Chapter 3 Chapter Three - Beginning of the End

The apocalypse was not an event that would instantly affect the world, but however slowly the epidemic started, it would sweep to uncontrollable levels within a month of officials becoming aware of it.Their initial containment plan failed, but by the time they had learned why, it was too late to do anything about it.

Nathan's parents estate was located on the outskirts of a peaceful village and this village would not feel the effects of the apocalypse until the third week, following a particularly rainy period.In the two weeks before this, Nathan had sowed seeds for fresh greens in the small waist high greenhouse and had watched almost one hundred tomato seedlings grow until ready to be planted in beds or in pots.He had this many as he could not bare to throw the seedlings away as he thinned their numbers, instead transplanting to newer trays.His sunflowers were nearly 20cm's tall, which was an accomplishment for him already as he always struggled with this plant for some reason.He had coaxed and encouraged them and cared for them tenderly just to reach this point.

His parents were away from the estate again, busy with their own work.They text once in a while, but felt that Nathan was independent enough and those they hired to look after the main house could keep an eye on him if necessary.

When others were beginning to fall sick with unexplainable tiredness and feelings of nausea that refused to settle, Nathan also came down with a fever.He did not bother to call anyone about this, knowing to take medicine and rest and he didn't want any of those from the main house coming to his home because of it.He read a book, slept and ate cereal and fruit as his cooking ability was limited normally to soups and jacket potatoes.The fever lasted a few days, it might have dissipated sooner, but Nathan couldn't bare to leave his beloved plants alone for too long.

He tended to his own garden first, noting that there was something wrong with a few of the younger plants, but he did not recognise the sickness, so he decided to look them up on his computer later.Instead, he checked on his greens and pruned a few things before watering the plants as it had been dry since the day before he fell sick.He then took some of the tomato plants, now a good few inches tall, to put in the main vegetable garden.

The gardener's cottage had its garden enclosed by a thick hedge that was just above head height for privacy.Its gate was decorative barred metal.It happened to be like the barred metal fence surrounding the entire main property, though this was a few metres high to deter trespassers and had many thick bushes and hedges to back it up.

Nathan left his own garden, planted the tomato plants, placed bamboo supports and loosely tied the small plants to them.He then noticed that a few of the vegetables here were also not quite right.He watered them all well, spoke to them softly, promising he would make them better soon, before returning to his home.He did notice that it was quieter than normal and that none of the servants from the main house had greeted him like they usually did, but to be honest, he was actually quite glad of that.He disliked people that he did not really know talking to him and asking him how he was.He did not know whether they were asking to be polite or asking him because they really wanted to know, so he preferred to avoid them altogether.

Back in the warmth of his cottage, he noticed he had received a text a couple of days prior.He put his phone on charge and responded to his parents question."Everything is well here."He didn't receive a message back.

He loaded up the laptop, but couldn't find what the problem might be with his plants on the various internet sites that he tried, so he decided to keep an eye on them for a few days and hope things improved.They did not.But the strange plants did not appear to be dying and the 'sickness' did not appear to be spreading so he felt reluctant to dig them up.Instead, he spoke to them, improved the condition of the soil where he felt he should and watered them as normal.

He could not worry too much as other things happened to distract him.Firstly, the electricity went out.He went to the main house, but it was all dark and there did not seem to be anyone about.He shuffled about on his two feet outside the front door for almost an hour, before he returned to his cottage.No one had come to greet him and he felt too uncomfortable about trying to greet others first.He felt that they would come find him if it was a big problem.The cottage had a Rayburn for cooking and heat, so it the only thing that bothered him was the descent into darkness once the sun went down.He solved this by going to bed early.

The bigger problem occurred when the taps stopped giving him water.