章 3: Epidemic

Arriving at the village, both Qirui and Qin Jian saw villagers who has fell on the ground while letting out a painful screams full of pain and agony.

"Argghhh, it hurts so much, please help...arghhh!", cried out a weak old-lady who was rolling on the ground in pain.

"It hurts so much...arghhh! Just kill me!", cried out a middle-aged man who couldn't endure the pain.

Many such painful shouts and screams came from a whole group of people, who were rolling in pain all over the ground.

Seeing such a scenario, both the brothers were stumped.

[Just what has happened since we left? Why are so many people lying on the ground screaming and crying out in pain?]

Although they had a lot of questions in their minds, nevertheless, they knew that this wasn't the time to be thinking about them.

Soon the two saw a few other Villagers helping out the "sick" Villagers that were screaming in pain and bringing them towards the Village Square; the two immediately joined in and helped out those people and brought the sick Villagers to the Village Square.

Soon the Village Square which was at the centre of the Village and where the Villagers used to commemorate various festivities and joyous moments, was filled with sick people who were laid there on stretchers and the whole atmosphere had become gloomy and filled with painful screams.

Qin Jian and Qirui soon understood the situation, it turned out that there was some sort of infection that had spread in the Village and many Villagers got infected.

All the infected shared the same symptoms which were that they had blood-shot eyes and pale white-dots all over their skin. In addition to it, the infected felt immense pain as they suffered from continuous muscle-cramping all over their body.

"So you two are here; you kids shouldn't stay here, or you might get infected. Go back to your rooms.", said the Village Chief who had spotted his two sons helping the infected Villagers.

"But father-"

"GO. I won't repeat myself.", the Village Chief had a solemn expression on his face.

With no choice left, the two went back to their home.

At night, Qin family-household.

As the Village Chief and his sons were having their dinner, Qirui couldn't resist but ask," Father, what did Doctor Meng say?"

Doctor Meng was the most-qualified doctor in their Village, even the far-off Villages didn't have a doctor that was as qualified as Doctor Meng.

Qirui was confident that Doctor Meng would definitely find a way to help those infected Villagers.

The Village Chief's expression was uneasy, "This is truly a tragedy... *sigh*, I want you to leave with the other Villagers first thing in the morning, this Village is no longer safe."

"Doctor Meng has looked into the infection; but he observed the symptoms rather too carefully, now even he is infected."

"He has told us that we should evacuate this Village the first thing in the morning. The infection is too eerie, and he can't make heads or tails out of it. And if his assumptions are correct, then those infected people won't live for more than a day or so.", said the Village Chief.

He felt genuinely heartbroken this time, this Village was built due to immense sacrifices of his father, and now he could only see it fall. He had failed in his responsibilities as a son and as a Village Chief, he could only helplessly watch the infected Villagers dying.

The two boys kept quiet.

The night was filled with the painful screams and howls of the infected Villagers.

Early next morning, at the Village Square.

Looking at all the assembled Villagers, Doctor Meng said, " I know this is hard...arghhh...It hurts arghh... but please leave this Village. We, the infected people don't have much time left anyway and arghhh.. We don't want to bring you down with us.... please leave." Doctor Meng's face continuously distorted in pain but he still managed to say his heartfelt feelings.

Looking at the silent and worried crowd, the Village Chief joined in," These people know that they can no longer be saved! Even Doctor Meng knows this! There is no hope of staying in this Village, I already talked with the other infected people, they all want you to leave the Village. There is a remote town in the southward direction, we can take shelter there. Please understand their feelings."

Some of the Villagers did indeed have the thoughts of leaving the Village but hearing that the infected people wanted the unaffected Villagers to leave; instead of trying to help save them, made these few Villagers feel contempt towards themselves.

Even with all this, the Villagers didn't leave. They stayed on their spots as they looked towards their loved-ones on the Square; although they were a Village in-name, the reality was that each of them considered their fellow Villagers as family!

Seeing the unaffected Villagers not leaving the Village, as they stood there dumbly, irritated the infected Villagers. They no longer cared about their pain and started shouting and howling for the Villagers to get out of the Village.

"Get out of here... this daddy tells you to get the hell out... I don't want to see your damn faces.", said one.

"Please leave! Why are you not listening? Are you idiots! Mary, I thought you were a smart woman, you said you will abandon me at the first sign of danger! Why aren't you abandoning me?!", said another young man as he looked towards his fiancée among the crowd.

"At least think about the children! They are the future of the Village! Please at least get them away from here safely.", said an old man.

…

The infected Villagers kept on urging the crowd to leave the Village; some cursed and yelled out to make them leave, while others begged them to leave. They knew that they didn't have much time left anyway; but they didn't want their loved ones and fellow Villagers to get infected along with them.

Although the unaffected Villagers loved their lives, they placed their family and their friends above their own lives. Seeing the infected Villagers, their loved ones, telling them to leave the Village; instead made them more stubborn and decisive to not leave the Village!

"Brothers... There is surely a cure for you all, as long as we try hard, there would definitely be a cure!", said one of the unaffected Villagers.

"Yes... this brother here speaks the truth if we don't even try our best to help and just escape at first sign of danger... then I will be damned!", said another.

…

There was chaos as both the side argued, one telling them to leave while the other stubbornly argued back that they wouldn't.

After a long argument, the infected Villagers kept quiet, they no longer said anything. But their eyes flashed with gratitude and kindness; although they knew that the other party was just finding excuses to stay back, their real aim was to accompany their brothers and loved-ones until the very end!

[Having such loving friends and family who wish to accompany you till your very last breath... One would be more than willing to raise their heads high in the face of death without any regrets!], The infected ones were no longer afraid of their imminent deaths, they only hoped to have such loving and caring people in their next life.

Soon the dawn turned to dusk, by late-evening, all the infected ones had already left for the after-life. All of them had a look of gratitude and a smile on their faces, not even the slightest bit of regret could be seen on their faces.

But the unaffected Villagers were not any better off, many of them were infected as well, but they strangely smiled and didn't say anything.

[Looks like I will be able to accompany my brothers and my wife to the after-life!], a newly-infected Villager thought.

...

Even after all this, the remaining unaffected Villagers didn't leave; instead they shared their happy memories with their beloved ones who were newly-infected and joked and reminisced their past.

"Please leave...Jian...Qirui..", said the Village Chief, his eyes teared up. He was among the newly-infected and was laid on a bed in the Village Square, his body continuously twitching in pain.

These two of his kids were truly very rebellious! He had told them to leave with the other Village children, but they refused to, and in the end, the rest of the children also joined in and refused to go as they also felt heart-ache for their loved ones.

Qirui and Jian were utterly heartbroken as they watched their father, who continuously twitched and howled in pain

They were right beside him, and although he consistently pushed them away, they still came up to him.

In the end, The Village Chief just sighed deeply and didn't do anything anymore.

But deep inside he felt glad he had such loving children, he just prayed and hoped that the infection wouldn't spread out to them. Or else he wouldn't be able to rest in peace.

…

It didn't take long before the newly-infected ones died, they were all buried by the remaining unaffected Villagers below the Sakura trees.

With immense sorrow, both Qin Jian and Qin Qirui vehemently kneeled and kowtowed continuously before the grave of their father.

Qin Jian knew that although the Village Chief was only his adoptive-father, he had treated him so well that at times he thought he was truly his son and Qirui's blood brother.

To Qin Jian, the care and efforts that his adoptive father had put into him were immense. Even if Qin Jian paid with his life...he wouldn't be able repay him back!

…

There were only a few tens of Villagers left behind who were unaffected.

Most of the children, youths and the old had already died due to the infection. The Qin brothers and a few middle-aged people were left alive, they had decided to leave the Village after they had buried all the Villagers away, but after a few hours, they found themselves infected as well.

In the end, it was only Qin Jian and Qin Qirui who were not affected and helped out the remaining Villagers, who were infected.

They gave them food and water and applied a few medicines, although those medicines were not effective, they still relieved the pain the infected felt somewhat.

After a day, those remaining infected-Villagers soon died.

Qin Jian and Qin Qirui buried them under the Sakura trees, perhaps having their graves close to the graves of their loved ones and other Villagers would make them rest in peace.

Qin Jian and Qirui walked back to the Village, which was now barren and empty, devoid of any liveliness.

All the Villagers had died except them. Those middle-aged aunties, those kind uncles, those grumpy old men, those kids who always played and joked around in the Village, those young men and women who were filled with countless dreams and hopes for their futures...all dead.

In just few days, their whole world changed completely, their father, the innocent and loving Villagers.... all gone.

As Qin Jian and Qin Qirui walked towards the Village Square, Qirui felt his vision blurring a bit, and he suddenly fell down on the ground.