C5 Examination

The women’s examination rooms were located on the second floor, the ones for the men one floor up. Markus felt the touch of Sabine’s hand only fleetingly as they were looking at each other as a form of farewell. One could never know if it would be a farewell forever.

Like always, Doctor Schneider was waiting for him. Since he and Sabine had been moved to the yellow barracks, the doctor did without a protective suit and instead wore a white doctor’s gown. Just the mask over his mouth and the thin transparent latex gloves differed from a normal visit to the doctor. His gaze was as always bored.

“Good morning. Please take a seat so we can start right away.”

What followed was the same routine of questions about his physical health, another blood sample and a general overview of his condition, which meant once more to stand around naked. How he hated all of this.

All the time Markus had to look at this stupid maybe twenty centimeters tall Santa Claus on the doctor’s desk, glowing from the inside with constantly changing colors. At least this time they did not inject him with a syringe containing the supposed antidote against this virus. “Long term therapy”, that is how the nurses called it.

Markus had his doubts about the clear liquid in the tiny syringes but did not fight it. Maybe it did some good after all. Nevertheless, today was the day to be hopeful, because it was, as he had said, day three. Ten minutes later he was sitting opposite to the doctor across from his desk.

“Taking everything into consideration, I can at least say that your results have not gotten any worse. I think that we can relocate you to the green barrack, starting today.”

You cannot be serious.

Markus’ blood started to boil. “Have you forgotten that I’ll be leaving today? I was promised upon my arrival that I had to stay here three days at the most and today is day three!”

Schneider continued scribbling notes in Markus’ file and spoke without looking up. “Unfortunately it’s not as simple as you think it is, there’s…”

Now Markus finally exploded and he jumped up from his chair, which fell to the floor nosily. “Damn it, are you fucking kidding me, or what?”

He was close to jumping directly over the desk and to grab the man by his collar, who now looked up at him scared. Marcus did not hear the door swing open behind him and how guards were storming into the room, but the doctor raised his hand appeasing.

“It‘s ok, don‘t panic. The patient will calm down. Right?”

His impending glance was directed towards Markus.

“Please sit down again and I will explain to you what will happen next. Or you attack me and the guards will react with appropriate countermeasures. It’s your choice!”

Boiling with rage Markus picked up the chair again and sat down with his arms crossed. He felt his heart pounding against his chest and how his air ways were contracting. Defiantly he pulled his asthma spray out of his pocket and took his usual dose. He wanted an answer and right away.

“Well, the persons in the green barracks don’t are not considered at risk anymore and will be relocated to their hometowns one by one.”

“You don’t have to relocate me, I own a car and I know where I have to go.”

“Please let me finish. It will be hard for you to get through on the roads.” Those were words Markus did not like at all and which were awakening bad assumptions right away.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I want to be honest with you. It’s that the roads are mostly blocked by abandoned vehicles. There had been a mass escape the last several days. The population had been in panic, trying to save themselves because the whole thing has reached proportions you can hardly imagine.”

“That’s why we bring our civilians with transport planes to specially built gathering points with which we are in contact and which are mostly located close to your hometowns. Then they will organize what is necessary for the rest of the way.”

Markus was still not satisfied at all with the doctor’s statement.

“You mean you’ll fly us home or at least as close to home as possible. When will that be exactly?”

“As soon as we have the appropriate amount of people or a cargo transport heading in your direction, that’s when you’ll be going. Tomorrow, for example, there’s a Hercules leaving for Frankfurt.”

Calmed down, but still unsatisfied Markus stood up and nodded towards the doctor. “I’ll take your word for it Doctor. You can be sure of that.”

Both he and Doctor Schneider knew exactly what his tone was implying.