Late August of 2122 is seemingly normal by all indications. Yet, for all its apparent normalcy, an unseen enemy is lurking, readying itself to strike.

I live with my Mom and Dad. Dad’s left for his shift while I go out for my morning jog. When I get back, I quickly shower, and then head down so Mom and I can eat breakfast. As usual, when she cooks, I clean, and vice versa. I’m in the middle of cleaning up as Mom is enjoying her third cup of coffee and watching a News show on the mini-holo projected by her wrist comm.

Her dropping her cup of coffee on the floor was the first indication that something was wrong. Turning around, I looked at her, and she told me that she was hurting badly and couldn’t feel her arms or legs. Then, she grabs her throat and begins gasping for breath, fighting to breathe.

I wasted no time tapping the emergency button on my comm to summon an ambulance. Moments later, Mom collapsed, and I had to perform CPR on her since she stopped breathing. Thankfully, emergency services are extremely quick. They use their code to bypass the door seals and rush into the kitchen where we are. Moving me out of the way, they place a life support pack on her, gently load her onto a grav-bed, and rush out with nary a word despite me asking them multiple times how she is. With little other option, I rush outside, jump onto my cycle, sans any type of protective gear, and follow the ambulance to the nearest hospital. In the ER, I’m directed to sit down after they tell me that they’ll update me when they have some news.