Free The Breadwinner Trilogy (Book 1): The Breadwinner by Stevie Kopas Page A

news report she was hearing, “Are they serious?  They can’t be serious.”  She looked nervously at her brother who shook his head in response.  He was obviously angrier about this than he was about his cell phone.
    “Government and CDC officials will be on hand at local markets and pharmacies to monitor the distribution of goods to local residents.  These scheduled supply handouts will be on a first come first served basis between the hours of 10am and 6pm.  Again, we need to urge you that unless absolutely necessary that you remain in your homes between authorized hours.  We also need to remind you that any non-government official found on the streets between the hours of 6pm and 10am will be taken into police custody.”
    The three family members watched and listened in awe as the news report continued.  They saw the downtown of their own city transformed into some sort of military zone as the local news flashed footage of different sections of Columbia Beach City onto their television.  Barricades were set up, the high school that Veronica and Isaac attended downtown was turned into a temporary medical facility and people rallied around the edges, screaming and protesting the actions (or lack thereof) the government was taking.  The news reiterated the fact that officials were arresting rioters by showing people being pepper sprayed and put in handcuffs and zip ties.
    The pale faced news anchor returned to the screen.  “As we’ve previously stated, if you come into contact with anyone exhibiting signs of violence or infection, please isolate the victim and contact your local authorities.  Do not leave your homes to go to the hospital for any reason.  Local hospitals have been closed to the public.  Please contact the authorities and medical personnel will come to you.”
    “So they changed sick to infected.”  Isaac stared absent mindedly at the screen, his voice flat.
    “And the closed the hospitals?”  Veronica couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
    “What exactly are people being infected with?”  Isaac looked at his father.
    James had no answer for his son.  He continued to watch the screen as an advertisement from the CDC on the importance of hand washing came on.
    “I don’t understand.”  Isaac grabbed the remote from his father and began channel flipping.  Veronica stood behind the two of them, nervously chewing her fingernails.  With every channel Isaac turned, the same thing was repeated over and over, only in different words and by different people.  He stopped briefly when he spotted an interview with a local attorney.
    “This is your biggest case of the year, in what ways do you feel the current crisis will affect the trial, Mr. Eckhart?”  The pretty blonde reporter shouted over the crowd around the courthouse.
    “So what, we’ve got a curfew and we’ve got a bunch of nuts running around.  It’s good for business.” the cocky attorney responded, “I’ve yet to see any government regulation predict my clients’ fate in court.”  The lawyer quickly shuffled his client and assistants through the crowd, raising a hand and shooing off any other reporters with further questions.
    “See?”  Isaac looked at his father, “that guy seems okay with everything.”  James ignored his son’s remark and took the remote back. 
    James continued flipping through the channels when Veronica yelled for him to stop.  To her dismay, the horror of the television screen displayed her friend Dee’s entire subdivision engulfed in flames.  Firemen ran about the streets attempting to put out the massive blaze and reporters shouted above the ruckus.  It looked as if though every house was ablaze.  Before the network had the chance to cut the broadcast, a resident of the community, which resided just a few miles from Veronica’s apartment building, managed to grab the microphone. 
    “Get out!  They don’t have it under control!”  The reporter whose mic had been