Contagion to This World
A Parallel Universe Story
by
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Heat Rises Leaving Earth with a burst of speed and a trail of dark exhaust, the Saturnian Space Agency performed what had become routine: Eight people were on their way to relieve the entire crew of a low-Earth orbit space research station. Unbeknownst to the agency’s flight surgeons or to the crew itself, a hypervirulent bacterium had hitched a ride. For one week, both crews mingled sharing food, toilets and sleeping quarters, and then the crew that had been relieved flew home for the usual six month break. This time, though, they would not be returning to the space station: A superbug as dangerous as the long-feared MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) had arrived with a healthy-looking crewmember. Zander, our very own Typhoid Mary, brought with her death in the form of a pan-resistant superinfection Salmonella typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever. “…I’ve read your reports. You’ve briefed me on-station. I relieve you,” Zander stated formerly. “I stand relieved,” Echo spoke just as formerly but was slouched in a chair, and then she clicked-off comms to Earth. “Now,” she whooped, “let’s get this party started.”
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Heat Rises
Leaving Earth with a burst of speed and a trail of dark exhaust, the Saturnian Space Agency performed what had become routine: Eight people were on their way to relieve the entire crew of a low- Earth orbit space research station.
Unbeknownst to the agency’s flight surgeons or to the crew itself, a hypervirulent bacterium had hitched a ride. For one week, both crews mingled and then the crew that had been relieved flew home for the usual six month break.
This time, though, they would not be returning to the space station. A superbug had arrived with a healthy-looking crewmember.
Zander, our very own Typhoid Mary, brought with her death in the form of a pan-resistant superinfection Salmonella typhi, the bacterium that causes typhoid fever.
“…I’ve read your reports. You’ve briefed me on-station. I relieve you,” Zander stated formally.
“I stand relieved,” Echo spoke just as formally but was slouched in a chair, and then she clicked-off comms to Earth.
“Now,” she whooped, “let’s get this party started!”
About the Author
Julie McCulloch Burton
is a proud US Navy veteran, an ARAMCO Brat, a Grier School alumnus, a Whatcom Community College alumnus (graduated with honors), a patented inventor, an award-winning baker, an award-winning photographer, and an Editor’s Choice-nominated non-fiction writer. Ms. Burton has traveled to twenty countries, and just as many States. She has multiple sclerosis, and lives in beautiful Bellingham, Washington with her beloved husband of sixteen years, Paulie.“Contagion to this World” is Ms. Burton’s first science-fiction novel. It, along with first two books, “Mediocre – Making Fun of Life,” and “Pen to Paper – Making Fun of Life,” are available in hardcover, paperback and all eBook formats.
Find her at Facebook.com/MakingFunOfLife, Facebook.com/ContagionToThisWorld, and LandfillMiners.com.