Inspired by Containment, Outbreak, REC, The Division, Contagion, and The Walking Dead
Humanity has been living in their comfortable lifestyle in a world that has become overly dependent on technology for decades. As bacterias and viruses adapted to antibiotics at an alarming rate, some people began to question this dependency. Then, a deadly virus infected thousands and killed hundreds in a matter of three months. Two Red Cross volunteers were unknowingly infected, causing it to spread into North America. Despite them being contained, the news caused widespread panic and fear across the continent. The World Health Organization developed a vaccine after four months of researching and testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a preparedness guide for combating outbreaks. It was adopted by the United Nations shortly after its release.
The United States of America was concerned that a possible outbreak was able to cripple the nation. That was when a presidential directive was quietly signed into law as a response to the entire situation. It's known as Directive 18, a directive that puts forth several plans from the US government and military in case of an outbreak in the country. The public never knew of the directive and its plans to safeguard the country. In the public eye, the American government partnered up with both WHO and CDD to issue their own preparedness messages. It told people to watch for the warning signs of any known and unknown symptoms. Meanwhile, the US Military started several programs of their own about health and maintaining law and order during an outbreak.
It had been seven years since the last major outbreak to occur in the world. The world handled itself during minor outbreak and illnesses, but what if the world was introduced to a different kind of virus? A virus that has the ability to kill and revive its target. No one has the answers or the cure to this question, but it will happen. Either in a small town or a large metropolis, the virus will spread and slowly wipe out its target. In doing so, the virus will cause fear and selfish intentions to take over the avenge person. Will the government be able to deal with the most powerful virus that mankind ever face? Or will it be another chapter of mass extinction of man? Can people manage to save civilization?
Or will it be too late to save it?
𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐌 ℇ 𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃
Baltham, Washington was founded two days after the state had become the 42nd state on November 11, 1889. The city is a part of the Bainbridge Island metropolitan area, which has a population of 130,000. Bainbridge Island has 304,000. The increased in population landed in the second largest city in Washington, beating Spokanea. Baltham was named the fourth-best place to live in the United States in 2020. Both cities are becoming an increasingly affluent bedroom community of Seattle, a 35-minute ride away on the Washington State Ferries. Tourists often found themselves spending time on the island and the city used that to make a profit. They spend more time at Baltham than Bainbridge Island.
Baltham is home to the headquarters of many small and large businesses, many of which are technology companies that started in the 1990s. The city has numerous thriving commercial districts, including one shopping center: Zemreaft Mall. It has one small hotel located in the middle of Baltham and Bainbridge called, Sweet Bay Hotel; Bainbridge has three hotels. Myriad development of major retail, residential, and revitalization projects are amidst planning, in construction, or have been successfully executed in both cities. The growth has resulted in the city council to start construction on a waterfront boardwalk and marina in the late 1990s. The boardwalk was just finished a couple of months ago and it expands to both cities' coastlines. A waterfront multimodal bus/ferry terminal soon opened in 2002 and allowed people to travel to Settle in thirty-five minutes.
Both cities are still continuing to grow as more people moved away from small-town to large cities. It's expected that in five years, Baltham will reach 200,000 and Bainbridge Island will hit 350,000. Both cities have high standards of health and cleanliness for its citizens and tourists. There are five different hospitals in the city and they are capable of handling any outbreak that happens in the region. Bainbridge is currently the healthiest city in America, following by Baltham and Dallas. And unknowingly will become ground zero for a new kind of virus.
