Invisible Death
By Naomi Weir
Copyright 2011 Naomi Weir
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“Hold the door!”
I shot out my arm to block the metal doors from closing. They obeyed and retreated, so I stepped aside allowing the man to share the tiny elevator space with me.
Polite smiles were followed by an awkward silence as the doors made their second attempt to close. The familiar whir sent us skyward.
I stared at my feet. The elevator was so ancient it didn’t count the floors as you went, so there was nowhere to look. It climbed so slowly it didn’t even leave you with that giddy feeling you sometimes got when you stepped off. But I didn’t mind. I preferred it this way.
“Thanks," the guy finally mumbled just before stepping out two floors into our journey.
I watched him scurry from view, arms loaded with rolled up sheets. He was an architect.
There were so many different businesses crammed into this building; it was amazing clients ever found who they were looking for at all.
The doors finally slid shut and the whirring resumed. Safely alone inside now, I turned to check myself in the full length mirror. The local news team would be visiting today to interview my boss. It was my job to make sure the staff and the office were impeccable.
I felt slightly clumsy in my high heels, but with my skirt and jacket suit I looked professional. I remembered vaguely someone once telling me the key to walking in sky high heels was to walk with confidence.
As the doors sprung open I took a deep breath. Today would be one for the history books.
* * *
It took the camera crew half an hour to set up before they commenced the two hour long interview with Belinda in the board room.
I sat in my office, nervously chewing my nails and jiggling my knees up and down. I couldn’t help but continue to glance at the boardroom door, waiting for them to come out.
I’d asked to sit in on the interview, but they wouldn’t allow it.
Belinda had a brilliant mind. She was a genius of our time, of that I had no doubt. But her social skills were lacking to say the least.
I’d been the office manager, and Belinda’s personal assistant, for the past five years. Tackling the media was part of my job. Belinda preferred to spend all her time in the lab, so TV interviews were nothing but an annoyance to her.
But this time she’d conceded. This time it was a necessary annoyance. She was going to be on this evening’s news, and it was BIG news she had to share with the world. It was her news to tell, to disclose to the masses.
And despite Belinda’s problems with communication, I trusted her judgement implicitly.
The receptionist poked her head in to my office. “Jenny, they’re done.”
I sprung from my chair, sending it rebounding sharply against the wall behind me.
As I fought my way through the news crew packing up their gear, I found Belinda seated alone at the large conference room table, a grin spread from ear to ear.
I couldn’t help but smile too. “How was it?” I asked.
“We’ve done it, Jen!” she whispered excitedly. “Tonight the whole country will know what we’ve achieved!”
I smiled even wider, my face felt like it could split in two. A tiny squeal of excitement erupted from within her as I hugged her hard. There was a chuckle from one of the camera crew, but I ignored it.
After almost fifteen years of research, Belinda and her team had finally achieved the impossible.
I was so proud.
* * *
That night I sat on the couch, my husband and daughter either side of me, as I eagerly awaited the news to start.
I perched on the edge of my seat, as the host appeared on screen. Even though my family didn’t speak, I shushed them immediately.
Belinda spoke wonderfully. So articulate and easy for the every day person to understand. She seemed to have transformed completely and I was awestruck.
This was really happening.
As the segment finished, those two long hours in the conference room cut down to one ten minute piece, I sighed with relief and let myself return to earth.
I smiled at Chad just as Verity leapt into my lap. “Mummy’s boss was on telly!” she cried.
I hugged them both to me. “She sure was!” I replied jovially. “I’m going to be very busy at work now, baby.”
I was so blissfully happy in this moment, nothing could possibly ruin it.
Except for Chad’s disapproving raised eyebrow.
He hated the long hours I worked for Belinda. But nothing could wipe the smile from my face. Not tonight. Not even Chad’s negativity.
Because this was a momentous occasion.
Belinda had finally discovered a complete cure for radiation poisoning.
This would change the world. In more ways than one.
* * *
Later that night, after Verity had gone to sleep, Chad and I climbed into bed.
My cheeks were sore from smiling and my throat was raw from cries of glee over the phone all night with friends and family who’d heard the news.
Chad and I lay on our sides facing one another, my grin hard to suppress despite my aching cheeks.
“I gotta be honest, babe. I didn’t think she’d do it,” he admitted softly.
“I always knew she would,” I replied, trying to suppress the loud excitement in my voice. “She’s a genius babe! A pure genius!”
“Aren’t you even the slightest bit worried?” Chad asked sourly, turning away from me.
I watched his forehead wrinkle with concern. Poor Chad. Always the worrier. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight.
“No, I’m not worried,” I reassured him, wiggling in closer and placing my head on his chest. “We’ve planned for this for a really long time. There’s no need to worry.”
Chad forced a smile and hugged me tight, kissing the top of my head. “You better be right.”
* * *
When I arrived at work early the next morning, I suddenly realised that for the kind of day I faced I hadn’t arrived anywhere near early enough.
I froze as I rounded the corner and spotted the crowd of cameramen and journalists waiting at the front door.
I racked my brain for an alternate way into the office, but I knew it was hopeless. They’d have all entrances covered. It was best just to face them head on.
We’d been expecting this.
Relieved I wasn’t wearing my heels today, I straightened up and walked fast and with purpose straight towards them.
Flashing lights and simultaneous shouting of incoherent questions greeted me as I approached the front door. I stopped and smiled.
“One at a time,” I asked pleasantly.
“Do you work for Belinda Sang?” one young girl asked. There was a groan from a few older and more experienced journalists in the crowd. I nodded.
“Are you worried about the effect this will have on the government’s decision to build nuclear power plants?”
This was exactly what we were expecting. “No, we’re not worried. Our research can only be a good thing for the public’s safety.”
“But do you fear the repercussions this may have in attempting to lessen the threat of nuclear weapons?”
I scoffed. Just as we’d rehearsed. “That’s preposterous and simple scaremongering by the people who are against what we’re trying to achieve. Nuclear bombs are still dangerous, despite our breakthrough. We’ll simply have a way to help people affected should the need arise. Now if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get back to work.”
The barrage of questions continued as I reefed open the front door, but there was no point.
br />
Belinda had said all that needed to be said on the news last night, so there wasn’t much point in fielding questions all day long.
Security guards we’d hired stood in the lobby glaring at the reporters through the glass walls as a warning not to even think about following me in.
I hurried to the lift and noticed the guy from the day before throw his arm, stopping the doors from closing.
I smiled as I slipped into the cramped elevator beside him.
“We’ve gotta stop meeting like this,” he laughed as the doors closed and the lift began to slowly climb.
“I know, right?” I chuckled.
The awkward silence grew between us with each second that passed. I cleared my throat and looked down at my feet.
“You guys are causing quite a fuss,” the architect finally said.
“Yeah. Sorry about that. It should die down in a few days. I’m Jenny by the way,” I said, holding out my hand.
The architect looked down at my extended hand and smiled. I looked at his arms piled hig with rolled up plans and drawings. My face burned with embarrassment and I dropped my hand to my side.
“Mark,” he said to me, as the doors opened at his floor. “My name’s Mark. It’s nice to meet you, Jenny. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”
* * *
Belinda had gone away for a while. Just until the hype, and the death threats, died down a little. So by lunchtime most of the reporters and camera crews had dispersed when they realised she wasn’t coming in.
I decided it would be safe to duck out and get a celebratory lunch for all the staff.
As the elevator took me to the ground floor I almost expected it to stop at Mark’s floor. But it kept moving. It looked like I wouldn’t be seeing him this time.
I snuck out the back door this time, but there were no reporters waiting.
I took the alleyway to the end before I emerged into the busy thrum of hungry business people. The sandwich bar on the corner was busy, as usual, and I patiently joined the long queue, becoming one with the lunchtime crowd.
As time ticked by I inched forward, trying to decide between ham and cheese or tuna melt. Suddenly a panicked scream could be heard up the street, turning my blood to ice.
All heads snapped towards the sound. The screaming got louder and the people around me looked at one another in fear.
A few of us left the line, making our way tentatively towards the sound. Cries for help punctuated the screams, and my stiff walk became a hesitant jog. I weaved in and out of the stunned people scattered across the footpath like statues.
My strides became more fluent as my heart raced in fear. Just as I crossed the last street before my office building, a hand clamped down on my arm bringing me to an abrupt halt.
I spun around, petrified of being grabbed by a stranger. I came face to face with Mark, his face deathly white and distorted with fear.
“Run, Jenny!” he begged, still holding my arm as he slowly backed away.
I frowned at his strange behaviour. But then more screams erupted, this time so close that my ears crackled. The cries of terror came from the people standing around me, who’d begun to bolt in the other direction.
Mark shook his head in disbelief as he dropped my arm and turned to run away from me. I wanted to run too, but my curiosity was stronger.
Without moving closer to the source of the panic, I strained to get a better look at what lay ahead.
The crowd dissipated and I saw bodies lying on the footpath.
I took a step closer. A female lay face down on the concrete a few metres away.
She looked familiar. My stomach churned as I recognised her clothes.
It was our receptionist. Marnie.
Realisation struck, landing heavy against my chest, as the identities of the other bodies became clear.
They were my staff.
My panic level spiked and I gasped. Had they been shot? Why weren’t they moving? Sirens wailed in the distance.
I dared take a step closer, barely feeling the ground beneath me. My trembling body made it feel as if I were hovering.
“What’s happened?” I cried to those much braver than I, tending to the bodies lying on the footpath. But they looked anxious and confused.
“They’re dead...” a man called out in astonishment as he slowly backed away from the bodies.
I could hear muted screaming coming from inside the foyer of my building. I took a hesitant step away.
“Have they been shot?” a lady somewhere near me asked the question I couldn’t ask.
“There’s no injuries,” a man said, bewildered. “It’s...it’s internal.”
The screaming in the foyer intensified. People were banging on the glass, their faces taught with desperation.
I wanted to run as fast as my legs would take me, but I was frozen in place. Most of my staff were lying dead on the footpath before me like ragdolls. I couldn’t just leave. Could I?
Suddenly the door swung wide and I gasped, holding my breath.
Todd and Olivia from the accounts department stumbled through the doors, Todd holding a shrieking Olivia in his arms.
He stopped in horror when he saw the familiar bodies before him. Todd’s terrified face searched the faces of the strangers who watched him.
“Help us!” he cried hoarsely, falling to his knees.
Olivia rolled from his arms and came to a stop in the gutter. The shrieking had stopped and a guttural moan took its place.
Blood ran from Todd’s mouth thickly covering his chin and then throat, soaking his shirt. He looked from one dumbstruck observer to the next. His eyes stopped on me.
“Jenny...thank God. Please...help us...”
Todd gingerly stood up, but I took a step back. He frowned at my reaction and stumbled towards me.
I felt all eyes now on me. My heart pounded hard in my chest, booming loudly in my ears. The sirens were getting closer and I prayed they’d arrive any moment now.
Todd continued his painfully slow steps towards me, and I inched away from him in unison. Olivia let out one last blood-curdling scream before arching her blood soaked body and then falling silent.
Todd ignored her completely, intent only on reaching me. I was about to yell at him to stop when he clutched his stomach and buckled over, blood gushing from his mouth onto the concrete at his feet.
I cringed and leapt further away. Todd fell to his knees again, groaning.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I turned and ran like a racehorse, bolting as fast as my legs would carry me. A huge crowd had now gathered to find out what the fuss was and I had to fight my way through to escape.
When I reached the train station I stopped, heaving for breath, as I scanned the boards for the next available train heading home. It wasn’t for another twenty minutes. My heart sunk. I had to get out of there. Right now.
I threw myself into an empty seat and reefed open my handbag. My hands shook violently as I found my phone.
A text message from Belinda. It said ‘GET OUT’.
Get out of where? The office?
I fumbled as I forced my brain to remember how to make a call, but it went straight to her message bank over and over again.
Panic washed over me like a tidal wave each time I heard her message. I finally left a brief message and dialled Chad.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” he answered cheerily.
“Babe. Listen,” I said, trying to steady my quavering voice. “There’s been an accident at work. I’m okay, but I’m coming straight home. I’ll be there as soon as I can...”
“Wait! What?” he cried.
“I’ll tell you when I get there,” I stated, gritting my teeth to control the fear. “I love you.”
Before he could argue, I hung up and let my phone drop into my bag.
Someone had joined me on the bench. It was Mark.
“So sorry I grabbed you...back at work. Are you okay?”
&nbs
p; I tried to think of the right answer. I certainly wasn’t okay.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I mumbled, tears pricking my eyes. “Did you see what happened?”
Mark shook his head, I noticed his face was still deathly white.
“I’m walking back after lunch and I found them lying there, moaning on the ground. One of them screamed at us to stay away. Saying it was contagious. I just freaked and ran. Until I saw you...”
I frowned, my brain going into overdrive. He’d been told to stay away. There were no external injuries...
They’d been poisoned. And it was contagious. Belinda had told me to ‘get out’. Could it be? There’d been threats of biological warfare, but none were credible. Or so we’d been told...
“We have to leave!” I shouted, startling the people sitting nearby. “The city’s been contaminated with a deadly and incredibly contagious virus! We have to leave! EVERYBODY NEEDS TO LEAVE! NOW!”
I stood, trying to instil the seriousness of the situation into the commuters. But they simply stared back at me in disgust Some even chuckled.
“Are you for real?” Mark hissed pulling me away from the crowd.
“I think so. Yes.” I answered, not completely sure of my answer.
“Okay,” Mark said. I didn’t know if he believed me, but he looked scared enough to try. “So what should we do?”
“Get as far away from here as possible, before they figure out what’s happening and they quarantine the city, along with everyone still in it.”
Mark’s jaw dropped. “They wouldn’t do that.”
The loud crackle of the train station’s speakers interrupted us. “Ladies and Gentleman, I’m sorry to inform you that at the request of the local police all train and bus services will be temporarily suspended until further notice...”
Groans of disapproval and angry shouting erupted all around us.
“It’s begun,” I whispered.
Mark shook his head. “This is ridiculous. Surely they were just attacked by somebody? You guys have drawn a lot of attention today.”
“We were attacked,” I insisted, racking my brains for a way home. “Do you know anyone in the city with a car? Anyone at all?”
“Not who would lend it to us. How about we go back and ask the police what happened. I’m sure it’s not what you think it is. They were just attacked by somebody...”
“Listen to me!” I cried, grabbing him by both arms. “It’s a virus. And it’s contagious. It may even be airborne. We need to leave the city immediately. The longer we stay here the more chance we’ll be exposed to the virus. And once we’re exposed, there is no cure.”