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

about the five people who died in the ER last week after receiving the vaccine? Have you looked into them? Have you researched Daman Caturix? Because I have. The man stated that the way to lower population growth was with good vaccines. Good vaccines, Dr. Aikens? He’s talking about vaccines killing people to slow the population growth. The same vaccines we are telling people are safe to take.”

“I don’t believe he actually said that,” Dr. Aikens said, sitting back.

“You can look it up for yourself. It was a video of him speaking.”

“Look, regardless of what he once said, you have a choice to make. You can either take the vaccine and release a video telling the world you were wrong and it is safe or you can find another job.”

Candace knew this day would come. She had hoped it wouldn’t come this soon, but she’d been prepared for it. “I will not continue to lie to people and be responsible for their deaths. I pray for your soul.”

She stood and left the room before he could say anything else. There was only one thing she needed to do before she left the hospital.

Anne’s body was still convulsing when she entered the room, but the woman flashed a hopeful smile at Candace. “Do you have any good news?”

“I don’t yet, Anne,” Candace said, picking up the woman’s trembling hand. “I just got fired and I’m moving to Olympia to work with some people down there. I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to help you any better, but will you come with me?”

Anne blinked at her. “Do you think they will be able to help me here?”

“I don’t know.” Candace wished she could assure her friend, but she didn’t want to give false hope. “They definitely have more equipment here than I’ll have access to down there, but I can’t in good faith say this hospital has their patients’ best interest at heart. What I can tell you is that where I’m going, the people will try. They will research and not stop until they find a cure for you.”

Anne chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Seriously, Katie, what is going on?” Lily asked as they looked out at the half-empty cafeteria. It had been a week since their run-in with Mr. Dagon, and while they’d managed to avoid him outside of class, they could no longer deny that the population of the school had taken a serious hit.

Katie glanced around and answered in a hushed voice, “I don’t know, but a few students are saying that some got the vaccine and are home sick because of it.”

“Well, that goes against their narrative that the vaccine was supposed to keep people from getting sick,” Lily said as she unwrapped her sandwich. “No wonder they’re not sharing that news.”

“Yeah, but what does that mean for us, Lily? I know there are a few others who are going to refuse to take it, but how long do you think we really have before they start pressuring us?”

“My guess is not long.” Lily tried to force a smile, but inside she fought an overwhelming sense of sadness. She’d wanted this year to be different, to be normal, but she was very afraid that nothing would ever be normal again.

“Help, someone help!”

Lily and Katie jumped from their seats and raced over to the girl shouting for help. She was younger, probably a freshman as Lily didn’t recognize her, and she was bending over a boy who appeared to have fallen out of his seat. The boy was also unfamiliar to Lily.

“What happened?” Lily asked as she pulled out her phone and dialed 9-1-1.

“I don’t know,” the girl said. “He was eating and then he just grabbed his chest and fell over.”

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” the woman on the other end of the phone asked.

“There’s a boy here who passed out or something,” Lily said. “He was eating lunch and then he grabbed his chest and fell over.”

“Is he breathing?” the woman asked.

Lily looked to Katie. “She wants to know if he’s breathing.”

Katie placed her hand over the boy’s mouth and nodded. “He is but just barely.”

“I told him he shouldn’t have done it,” the girl said, sobbing as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

“What’s your location?” the woman in Lily’s ear asked.

“What did he do?” Katie placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder in an effort to calm her down.

The girl lifted her head, her eyes brimming with liquid. “He took the vaccine.”

“Ma’am, are you there? I need to verify your location,” the woman said in Lily’s ear.

“Uh, Mountain Elm High School,” Lily said into the phone, trying to concentrate on both conversations.

“Please stay on the line. We’re sending help.”

Katie caught her eyes before looking back to the girl. “Are you saying you think the vaccine caused this?”

“I’m not crazy,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve done my research.”

“We don’t think you’re crazy,” Katie said. “We believe you.”

“What is the meaning of this? You are all breaking the six-foot distance rule.”

Lily looked up to see Mr. Dagon coming their direction.

“I’ve got this,” Katie said, standing and meeting the teacher before he could reach them. “A boy collapsed. We’ve called 9-1-1, and we will wait with him until they get here.”

“You called 9-1-1? That is not policy.”

“Not policy?” Katie’s voice rose in anger. “Since when? The boy collapsed. Calling for an ambulance should always be the first priority.” Katie placed her hands on her hips and though Lily could not see her face, she could imagine the glare emanating from her eyes. Her friend might have a soft exterior but she was fierce on the inside if backed into a corner.

Mr. Dagon folded his arms across his chest and returned her stare, but before he could say anything more, Mr. Shane and Mrs. Fox rushed in.

“What happened?” Mrs. Fox asked as she knelt down beside Lily.

Lily pointed to the girl. She didn’t know the girl’s name and felt