Before The Year 3333

-4-

"Breaking news. We inform all people to remain alert and do not leave the house if it is not necessary. A new type of virus variant has been discovered in the Zewbow district. Where, the figure of a small child infected with the virus turns into a very scary zombie."

Hearing the news, Elissa could only watch while busy cooking wheat.

“There were no signs whatsoever, that was the testimony given by the girl's mother. The girl had looked normal since morning, only feeling a little nauseous and dizzy. Later in the afternoon, the mother went looking for her daughter's whereabouts, and she saw her daughter behind the house, digging up the grave of her beloved dog who had just died, and eating the brain. Hearing the testimony of the girl's mother, now the scientists got new jobs, and the girl was immediately quarantined for research. We hope this is the first case and it has not affected many more people. So, anyone who feels dizzy and nauseous call the emergency number immediately!”

“Ethan! Did you hear that?”

Ethan, who had just entered the house carrying a bottle full of milk from his milk this morning, frowned, luckily the headline of the news still looked real.

"What? Zombie Virus?”

"Yes, and it is said that the first patient was a little girl, she was said to have turned into a zombie because she ate the brain of her beloved dog who had just died and was buried."

"Are they crazy?" Ethan said.

He didn’t believe in zombies, he didn’t believe in Halloween, he only believed that the earth rotated and the sun will remain in its position as long as humans were not nosy. So, how come suddenly in the real world there were zombies? At the time, Ethan himself had only seen zombies in films.

“Perhaps the little girl previously had something called a disorder. And her parents just saw that, everything is possible, right, Elissa? After all, where are there zombies in this world? I really don't believe that there are zombies in this world. In my opinion, zombies are just the imagination of someone who doesn't have enough work."

“Ethan, stop being so arrogant. It's your words and attitude that make everyone annoyed with you."

"I don't care, I don't believe it until the zombie is in front of me for real."

“Ethan, did you see the news on TV?!”

Rafael ran, panting, into Ethan's house.

Ethan was silent then he nodded his head without interest.

"Congratulations, your wish has finally come true."

"What?" Ethan was shocked.

“Yeah, don't you want to be a scientist who changes the world? Now that there is a zombie virus spreading, you can use this opportunity to create a formula to restore the world, Ethan.”

“I don't even believe that the zombie virus exists.”

“If this news is fake, how could a national TV station broadcast it? Come on, what’s wrong with you now? You seem really pessimistic, Ethan.”

Ethan became silent again, there were many feelings flooding his heart. So he felt that maybe there really was a zombie virus? Even at this moment, Ethan still couldn’t believe it.

“Only one person has been infected, Rafael. So I don’t think this can be said to be right or wrong. This is certainly a consideration for me. So I think, if I want to believe it, I have to be at the scene immediately and … I’ll wait to see if tomorrow there are more people infected. If there isn’t one for a week, you can be sure that this is just a lie, and they will have to pay for everything.”

Rafael shook his head too, then he looked at Ethan’s grandmother.

“Look at your friend, his stubbornness is truly extraordinary. I don't even know what kind of person he is. Can't he be a little gentler and realize that the world is not okay?”

“Just leave it be, Elissa. Later, when Ethan wakes up and he has the enthusiasm to find the formula, I will help Ethan. This time he must succeed, Elissa. Because I will be the first person to ask for this formula so that I don't get infected with the zombie virus."

"Do you really trust Ethan that much, Rafael?"

“Yes, I really believe in Ethan, Elissa. Because for me Ethan is the most brilliant human being who has ever existed in the world. So why should I not believe him? I am so amazed and support him wholeheartedly.”

Elissa smiled when she heard Rafael's words, and in the end she nodded too.

“I’m sure you’re very proud of me too, right? But why are you so stubborn and arrogant, Elissa?”

“I just don’t want you to be arrogant. I know that you have become the personal doctor of this villager. However, once again, the formula for this zombie virus is not random, make the slightest mistake and your formula will have bad consequences, you could be jailed or otherwise you will be shot dead, Ethan. That’s my reason why I don’t want you to experience this, because after all, you are not a certified and legitimate scientist. Don’t let the grandson of a wheat farmer be imprisoned because of his too lofty dream of finding a formula to save the world. Of course that is quite impossible.”

"Actually, what Elissa said is quite reasonable, Ethan. The problem is that your educational background is inadequate, and what you are facing is not just humans that you have to heal, but the government and the law. So don't be considered to have done something illegal and then be imprisoned. You understand what I mean, right?”

 “Yes, I understand what you two mean. Thank you for being so considerate, so if I have managed to find the formula, what should I do?”

"You have to register your formula, you have to report and prove to the government that your formula is safe and can be used by humans."

"So like that?"

"Yes, I think the stages are like that, because otherwise maybe everyone would never believe you. This is my suggestion, the advice of a friend who always supports you wholeheartedly, and I really hope that your name will be written on a monument where the monument reflects your intelligence."

"Thank you, I am very honored by everything you have said, including you, Elissa."

“Stop dreaming in broad daylight, young man. Now go to the fields and help me plow the fields. Just staying here and pretending to be busy with strange things will not allow you to eat and earn a lot of money.”

Ethan and Rafael immediately ran outside hearing what Ethan’s grandfather said. However, Rafael seemed silent for a moment, swaying while covering his eyes which were dazzled by the sun.