Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4 - 7 2018 | Page 223

trained and could win any case. Undoubtedly then, they could make themselves seem innocent by saying a
few deceiving and manipulative words. Additionally, if the company found out he revealed their secrets,
they would make his life miserable. He also couldn’t find another job that matched his studies and interests,
since all the pharmaceutical companies in the nearby countries were destroyed during the war, and no state
had the financial ability to re-open them. Mark had no choice but to continue with Healthcare Pharmacy.
The study of the mutation of the influenza bacteria started the next day. Under threats from the manager
and the chief, Mark was forced to contribute his ideas despite his hatred of the task. His conscience,
surprisingly, ached less and less each time he did, because the idea of a larger profit began to appeal to him
slightly. Perhaps he could lead a better life with his money – buy a larger house or even purchase a car...
After a few days, Mark modelled the virus and twisted certain organelles to prevent the virus from being
killed by any other forms of medicine. After submitting the paper to the manager, who was greatly pleased
with his work, he was accepting of this plan, and even began looking forward to his pay check. His
conscience no longer reprimanded him for his participation in such a cruel endeavor when he thought of his
own benefits.
Finally, the virus was ready to be deployed in the devastated war zone. Mark, Johansson, and the chief
executive boarded the company’s private plane and flew to their destination, vials of the influenza bacteria
readily stored in the freezer.
Groups of survivors lived in the devastated villages huddling in groups. Seeing Mark, the children’s
emaciated faces turned to him, their eyes pleading for consolation, for updates on where their fathers went,
for any form of news. Tear tracks ran down their uncleaned grimy faces, and the mothers instinctively pulled
their children closer to themselves – the war had destroyed their sense of trust towards others. Mark flashed
back to his memories of being Monkey King, painfully aware that back in his previous life, he would have
been the rescuers of these children and their broken families, and would have risked everything to
ameliorate the effects of the war. The company had altered his entire legacy and his personality so quickly,
simply by exploiting his fatal flaw of greed. His desire for more wealth and power outweighed his concern
for those that don’t affect him.
The chief and the manager resolutely poured the vials into their water supply and their food supply, and
returned hastily to their jets before anyone could spot them. Sensing Mark’s hesitance, they reminded him of
the huge growth in income this act would bring, which provided enough incentive for Mark and he swiftly
poured his vial of virus and contaminated the living areas.
In the course of three days, multiple people began experiencing the symptoms of the influenza and it spread
quickly. The desperate survivors piled their small savings together to afford minimal cures for themselves and
their children. When the medicine they bought didn’t cure the symptoms entirely, they had no choice but
to continuously consume it to alleviate their symptoms for a while. After running out of their savings, the
helpless women and children were forced to find labor to pay for the medication. The Healthcare Ph