Alien Virus (19 page)

***

Twenty
-
Six

After leaving Eday, Sandi headed back in the
direction of the place she knew so well: London. She hoped her job
was still open for her, and it flashed through her mind that her
experiences with the group would make a great story, and perhaps
convince Trevor to reinstate her at work.

At first, she had no idea of the severity of
the flu epidemic that had recently hit London, and she booked a
ferry and long–distance coach back to the capital at the Tourist
Office in Kirkwall, staying overnight at a small guest house in the
town that they’d recommended. The next day, she took an early
morning bus to Burwick, from where she would board the passenger
ferry to John O’Groats. The bus took her south through mainland
Orkney and across several islands via the Churchill barriers, huge
causeways built of huge concrete blocks during the second World War
to keep out the German U–Boats.

The bus stopped briefly at the Italian
Chapel, a converted Nissan Hut built by Italian prisoners of war –
no doubt the same prisoners who had worked on the Churchill
barriers. Several tourists got out and took photographs. Sandi
smiled at them and thought how nice it would be to have an ordinary
life again, one where no–one was talking crazy stuff about viruses
or aliens from other galaxies.

The bus reached Burwick in just over half an
hour, and the passengers transferred to the small ferry. A couple
in matching blue anoraks struck up a conversation with her –
talking about the wildlife in Orkney. They had been on a walking
holiday and
travelled
to most of the
islands – including
Eday
. Sandi didn’t
let on she’d been there – not wanting to explain what she’d been
doing on the island.

After a fairly rocky forty–five minute
journey under grey skies and a cold wind, the boat docked at John
O’Groats. Now Sandi just wanted to get home, and quickly boarded
the coach for Inverness, settling down in her seat with a good
book. London couldn’t come soon enough, she thought.

The journey to Inverness is a long and
winding road, following the east coast for the main part, and
taking twists and turns through several hair–pin bends which wind
their way downwards through rugged, but beautiful, terrain. Sandi
was glad to reach Inverness, where she had to change to the London
Coach. Having a break of one hour before the next bus departed, she
wandered into the main street to find some food.

*

As Harry and Jo headed south from Thurso, Jo
wondered if they were doing the right thing. She always worried in
this way. Things would start out clear and straightforward, and
then doubts would fill her mind – then she couldn’t tell right from
wrong. It had seemed the right course of action – in fact, the only
course of action – to go south to see her mother. But at the same
time, it didn’t feel right leaving the others in Kirkwall. Her
concern was interrupted by Harry.

“Oh shit!” he exclaimed.

“What is it?” asked Jo.

“I’ve forgot my bloody mobile!”

“Don’t worry – I’ve got mine. And we’re not
going to be away long, we told them that.” Jo was very good at
telling other people not to worry.

“Have you got Tony’s number on your
phone?”

“No – I thought you had all their
numbers?”

“Well I have… on my phone. Did Tony tell you
where they’re going – after leaving Eday?”

“No… I thought he told you.”

“Great!”

“Don’t worry, we can call Tony when we get
back to Eday – when you find your mobile.”

“Yes… hopefully.”

Whilst they drove, Harry turned on the radio
to catch up on the news.

“…
The main points of the news again: the
Home Office is undertaking emergency vaccinations in London after a
massive outbreak of avian flu. The virus is spreading rapidly
through the City, and people are advised to avoid all journeys in
and out of the Capital unless absolutely necessary…”

Harry and Jo looked at each other.

“
Now
what do we do?” she asked.

“We can’t go back – not now. We have to make
sure your mum’s okay. We’ve plenty of salt in the back – the others
seemed to think that helps against the virus.” Jo wasn’t convinced;
but at the same time, she couldn’t let her mother down either. If
they could reach London, they would take her back to Orkney with
them. She’d be safe there. They drove the next couple of hours
listening to the radio, which gave regular updates of the situation
in London. Things were getting worse by the hour.

At Inverness, Harry said they needed fuel so
drove into town for a top up. Whilst they were there, it seemed a
good idea to stop for a bite to eat. Harry said he knew of a café
near the river, so they parked near the bus station and walked
through the town. As they were looking for a table, Jo’s eyes lit
up.

“Sandi!”

“Where?” asked Harry. Jo pointed over to a
corner, and then he nodded. They only knew what happened to Sandi
from Frank – and all he said was that she’d decided the group
wasn’t for her, and she was returning to London. They didn’t know
of any reason why they shouldn’t talk to her.

“Hello Sandi,” said Jo. Sandi turned with a
start.

“Oh! Hi Jo – Harry,” she looked very
nervous.

“Is everything all right?” enquired
Harry.

“Yes – fine,” she said, wondering what she
should do now. Did they know what had happened on Eday, she
wondered.

“Can we join you,” asked Jo.

“Yes, of course.” She made room for them to
sit down, moving her bags to one side.

“Have you eaten yet?” asked Jo.

“No – I’ve just ordered.”

“I’ll get something for us,” said Harry,
leaving Jo and Sandi to talk.

“We were sorry you left the others,”
confided Jo. “We thought you were getting on so well with
them.”

“Well, you know – these things happen. I was
missing London, and I thought if I went now I could get my job
back.”

“With the magazine?” asked Jo.

“Yes.” Harry came back from ordering
food.

“Have you heard about the virus – in
London?” he said. Sandi was alarmed.

“No – what’s happened?” Harry turned to look
at Jo for support. He thought it best if she told Sandi.

“We heard on the radio this morning –
there’s been a massive outbreak of bird flu in London – people are
dropping like flies.” This was not the news Sandi wanted to
hear.

“What parts of London?” Sandi asked. She
lived in Finchley, North London, and worked in Fulham.

“They said it started in the City,” Harry
explained, “but it’s spreading rapidly. People are being advised
not to go in or out of London – they don’t want it to spread.”
Sandi nodded in understanding. So Kevin and the others had been
right.

“What are you doing down here?” she asked.
Jo explained about her mother, and how they intended to take her
back to Orkney with them – if they could get into London safely.
Harry asked Sandi how she was travelling. When she said by bus,
they insisted she travel with them. Whilst at one time she didn’t
trust them, the news of the outbreak in London had changed
everything. It probably seemed a bit crazy to go to London now; but
her car and all her things were back there. Even if she decided to
return to Orkney, she needed to go home and sort things out first –
collect her bank book, pay her bills. But interest in retaining her
job had suddenly waned.

They ate whilst talking about Eday and Kevin
and the others. Harry and Jo obviously thought the world of them,
and Sandi couldn’t help thinking she’d made a big mistake by
leaving; but the group hadn’t made things easy for her. She
questioned Harry on the situation in London. He told her all he
knew. After eating, they returned to the car and Sandi sat in the
back whilst Harry drove. The road was far better going south from
Inverness, and they reached Glasgow in three and an half hours.
After stopping for a quick break, they headed down the M74 towards
Carlisle. Sandi was grateful for the lift – and the company. She
viewed Jo and Harry differently now.

It was a long drive from Carlisle to London,
and it was the middle of the night by the time they arrived. They
was an eeriness about Finchley, where Harry and Jo dropped Sandi.
She invited them in for a drink, but they needed to push on to
reach Jo’s mother. Sandi and Jo swapped mobile numbers and promised
to keep in contact, whilst Harry offered Jo a lift back to Orkney
if and when she was ready to return. They had no idea how bad
things had become in the capital.

***

Twenty
-
Seven

Eight weeks later.

We had been on Papa Westray for two months
now. The authorities lost completely interest in enforcing the new
salt laws – dealing with the effects of the virus and maintaining
law and order were their priorities.

Liz and Hamish at Beltane house had been a
great help to us, making us very comfortable and welcome. There was
enough food grown on the island for us to survive, and Hamish went
fishing every other day – assisted by Gareth, who took to his new
vocation like a fish to water, so to speak. Liz made delicious
bread and bere bannocks, and though the fare was simpler than we
were used to, it was certainly more wholesome – and probably far
healthier for us.

Kate acted as a general factotum. Liz was
glad of her help (and her company) in the kitchen and learned how
to cook dozens of non–animal recipes from Kate. I spent some of my
time updating the website which Frida had recently set up for us
with Tony and Frank. We already had a great deal of interest in the
site and signed up thousands of people to our newsletter. There was
lots of information about the virus on the site (supplied by Tony
and Frank); an interactive forum where visitors could post messages
about the virus in their area of the World; and videos of Frank
talking about the virus. Visitors to the site could join our
mailing list. We had over ten thousand already, and the list was
growing every day. Kate and I put the newsletter together – my
journalistic skills making a contribution at last. I was interested
in what sort of people would be responding to our mailing list.

“Mostly those of our own kind at first,”
replied Tony as we stopped for a tea break one afternoon. I still
hadn’t adjusted to the idea that I didn’t originate from planet
Earth. Tony was understanding of my situation. “All life originates
from the same source if you go back far enough. It’s just that you
don’t belong to this planet – any more than you belong to
South–East Asia. You can visit countries like China and Indonesia,
but you will always be a foreigner – however long you live in the
area. You could even marry a nice local girl and have children. But
still, it wouldn’t be your country – the one that’s marked on your
DNA. You would always feel like an outsider to some degree or other
– you’d never fit in one hundred percent. And it’s the same with
Universes.”

It made sense. I’d often felt that I didn’t
belong in society – whether it be in my family, at work, or in
social situations. (Having said that, I still had no recall of who
my family was!). At one time in my life, I had the feeling that I’d
been born into the wrong age, or the wrong country, or to the wrong
parents. I just didn’t fit in. Until now. Since meeting Frank and
the others, I’d never felt so much at home as I did then.

“What about Sandi,” I asked. “Is she one of
us?”

“It’s possible,” replied Tony. “Over the
years there have been many of our own kind that have become lost
souls in mankind’s society.”

“Because of the virus?” I asked. Tony
nodded. “What happens to them?”

“They live out an ordinary life on Earth.
Then, at the point of death, they’re suddenly aware of their true
being, their true purpose. For a short time, they can see this
Universe as it is in reality, without the distortion caused by the
virus. After reviewing their previous life, they can choose another
body to enter, and they’re reborn into another life. Or they go
home – back to their own planet.”

“You mean they take over the body of a
person that’s just died – like Frank did?”

“That can happen – but it’s rare. Usually,
the soul needs a complete fresh start and is reborn in the same way
as everyone else on Earth.”

“As a baby?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s right.” Just then Kate
entered.

“What are you two talking about? Don’t you
have work to do?”

“We’re discussing life, the universe and
everything. And yes – we’re doing it.” I replied cockily.

I’d grown to like Kate more and more since
we moved to Papay. She had matured and was a wonderful young woman,
and a great partner. She was much more practical than me, and
better with people, in my opinion. But hey, I was a journalist.
Which made me think of making more use of my profession. There were
hundreds of online newspapers and magazine on the Net. What about
writing articles about the virus for publication in those? We could
even include a link to our website. I put the idea to Frank at
dinner that evening.

“Sounds great Kevin – go for it,” he said,
cutting into his meal. “Don’t you think so Tony?”

“Yes, why not?” he replied. “The more people
that know about the virus the better.” Gareth had been looking very
serious throughout dinner, so I involved him in our chat.”

“What do you think Gareth?” He looked up
from his food, thoughtfully.

“Well, yes – I suppose so…” he started.

“I can hear a ‘but’ coming,” I teased.

“Well, it’s just that… I was thinking on the
boat today about what’s going to happen – with the virus and that.
When is it going to stop? I mean, do we wait until it’s killed off
everyone who’s infected before we do anything?”