with the vampire theory it’s less icky.

"Yes ma’am." Freddie said as he dashed off to join the kids playing hopscotch.

"Why do you pick on him like you do?" Mrs.Stone asked.

"I don’t know, he messes with me and I just return the favor." I replied.

"He’s also six years younger than you. Joey, you have to do better than this. You aren’t a child anymore. What would your parents think?" Mrs.Stone asked.

"They’d think that I’m not acting my age and that I am holding myself back by placing myself at his mental capacity instead of using my own brain for more beneficial purposes." I replied in a defeated tone.

Gosh, Mrs.Stone can be such a pain sometimes. She didn’t need to bring up my parents like that, she knows how I feel about that. I hate knowing that I’m not living up to their dreams and desires. I not a super nurse or scientist like they are. I’m just me.

"Exactly Miss Joey. You need to do better for them and your community. Also, could you ask your father if he’s had time to work on my request?" Mrs.Stone asked.

"Yeah, I can." I said.

Great, another order to take up dads time. Doesn’t anyone think of anyone else but themselves in these times. What if he gets sick and goes away forever? It’s not fair that I get pushed to the back burner and community members get a higher priority than his own flesh and blood. They didn’t even talk to him before of this crap started. Everyone thought his career was weird and didn’t know how to talk to dad. I can’t blame them, he can be hard to handle with all his fungus jokes and plant humor.

"I’ll bring it down here when it’s ready Mrs.Stone."

"Thank you Joey."

"No problem."

Except there is a problem. You can’t save your husband. I know who the order is really for and I know what it is. You don’t live with someone who has an amazing lab and not learn how to break into it. I know what everyone’s order is and I really don’t see why dad agrees. These people aren’t worth saving. They keep hoping for that chance of relief, but it never lasts.

Don’t they get it? It’ll never last because the world is dying and that includes the human race along with it. Our end is inevitable. I wish they would come to grips with the truth and just leave my family alone with all their badgering and hopeless requests. Then there’d be no problem in my life.

Next Chapter: Random Bliss