HUM by Dan Hawley (book club reads .TXT) 📗

“The new normal,” they called it.

Jason didn’t like that term much.

“These idiots don’t realize we are already pretty well controlled. Hell, we all have a number assigned to us. The government knows where you live, what you do. Google knows what you look at, and even what gets you off. Anti-vaxxers talking about the government injecting you with whatever. If the government wants something in you, they’ll just put it in your damn drinking water! I don’t get it. People don’t believe that there could be a simple explanation for things: A damn flu virus mutated and is killing a bunch of people, and our dumbass civilization is having a hard time stopping it. Why is that so hard to believe?”

Jason’s voice grew raised and hot. His already short temper had been whittled down to a nub over the past few months. Samantha put her hand on his thigh and squeezed softly.

“It’s ok, Jay; those dummies can go and breathe on each other all day, get sick, then realize that maybe a mask isn’t such a bad thing after all.”

Jason took a breath.

“Yeah, you’re right. Let Darwin take care of it.”

CHAPTER 10

Jason’s eyes slowly opened. The bedroom was bright. A good way to start off the week, he thought. His eyelids were heavy and burned his eyes when he blinked.

Did I sleep at all? he wondered, trying to figure how many hours he may have slept. Not enough, was usually the answer lately. The weekend felt unreal and distant as he focused on his job and the tasks that he needed to complete. Jason pulled the comforter off himself and sat up on the edge of the bed. He habitually reached for his phone as he stretched out his body.

Nothing there.

He looked over, and once again, the tabletop was clear, except for the lamp that stood lonely in the corner. He sighed and opened the drawer. Inside it was everything that he had left on the bedside table when he turned out the light last night. Jason stared blankly at the contents of the drawer for a moment, knowing that this was the fourth or fifth time this had happened since they moved in.

The new normal, he thought.

“I’m fucking losing it,” he said as he removed his belongings from the drawer and closed it.

“What’s that?” Sam said as she entered the room.

She went to her dresser and pulled out some clothes. Jason looked over at her and said, “Nothing, just talking to myself.”

No need to bring it up again, no need to add more worry.

Jason watched Samantha strip off her robe and hang it on the back of the bedroom door. He watched her half-naked body as she walked back over to the dresser where her clothes lay on top. She pulled on her black tights and flipped a loose, grey sweater over her head.

“But you aren’t even sleeping,” she said sarcastically. “Very funny,” Jason shot back, painfully reminded twice now that his sleep problems seemed to be getting worse.

Samantha had been letting Jason know with increasing frequency that he had been talking in his sleep until about a month ago. Then she had stopped, and this was the first time she had mentioned it in a while. Not because he hadn’t been doing it.

The new normal, he thought again.

“I’m headed out to the store to grab a few things; do you need anything?” Sam asked.

She walked over to Jason and ran her fingers through his hair as he sat shirtless on the bed. He looked up at her.

“I don’t think so, thanks though.”

Samantha bent down and planted a kiss on Jason’s cheek.

“Ok,” she said, “I’ll see you in a bit.”

* * *

It took twice as long as it used to do anything now, Samantha thought. She set her bags down in the hallway and locked the door behind her. Lines everywhere, as stores only let a few people in at a time. You had to sanitize and put on a mask. Then sanitize some more. Her hands had become dry and cracked from the rubbing alcohol. You had to consider things never considered before, like; should you get another package of TP even though you just got one? Or should I get some canned fruit, you know, in case Armageddon happens, and we’ll need vitamin C to stave off the scurvy?

She removed her jacket and shoes and brought the bags to the kitchen, where she set them back down on the floor. She grabbed the container of antiseptic wipes from under the sink and began the ritual of wiping down the groceries; cream for the coffee, the egg carton, and a small bag of oats. There were also some cosmetic items, including a new mascara and lip balm. She spent a small fortune on shampoo since her hair was so long and thick.

Samantha threw the used wipe into the garbage with the plastic grocery bags. She felt guilty about that, but stores wouldn’t allow people to bring their own bags from home right now. Such a waste, she thought. She placed the groceries in the cupboards, grabbed her cosmetics and shampoo, and headed for the bathroom. She paused briefly outside the closed door to the office.

Silence.

There was no clicking of the keyboard, no phone call or video chat, just silence.

Lately, Samantha had noticed long stretches of silence behind that door, getting longer and longer with each passing day. One day last week, maybe Wednesday, she thought, Sam didn’t hear anything from the room once, all day. She hasn’t dared ask Jason about it, though. He had been so stressed lately and on edge. The slightest thing could set him off. The past weekend was supposed to be a break from this. To help him relax and feel better. She had planned an escape from the confines of the small apartment so they could breathe and regain some of their vitality. That plan was bashed to hell when they found that hiker