A Paranormal Pandemic
“Mummy! Timmy bit me!” cried George. His mother frowned up at the worker bringing him out from nursery.
“Ah yes, the boys had a slight altercation over a toy this morning, and the other boy did retaliate by biting him. It didn’t seem to upset him too much, and they made up after!”
With so many seasonal bugs and ever rising covid cases, biting children weren’t exactly ideal! She thanked the worker and hustled George home.
By bath time she noticed the bite was still quite red. Only one tooth had broken the surface, but she gave it a thorough clean and smothered it with antiseptic cream – just in case. The next morning, George seemed very grouchy, complaining the bite on his back was hurting.
A week later, the fever arrived. The bite had not healed at all. It was angry and inflamed, hot to the touch. George had been given antibiotics for a possible infection, but otherwise they were puzzled. Mother received a call from the nursery – more children were getting sick and Timmy had been admitted to hospital the previous night.
George was becoming fitful. His temperature wouldn’t come down and his complexion was unnaturally pale. In his rare lucid moments he was surly and aggressive. His mother was becoming more frightened for her child, and took him to the hospital.
There were 17 other children on an isolated ward, suffering the same symptoms. All were tested for covid, and all came back inconclusive. There were obvious markers saying it was, but there seemed to be something underlying the virus, something they couldn’t name.
Over the next few days, more children were admitted, and then as one they fell into a coma. The parents watched and waited, wept and shouted, begged and pleaded. The children were a sickly green in their restless sleep, their breathing harsh and laboured.
It was 12:01 am, Halloween morning. The machines suddenly started beeping wildly across the whole ward. The broken cries of terrified parents chorused the alarms as nurses rushed through the double doors.
Then, as one, the children sat up.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWe loved this at first reading and it set the standard for all subsequent readings. The opening sets the reader up to be reading of a possible daily occurrence. As the story continues, this feeling of normalcy slowly dissipates (yes, we remember infected bites which resulted in fever and we are unfortunately living through a pandemic) until the last sentence which brings the reader up short and sends a shiver through the… Read more »
Thank you so much! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, and I’ve been overwhelmed with such positive responses!
It all comes to an end, and then what Emily? What happens next?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThat is the question!
This really kept you on the edge of your seat. Now what? I wonder.
Thank you Genya!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleLove this Emily, nice and tense throughout, culminating with that final line. Shivers!
Thank you! We all enjoy a cliffhanger!
The last line instilled true fear in me. I could almost imagine the dead expressions of the ghosts. Wonderful! I loved the build up and your creative words.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSo pleased you liked it Pragya!
And congratulations on your truly deserved and well-earned win! :p
Thank you Pragya! That means a great deal! ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI agree with all the other comments, Emily. This is truly a scary story, well-written and gripping. The last line is somehow terrifying. I personally love stories that don’t tell us what happened next. This one will stay in our minds for a long time, while we shiver at many possible “and then what?” moments. Excellent writing.
Thank you so much Fuji!
Wow – a great story, Emily! It reminds me of the John Wyndham novels I read many years ago and I think this could very easily become a much longer story. Well done 🙂
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you Sandra! I thought myself it would potentially make a good prologue to a longer story!
Congratulations Emily, I’m so proud of you 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m still in shock haha ? I couldn’t do it without your support.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWell deserved. Hopefully you’ll feel a bit more confident in yourself now xx
Congratulations Emily! A well deserved win. Loved both your stories. ?
Thank you so much Linda, I really appreciate it! ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleCongratulations Emily!
Thank you very much, Inderjeet!
Congratulations Emily on your win and for writing such a wonderful story.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you very much!
This should be a netflix series!!
You never know, maybe one day haha!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWell done Emily on getting First – Eric.
Thank you Eric 🙂
Congratulations on your incredible story, Emily. You truly deserved First Prize! I loved the way the pace gradually quickened in this story, so the readers start out just a little concerned – like any parents during any normal time – then more so, then more and more and pow! That last sentence, so simple on the surface – just children sitting up – is the essence of “Scary”. Great work.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you so very much Juma! I really appreciate your kind words and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I hoped the pace would instill that urgency, worry… fear! So I’m pleased it worked!
Congratulations on your victory, Emily! You did a very nice work, building up the tension of the story until the ending, where you invite the readers to use their imagination. Well done!
Thank you so much Christer 🙂
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHa ha.. I was biting my nails, afraid the kids were all going to turn into vampire bats.. What did happen next?
It’s a mystery 😉 haha. My thoughts were typically heading in a zombie direction. It’s a piece I’d consider extending for sure though!
Hello, Emily. You have an exceptional talent in writing that brings me to the edge of my chair. Very impressive!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI literally got goosebumps after reading your story, Emily! It certainly does justice to the theme “Scary”. Congratulations!