Epidemics on the other side of the world are a threat to us all. No epidemic is just local. ~ Peter Piot

          Ben lifted his body away from Charmin's limp figure--she had face-planted into her ramen noodles when she fell into unconsciousness from the stroke. He was often blamed for people's misfortune. Although he knew it wasn't his fault that half the cafeteria had a mutual stroke, he couldn't help but back out of the line of contact.

          Donella stared at the back of her sister's head before a medical assistant rushed over to give life support. Medical examiners had been swarming through the cafeteria within half a minute after the action--being they were always on guard. Through the crying and voices, Ben heard his monitor's beeping picking up speed. Donella listened to it foggily--her mind still floated over her sister's stroke--and pointed at his arm. "You have something under there." She said lowly.

          His heart rate had nearly quadrupled--yellow zone--and was now lowering back to safety levels. Donella stepped back as a Medical Examiner walked up to get Charmin. Bennet stared with his mouth ajar as the Examiner--with the help of others--lifted Donella's sister onto a stretcher and loaded her onto a cart. This was happening with all the other children that had stroked as well.

          America was the second continent to experience something similar. Two weeks before Africa had a continent-wide Stroke Epidemic. In America it was only Ohio and half of Michigan which were experiencing this 'Stroke Epidemic'. Back in 2056 a Stroke Epidemic hit in Texas but everyone naturally got better. No-one knew what had happened in the few weeks that birthed the Epidemic, just that it was gone.

         All the children that didn't stroke were being kept under quarantine in the school building. The mental children weren't taking the situation lightly and Bennett was sitting on a random bench watching a few of them rant. Most of their protests were deep gibberish but some of the more sane ones spoke actual words.

         "Scary isn't it." Donella had sat next to him. He was still trying to figure out why she was so friendly towards him, most people had to take one deep look to see his awkwardness--most already knew about him from medical news. "I wonder if they know what they are saying. In their own minds, I mean."

          Bennett opened his mouth to respond and a low whirling sound came out. Donella looked at him weird. He tapped his throat a few times before his bio-mechanical vocal cords started working. "Maybe." He thought about asking of her sister but thought better of it since she wasn't permitted to see her and probably didn't know. "I know the more sane ones do."

          Donella giggled, "And you would know that how?"

          "I have a heavily autistic friend."

          She nudged him playfully. "How come I didn't know this?"

          "I've known you for less than 12 hours and only spoken to you four times--Oh, there's my parents."

          Bennett got up, happy he didn't have to explain Douglas. His mom and dad were walking towards him in hazmat suits with the masks down. One of the teachers jogged through their path and pulled their masks down for them, now they just looked like all the other parents' that came to see their children. Ben saw Donella walking over to an interracial couple who were pulling down their masks and then she was lost in the sea of white hazmat suits. His parents hugged him lightly, careful not to hurt him.

          "How's the new body?" His dad asked.

          "My heart skipped a few beats earlier, vocal cords paused." He assessed, "Other than that, great!"

          "Is she your new friend?" His mom asked, nodding towards the way Donella had disappeared.

          He shrugged, "I guess."

          His mom hugged him again suddenly. "I am so glad you're okay. When they said a lot of the school stroked, I couldn't stop thinking of you."

          "My immune system is encased in metal." he laughed then straightened his face, "What about outside. Are people getting strokes out there?"

          "Of course, but there is more down on this end of the city."

          "Have you seen Douglas?" Bennett asked quickly.

          If so many people were Stroking he would assume that Douglas--one of the sickest people alive--would be too. He didn't want to think in that mindset but that was the first thing that he though when his father said 'down on this end of the city.' Douglas stayed in the Medical Center down on this end of the city.

          "N--" Before his father could finish he began to shake violently.

          His mom screamed as he hit the floor. Some of the doctors standing to the side of the hallway took action and pushed through he crowd towards the stroking man. Bennett stepped back and surrendered to reality. His father just stroked, it seemed he was on a bad luck streak. If he was lucky enough, Douglas was okay. He always was in constant fear of the day someone close to him might die, especially Douglas who was so sick.

          His mom was holding his head in her arms. "Your father's going to be okay." she assured.

          A few more parents dropped and even a few of the teachers. The parents were hustled out and the hallway was once again identifiable without the flowing of hazmat suit adorned parents flowing through.

          All the children looked around, confused as they were pushed onto the transport pad. The top materialized around them using some sort of nanotechnology. Bennett looked around for a familiar face but was treated to a bunch of unorderly children using crutches or sitting in wheelchairs. Either he was in the wrong unit or they now rated him with a 6th level disability. Usually he would be classified with the 4th of 5th levels of the disabled, where everyone were either limping or constantly massaging an extra twist part of their body, people like Donella.

          He squeezed himself to the back of the transport pad and leaned against the solid containment walls. They reflected a yellow shine that allowed you to see out or clearly view your own reflection. They were just above the ground cars and were entering the traffic of the atmospheric highway.

          "Can everyone calm down?" Someone was on the PA system. After multiple times of repeating this the crowd began to settle. "I understand you are confused and scared. The recent events have been somewhat," The man's voice paused, looking for the right word, "traumatic. You have watched friends and family members drop to the dreaded Stroke Syndrome of the Stroke Epidemic. I can assure you that we are doing everything we can to keep you safe and healthy. We are taking you to a section of land, quarantined for your safety."

          The voices of the children rose and the illumination flickered and shut off then back on to get their attention. "We will hold you there until further ado, thank you."

          The area of land was more like a boarding school. It had the main building and the dormitory building. Their were double of each building, one for the mentally dysfunctional and one for the physically disabled. The buildings were 2020 style, made of brick and mortar and riddled with scars. Old cars were ven still parked in the lot. The inside was stunning though, it was designed with the most sterile and modern materials and was clearly taken good care of.

          Bennett looked for a familiar face and through the wash of people he saw his wheelchair-bound friend and faintly saw Donella but paid no attention to her as he pushed through the crowd to get to his friend. Douglas noticed him and his wheelchair started moving towards Bennett. He put up his hand and Douglas stopped the wheelchair.

          "Why are you with us? You've got..." Bennett trailed off and waved his fingers around him temple.

          "Ru...de." Douglas pouted, "Got...lost."

          "How'd you get lost?"

          "Douglas?" His usual nurse was searching for him.

          "You ran away from her?" Bennett chuckled.

          "Booor...ing." Douglas pouted.

          Douglas was known at his medical center for putting up a chase with his wheelchair. Being that it was connected to his brain he could make it go as fast or slow as he liked. He had become adept at weaving through tight places and evading people whilst going fast.

          "This isn't a joke. There is protocol Doug."

          The nurse shook her head as she saw her patient speaking with his friend and walked over. "Let's go Douglas. Sorry Bennett." She apologized.

          She grabbed the handles of his wheelchair and he moved it forward simultaneously and she tripped. Douglas laughed choppily.

          "Sorry, but is he going to be with the mentally disordered children?" Bennett asked the rumpled nurse.

          "Yes." She answered quickly then disconnected the wire that connected Douglas' brain to the controls and rolled him away.

          The rooms were crowded, with three people to a room. There were approximately 15,000 people altogether staying there. They called the section of land the 'Section'. There was a special housing where the mentals and physicals could meet if they had friends from the other section, it was also where they saw visitors.

          For the first few weeks they got everyone settled in and by the fourth week children were beginning to be called in to be tested. Eight more children within the Section stroked and were immediately tended to.

          "Doug...las wants...to...gooo...ho-me." Douglas mused.

          He and Ben were sitting, facing each other, with a panel of glass separating them. It was new safety so that any possibly infected children didn't pass it on. The scientists were gathering everyone's blood for testing and making sure no children come in contact with each other. Everything was becoming rearranged and outside visitors were now banned.

         "I know."

         "Doc-tors inject... stuff." Douglas said.

         "Into you?"

          The twisted boy did his best to nod at his friend.

          "Anyone else."

          "Doug-las dus not kno-ow."

          "When?" Bennett was beginning to worry.

          "Che-ck uUp tiiime."

          Bennett's check up was due tomorrow. No-one said anything about injections. He assumed he couldn't get any because he was metal but they could inject it straight into his bloodstream but that would include removing part of his bio-mechanic body and he didn't trust these people with his body.

          "One minute!" Bennett got up and Douglas weakly called after him.

          Bennett carefully ran out of the secluded room and into the open field where the doctors were transporting children. One of them grabbed him and pushed him back into the room. He quickly checked his heart rate as the man started telling him about the danger he may have put multiple children into.

          Douglas was still at the other window, he was using his wheelchair to bump into the wall in front of him and Bennett put up a hand for him to stop, he continued to do it as Ben turned his attention back to the doctor.

          "I can't have injections." He said.

          The man paused, "Why not?"

          Bennett lifted his shirt to expose his silver tinted body, "I'm fake!" He said.

          "We know how to handle you. You'll be fine!"

          "I want my parents." He demanded.

          The doctor turned as Douglas' thumping became more persistent. He stuck his head out of the door and made some hand motions. A few minutes later Douglas' nurse came and transported him.

          "I wasn't done talking to him!" Ben said harshly.

          "You'll be fine, you just need a good night's rest to clear your mind. Two days."

          "But why? Aren't injections what started this mess?"

          The man didn't answer he just put a hand on Bennett's back and steered him to his hazmat suit. The man helped him into it and walked him to the dormitory housing. As they passed two different doctors seized and fell. The man continued walked gingerly and turned Ben's head away. "This is why we do what we do." He whispered.