“Son it’s going to be alright” said the terrified mother. “Promise me mother, promise me that I am going to see my dad again,” said the sobbing innocent little Roy. His dad was his best friend; his whole world was his dad and now for Roy the whole world around him was trembling. It all started 2 weeks ago, when the first person died due to it. The cause for his death left everyone in awe. The world’s best doctors and researchers assembled together to put an end to this epidemic. Over 100 people had been dead by now and the group of remarkable rescuers were hopeless. Roy’s dad had received it from one of his colleagues and after exactly 1 week, he closed his eyes for eternity.

His mother didn’t even allow him to see his very own dad’s breathless body. That very day Roy had made a promise to himself to keep his family safe from the virus, which had taken his father’s life.

“Again a bad dream honey?” asked Roy’s wife. “It’s the usual, don’t wake up get to sleep”. He went downstairs to get himself some hot milk which he thought would help him but it didn’t.  He turned on the news channel instead, only to find 2 more dead due to the virus. The virus changed the life of people all over the world; it brought the population down to just 2 billion. Each and every living person in the whole world, was scanned every day before leaving his or her own houses. We were living in a protected bubble, not sure when it was going to get popped. Those who were diagnosed were thrown out of the safe zone and were left to rot and die. Even after all of this somehow that bloody virus managed to break out. He remembers the promise he made while watching the news. His mother died due to diabetics in her early sixties. Now he had a wife, 2 children and a brother to protect. Each day, every week and every year of Roy’s life was dedicated in finding the cure.

Last week he was able to create an antidote, which kept patient alive for 1 more week than usual. But it wasn’t enough for him. It never was. The virus had many names, but this one was Roy’s favorite – the Crimson Slinger.

This virus wasn’t like the other ones that currently existed, it was different and unique, and it only enters your body if the functioning of amygdala is high that is if you are being afraid. Even though it’s a threat to humankind, it kind of teaches a life lesson too. If you are scared then you die, if you are not then you live.

The symptoms of this virus were simple and the callous attitude of people toward these symptoms caused them their death. Fever, neck rigidity, photophobia and myalgia are the symptoms of this horrifying virus. Since fear caused this virus, here in the safe zone, we got rid of everything that may trigger the amygdala. We obviously couldn’t prevent the virus since it spread maliciously. So we became precautious. The kids were the ones who had a high chance of getting infected, so we ensured to stop the acts like bullying, pranking etc. Like I said we were living in a protected bubble.

It all came down to a simple question of is there a cure? A question whose answer Roy had dedicated his life to find.

Ten more years passed and the population came down to a shocking 800million. Roy had gotten one more reason to find the cure over the years. On March 3rd 2034 his son got infected and Roy did absolutely everything just to keep his son breathing. But death once more paid a visit to the Beaker’s family.   All the tears and sadness turned into rage and fury. Now Roy Beaker only wanted one thing, to end crimson slinger once and for all. At present, Roy had never become this close in finding a cure. For him the antidote was right around the corner, he just had to make right turn and luckily he did. Luck was never Roy’s friend but that day onwards they started getting along.

I always hoped a day would come, where I sit with my grandchildren to tell them about the virus which wiped 3\4th of the people in the world, and today it became it has become a reality.

I thought of what Francois Rabelais had said in his deathbed while sitting through Roy’s funeral. “We are all going” and that sentence couldn’t be truer. I went near the open casket and said goodbye dear brother.

Thank you