Dots

I could feel the beat in my body. It had a hard bass, and people were having the time of their lives. They were dancing, drinking, and having so much fun. There were screams of joy…

The screams shook me awake. People were running across the room, pushing their way out of the house. It was pandemonium. I shook myself awake. The room was blurry, and my vision was distorted. It was loud. I soon hear the sound of police sirens, coming closer…

I wake up, finding myself tucked away under a table. I look around. I’m in a house-wait-this is where the party took place. Cups and food lay on the floor, as if it was abandoned. I wait for a moment, taking my surroundings. What happened? Why am I the only one here?

I inch my way out, slowly. Suddenly, the sound of sirens fill the air, and it’s unmistakable- the VCU- it’s the Virus Containment Unit. Instantly, my mind clears up. A lump rises in my throat, and my heart starts beating faster. An outbreak. 

I’m frozen with fear. 

The sirens draw closer, and I make my way out of plain sight. I back up into the bedroom, hiding underneath the bed. 

I lie there for a few moments, trying to think. I then hear footsteps, and glance to my right. Shoes meet my face, and a drop of saliva from above drops on them. I hear a grunt, and then springs as the person drops onto the bed. They cry out in fear, and I hear the sound of scratching filling the air. I shiver-it sends a chill down my spine. 

Eventually the sirens stop. I hear the VCU, breaking their way into the house. The mechanical sound of oxygen tanks and masks fill the air, and I hear their footsteps nearing the room. 

They spot the person on the bed, and it’s a flurry of movement while they detain him or her, placing them in a containment chamber. 

“Name?” I hear the VCU ask.

“Ari,” someone wheezes back.

Tears form in my eyes. Ari. 

I’ll never see him again. My best friend. 

Everybody knows what happens when you get the virus. There’s no cure. The VCU takes you away and incinerates your dying body. 

They are doing you a favor. You only have a week to live. 

As the VCU leaves, I hear their conversation: 

“We need to secure the whole place and burn it.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“This is the 5th case in the last week, and the 20 case worldwide. People are getting scared, with a 100% death rate. We need to contain the situation.”

“Yes, Sir!”

I need to get out of the house. Now. 

I roll out from under the bed, look around carefully. I see the white containment sheets being pulled over the house, with workers dousing the perimeter with gasoline. There’s only one exit, which is where Ari is. 

I only have one chance; I sprint at the group, shoving my way through. I catch everybody off-guard, and there’s a huge commotion. A few hands grab me, but I twist and shake them off. 

As I turn, I take a sidelong glance at Ari. He’s suspended in a containment bubble, and I can barely recognize him. 

The Dots. They’ve erupted all over his body, and more form, as he continues to scratch them. Blood gushes out, staining his Aloha shirt. I’m frozen in fear. It looks worse than on TV. 

I run, daring not to look behind me. My breathing becomes jagged and irregular, and soon I’m gasping for air. I risk a look back, and a group of people in hazmats are running, particularly fast for their attire. That spurs me to run faster, and I let myself get lost in the alleyways. People glance at me, but I’m gone before they can register anything. 

I‘m driven by the pure instinct of survival; if the VCU catches me, I’m dead. 

I run, run, and run. 

I find myself in a field, in a rural outskirt. No one is following me. 

I slow to a walk, catching my breath. I look at myself, checking to see if any Dots have manifested. It doesn’t take much for them to spread. If Ari had touched the table, I would be on the verge of death now. 

First, I check my face. That’s the worst place the Dots can spark, just like what happened to Ari. 

If it’s a limb, I have a bit of time. 

I sigh in relief. I’m good. 

I make my way out to a desolate barn, and sirens fill the air. I hurry inside.

I find a good perch, from where I can see the whole town. I chuckle. I’ve climbed the largest hill in town for my efforts to get away from the VCU. 

I can see smoke rising in the distance, most likely the house where the party was held. It’s gone horribly wrong. The VCU will do whatever it takes to prevent the virus from spreading. 

I know it’s selfish, me running away from them. I might be carrying a small trace of the Dots, probably not manifested yet. 

I brush the thought aside. It would have shown some signs by now. 

I can’t imagine what would happen if I had the Dots. I think I’ll turn myself in, to prevent further cases. 

I make my way down from my perch, grabbing a jacket and hat from the wall. That should conceal me well enough. 

I head toward town.

I’m standing in a plaza, with passersby watching the VCU with earnestness. Their large containment trucks hum loudly, and I soon hear the marching of footsteps. The VCU files in, and the trucks back out. I smile. 

I’m free. 

I walk away, heading toward my apartment. I catch my reflection in a store window. My smile glints and my face is…

I walk closer. I squint, trying to make out the finer details of my face. 

I don’t see smooth skin, however. 

I see Dots.