The Beginning of the End by Lorana Hoopes (readict txt) 📕

“Now, what else can we do to make life unbearable for most? If we can’t make the disease worse, can we at least make the cure unbearable? At least until I step in with the real cure?”

The demon cocked his head as if thinking back through the years. “In 1918 when what they called The Spanish Flu hit, doctors required people to quarantine and wear masks. The people agreed for a time, but eventually, they revolted. Is that something along what you are thinking, sir?”

“Possibly,” Daman tapped his fingers on the edge of his throne, “but we don’t want any revolts. How long might we have before a revolt might occur?”

“It was over a year in 1918, sir.”

“A year. That would give us long enough to come up with a cure, correct?” He probably wouldn’t even need the whole year, especially as some of the humans were still suffering due to the rapture.

The demon paled. “From what I understand, no cure has ever been created so quickly. They might be fearful of it.”

“Then we must convince them not to be afraid or find ways to force them to accept it. Go, tell the others to spread the word that not only should lockdowns continue, but masks should be worn. Lay the seeds for a cure. It’s time the world began to learn the name Daman Caturix.”

“This can’t be happening,” Brian growled from his desk.

Raven stopped her workout and glanced over at Jason who was scrawling boxing combos on the portable white board they kept at the front of the gym. She’d come in a little early to work out, so it was just the three of them in the room at the moment, but Brian’s anger radiated out in waves and seemed to fill the entire space. Even before she asked, Raven knew what he held in his hand. “What is it, Brian?”

“A cease-and-desist order. Evidently, the governor, in ‘an effort to flatten the curve’,” he said in a mocking voice, “is forcing all non-essential businesses to shut down for two weeks.”

Jason’s eyes caught hers as they approached Brian’s desk. They’d both felt this was coming, but actually having it happen was another matter.

“Is that legal? Can he even do that?” Anger colored Brian’s voice and sent a chill down Raven’s spine. She had never seen him this angry, not even when he’d had to replace the front of the building. “Doesn’t the constitution grant life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? How is forcing me to close my business not stealing my liberty and pursuit of happiness?”

Raven shook her head. “I don’t know, but you’re right about the constitution. Evidently, he’s claiming some emergency powers that enable him to make some of these rules - closing schools, businesses. I don’t know how it can be legal, but I can ask around.”

Brian threw down the letter and dropped his head in his hands. Raven knew he wasn’t mad at them but at the situation. She hadn’t been a member of the gym long, but she’d grown close to both Brian and Jason since joining and she’d heard Brian’s story.

This gym was his baby. A former police officer, he’d always had a passion for kickboxing and karate. When he’d saved up enough money that he could afford equipment, he’d retired from the force and opened the gym. It had started in his garage at first, but soon, he’d garnered enough clients that he’d been able to rent an old warehouse. It was large and dusty half the time, but it was like his second home. Even his wife had joined in, teaching classes in the afternoons.

“This is ridiculous,” he said, glancing up from the paper. “How can liquor and pot shops be deemed essential but gyms not? Don’t they understand how important exercise is to health?”

Raven shook her head again, but deep down, she thought she knew the answer - it was because liquor and pot shops paid a hefty fee to the government while gyms and other small businesses didn’t. Shutting liquor stores and pot shops down would drain the government’s money quickly, but shutting down smaller businesses like Brian’s, even for a short time, would put people out of work. Since the working people paid taxes and the taxes funded government, Raven still didn’t understand how they could keep them closed for long. What would the government do without all their tax dollars?

Jason ran a hand across his chin. “It’s only two weeks, right? Can we make it the two weeks?”

Brian sighed and scratched at the side of his face before meeting Jason’s eyes. “If it’s only two weeks, yes, but if it goes longer than that,” he shook his head, “I don’t know how I can keep paying you.”

Raven felt like an awkward third wheel in the conversation, but she also knew she couldn’t stay silent. “Don’t worry, Brian. We’ll figure something out.” She had no idea what, but she wasn’t going to let the state destroy the two people she had grown closest to in the last few months. There had to be something they could do.

8

Though Raven’s job was generally solitary, she, like nearly everyone else in the state, had received word that for the foreseeable future, she would be performing her duties from her own living room instead of the office. While Raven didn’t miss the annoying noise of her coworkers, she was beginning to feel a little stir-crazy. There was almost nothing to do now as it appeared nearly everything in the state was shutting down. Everything except grocery stores, gas stations, pot shops, liquor stores, and abortion clinics which were all somehow deemed essential. Some people were able to work from home, like herself, but many others like Jason were now unemployed and unsure where their next check was coming from. With a sigh, Raven grabbed her jacket and headed outside for a quick walk. At least walking outside was still allowed, and maybe