by Shawn Bailey

Created on: November 08, 2008

March 6th, 2009

We huddled together near the fire in middle of our living room. For a while, we had been able to use the chimney because the smoke and the heat from the fire had kept them from entering the house that way. We would just close the flue when we were done and leave the embers to smolder. But they soon became accustomed to the heat and we would see little glowing pieces of the fire emerge onto the hardwood, leaving a burnt little trail behind them as they moved slowly across our living room. It was surreal.

Now, our mid-March fire was resting on a few concrete blocks set under an old Coca-Cola aluminum sign from the antique store in town. This kept us from burning a huge hole through our floor and as long as we all slept in the living room, it kept you from freezing to death. The temperature in the back laundry room was around 23 degrees and I'm certain it was a few degrees lower outside, although no one has been outside in almost a month. We keep listening to the radio for good news, but so far there have been no definite scientific breakthroughs. In fact, the CDC reluctantly stated yesterday that whatever it was had spread across the Canadian border. That made 17 US states and Alberta. Disheartening to say the least. And we are running out of food.

At first, we believed the government and the scientists. A few weeks later, we believed the scientists. Now, we believe no one. I don't believe anybody knows the "why" of it, and really, the "why" doesn't seem to matter as much now. What matters now is survival. What matters now is sealing the cracks and keeping warm and getting food. That's what matters now.

Mom keeps doting on me. Asking me if I'm chilly and hovering around me like I'm on my deathbed if I so much as cough. Although I have to admit, if one of us got the flu right now and we had to break out (that sounds so strange, breaking out of your own house), that would probably be the end for us all. Hold on -

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! That was my sister, Lily. She was screaming like a banshee in the bathroom. Thought a piece of black lint that slid across the floor when she shut the door was one of them. Thought there was a breach. We did have a few openings a couple weeks ago, but my dad handled those very quickly. Where was I? Oh, yeah. Breaking out.

In the beginning, you could venture out and get supplies. That is, if there were any left. You could brush the gnats and spiders and ants off of you every so often and you would be fine. You might get

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