The Unstoppable Epidemic

June 27, 1935
Hey, it’s me, Matthew. Today is the start of my research on Yellow Fever. Mosquitoes are buzzing around everywhere! It’s almost impossible to go outside and not get bitten. Sure, South America always has mosquitoes buzzing about, but it just amazes me how many there are! There are swarms everywhere! Let’s just hope and pray that I don’t get bitten by a mosquito that carries the epidemic.
July 1, 1935
My part of the work over these four days have been to just collect mosquitoes in jars. One of the easiest jobs, but I know how dangerous it actually is. If one of these insects bites me, and it carries the bacteria, I’m done for. There isn’t a way to prevent it yet, and that’s what we’re trying to figure out. I still pray that neither my colleagues or I get bitten by a carrier.
July 15, 1935
I’m still collecting mosquitoes, but yesterday, I got bit. I only have but a small fever and a splitting headache at the moment, but I’m stuck in the infirmary. Fever and headaches are just the beginning of Yellow Fever. I don’t have any other sign of the virus, but I’m almost a hundred percent sure that they will come.
July 17, 1935
No. No. No. No. No. I’ve contracted the virus. God, how was I so stupid to not notice that skin was showing while I was working? My skin is now yellowed, along with the whites of my eyes. I’ve also begun to vomit black blood. I’m delirious. I’m hallucinating a lot.
In the corner of my room, I always see this figure. She seems to have the same symptoms as me. Her eyes are completely yellow, blood is always dripping from her mouth onto her white shirt, and she’s always moaning in pain in a raspy voice, as if she’s having a lot of pain in her muscles. The only thing that’s different from us is that she has a jagged, monstrous mouth. When she moans or speaks, her voice sort of hurts my ears.
But I have one question: why isn’t anyone tending to her?
July 20, 1935
Death is certain for me now. I’m going to die soon. Symptoms have gotten much, MUCH worse for me. The woman who stands in the corner has come over to me a couple times, smiling, and stroking me. She just started doing it yesterday. How could she stand, let alone walk with agonizing pain? I don’t understand. I have the same pain as her, but I can’t hardly stand. She also whispers to me sometimes.
“This’ll all be over soon,” she’ll say, stroking my chin. That’s about all she says though. I have tried telling the nurses about this person, but they say that there wasn’t a woman in the corner, when clearly, there was a person there. I know I’m not hallucinating anymore. She’s there, clear as day. I thought I was hallucinating just a few days ago, but each minute she was there, just staring at me, I knew that she was there. She is no hallucination. Nobody is tending to her. Do they not care about her as much as I?
July 22, 1935
The doctors say that today is going to be my death. They haven’t told me personally, but I hear them talking in the other room, debating whether to tell me or not.
The woman came over to my bedside this morning. She sat on the end of my bed and started to speak with me. What a lovely conversation.
“Matthew, I know you, but do you know who I am?” she asked me.
“No, I have been wondering that for a while now, but the doctors here would think I was even more mad if I would’ve talked to you. But now that today is going to be my death, it doesn’t matter now,” I replied. “How do you know me?”
“I am Flavvirus. I know you because the doctors constantly talk about you. They were worried, but now, they know you’re going to die,”
“Flavvirus… that’s a nice name. But- isn’t that the name of the bacteria that causes Yellow Fever?” I asked. Then, the conversation was not lovely anymore.
“Yes, it is. Do you know why?” I shook my head. “It’s because I caused Yellow Fever. I started it, and when one of my friends bite someone, they pass it onto others. I make my victims die a slow and painful death,”
I gasped and vomited blood even more. I didn’t want to be around Flavvirus anymore. I thought she was some sort of angel looking over me. She laughed and went back to her corner. The doctors have come in the door, in protective clothing. They just told me the news.

News report: July 23, 1935
A scientist by the name of Matthew Boston has died from Yellow Fever. He was studying in South America to find a cure for Yellow Fever. His death was last night at 5:29 pm. Keep protected from mosquitoes when going outside, or you may catch this deadly virus.