Chapter two : twoz - 23 April 2011

Saturday 23 April 2011
10:25

I got up as early as I could this morning. I'm still a little tired after downing the best part of a bottle of wine last night. When there's no-one to share it with, you get greedy, I do anyway. I'm sitting in the car calling it everything under the sun. It's playing silly buggers with me and not wanting to start. I may have to bump start it, you know, roll the bastard down the hill in second gear. If it doesn't start, I'll be rolling it down the hill straight into the River Clyde.

11:50

I'm parked at TESCO in Port Glasgow. Forgot to charge my phone battery last night, so I'll have to be prudent with the journal writing. Will pop and get petrol before the journey up to Glasgow. Fifteen pounds should do it, enough to get me up and back so long as there are no traffic jams. It's very quiet here. I don't know if it's just the increase in petrol prices or, well, best not think about it too much. Try and stay as rational as possible.

12:15

I've had to stop at the side of the road, near Langbank, the car is over-heating. I'm sure I put enough water and oil in it and whatever else it needs. Who am I kidding, I don't pay the car any attention, mechanically, unless something goes wrong and it tells me by way of a flashing light on the dashboard. I've seriously neglected it.

12:25

Just watched as six army trucks passed by, heading towards Greenock. My priority is to get to Glasgow.

13:00

The traffic is exceptionally busy, even for a Saturday. I've stopped in a car park, it'll probably cost me an arm and a leg (not literally). It's impossible to drive anywhere near Ruchill Hospital, there are roadworks and streets blocked off at virtually every turn. I'll have to walk to the hospital.

13:10

Just got off the phone to the hospital and they said I'd missed visiting hours and that I should come back around seven tonight. Bastard! After driving all the way up here. No sense in walking there if I'm not going to be allowed in. I'm totally disorganised. What was I thinking. Right, have decided to return home and get a change of clothes for Connie, they'll be the wrong ones and she'll moan, and I'll return for seven. That'll get me in the good books, maybe.

Need to charge phone battery when I get home. Should have brought the USB connector and plugged it into the stereo to charge.

14:00

That's me back home. Not much time to say anything because traffic was hellish on the way in to Greenock too. Everyone's busy rushing about, queues of cars trying to get into TESCO. I don't remember it being billed as a holiday. That's usually what happens when a holiday approaches, people panic buy in case milk and bread run out the day before Armageddon.

Anyway, got to rush. I've grabbed clothes for Connie: t-shirt, jeans, training shoes and socks. That should do her, I hope.

14:30

I've had to pull over to the side of the road. The army trucks, I'm sure it's the same ones, have blocked the motorway. It must have only been within the last half hour as there aren't many cars in front of mine, maybe about twenty or so. If I'm very careful, I can slowly reverse down the hard shoulder to the Langbank roundabout and take a different route through Bishopton. Over and out as they say.

14:40

Shit. I'm stuck on Old Greenock Road. Looks like everyone else had the same idea as me. I hate that. A few people got out their cars to see what was happening. I got out and had a look for myself. The army and police have set up a road block here as well. Jesus, how am I supposed to get to Connie now.

15:00

Everyone has been told to turn back and go home. Mostly everyone complied, although the odd nutter did put up a small amount of protest, some futile gesture, I guess, to say we're not putting up with this. Connie will just have to wait. She has her pals with her anyway, I think, I can't seem to get a signal on these back-roads.

Heading home.

Sunday 24 April 2011
22:25

Tried a dozen times to get through to Ruchill yesterday. Switched the radio on seeing as the news told me just about fuck all. There have been road blocks set up at various points, all points in fact, leaving Greenock. It hasn't been mentioned that the town has been put under quarantine, as such, but I know it's going to be bloody difficult to leave without a some soldier staring at you, down the barrel of his gun.

22:35

I'm starting to feel guilty that I'm not making more of an effort to get to Connie. I'm not the big hero that's willing to take the risk, I'd rather wait and let someone else get killed, well maybe not killed but let them do all the ground work and I can learn from their mistakes. I can't think straight, and it doesn't help that I'm a scatter brain at the best of times. I have to sit down and try to figure out how to get to Connie.

22:55

Just got off the phone to my mum. It was a bit late, so I apologised for call her at such a late hour, then went on to babble on for about fifteen to twenty minutes. They're staying in Aberdeen with my Uncle Rex. I filled them in on the situation and told them not to hurry back. My mum worries about everything. I tell her about the virus that's been on the news and how it's spreading through West Scotland, she asks if I'm eating enough, or she'll ask if I've got the cold if I cough once on the phone because of a dry throat. Twenty minutes is the max I can take.

I told her about Connie and her friend, mum said that everything will be fine. I don't believe her. I think it's a mum's duty to lie to us to protect us from the horrible truth.

I don't remember the last time I told any of my parents I love them.

I'm going to bed now. I hope I have nice dreams.

22 April 2011

Friday 22 April 2011

09:50

I phoned the hospital to find out how Connie was, the hospital told me there had been complications during the night and one of her friends had fallen victim to the virus then went on the rampage through the ward. The nurse also told me not to worry as things were under control. Why do people insist on pretending things are fine, when they quite clearly ARE NOT! My work hasn't even phoned to see how I am. I could be dead for all they know. I'll phone them later.

10:30

Can't get through to my work. They're never too busy to answer the phone. What's going on?

Inverclyde is on the news for all the wrong reasons again. God, it's been everything from misdiagnosed smear tests, to releasing bombers from prison due to cancer to this, a virus that kills then reanimates. Brilliant.

Inverclyde Royal isn't taking any more in patients. Well, they're trying not to but the influx of local infected is overwhelming. People are turning up in their droves, but there isn't enough staff to cope with the situation. I'm sure the news channels still exaggerate to get our undivided attention.

23:19

Fuck this, I haven't heard a word from the hospital in hours. Yes, I did try to phone, but I can't get through. I'm going to drive up to Glasgow and see what's going on for myself. I hope the bastard car stars. Don't buy Renault!

Hope Connie is all right.

I'll try and update this journal from my android phone. Praise the lord for Google.

Hold on Connie, here I come....engine permitting.

20 April 2011

20:05

Connie is stuck at Pam's house, it has been put under quarantine. Connie has been feeding information to me from her mobile phone, so I'm not too sure how accurate my interpretation of her situation is. She's rubbish with predictive text.

Connie and some of her friends went on a pub crawl in Glasgow City Centre. The last pub they went to, (she doesn't remember, too much drink) a fight broke out on the dance floor. The lights were dim, some female staggered around, probably drugged up to her eyeballs on heroin or something, scratched and bit Pam before being thrown out the club. They decided to call it a night and head home and that's when Pam started to feel really bad. An ambulance was called because, Pam stopped breathing for a few seconds. The ambulance arrived at 11:00 and called in some “experts”. They said procedures have been put in place to handle this sort of thing now, “whatever this sort of thing” is. I hope Connie is OK.

23:12

No word from Connie. I think it's safe to say I am now officially concerned.

10 April 2011

23:12

The Inverclyde Royal has been put under quarantine. Yes, the whole hospital. I've never heard of the likes, but it definitely has been put under some form of guard. I can only go on what I read in the papers and what I see on TV, although I do realise that it's all just lies on the box, so what are you supposed to believe. I'm not a great one for conspiracies, but....I think there's a conspiracy going on here! Two levels of the hospital have been turned into infectious diseases wards. How can something spread this fast? I'm wondering if it'll be all right? Surely if there's any sort of viral breakout then a hospital would be the ideal place for it to be contained. Am I just barking right up the wrong tree here? I don't know the first thing about diseases or their containment. I don't mind admitting I'm shitting myself a bit, due to my complete ignorance of viruses. What if the entire hospital becomes a viral liability? What if it can't be contained and it gets out? This isn't good is it?

The tent is still out the back-green. How much longer is this going to go on? They've expanded their search another sex feet in each direction. I think they're actually going to dig up the whole garden. They think there could be up to another 14 bodies buried in the garden. They're wrong, of course. He was a lazy bastard upstairs. He was never out in the garden, nor was that frightful looking “wife” of his. She gave me the heebie-jeebies. I guess that daft fuckwit look they had about them must have just been a front for genius. What a good act it was. It's true then, you can't judge a book by its gormless, old tattered cover.

Night.

08 April 2011

23:29

It was a good day at work today. No boss in so, we had a good laugh. It's always a good laugh on a Friday.

There was more in the newspapers about the virus at the hospital. Not a whole lot though. You don't really get the full picture of what's going on locally, not from the local papers anyway. That's the job of the nationals, the larger papers that really get in there and do their journalistic best, well, 97% of the time that's what happens. It's certainly what's happening in this instance. There have been, to date, ten viral related deaths at the hospital (that we've been told about). I don't like what's happening. I don't like it one bit. I'm already a paranoid freak as it is, the last thing I need is some sort of AIDS or smallpox or Ebola virus breaking out near me. If there's something going round, I usually get it- the cold, the flue, mumps, not AIDS though.

Ooops, how could I forget to say that it's been on the television too. Camera crews outside the I.R.H., the external shot of the dull brown building, looking up to the ward where the virus is contained. Did I say it was that old mental woman that ate the face off Lucinda next door that was in the hospital. No, probably not. Well, it was her and she's been moved up to Glasgow's Infectious Diseases Hospital. That's not it's real name, so remind me to Google it later.

There have been rumours that the people who have been bitten or attacked at the hospital, died and made a miraculous recovery only to attack the next person. Sounds like it affects the brain. Listen to me talking all doctor. My diagnosis is “It fucks up your brain. Next!”

As I said, if/when I find out more, I shall keep you informed. Whoever “you” are.

07 April 2011

22:43

It's been a busy couple of days. I've found out some information that I think...well, I'm not to sure what to think about it. At first it appeared to be something quiet unbelievable, but as I read about it in the national papers, the more it became a very believable event. Remember I mentioned those idiots upstairs and their biological tamperings? Well, they had a hand in those other houses going up in flames. They own properties all over Scotland and have been using them as bio-labs. Now, I'm not doctor but, from what I've read they've been working on extending length expectancy of the average human. Only not exactly the average Joe, more accurately the average rich bastard. Any time the experiment went wrong, the house (lab) was set on fire and the evidence, in this case bodies, destroyed in the flames.

Even as I'm typing this, I'm finding it very difficult to comprehend. When they setup base upstairs, they were at their closest to prolonging life and maybe even curing death. Ha, ha, the bullshit they print in the newspapers; they'll print anything to sell a few stinking sheets of fabricated news.

22:54

Connie has just told me that Inverclyde Royal Hospital was on the news earlier. There's some sort of viral outbreak in one of the wards. Connie didn't tell me whole story because she wasn't listening too much, she had her earphones in listening to music. She only caught the end of it. Said something about seven deaths at the hospital.

It's probably some fucking junkie arsehole spreading hep-b by spitting or biting some poor sod.

I'll let you know when I find out more.

Night.

04 April 2011

23:30

Came back from work today, usual time, in for about 18:30-ish, I had a peek through the spyhole and a listen at the letterbox. It's great, you can hear people whispering when they quite obviously think that no-one can hear them. My hearing isn't great, but I've learned over the last couple of years to concentrate and pick out certain words when listening to people chat in the close.

Young police can be naïve in their attempts to be surreptitious, that works in my favour. I heard two of them discussing the find in the back-green.

There were two bodies found in what I thought was an allotment (more fool me), one was the body of the young banker who went missing early March. He had a lot of scarring on his head (which had been shaved) and signs of surgery on his torso were evident with accompanied by fresh stitching; roughly 200 stitches from his neck to his navel. Young enthusiastic police and their loud voices of pseudo authority. I didn't hear so much about the other body but enough to know that it was covered in bite marks. This was pretty disturbing stuff to listen to but it's what I think I heard, the second body had most of its face missing and it appeared to have been eaten off. Bitten, chewed by someone or something.

I feel a bit uneasy now. I'm going to go to bed now. Early for work again, tomorrow.

I'm finding out little bits of information at a time, each little bit contributes to a larger more horrible story. Nah, just my over-active imagination doing overtime again. Night.

02 April 2011

23:53

I went down to the post office nice and early to get the papers to see if there was anything about what's going on in the close. Typical shitty local paper, there was only a little column about it. They said that there had been a body found in one of the flats. Nothing to do with the old hag or my neighbours next door. I asked Murdo if he had any more information about what had happened, and I tried my damnedest to listen, really I did, but I don't know what he's been reading. I think he's been experimenting with ecstasy or something. He told me that...right hold on to your pants because this is crazy, the old lady that killed Lucinda, killed her by tearing off her face. Murdo said that she actually eating part of Lucind's brain. I think that's mental, he needs to get out more. And, apparently Lucinda saw the old “thing” down her daughter, Sue, with one sing horrible bite to her neck. Murdo's words were “she didn't stand a chance!” He's such a drama queen. She was probably just a knife maniac. Did I say she was “just a knife maniac?” What other explanation is there for what went on in flat 4? Anyway, Murdo went off into another direction with his ramblings and I decided to get myself up home whilst I still had the will to live. Honestly, no harm to him, it's only that I have a very short attention spa.....

23:55

Had a look out the spyhole and a policeman is standing very still outside the flat next door. There's still tape over the door, just like CSI whatever.

Tomorrow I'll see if I can find out what happened to that old lady and what's going on with those fuckwits upstairs.

Night.

01 April 2011

22:53

Day off work today. Connie was at work so I had the day to myself. I went down to ask Murdo (flat 2) if he knew anything about what happened upstairs. He said that a large box was carried out of the close yesterday when I was at work. I'm trying to remember everything he said because he speaks quite low and fast so you have to lean forward without looking as if you're going to kiss him. From what little I heard and understood it seems the old woman from flat 5 had made her way down to flat 4 (across the landing from me) and knocked on the door. Lucinda, was in with her two children and wasn't too keen on letting her in, but eventually the old lady persuaded her with all her coughing and wheezing. What threat could an old lady pose? Peter, the husband returned from work around 16.15. As soon as he entered the flat he heard one of the children (his 6 year old son, Sam) scream “daddy”. The boy ran from the kitchen into the hall and into his dad's arms. Peter went into the lounge, screamed and vomited. On the floor was the decimated body of his 5 year old daughter. The top of her head missing. Holding onto the girl's arm was Lucinda, or what used to be Lucinda, and squatting over the body was the old lady.

I don't know how Murdo knows all this but I have my doubts. He can be a bit Jackanory at times, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, apparently the old bag (don't know why I called her a lady) ran at Peter attacking him. She bit him in a few places.

Murdo got very quiet and I didn't hear much else of what he said but, apparently, Peter called the police and an ambulance after escaping the flat.

Once Murdo finished talking, I tried my best to hide the confused expression on my face. I simply squinted my face a bit, nodded, shook my head, said “I know. Terrible.” then left

23:51

I may brave it tomorrow or the day after and ask Murdo more questions. It shouldn't take him long to find out. It feels strangely secure/safe with the police guarding the close. It's eerie though. I don't like the circumstances surrounding their presence. What the hell is going on!?

Time for a sleep. I was thinking of ditching this journal, but things seem to be getting interesting. I'll try to maintain it as best and as regular as I can.

Night.