Free Lockdown (AM13 Outbreak Series) by Samie Sands Page B

it’s the effects of the alcohol, or if something has been unlocked from deep inside of me, but even as I laugh at Michelle, I can’t help but think that leaving is a good idea.
    Even as I drink, I know I’m going to regret the alcohol tomorrow, but right here in this moment, it feels so good to laugh and joke with the one person I know will be there for me no matter what. Even if everyone else blames me and hates me, I know she doesn’t. She might be the only friend I have left at the end of this, but at least she’s a good one! I do love Michelle.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter
    Thirteen
     
     
    The next morning is simply awful. If I wasn’t already here, I’d definitely be phoning in sick. This hangover is intense—my head is throbbing, I feel nauseated, and my throat is unbearably dry. It doesn’t help that I couldn’t sleep very well, surrounded by so many other people, so I’m exhausted too. It just felt a little…weird.
    To make it worse, Jamie is being unnecessarily over the top today, insisting that we need to work harder than ever to ensure the Lockdown all goes according to plan. I think he’s a little gutted that things were so confusing and rocky yesterday—although how he could be expecting anything else, I’m not sure.
    Before heading over to my desk, I quickly scan my eyes through the window. I don’t instantly see people outside, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. We’re in an awkward position here, not knowing anything that’s going on.
    The enthusiasm from everyone else is not evident today. Everyone seems to be working on autopilot, whilst desperately sipping hot drinks as if their lives depend on the caffeine. Gone are the smart, pristine suits that you normally see in this office. Instead, there are a lot of sweatpants and hoodies. Some of the girls haven’t even bothered with makeup—myself included. It’s like an extreme version of Casual Friday.
    I half wonder if Michelle and I aren’t the only ones with hangovers. It makes sense that she wouldn’t have been the only one to bring booze with her. In fact, the only person who doesn’t look like his bad mood and ill feeling has come from a late night of drinking and fun is Jake. He looks truly terrible.
    I start with all of the usual social media checks, expecting to find all of the usual nonsense—maybe with a few complaints about the Lockdown thrown in for good measure. Instead I’m faced with links to what the national newspapers are saying. It only takes a couple of clicks to realise this is bad news for us.
     
    ‘Biggest Disaster in UK History’
     
    ‘What Was This Supposed To Achieve?’
     
    ‘Has No One Heard Of AM13?’
     
    The headlines all scream out at me, each one sending a stab of guilt into my heart. I know this isn’t really , totally my fault—I may have set this thing in motion, but I never made any of the decisions. Still, I can’t stop the weight of responsibility from resting heavily on my shoulders.
    This is just the beginning. Soon, the complaints about wasted taxes will be raised. Then, the questions will come about where this came from and how it came to be this giant nightmare. It’ll all close in on me, I can feel it. I’m on the brink of becoming Britain’s most hated woman. I’m going to have to move to another country.
    Oh God.
    On the brink of panic, I push my chair back, ready to rush to the toilets to have my meltdown in peace, but I’m distracted by the fact that every other person is crowded around one computer. None of them look like their lives are bursting at the seams, which baffles me. The negativity that’ll come from these news reports affects them too.
    Curiosity gets the better of me, and I abandon my initial plan and be nosy instead. As I near the crowd, I start to hear snippets of conversation. It seems that Aaron—one of the tech guys—has found a video of a virus victim that was filmed in the early hours of yesterday morning in England—at