100 Word Challenge: Panic

I’m not sure if I should be in catastrophic panic mode, conspiracy-theory calm, or something in-between. Before, whenever I head the word “pandemic” it was something happening somewhere else, somewhere far away.

Even when reports of the Covid-19 virus started moving closer to where I live, I was paying closer attention to the news, but was essentially unconcerned. That was until the Governor issued a state emergency.

Public access to beaches closed, bars and some restaurants closed, retail stores are only open limited hours, schools are closed, grocery store shelves are empty, sporting events are cancelled, and hospitals are running short on medical supplies. The business closures are affecting my family financially and it’s a scary situation.

Every day it’s something more dire. It’s surreal. It’s like we are this ][ close to the Zombie Apocalypse.

Most days, I stay fairly close to home. I’m retired, so other than grocery runs and sometimes trips to the library (WHICH IS CLOSED UNTIL APRIL!), and small miscellaneous errands, I’m not out in public much. I was socially distant before it was cool.

Still… being told I have to self-isolate is galling. A definite first-world problem. And, if I never hear the word “quarantine” again in my lifetime, it would be too soon.

I could watch only so many history documentaries on Netflix, I had to get outside, so I took my dog for a walk around my neighborhood.

As we walked, I noticed all the spring flowers were in bloom. The sun was out, there was a cool breeze. It was nice to take a break from the building dread, if only for a little while.

“It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This week’s word is:

Panic

What to do:
Using “panic” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.