Read Chapter 9: — THE CITY CLOSES

The government announcement came at 8:10 in the morning.

Public transit would be suspended in phases. Intercity rail and the airport would halt outbound passenger traffic by noon. Highways would remain open only long enough to clear existing traffic, after which checkpoints would restrict nonessential movement.

Lakeshore was closing.

Lena heard the announcement from her car while approaching the westbound expressway.

Her bags were in the trunk.

Her mother was expecting her in Kingston.

She had finished the shifts she owed.

Peter had told her to leave while she still could.

Ahead, thousands of cars waited to escape.

Then the department chat began filling her screen.

Emergency overflowing.

Fever clinic beyond capacity.

Two doctors trapped outside the city.

One nurse exposed and sent home.

Adrian: I’m heading down to triage.

Peter: Anyone available, report where you are. Do not take unnecessary risks travelling.

Lena stared at the highway entrance.

Seventeen years earlier, she had waited behind a closed door while strangers in protective suits held a city together.

She remembered disinfectant in the hall. Ambulance lights against the ceiling. Adrian’s voice from the other side of the door telling her to trust medicine even when medicine was frightened too.

Her mother called.

“Where are you?”

“Near the highway.”

“Good. Get out now.”

Lena watched another ambulance race east toward the city centre.

Something in her settled.

“Mom,” she said quietly, “I need to call you back.”

“Lena—”

“I love you.”

She ended the call, signalled left, and turned the car around.

Thousands were driving away from Lakeshore.

Lena drove back.