Chapter 1

Elvira's POV

It was six in the morning when I got up for the day. The tv was blaring loudly, currently reporting the rising numbers of positive cases throughout the world.

27th of May, over 5.5 million cases have been confirmed to be directly associated with the virus as what CDC had defined.

Total deaths are now 350,412 and counting.

The news anchor continued reporting about different countries doing desperate decisions just to at least cease the fast spreading of the infection.

More headlines coming on your way;

Russia reports record daily rise in COVID-19 cases.

WHO suspends clinical malaria drugs over safety concerns.

South Korea mandates the use of masks in public transports and flights.

And the last, Saudi Arabia allows mosque prayers and domestic travel from 31st of May, excluding Mecca.

I turned the tv off in annoyance, sighing as I collapsed in my bed. It just keeps on getting worse as the hour passes. My day was just starting but I feel like I'm already drained and extremely exhausted. But of course, I know well why.

It had been a year since my parents died.

It was still there, the hole in my chest, it was hollow and tender. I want to blame someone to throw away all the anger that was drowning me slowly but I knew better. They died in honor, serving others until their last breaths.

I couldn't help but sob, knowing I did my best to save my own parents and yet failed. Knowing that it was I who tried to treat them. The most expensive antibiotics didn't work. All the high-end life supports didn't save them. All the prayers I spent my nights on. None of them worked.

My profession has failed me. God has too. I want to be angry with him. I want to know why he did it and how this could help me. I want to catch the virus, so that I could soon be with them but I swore to them. I swore to them that I will carry on their duty and run the hospital.

Dr. Hannah Elvira A. Lancer

I looked at the name in disdain and clutched my pin, throwing it away in resentment. My senses heightened the moment the alarm went off just as my phone rang, completely pulling me back to reality.

"Hello?" I asked hearing noises and inaudible yelling from the other end of the line.

"Doctor, more patients are arriving. They're crowding the lobby, we already told them that all the wards are full.”

"I'll be right over, Sammy. Tell the security to restrain them from going further. We can't risk any more infection."

"Understood."

I ended the call and took a deep breath.

I need to be strong.

I wiped my tears away, put on my hazmat suit and mask, hearing my own raspy breaths of despair. I picked up my pin, sighing at my own dream-turned-into-nightmare.

My duty is calling me as well as people who needed my aid. I shouldn't falter in the face of a problem, no matter how big it is.

The wards were buzzing with complaining patients and busy nurses running around with tasks to finish. At this rate, all the frontliners were provided with the latest hazmat suits.

I value my crew as much as I value my patients.

I squeezed into the crowd and as much as I hated to admit it but I wished they could be more disciplined.

"Doc, you're here," Sammy said in a muffled voice. His black hair stick outside his suit as his brown eyes beamed at me.

I looked at the records before my heart skipped a beat.

15 newly deceased patients

"15 patients died through the night?!" I exclaimed.

I headed to my office and thought about the situation when my uncle came into the room, one of the best surgeons we have in the hospital.

"Elvira, is everything okay? What's with all commotion in the lobby?" He asked.

"I'm still thinking about it," I told him but it's really hard to do so because of the noises outside.

"We can't accept more patients, even our morgue is full and we're in lockdown so no one's going to get the bodies." He explained further.

"How about those people in need? I can't just ditch them off."

"Elvira, you're the hospital's dean. You have the full authority to choose your decision and when to do so. Those people out there have been very stubborn, it's not your responsibility to save everyone."

He's right. If I take the patients in, the halls could be flooded and may risk further infection.

“Doc, I called the other hospitals, they still have vacancies.” Sammy intervened before scurrying off.

“Very well”

I rang the admins to notify all personnel that we won't be taking more patients. The security got the message right away and I could already hear an uproar outside.

Sacrifices have to be done.

"You did the right thing," Uncle muttered before leaving the room.

No, I didn’t. I felt guilty even though I knew our town have lots of hospitals and spaces.

I was sorting out files and documents while glancing up records when the computer dinged.

I opened my mail and got one mail from someone.

"Hui.Lou.Wong?" I said before squinting at the letter.

Another scam or ad I guess. But something about the familiar name was telling me otherwise so I searched up his name on G****e, revealing countless links to news and magazines with his name in flashy bold letters.

Nurture Corps.

I gasped at the sight of the letters.

"What the hell?"

I finally got one article with his email displayed, which was exactly the same as the person who sent me the mail.

"Seems legit," I muttered before I read the rest of his correspondence.

“And more importantly, he looks good.” I chuckled, looking at his dashing photo.

Dear Dr. Hannah Elvira A. Lancer,

My name is Hui Lou Wong and I am the director of the new project launched by Nurture Corps., which is to acquire the origins of devastating plagues and alleviate it for future aid.

I believe that you have the skills to help us with the current pandemic and would appreciate the opportunity to meet at our main lab in China to talk about participating in our project. For your convenience, I added a few suggestions for a date and time. Please respond whether you accept our invitation so we could book for your departure.

Looking forward to discussing what we can do for each other in more detail.

Kind regards,

Hui Lou Wong

Nurture Corps.