VcnV

Infection

There was a virus walking away on the side wall. It looked like the others he had seen, a large mechanical robotic ant. Josh believed the virus was Miss Ursbrook! He closed the door. Mike said viruses could disguise themselves. He wondered if he should chase after it and zap it. What if the door locked him out again. He couldn’t chance it without help from another student. Maybe tomorrow.

He thought about what he could do with the zapper to not lose it when exiting. He looked around the room. No good places to hide it. Inside the closet there were shelves and the top one was not visible so he placed it there. He pressed his exit button and he returned to his pod opening allowing him to exit. He was shook up about what if anything he should do. Should he tell his parents? Should he tell his friends? Maybe Mr. Yancy could help or Mike? He went to his bedroom and took a needed nap to recharge his batteries.

At dinner he talked with his parents and asked about any problems they had heard of with school pods or pods in general. They hadn’t heard anything but they wondered what he was talking about. Then he asked if anyone had ever died while in one. Dad replied, “No, not that I know of. Why do you ask such a question Josh?”

“I just wondered. Can a pod catch a virus?” Josh asked.

Mom grinned, “Not like people get a virus, but they can get software viruses.”

“So nothing bad happens?” Josh followed up.

Dad, “Well I wouldn’t go that far, it can crash the computers and networks losing critical data, It can cause issues with users including inoperative systems and delays.”

Josh decided not to ask any more questions. He could tell their alarm bells were getting ready to go off. He finished his plate excused himself and went back to his pod.

After he was gone Mom said, “He was beginning to worry me.”

Dad replied, “Me too, but I hope it’s just a healthy case of wanting to know everything about anything.”

Josh stood and looked at the pod wondering. He preferred doing his homework on his home computer. He had seen what he considered to be time dilation when the application was corrupted. He didn’t know much about it other than what he read in his favorite science fiction book, ‘Perils of Time’. Time slowing way down until it appeared stopped. The clocks in the room slowed down as well. What if he had a wrist watch on his other digital hand which always showed his true time. He could compare time lapses between what he experienced in the hallway and the classroom when it slowed down. He got into the pod. He was in the classroom at his desk. He said out loud, “Help, can you teach me how to add accessories to my digital twin.

The woman’s voice replied, “Hello again Josh. Yes I can help you what would you like to do? Change your outfit?”

“No, I would like to add a wristwatch on my other arm that shows me my local time.”

“Got it. Just a minute.” The voice went silent. Then she said, “How’s this one?”

A watch appeared on his right wrist. “Yes, that will do.”

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Can you save it so I will always have it?”

“Done.”

Yancy showed up at his desk and looked at Josh, “Hey buddy.”

Josh was surprised to see him there, “Here to do your homework?” He decided not to mention anything to Yancy yet. He wanted to give it some thought.

“Yeah, I thought I would give it a try. My parents were arguing. Thought I could get some quiet time here. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Did you ask your Dad if here was any real danger to us in here and if he remembered Mike?” Josh got up and went to the door and turned the handle. It was locked now.

“Wasn’t a good time for it.” Yancy was about to ask him what he was doing there.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Josh pressed the exit button on his left wristband not giving Yancy a chance to speak and his pod opened. He went to his room and worked on his homework until he went to bed.

Josh woke just in time for class and got into his pod for school the next morning. When he arrived seated in class he tapped Sheri’s shoulder and she turned around. Yancy was listening in. He looked at Pete who was spazzing on his desk like he was a drummer in a band. Then he said, “Do you guys remember yesterday and what we went through?”

They both said yes. Sheri said,“It’s done, what of it?”

Josh bent his head down lower and said very softly, “Miss Ursbrook,” then he paused.

Yancy asked, “Yes, Miss Ursbrook what?’

“I think she is a virus. She caused all the problems that messed everything up yesterday.” Sheri and Yancy looked at each other in disbelief.

Yancy asked him, “How do you know?’

“Well when everyone exited yesterday, I slipped into the closet without her seeing me.”

Sheri questioned, “And.”

I followed her into the hallway and saw her after she left this room.”

Yancy questioned, “And.”

“All right. I am getting to it.” He looked both ways from side to side and started to whisper, but was interrupted by Miss Ursbrook.

She asked, “Josh would you like to share with the class what ever it is you find so important?”

Josh turned red and remembered she knew what he said one other time but he was really low this time, “No.” He had a pen and paper so he wrote a note about the teacher turning into the giant ant-like creature. First he passed it to Yancy who read it and swallowed so loud that other students looked his way. He passed it back to Josh who passed it to Sheri. After she read it and she turned briefly and gave Josh a concerned look. He just nodded to her. She passed it back to him.

He made another entry asking them to stay behind after class with him. Hide in the closet until she enters the hallway. They took their turns scribbling yes and passing it back. He smiled. He had a team and a plan. He didn’t want to continue on his own.

At the end of the school day Josh showed his friends how to sneak into the closet after most students exited but before the teacher started gathering her things to depart. One by one Josh went, Sheri went and Yancy met them in the closet.

A body appeared at the entrance and they all thought they had been discovered when Josh noticed it was just Pete. He grabbed his arm and pulled him inside while Yancy put his hand over his mouth to quiet him. Sheri got in his face and made the index finger to lips shush. Pete’s eyes acknowledged they were hiding and didn’t want to be discovered. They got closer together so as not to be detected. Sheri and Pete crouched down in front of Josh and Yancy stood in the rear. Josh grabbed the zapper from the upper shelf with out anyone knowing and placed it in his pocket.

Miss Ursbrook didn’t notice any of it and picked up her bag, pressed the door unlock button. The group heard the buzz and loud clunk of the electronic lock. The door shutting sound was Josh’s cue to quickly peek and then lead the group to the door that he opened and sure enough there was the virus crawling away in the hallway. This time it crawled on the ceiling. He motioned them to all have a look. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

“Oh man, what the heck,” Pete whispered not being included in the notes passed back and forth.

The virus stopped. They watched, four heads peeking around the door jam. The virus turned around. They pulled back and closed the door quietly. They hid in the closet wondering if it heard or sensed them. The door opened. Sheri had fear written all over her face as the sound of heels clapped on the floor. It sounded like she went back to her desk. Josh peeked out. The virus returned to looking like Miss Ursbrook. She once again left the room and they heard the door close.

Yancy was relieved, “Whew, that was a close call.”

“Funny how it reverted back to looking like her when it came back into the classroom,” noted Josh.

Pete, “What is all this about.” Sheri filled him in while Josh and Yancy opened the door and peeked again around the corner. There it was crawling away this time on the wall like a bug. Josh looked at Yancy who raised his eyebrows and frowned.

“I’m going to follow it, I need a second in case I get in trouble,” said Josh.

Yancy greed to go. Pete said, “Wait a minute. I want to go.”

Josh cautioned him, “We need somebody to stay here so we don’t get locked out.”

Pete got angry, “Well why can’t I go with you or Yancy?”

Yancy, “No reason.”

“Alright Pete, you go and I will stay here with Sheri,” said Josh giving in.

Pete and Yancy followed the virus staying well behind it. Yancy looked back at Josh wondering if going with Pete was a mistake. Pete often did the wrong thing and asked for forgiveness afterwards. Doing the wrong thing now might cause them harm.

“Keep it in view but stay back so you are not identified,” said Josh forgetting that he had the zapper.

Yancy could barely see it but it moved slow taking a few steps and stopping before taking a few more. He said to Pete, “Why did you want to come so badly?”

“I wanted to impress Sheri, you know show her how brave I am.”

“She knows you are brave. The way you took on the teachers in sixth grade. I remember.”

“I know, but I have to continue to push it to higher levels.”

Yancy laughed quietly.

“What so funny? I don’t like it when you laugh at me. I should be laughing at you,” Pete said taking an attitude with him.

“Shush, I’m laughing because you are doing all this to impress Sheri and you left her to spend time with Josh. It’s funny. Why should you be laughing at me anyway?”

“Because I can. Why are you doing this?”

“Because Josh asked me to.”