[ WP ] The CDC is struggling to contain a new virus that shares many symptoms with the common cold , as well as causing sporadic loss of short term memory .

`` ***ACHOOOOO!! ***'' 
 
 Woken up by my nose, head throbbing, and the all too familiar feeling of my throat being filleted by a butcher knife. 
 
 Yes, I'm definitely sick. 
 
 I sit up from the couch and I'm overtaken with the feeling of thirst. I notice on the table in front of me a few cups of half-drunk water, but I do n't remember which one's mine so I make my way to the kitchen to get a new cup. 
 
 My house is a fucking mess. Not the kind of mess you see after having a house party, but the kind of mess that can only happen after months of neglect. I really need to take out the vacuum, and give this place a good clean... but not right now, right now I need water. 
 
 I get to the kitchen, and look for a glass. I can only find one that is clean enough to use. This is very unlike me. I'm normally on top of my dirty dishes, but my head hurts too much to really give this any thought, and there's no way I can focus enough to clean with this constant headache. 
 
 I grab the glass and force it under the tap, filling it to the brink. I chug back the water inside, and fill up the glass again. I'm just so thirsty, my mouth feels like the Sahara Desert! Once I finish my second glass of water, I fill it up for the third time, and take another sip. I look up at the ceiling and scowl, as if to god for making me feel this way. Then the thought crosses my mind, Terry. 
 
 My golden retriever. He must be starving! I ca n't remember the last time I fed him! I finish the rest of the water, and grab the bag of dog kibble from under the sink. I go to pour the food in his dish, but it's full. He has n't eaten any of it. It does n't look like it's been touched in days. 
 
 `` *Terry! *'' I call. *'' Come here boy! Come get your food! `` * 
 
 I cough hard into my arm, and look around in bewilderment as my eyes water from the force of the cough. Nothing. He's not coming. 
 
 *'' Terry!! `` * I yell again. But still, nothing. 
 
 I drop the bag of dog kibble, and begin to look for my dog. I traverse the dusty halls of my house periodically calling out his name. *'' Terry! Are you there boy? Terry?!! `` * but he does n't come. As I approach my bedroom a overwhelming smell reaches my nose. It's a sweet, sickly smell that becomes more pungent with every step closer to my bedroom. I turn the corner into my room and see the lifeless body of Terry staring back at me. I run to him, and grab him in my arms.His golden hair is matted and cold. His tongue has slipped out of his mouth, and his body has begun to decompose. He looks to have been there for at least a week. The smell is so overpowering I drop Terry to the ground, and violently vomit beside me. 
 
 As I get up, I notice more vomit stains on the carpet. Similar in size, and colour to the vomit I just produced. What is going on? What is happening here? How long have I been out on that couch. The headache is getting worse now. I stumble out of my room, bumping into the walls of the hallway as I make my way to the living room. 
 
 I grab the television remote, and turn it on. Most of the channel's are out. A lot of them are playing the emergency broadcast signal. What has happened? I frantically click through the channels but it's becoming harder, and harder to focus. I finally reach a channel playing an emergency news bulletin. I ca n't really narrow in on what it's saying as my headache has reached critical proportions. 
 
 *'' Forget-me Knot Virus....CDC urges you stay inside.....Short-term memory loss.....**DO NOT operate a vehicle*'' 
 
 I'm on my knees throttling the TV trying to make sense of what I'm hearing. Have I become infected with this virus they're talking about? Have I lost my short term memory? How long have I been ill for? How many times have I had to relive the death of my dog? Will I get better? I need to lay down. I need to lay down and give this some more thought. If I just close my eyes for a bit, I can maybe get rid of this headache. 
 
 I get up from the floor, and lay down on my couch. I stare up at the ceiling then close my eyes. This will all be better soon... 
 
 
 `` ***ACHOOOOO!! ***'' 
 
 Woken up by my nose, head throbbing, and the all too familiar feeling of my throat being filleted by a butcher knife. 
 
 Yes, I'm definitely sick.
