The Child of the plaque

For the small golden haired Sam his morning started like any other morning. He got up, brushed his teeth, not very well at that , ate his breakfast, kissed his mum and ran off to school. Nothing out of the ordinary. This was Sam's life. He was regular 10 year old boy.

Hastily, as he was almost late, he entered baby blue painted classroom. Sam noticed the young teacher with the curly black hair and freckled snow white skin, attentively reading on his smart phone. This also wasn't new to Sam. His parents are always complaining about the school appointsing young teachers and then they can't understand why the kid's education is dropping so badly. Not that Sam really understood this, he liked Mr Grey. Mr Grey would always let them chat with friends a bit after giving his class. He was a cool dude as Sam always called him.

The unease was visible on Mr Grey's face. Sam always being the attentive kid started feeling uneasy. He knew although he did not understand that something big was about to happen.

"Mr Grey?" he called. Mr Grey looked up at the young boy still frowning.

"Morning. Yes Sam?" he tried to put on a smile but failed miserably.

"Is everything okay?" the concern for Mr Grey's wellbeing was evident in Sam's voice.

"Yes." He sighed. "Nothing for kids to be concerned about. Get to your seat. Class is about to start."

Sam obediently slomped to his chair as Mr Grey stood up to greet his pupils.

Sam hated maths. Every kid does but Sam had a theory that he hated this subject the most in the world. He tried to listen to Mr Grey but inside of him he still had that uneasy feeling. Tapping his pencil repeatedly on the table and earning a scowl or two from his young teacher.

Sam noticed the red metal door slowly start to open as Mr Grey was still going on about multiples. The Principle, a grey haired man with the face of a young child entered the room. Mr Grey had a knowing look on his face as soon as he noticed the man walked in. He stalked over to the principle exchanging some unheard words before letting out a long sigh and walking back to his students. He rubbed his temple's for bit before looking up and directly facing the anxious kids.

"You guys shouldn't come into class tomorrow." the kids started to cheer. He held up his hand to silence them. With another sigh he said. "Please stay at home, we will make arrangements with your parents. Please listen to them, this is very important."

Jenny the little teachers pet lifted a petite hand.

"Yes Jenny?"

"Why are we staying at home?"

Mr Grey thought for couple of seconds.

"People are ill Jenny. Very ill. And in order for you guys not to get ill you have to stay home."

"Can we not get sick at home?" Christo the red headed little trouble maker shouted.

"Yes you can Christo. But staying home decreases your chances."

"Why?" about three kids shouted in unison.

"Okay quiet down kids." Mr Grey spoke sternly. "You don't need to know just know that the adults are very smart and they told you to do this. So listen to us."

After that the class became quiet and the rest of the school day went by slowly. Everyone including Sam felt a bit excited. It's a holiday. A day away from school. But that day turned into a week and that week turned into months.

Sam has become accustomed to the new life of seeing his peers and teacher on a small computer screen. Letting mum and dad help him with homework but not understanding anything and them losing their patience with him. This big holiday had turned to a big nightmare. He couldn't even go outside and play. His boredom grew and grew everyday.

One day daddy came home. Sam didn't understand why dad could go out to work but he can't go to school. Dad took of his jacket and mask that they had to wear now everytime you go outside. Dad coughed. His coughed sounded like he was trying to get something out of his throat. Sam had heard it a couple of times. Especially during nights after he had been put to bed.

Mum looked sad.

"Will you not reconsider Jim?" She asked her husband. Jim shook his head.

"If it comes back positive, I can't go to work honey. We will lose our income. You know how this economy is, we can't afford it." Mum looked even more sad.

"If that's how you feel." She turned and walked upstairs. Sam's father saw him and smiled down at him, rubbing his head before breaking into another fit of coughs and falling on the couch. Sam left his father to go play in his room instead of doing the assignment homework.

Later that evening when Sam got hungry he walked back into the living room. His dad was still asleep. After eventually getting tired, Sam walked past the couch. Dad was still asleep.

It wasn't until later that Sam saw the colorful sirens and rushing of people he knew something had happened to dad. He ran downstairs to hear his mother screaming at the paramedic:

"Wait! He has covid-19. He didn't want to get tested but we all know." Tears streaming down her face.

This has been the first time Sam has heard the words "covid-19", this was surely not the last time Sam would hear the words "Covid-19".

After that night Sam's father never came back. He was explained afterwards that something called a virus at taken control of his father and that had hurt him. Sam started to notice his surroundings, how every television had a story about this covid-19. How every newspaper Sam saw had the headline new covid cases. How everyone is talking about this. History had been changed and Sam, poor young 10 year old Sam, stood straight in the middle.