"After big events, you know, big sort of shocking events, people will look back and reconstruct a narrative that explains it in a way that satisfies the unlikelihood of it occurring. And this happens with anything, the day you got your big job or the day you met your future spouse. Kennedy and Lincoln have tons of conspiracy theories around them, but people start filling in spots and pointing to it as fate or luck. Both presidents have seven letters in their name, but how many people in the world have a seven lettered last name? Hell, my name has seven letters in it. My point here is that we don't have to go back and figure out if it was my birthday month minus the final score or if Eric slept in his blue underwear. When things happen, they happen because of a long chain of factors all pointing towards a predictable end. Our boys won because of hard work, consistent practice, and solid execution."
Ben leaned forward to his microphone as the voice on the other end of the line stopped, "Alright Coach Watkins. There you have it folks, a solid review of the game and a little dose of reality straight from the horse's. Thank you, Coach, and congratulations again on the big win."
"Thanks, Ben, love the show. Go Eagles!"
Ben wasn't listening. He was looking through the booth window at the television his assistant, Jake, was watching. The feed from the call clicked off, and his eyes flicked over to his producer, Debbie. "Ok folks. We're going to take a quick break to hear from our sponsors. When we come back, the recent health concerns have led to a large number of game cancellations across the eastern seaboard. We'll take your calls and see what you think this means for the league. I'm Ben Lamb, and this is Sporting Chance."
The on air light shut off. Jake opened the door, "Hey boss, you need to come look at this."
Ben took off his headset and followed Jake. The television no longer showed a news anchor. Instead, an old test card showing a series of vertical, colored bars filled the screen. "I haven't seen that since I was a kid. And that was only in cartoons."
Jake started changing channels. Each one had the same image or static. "It's every station," he said. "Cable is gone completely. Not only that, but the Internet is down. I can't even get reception on my phone."
Ben shrugged, "You think this has something to do with the flu virus thing? I mean maybe. With all the people not going into work, I can see how the cable might go out. What about us? We're still up and running right?"
Debbie nodded, "Nothing kills local radio. You're back on."
"Right," Ben said. "Keep an eye on it for me would you." He went back into the booth and settled in his chair. The government had been going on for weeks about an increased risk of infection from a new flu virus. Ben couldn't imagine it reaching this far into the countryside. Often, he regretted leaving New York, but he didn't miss the traffic or the risk of highly infectious diseases on the subway. He traded it all for an ocean view and a twenty minute ferry ride to the closest warehouse store.
"You have a caller, Joe from East Pointe," Debbie said through his headset as the light went back on.
"Welcome back everyone, this is Ben Lamb, and you're listening to Sporting Chance. The MLB has been shocked this week as multiple stadiums closed and games canceled. This is both due to a hosting team's unwillingness to gather a crowd and also traveling teams refusing to, well, travel. Just yesterday, the Royals issued a statement urging the MLB to suspend the season until travel concerns were worked out. This sentiment was echoed by —"
A loud scratching noise in his headphones made him stop. He looked at Debbie. She scrambled at her panel, and the on-air light flickered off. Finally, she looked up at him and shrugged. Turning to Jake, she spoke something and handed him a binder from under her desk. Jake left the room. She flipped a switch, and her voice came through speakers in the booth, "Someone's cutting into our signal. Jake's gonna go take a look at the transmitter."
"Why Jake? The hell does he know about it? Where's Karl?" Ben asked, frustrated.
"Karl is out sick today," Debbie replied. Debbie's eyes drifted down to her panel. "Ben, they're saying something. I'll put it through."
The speakers clicked. A transmission played, "...is under quarantine. Residents are not to leave their homes. Avoid any unnecessary contact with other persons. Do not approach the infected. For your safety, avoid physical proximity to the infected. Continue to monitor emergency broadcasts for further instruction. This message will repeat. By order of the Governor and under advisement from federal authorities, Garland Falls and the surrounding area is under quarantine..."
***
Ben's stomach turned over. The droning, automated voice continued to repeat the message. "What kind of flu would warrant a government ordered quarantine on a small island town like Garland Falls?" he wondered. The message repeated again, neither he or Debbie knowing what else to do but wait. In its fourth repeat, the message crackled and went silent. Debbie looked back at her panel. She gave Ben a thumbs up, and he grabbed his headset.
"Well folks, we seem to have been knocked off the air for a minute or two there, but as my wonderful producer so recently said, 'you can't kill local radio.' Now, a great many of you may just now be tuning in after hearing an honestly terrifying message come over the air to you. We're going to be bringing you up to date information as soon as we get it. Our team is currently calling every official we can to get the whole story, and you'll have it live as we get it." A light flashed in front of him. "Looks like we have a caller. Please folks, if you have any information you want to contribute give us a call here at the station. Debbie who do we have on the line?"
"It's still Joe from East Pointe," she said. Ben could sense the alarm in her voice. East Pointe was located on the far side of the county, near the river and only bridge to the mainland.
Ben nodded and cleared his throat, "Ok. We have Joe from East Pointe on the line. Joe are you still there?"
"Yes," came a quiet voice.
"Hey there Joe. This is Ben Lamb. You're live on the air. I'm guessing you didn't call in to talk about baseball."
"No, I didn't." Again the voice was quiet and trembling.
"Joe are you alright? Are you in danger at the moment?"
"Soldiers are here. They're outside of my house. They, uh, searched my home, but I hid. I didn't know what else to do."
Debbie's voice cut in so that only Ben could hear, "Careful. Whatever you say don't start a panic."
Ben continued, "Ok, Joe. What are the soldiers doing? Describe what's going on there for us and the other listeners around Garland Falls."
"They're at the bridge. They've set up roadblock. They have other soldiers who are inspecting it or something."
"Maybe you didn't hear, but the government has issued a quarantine. We're still working out just what's going on with that. What about the soldiers made you hide?" Joe didn't respond. "Joe are you still with us?"
A harsh ragged whisper came over the air, "They've got another one. Two women, naked except for black bags on their heads. They've zip tied their hands behind their backs. Men in hazmat suits."
"Joe, are the soldiers mistreating the women? Can you see what is being done with them?"
"They're infected. I saw one earlier. She had Mr. Weathers on the ground. Can't hardly blame him. Five minutes with her, and he was behind her, fucking her brains out."
Debbie and Ben blanched at the curse word. "Joe, gonna need to remind you that you're live on the air. Another slip-"
"You don't understand! That's what they do to you. They turn you into animals. Weathers was a eighty-five year old man who probably hadn't had an erection since Clinton was president. God knows what he's become now. Wait..." In the background of the call, they could hear shouting. "The two women are still on the ground. They've bent over, still with bags on their heads. Some of the soldiers are arguing. It's the ones not in the suits...not in the hazmat suits. The ones in the suits are pulling back. They're going over the bridge. Oh." Joe went quiet.
Ben didn't know what to do. From the caller's description, armed soldiers had apprehended two young women. "Joe, are you still there? Are any of the men staying behind?"