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

seashell radios to inundate people with propaganda they wanted them to believe, to make them behave the way the government wanted. What if, instead of a seashell radio, they had put something in the vaccine? Some invisible element that would alter people’s minds, their perceptions? What if this was how they convinced masses to tattoo the numbers 666 on their hands or foreheads and believe it was a good idea?

“Do you think Candace would be able to get me a dose of the vaccine?”

“There’s only one way to find out.”

14

“You want me to do what?” Candace hissed into the phone. She was locked inside a private bathroom in the hospital where she didn’t think anyone would hear her conversation, but she still kept her volume low. There was no telling how much could be heard outside or if anyone had seen her enter.

“I need you to get me a dose of the vaccine,” the man on the other end said.

Gabe Cross. At least that’s who Raven had said he was. A well-known and well-respected virologist who had recently lost his status after declaring the virus to be man-made and not natural. But Candace had never met him. She had no idea if this man was who he said he was or if he was a spy working for someone else. Now, he was asking her to try and steal a vaccine dosage? One that would draw suspicion when it showed up missing?

“I could lose my job. I know I said that I’d have to stop one day, but I’m helping so many people on the inside here. Not only am I actually treating patients, but I get to talk to them about God and the disappearances as they recover.” She sounded like she was making excuses, but she couldn’t help it; she did feel like she was helping this way. How could she help if she lost her job and therefore her hospital privileges?

“And that’s important, I know, but if I’m right, this is even more important,” Gabe said. “I think there is something in that vaccine that is brainwashing people, allowing them to be susceptible to propaganda. You think the denial of true information is bad now, but it will only get worse if I’m right.”

Deep down she knew he was right. After all, this wasn’t normal life. Everything from here on out had a much deeper purpose, deeper meaning. It probably had all along, but she’d been too busy to see it. Too busy. She paused. Was she falling into the same trap again? Was she putting her security with work over the more important spiritual matter?

“There has to be another way.”

There was a pause, but she could hear Gabe’s soft breath on the other end of the line. When he spoke, his tone had changed - softer, more serious. “There might be one other way, but it’s a huge risk, Candace.”

“What is it?” He might be right, but didn’t she at least deserve to hear both options and decide for herself?

“You could get the vaccine and then send me some vials of your blood to study.”

Well, that sounded much simpler. Why hadn’t he suggested that in the first place?

“But that comes with a possible heavy cost,” Gabe continued. “If something in this vaccine is altering people’s minds, it could happen to you and might cause you to take the mark without even knowing it.”

Candace chewed on her lip as she thought about the choice. Did she really want to jeopardize her soul just to work a little longer? Besides, there would probably be people in the TruthSeeker group who would need a doctor. She would be of no help to them if she was brainwashed. “Okay, I’ll try to get a vial of the vaccine. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll take the vaccine and cross my fingers that I’ll be okay.”

“I know neither of these are great choices, but it’s a new world.”

Indeed it was, and one that she was no longer sure she liked.

Katie stood on the curb as Lily pulled in, bouncing slightly on her toes. Though not visible, Lily could feel the cloud of nervous energy that buzzed around her as she climbed out of the car and pulled her mask on. She had always enjoyed Katie meeting her in the morning, but now a trickle of irritation ignited in her belly. Not so much at Katie, but at the predicament. The school had stressed the need to wear masks even outside if students were closer than six feet. The walk from her car to the front door was less than a hundred feet, but it was a hundred feet of fresh air before she was forced to stifle her breathing all day. However today, Katie meeting her in the parking lot robbed her of that hundred feet, and even the coffee she offered didn’t totally abate Lily’s irritation.

“Did you hear?”

They were three innocent words, but when Katie said them, they held the weight of the world, and it seemed like she was saying them a lot this year. Lily shook her head. After Katie had left her house last night, she had curled up with a book and passed out. No news, no internet, no depressing virus stories - she’d had enough of those to last a lifetime.

“So, you know how some of the states in the east and south already opened up?”

Lily nodded. There was a part of her that wished she lived in Florida. They had shut down initially, like the rest of the states, but a few weeks later when they realized the virus mainly affected older people or those with pre-existing conditions, they had opened their economy back up. There had been a spike in cases, but their governor had kept them open, and now they were completely open for business. Schools were in session, sports were occurring, and concerts could even take place. They were even back in their churches.

“Yeah, I wish we