No

For a moment you halt startled, as if you were expecting someone to be behind the door. Then, you rush down the stairs and stop to catch your breath. You're shocked, incredulous about this whole thing. This is so absurd, so unbelievable, it's like to be into a horror movie.

"What-what do I do now? M-Mom!" You turn to look at your house, instinct would take you back there. Instead, you frantically search for your phone and digit your dad's office number while you direct to your car in quick steps.

-Come on, come on, pick up... dad!-.

-Emily? What's up?-.

-Dad, it's, it's Mom, she is, she says...-.

-Emily, calm down!- You hear him moving in her seat, worried about your tone: -Did something happen to your mother?-.

-Yes, no, I-I don't know! I mean...- You answer in frustration, how can you explain to him something you firstly don't understand?

-She says she's sick, and that it's contagious, and that we must go away!-.

-...Ok, is she with you? Can I talk to her?-.

-No!- You curse yourself, as you perceive his disoriented breathing. He's not understanding, you're just confusing him. You take a deep breath and try again.

-She says that aunt Jess has passed to her some, some virus I think, and now she's dangerous! Dad, I don't know what to do!-.

-Listen, I'm going home now and we'll try to figure it out, okay? Don't move, I'll be there in a minute.-.

-What? No, no!- You panic: -She says we must go away!-.

But you constate in horror that it's too late: he has already rung off. What have you done? It's the opposite of what you wanted! Or-or maybe not, maybe he'll come and solve this thing, he's your dad he always knows what to do. You're still watching mesmerizing your phone when a voice calls you from behind.

-Emily? Darling, what's up?-.

You turn around and see your grandmother leaving her house, looking at you with a frown. Oh, thank God she's there, at least she'll listen to you!

But then you notice something odd in her eyes, like she's eagerly checking something with you. She's not simply concerned, she's...

"Oh God. Oh God, it has got her too.".

No, no, calm down, you can't know that, you're just overreacting. She's only your grandma Caroline, the woman you're more attached to after your mother, she can't be, you mean, she can't! Though... Mom said to call your father, right? Why didn't she talk about her own mom? And her look: there's definitely something strange with it, something alien. Plus, maybe it's just your impression, but she is wearing clothes that are too tight for her tastes, she herself seems rejuvenated by a few years.

-Was your dad on the phone? Sweetie, you're pale, come inside.-.

As she takes a step toward you, you withdraw in response.

-Y-Yes he was, but it's nothing, I swear. I, I forgot my laptop at my friend's house, I have to go now.- You press the button on your key fob and the gate begins to open. You try to get in the car, but your grandmother's voice stops you again.

-You don't look like driving. Emily, come here little angel, tell granny what's the problem...- That's not the sweet tone you're used to, it just sounds like it; but you know, you feel that it's fake.

The woman who is not your grandmother gets closer again.

You throw away the act and jump in the car, you turn the key, hit the gas and drive away, barely passing through the gate which is still opening. Your heart is exploding in your chest. Through the rearview mirror, you check that she isn't following you.

This is madness. She? Your grandmother? It's impossible, you know her for life, she would never hurt you. Now she will be thinking that you are insane, she will be worrying so much, you're making her feel terrible.

"I-I want to go home... no, Mom is counting on me! Whatever it is, I must find a way to, to beat it!".

But what can you do? How can you fight something you don't know at all?

Meanwhile, you are turning several times with the car, and you're entering an area of ​​the city that you do not usually frequent. You're not even sure you'll end up somewhere. You can't win, you can't do anything!!!

"No, no, keep calm Emily. Focus. What do you know? What did Mom say?".

Your mind, which you are training in analytical thinking to study medicine, gets to work. A disease, an illness that makes people behave strangely; like... a decompensation of hormones maybe. You've heard of **** that can manipulate emotions, maybe there are viruses too, or bacterias. It's possible.

"She wasn't just behaving oddly... she wanted to... to..." The thought is so disgusting you can't even formulate it, but the tone in her voice was unequivocal. S-Sexual hormones then. But if it's an epidemy, who else could have been infected? Aunt Jessica, and probably your cousins too. And now you've sent your dad to the same fate!

"Dad... wait, Mom was working with him, then she must have some kind of assurance that he wasn't infected yet. Right? But how? How could she?".

Then it hits you, so hard that you have to brake in the middle of the street.

Could it be... it's a gamble, but what if it only infects women? That would be coherent with what you know: your Mom, your Aunt, your Grandma... you.

The horns of the cars behind yours **** you to restart the engine.

"No, no, I'm speculating too much. I need more info.".

"...I can't do this alone. But I don't know who to trust! It has taken my family!".

Your friends are your first thought. If it started at Jess's house, they should be still safe. Probably. But what if they aren't? No, they must be, at least the ones you saw during lessons; you mean, it's just a virus, it can't be enough intelligent to have a strategy, it's not a sentient hunter! Or... or maybe it is? Is it really a virus or something more evolved? And even if they are still healthy, can you really drag them into all of this? Swoop into their house and say their lives are in danger? And with what evidence?

Then another idea. What if you try to approach your aunt's family? It would be risky, perhaps even insane; but you would probably find out more. And if the females' theory is correct, you could try your cousin Tom. He must know something. And if things go wrong, you'll run away as fast as you can. It could work, with Caroline it worked.

Finally, maybe, maybe you shouldn't involve anyone. You should run, retreat, hide, call it how you like. Maybe it's just too big for you, or maybe you just have to take a step back and reorganize. You look outside the window, you're almost exiting the city's borders. You could just carry on as long as the gas allows you.