I sat down as the Editor and the Producer stood at the front.
"Everyone, please listen very carefully. We have had an urgent message come in about something very delicate that will be announced publicly. The Prime Minister is going to go live with a speech. We think it has something to do with what's been happening on our streets; similar to the video that Lydia captured last night. We think it might be a virus that is spreading, but we will know more soon."
I couldn't believe it. I wanted to ask questions, but another urgent message was brought in for the Editor by a courier and we all sat there quietly watching her read something on a piece of paper. What was happening? Was this for real?
I worried about this virus that she'd mentioned and I couldn't stop thinking about my family who lived miles away from London. I hoped it wasn't serious.
"I'm sorry folks, but we have to cut this meeting short right now. The broadcast will be aired in an hour so make sure you are all here for it. After that, we will decide what we should do next."
I was starting to tremble at the thought of everything going wrong. I wanted to call home and see if everything was okay there, so I went to my desk and dialled my mother's home number. No answer. I tried her mobile and then my father's mobile. Nothing.
An hour later we all sat around the office waiting for the Prime Minister to speak. Cindy, the secretary to the Editor, sat next to me with her hands in her lap. She looked worried, because she couldn’t stop fidgeting and she was constantly scratching her hands.
"Cindy, are you okay?" I asked.
"I think so. It's just that I've been trying to ring my mother in Wales and she isn't answering her phone. She's always home and answers immediately. It's just not like her. So, I'm a little nervous as to what is really going on since I saw your video." She said nervously.
"I know... I feel the same way." I touched her arm hoping to ease her nervousness. It was going to be bad news. I just knew it.
The Prime Minister started to speak on the large screen in front of me. I listened intently to what he was saying. He said a virus had spread and that it was now out of control. Things had gone badly wrong. The virus was a killer! Everyone was infected. We were told that it had spread very quickly.
Oh no! It was the end I thought. It was a virus they had no clue about. Apparently, it was turning people into crazy human beings and there was no cure. Nothing could be done. What was going on?
We were told that everyone should stay indoors and keep off the streets. It was imperative to keep safe indoors. That was it. No more information for us. He didn't know anything else. Then the screen cut out. Someone tried to get the television back on, but it wasn't working.
The entire office was shocked and everyone was talking all at once. A few people packed up their things and left without a minute's thought.
"I'm going Lydia. I'm going home to Wales. I have to see if it's okay there and I suppose it will be. My mother lives in the countryside, so it must be safer than London. What will you do?" Cindy asked.
"I don't know. My family live in Kent, so I suppose I could drive there to see if they are okay. Look why don't you come home with me first and we can go get my family, then we can all drive to Wales. They have a huge caravanette. It will be safer if a few of us stick together. Don't you think?" I was sure it would be better to have someone to travel with, because one thing I was certain about… I didn’t want to go through all of this alone.
"I suppose so." I heard Cindy answer. “I don’t have a car, so I would have to get the train, but don’t suppose those will be running.”
"No, I don’t think they will be. Let's get going." I said trying to feel determined as I looked around the office to discover that mostly everybody had disappeared.
We got into my car and drove off. Cindy didn't drive or own a car, so we didn’t have to worry about anything other than just getting away. I tried to stay calm for Cindy's sake. She seemed to be a wreck. She trembled and looked numb with fear. I wanted to help calm her, but I wasn’t sure what to say or do.
As I drove, I realised we were nearby the garage of the guy that I had met and spoke to last night. I remembered him saying his name was Tim. I decided to stop and see if he was okay. I don’t know why I stopped, but I felt I needed another person around. Perhaps, he could help. He did seem genuine.
The gates were open, so I drove in and stopped outside Tim's garage. I noticed the policeman's body was now gone.
"Why are you stopping?" Cindy asked with a trembling voice. She was shaking so much and I knew she needed to calm down quickly.
"Stay here. I won't be long. I have to see if Tim's here." I said.
"Who's Tim?" She asked curiously.
"Never mind. Just wait here. I'll only be a minute. I promise." Cindy seemed very shaky at the thought of sitting in the car on her own, but I had to see if Tim was okay.
I knocked on the garage door, but there was no answer. So, I called out to him.
"Tim? Are you there? It's Lydia. We met last night." Still no answer.
