Quarantine — A Short Story

Violeta stretched out under the shade of the palm trees and brushed some sand from her tanned stomach. Warm water frothed around her toes, brought in by the gentle waves of the Caribbean Sea. She could hear chattering parrots in the trees and the distant sound of calypso music. And she was depressed.

Okay, that’s a little harsh. She wasn’t depressed. She just wasn’t happy. Costa Rica was said to be the happiest country on earth and she believed it. A little ways down the beach, her parents and brothers were playing with huge smiles on their faces. It was normal for them. But not for Violeta. As she looked out at the turquoise blue water of the ocean as it met the sparkling gold sand of the beach, no smile came to her lips. She was broken.

Her family sang karaoke style the entire way back home to Atenas. It was too much, even with her implants on noise-cancelling and soft jazz sounding in her ears. Their bright faces, shining eyes, and rosy cheeks just reminded her of how she had zero motivation to join in. She looked out the window to avoid their smiles.

Below, they were just starting to skirt the wall. Somehow her family made 30 minutes seem like hours. Being trapped in this solar car with them made her feel crazy and she imagined dropping down on the other side of the wall, where she could be alone with her melancholy.

You see, the Central Valley had been under quarantine as long as Violeta had been alive and, oh, a couple hundred years before that.

I bet they’re not so happy there, she thought to herself before immediately regretting the thought. Of course she didn’t want to live in the quarantine zone. People died horrific deaths in there. It wasn’t something to joke about, not even in her thoughts.

I should be thankful I don’t have to worry about that, she forced herself to think instead. No horrific death for me. That’s why we’re all so happy, right?

Her fake smile slipped from her face, like it always did. Her happy, bouncing brother bumped into her, earning him a glare. He beamed back at her. Violeta turned back to the window and the wall beyond. There was just jungle covered mountains as far as she could see. Beyond those mountains was the former capital. Or what was left of it.

The quarantine zone made her feel uncomfortable. They didn’t even know how many people were still there, after 200 years of raging virus. Maybe no one was left. No one seemed to care anymore. Their eyes just slid past the wall as they sang and sang and sang.

What a horrible life it must be, she thought. And here I am complaining because people are too happy. Of course, those thoughts made her feel even worse about herself.

It was a relief to escape the car when they landed in the garage of their condo tower. She was the first one to the 78th floor, where they lived. A neighbor greeted her cheerfully as she rushed by, face recognition unlocking and opening the apartment door for her. Violeta was in her room before the rest of her family got there.

Her room was a haven of seriousness. Her walls were a comforting grey and thankfully soundproof, so she didn’t have to hear the joyous shouts and singing of her family or neighbors.

Her windows faced the jungle, rather than the city. Just trees as far as she could see. The Western side of the wall was out there somewhere. No one lived between Atenas and the wall, since they were too scared of being close to the virus, even though it was impossible to catch it this side of the wall. But people were dumb.

Violeta’s wrist vibrated softly, indicating she’d received a message. Hopefully it was her bloodwork results. She was hoping it would indicate she had depression or something, so they’d give her pills. As much as her family annoyed her…she was also a little jealous at their carefree attitudes. It just seemed so easy to smile at everything instead of overthinking and…just caring so damn much.

The sun started to set, making the clouds on her side of the condo shine with reflected pink light. That was the kind of thing that should have made her smile. She sighed.

“Read the latest message,” she commanded, as the clouds quickly faded from pink to grey before they were lost in the twilight.

She heard a thump, just as her device started the introductions to the email. It was from the lab. Violeta looked at the window, at the direction of the thump. There was the outline of a person on her small balcony. She could just barely see a dark solar car hovering behind.

She screamed for her parents, before remembering her soundproof walls. She scrambled for the door, but it didn’t open automatically for her. By then, there was a woman grabbing her shoulder. Before she could even think about how to fight back, the woman had her in a hold.

“Shhhh don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you,” the woman said softly. “I’m going to let go. I just want to talk to you, then I’ll go.” She let go of Violeta, who stood quivering, trying to process what was happening.

“Hi Violeta,” the woman said once they were facing each other. “My name is Rosa. We’re two flowers.” She smiled, but it was a small one, a soft one. One that didn’t put Violeta on edge like she expected it to.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?” she demanded, eyeing the door.

“I know your name because we’ve been watching you. You’re in danger, my dear.”

“What?” Violeta said incredulously.

“We, my companion in the solar car and I, are from the Central Valley.”

Violeta’s mouth dropped open. She cringed away reflexively, a new breed of panic overwhelming all other fear.

“That’s impossible.”

“Luckily for you, it isn’t,” Rosa said, her face pleasant, yet earnest.

“Lucky? If that’s true, then you’ve killed me!” she shrieked, realization dawning. She was already infected. She was going to die. She was —

“No, no. Child, you’re not going to die. Actually that’s why we’re here. We intercepted your bloodwork results. You are immune to the virus. And that means your life is in danger. They’re going to come for you. They can’t let anyone know about the virus.”

“Know about… immunity? I don’t get it.” Violeta closed her eyes, her heart hammering uncomfortably. Was she already dying? How fast did the virus work?

“Honey, there’s no virus in the Central Valley. In fact, it’s the only place without a virus. Look at me, child; this is important.” Violeta looked at her with eyes starting to fill with tears. “Everyone this side of the wall is infected with a virus. Except for a small number of immune. You are immune. Like me. I want you to come with me. You’ll be safe in the Central Valley.”

“But, that’s impossible. No one is dying here, but…”

“They are my dear. When’s the last time you talked to your grandparents?”

Violeta thought. She never knew her grandparents. No one did. But that was normal. “My parents would have — ”

“Your parents are infected too. They don’t care. The virus messes with their neural processing and destroys their empathy. The main symptom is extreme ecstasy and extremely manic behavior. It only gets worse as they age. Ecstatic psychosis coupled with violent aggression. Their brain short circuits around sixy and they die. But they are capable of heinous acts before that. Which is why they’re going to kill you. Because they now know you’re immune to the virus.”

“But…” Violeta trailed off. Her logic told her this woman was crazy, but… could it…

The lady looked to the side, clearly listening to an implant.

“They’re here. You have to decide now. Please, you’ll be safe with me.” The woman stretched out a brown hand to her. There was no smile on her face. She was one of the first people Violeta had met who didn’t constantly smile.

Her door flashed, indicating someone was trying to enter. Only she could open her door.

One shaky breath. Another flash from the door. A woman with no smile on her face.

“O-okay,” she said. The door rattled. Someone was trying to open it. Suddenly the noise-cancelling tech crackled off and she heard banging and screaming. “My family!” Violeta shrieked, turning towards the door.

“No!” Rosa yelled, grabbing her arm. “They’ll kill us all. They’re like animals. Rabid animals. Your family will become animals too someday. There’s no way to save them.”

They heard gunshots.

Violeta cringed away from the door, towards the balcony. “C-Can I bring anything?”

“No,” the woman, shaking her head regretfully. “Anything could be infected. You won’t even be able to go in to the quarantine zone with those clothes,” she said, nodding to Violeta’s white tee and shorts. The lady grasped Violeta’s shoulder and looked her meaningfully in the eyes. “We have to go now.”

Violeta swallowed heavily and followed her to the balcony as the door shook and crackled with each hit. With a screech, her door burst , just as she was getting in the solar car. Men in torn black suits with machetes and manic smiles on their faces filled her room as they zipped away. Two bullets hit the back window, lodging into the car panel, inches from Violeta’s face.

They sped away East. Towards the quarantine zone. Towards safety.

Soon the lights of the city disappeared behind them. The pilot turned on some music. Soft jazz. She started to cry.