Free The Hurst Chronicles (Book 1): Hurst by Robin Crumby Page A

before.”
     
    “Well you clearly haven’t lived long in this country then. My father was a dentist, my brother a surgeon, my sister a paediatrician. You could say it runs in the family. Anyway, I’m British, born and bred.”
     
    “Fair enough. I don’t have a problem with it. I was just making conversation. So what do you know about this virus?”
     
    “You’re asking the wrong person, I’m afraid. I mostly look after old people here. Routine stuff really. Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, palliative care. Don’t get to see many killer viruses or tropical diseases here on the south coast. Big city hospitals get those high profile cases. Ebola, malaria. Shame really. Might spice things up a little round here. My knowledge of viruses is really dated, goes back to medical school and stuff I picked up from the press and medical journals they had in the staff room. I know bits and pieces, but nothing of any use.”
     
    “But as a medical man, you must have some idea what we’re dealing with. What if you had to make an educated guess?”
     
    He pondered the question thoughtfully and then launched in to his answer with growing confidence. “Well if you put me on the spot. I’d say it sounds a lot like the Spanish flu outbreak after the First World War. Killed millions, more than the war itself. But this is more lethal and spreads quicker. Of course, cheap airline travel and tourism probably accelerated that spread considerably. Based on the patients we saw and treated, I’d say around one in ten people have some degree of immunity. Some were worse affected than others, but most died within three to five days. Some survived longer, but very few got better. We threw everything we had at it. Antibiotics were useless. We did little more than prolong their agony for a few hours or days. The outcome was almost always the same. It’s a very effective killer.”
     
    “It sounds like you admire the virus?”
     
    “Oh I do. Don’t you? We’ve known something was coming. Mother nature has been perfecting the flu virus over millions of years and looks like she’s cracked the code this time. Of course, if the CDC, you know the Centre for Disease Control in the States, or the World Health Organization are still functional, then they may have developed a vaccine. By now you might expect them to have inoculated health workers and the military. Right now they may well be mounting a rescue mission to save us ‘Brits’. Who knows?”
     
    “But could it be done if they have the right resources?”
     
    “Sure if we had a lab here with all the kit, samples of the virus, an electron-microscope, bio hazard suits, air purifiers, then no question, we would keep trying till we found something that worked. Might take decades though. All we’d need would be an army of scientists, unlimited money and resources. Hey throw in someone with immunity, patient zero…while you’re at it, perhaps find me Elvis and Lord Lucan. But take a look around you. We’re mostly working in the dark ages here. We barely have enough power from the emergency generator to keep the lights on, let alone anything discretionary. We have a skeletal team and the man in charge is a psychopath, but apart from that, we have everything we need,” he lamented sarcastically.
     
    The young doctor finished up the stitches behind Will’s ear and patted him on the head like a dog. “There you go. Good as new.”
     
    “Thank you. I owe you one. What’s your name?” asked Will.
     
    The doctor smiled. “Doctor Ganesh, but you can call me Raj.”
     
    “Well Raj. If I figure out how to get out of this hellhole, I’ll come and find you.”
     
    The doctor packed up the plastic case with the syringe, scissors, bandages and other assorted items, paused at the door to say something and thought better of it. He knocked twice and heard the guard on the other side jangle his keys and unlock the door. The rotund guard opened the door just wide enough to