Apocalypse Prologue
Virginia
Ipacked my belongings, carefully choosing the items I couldn’t live without. A year away was a long time. When I heard rustling in my closet, I smiled to myself as I folded another band tee into my bag.
“You know, that’s never been a great hiding spot.”
The closet door opened slowly as Georgie climbed out. My little brother had always hidden in my closet when he was upset. “I wasn’t hiding,” the seven-year-old argued.
“No? Then why were you in there?”
“I just wanted to be near you,” he replied quietly. Georgie sat in the middle of my bed and took a deep breath. He was gearing up to say something big, and even though I already knew what he was going to say, I stayed quiet. He might only be seven, but he still deserved to be heard.
“I don’t understand why you have to take a job that makes you go away for a whole year! You’re gonna miss Christmas and my birthday!” He looked at me solemnly. “You’re going to miss fireworks on the Fourth of July at Grandpa’s beach house. And hot dogs.”
Ah, to be seven and have your biggest worry be missing out on fireworks and hot dogs.
“Buddy, we’ve talked about this, remember?
I went to school to be a scientist, and now I get the chance to work at one of the biggest research companies in the country, some might even say the world.
This is the chance of a lifetime, and the year will go by so fast, I’ll be back before you know it.
And we’ll be able to video chat. You can have Mom video chat with me for all of the important things, so I don’t miss a thing! ”
“But I’m going to miss you, GiGi,” Georgie said quietly.
“And I’m going to miss you, too, Buddy,” I replied. “I know it’s hard to understand, but one day, when you’re all grown up and ready to chase your dreams, you will.” He didn’t look convinced, and I couldn’t blame him. Change was hard, and he was only seven.
“Georgie, Virginia, breakfast!” Mom called up the stairs.
“Go on ahead, Georgie. I’ll be down soon,” I urged.
Georgie jumped off the bed, wrapped his arms around my waist in a tight hug, and then ran out of the room.
I really was going to miss the little squirt.
I was seventeen when my parents announced they were having their second child.
A late-in-life baby hadn’t been on their bingo card, but Georgie was the missing piece of our family we didn’t know we were missing.
Most people my age with younger siblings aren’t as close with them as I am with Georgie.
He’d always been my little buddy from the day he was born, and living at home during college let us keep growing closer, when most siblings would have grown apart.
When I applied for this position with Perk Pharmaceuticals, it was on a whim.
I saw the job posting late one night after graduation and thought, Why the hell not?
The worst that could happen was nothing.
I’d nearly fallen out of my chair when I’d gotten the phone call to schedule a video interview.
I hadn’t found out the full scope of the job and what it entailed until after I’d accepted the position.
They were conducting top-secret research on dangerous viruses and, as such, required their scientists to sign a year-long contract and live at the secret research facility.
My parents had wanted me to turn the job down when I found out, but ultimately supported my decision to take the job. It was undoubtedly going to be an adjustment for me. I’d never been away from home that long, but if I completed this contract, I could get a job anywhere I wanted.
A car was coming to pick me up at ten A.M., so I finished packing, took one last look at my room, and ran downstairs for one final breakfast with my family for an entire year.
“There’s our superstar scientist,” Dad said as I entered the kitchen. “Are you all packed?”
“Yep,” I replied as I kissed the top of his head and took my seat at the table across from Georgie. “My bags are in the foyer.”
“I made your favorite, blueberry pancakes,” Mom said as she placed a stack of piping hot pancakes in front of me.
“They smell amazing, Mom. Thanks.”
She kissed my forehead before taking her seat. I could see her eyes were red from crying.
“Mom, it’s going to be ok. We’ll still be able to talk every day,” I reminded her.
“I know that, but it won’t be the same. I’m allowed to miss you, kid,” she replied.
“I finished my pancakes. May I be excused?” Georgie suddenly asked.
“You may,” Dad replied. We watched him dart out of the kitchen, and I smiled sadly. That was our last breakfast together for a whole year, and we’d barely spent thirty seconds at the table together.
“He’s going to miss you,” Mom said.
“I’m going to miss him, too,” I replied. “I’m going to miss all of you, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I couldn’t pass it by.”
“We know, sweetheart,” Dad said, reaching over to pat my hand. “And we’re very proud of you. Never forget that.”
“I won’t. I wouldn’t have the strength to do this without your support and Mom’s. I’m really going to miss you guys.”
We finished eating breakfast just as the car pulled up outside. My heart hammered in my chest as my stomach flip-flopped. This was it. I was officially leaving the nest.
“Georgie, come say goodbye to your sister, she’s leaving,” Dad yelled up the stairs as I hugged Mom for the hundredth time. “Virginia, I thought you said your bag was in the foyer.”
“It is,” I said, letting go of Mom to grab my bag, only it wasn’t where I had left it. Mom and I exchanged knowing looks. “Georgie.”
“George Alexander Cornwall, you bring your sister’s bag back right this instant,” Mom yelled.
The basement door creaked open, and a sheepish Georgie poked his head around it to look at us. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Dad went to the door and opened it the rest of the way, then grabbed my bag and took it out to the car.
“Come here, kiddo,” I said, kneeling. Georgie rushed into my arms and wrapped his little arms around my neck as tightly as he could.
I felt the dampness from his tears on my cheek as his little body shook from his sobs.
“Shh. It’s going to be ok, buddy. You’ll see.
As soon as I get unpacked, I’ll video call so you can see my new room, ok? ”
“Ok,” he sniffed.
“I love you, Georgie.”
“I love you too, GiGi.”
I stood and bent down to kiss his forehead before giving my parents another hug goodbye.
Then, I walked to the car, not looking back until we were pulling away.
My parents, with tears in their eyes, held a crying Georgie between them.
All three waved goodbye, and I returned the wave, not letting the tears fall until the house was out of view.
Part of me wanted to tell the driver to turn around, that I had changed my mind, but I took a steadying breath and wiped my tears.
I can do hard things.
The car brought me to the airport, where a Perk representative awaited me. “Virginia Cornwall?”
“That’s me,” I replied.
“Excellent, come with me.” I followed the woman into the airport and down a hallway marked Authorized Personnel Only. She led me into a room where a gurney was waiting.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Due to the nature of the work you will be doing, you can only enter the facility under sedation. This is Dr. Camp. She will monitor your vital signs throughout the journey. When you awaken, you and your bag will be in your new quarters. You will receive further instructions then.”
I smiled uneasily at the doctor as she approached. She returned my smile before injecting me with a drug without warning. “It’s easier this way,” she said as everything went black.
When I next opened my eyes, I was lying on a bed in a cozy room.
I spotted a bottle of water on the nightstand and two pills with a note that said it would help with the grogginess from the sedation.
Without questioning it, I sat up, tossed back the pills, and chugged the water.
I looked around the room curiously. I could handle living here for a year.
I got up to explore, finding a closet filled with lab coats, cotton slacks, and button-down shirts.
On a desk was a new iPad with a video already queued. I sat down and pressed play.
“Hello, and welcome to Perk Pharmaceutical’s top-secret research facility.
We apologize for any stress you endured during your travels to us, and appreciate your presence here with us.
When you’re ready, please dress in the provided uniforms, take this iPad and the credentials beside it, and meet the rest of your team for orientation.
” The video ended, and a map popped up showing me where to go.
I dressed as instructed, grabbed my things, and left my room. The white hallway was brightly lit and empty. I followed the map to a door marked Meeting Room A, and with a deep breath, I went inside to find three men sitting around a table—three rather attractive men, all around my age.
“Hello,” I said nervously. “I’m Virginia.”
As we regarded each other, we had no way of knowing the horrors we would create... or endure... over the next twelve months.