The cable roll is heavier than usual.

Tony drops it with a thud and puts a hand to his forehead. It's boiling hot.

Not good!

"Get a move on, Tony! I haven't got all day!" Derek, Tony's workmate, pokes him in the back.

Tony usually works with Pete, but he's been with Derek before and likes the guy.

"Shut up, man! I think I'm running a fever." Tony's shoulders droop.

"Well, when you're done with that, maybe you can start running up the stairs with the gear so that I'll make it to my hot date tonight!"

Tony pivots at Derek's rather uncaring words with a smile. "Hot date?"

"Tinder Lady has finally agreed to meet me. If she's half as beautiful as her profile picture, I'll marry her tonight."

"Even if she's twice as beautiful as the last two Tinder Ladies, you'll be the one running – for the hills." Tony can't help but laugh. Derek's disaster dates are legendary in the firm but the guy is the biggest optimist Tony has ever met.

Chuckling, Tony grabs the cable and hauls the roll up the last two flights of stairs and opens the door to the empty flat.

Dust attacks him and tickles his throat. He stops, drops the cable a second time and coughs. Derek ploughs into him.

"What now, Tony?" Derek sounds annoyed now.

"I've got a cough now, Derek!" Tony swallows and tastes blood.

Not good!

"My date, Tony! Blonde, leggy and a heart-shaped mole on her right cheek. Now move it!"

Tony grins. "She left a cheek mole on her pic? She's either too dumb to use Photoshop or she thought she'd better leave the mole after erasing a drooping eyelid and crooked teeth."

Tony lifts the cable and enters the flat.

Derek makes a beeline for the kettle.

"Let's get a cuppa brewing before we turn the electricity off." Derek can't function without his morning drug. He breathes in. "Don't you just love the smell of English breakfast tea?"

Tony sniffs.

"I can't smell anything, Derek. Oh my god, I'd better phone the boss. And the hospital. My lungs are tight, too. And you just heard me cough, didn't you? I mean, yes, statistically people who've had the jab have a significantly lower risk of dying but it's still possible. And I told you that I felt weak, didn't I?"

Derek rummages in his bag, concern now written all over his face. He pulls out a plastic container. Bacon butties. His wife is his hero. He doesn't normally share with anybody on the few occasions when she's on holiday and makes him her delicious lunch packet full of calories and cholesterol.

"Have a bite!" he instructs, but Tony shakes his head.

"Can't! I need to sit down." He sinks to the floor before Derek can catch him.

"Pete's infected me! I knew I'd catch it and end up on a respirator!" Tony whimpers. "Think I'll call an ambulance." He whips out his phone and is about to dial when a text message comes in.

From Pete.

PCR test negative. Sorry for the scare!

Disaster averted.

Tony looks up at Derek, colour returning to his cheeks.

He jumps up off the floor like a gazelle.

"On second thought, I feel much better now."

Faster than lightning he grabs Derek's bacon butty and sinks his teeth in.

"Thanks, man. This is bloody delicious."

Derek's jaw drops to the very spot Tony just got up from.