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The Regression Virus (Part 2)
🕑 Added 2022-02-17 18:00:05 +0000 UTCPart 2 = That week was probably one of the hardest I’d ever had to endure in my 25 years. In a deep hole of denial, I spent that entire school week dreading going to bed, only to wake up in another soaked bed, with soaked pants and underwear. Then after showering had to prep myself up enough to get myself to school and teach my class of first graders; a group of kids who weren’t all that far away from potty training themselves.
The average first grader has a chance at having bedwetting issues, but only about 20% of children still wet the bed by the time they’re in first grade. Having to be there for a whole week and force myself to keep teaching children knowing that I was failing to keep my bed dry when, in theory, at least 80% of them were was a huge shot to my confidence.
Even though a small part of me knew that I needed to deal with this problem and find out what was going on, I didn’t. I didn’t want to face it and come to terms with what I thought might be happening. Best case scenario – I’ve been too stressed lately. (Which didn’t seem right.) Worst case scenario - I didn’t want to think about it.
So I avoided the problem until Friday when I got a surprise.
“Mom?” I said in confusion as I came home from work and errands that afternoon. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh hi honey, I tried to call you twice but you didn’t answer. So I just used the spare key. I needed to come over and borrow Grandma’s cookbook. Do you know where it is?” Normally I would have been overjoyed to see my Mother, but after the week I’d just had, a surprise visitor was not something I was mentally prepared for.
“Oh uhh... sure. It’s somewhere around here. Hold on.” I started searching for the cookbook, knowing I had seen it not too long ago. It didn’t take me too long to find, but when I came back, I froze.
My Mother was standing in the doorway to my bedroom and appeared to be sniffing. With a nervous hitch in my step, I got closer and she met my gaze, “Umm, sweetheart, why does it smell like pee in your room?”
SHIT
I thought to myself. Every other day I had gotten a chance to clean up before I went off to work, but today (Friday being the worst day when it came to morning responsibilities at the school.) I hadn’t gotten a chance to do anything about my... accident last night yet.
“Oh uh... heh that’s just my dirty laundry... errr... or it might be the cat next door. Don’t worry about it. Here’s the cookbook I--.”
“No, I don’t think it is darling. Do you really not smell that? Ughh, it almost smells like--.” She gasped a little as she flung the blankets off of my bed before I could stop her. She looked at me, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. “Natalie?! What is this? Did you wet the bed last night?”
I bit my lip nervously as I tried to come up with some excuse or explanation, immediately feeling like I was a child again and being scolded by her instead of the grown woman I was. “Mom... I uh... it was just uh...”
“Oh my,” My Mom said as she examined the sheets and mattress further. “This wasn’t just one time was it? There’s multiple stains here. Natalie how long has this been going on for?”
I forced myself to speak up, “Just this week Mom, but it’s not--.”
“Oh my god... the virus. What if you were exposed? Most of the country has been immunized, but there were still some cases here and there.”
“Mom, I really don’t think...”
Before I could say anything else though, she took me by the arm and started practically dragging me towards the door. “Come on. We are going to get tested. Now.”
*****
Soon enough, my whole immediate family had been taken to the doctor’s to get us officially tested for the virus. Seeing as how the majority of the virus scare had passed, it wasn’t half as difficult to get appointment as it had been a couple of weeks ago. My brothers were confused why the sudden scare, but my Mother thankfully didn’t tell them. Though I did notice her whispering to Dad and him giving me some worried glances.
My little brother tested... immune.
My older brother tested... immune.
My Dad got tested... immune... but a potential carrier...
Then I got tested and the results... Positive.
*****
About a week later, already everything had started changing. I’d been forced to quit my job. I’d said going on leave, but part of me already knew I’d never be coming back. I was in my apartment... packing my stuff to move back home. My Mom and Dad were trying to help me pack things, but I was just getting so annoyed at them. I couldn’t help it. They were trying to show me better ways to pack, like I didn’t know how to do it myself. Instead I put my headphones in and just ignored them. What did they know anyways...?
My Mom told me that from the pamphlets she’d been reading they said that at the end of the second week of the virus the victim would be reduced down to the mental age of a 16 year old. With a huff, I just tried to ignore her again, continuing to pack while I listened to my music.
______________
This story was written by Zander Chesney
You can find more of his content here :
https://zanderchesneyoriginals.tumblr.com/
