Death Count

In a foreign country,

One monkey with a lacerated limb sits on the ground beneath the rainforest canopy.

He is no longer excited by bananas or other monkeys that poke and prod and tease him.

Two scarlet orbs glaze over as he begins to ooze mucus and congeal blood from his other orifices.

Three very curious monkeys climb down the tree to investigate, but after seeing their dead friend, run back up to tell four more monkeys.

Five weeks later,

A team of six men in orange biohazard suits arrive,

to investigate seven groups of dead monkeys.

After eight hours on a plane and nine hours of sleep,

Ten monkeys are brought back in quarantined cargo containers.

Eleven scientists and military personnel spend twelve frantic hours in the operating room.

As lucky as the number thirteen, the virus turns out to be hot.

Fourteen calls are made to the White House, the CDC, Fort Detrick, etcetera.

Fifteen news stations find out; sixteen counties in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area are immediately alarmed.

Seventeen safety procedures are drafted; but

in a foreign country,

the death toll rises,

wipes out the total population of one species of monkey,

and goes into hiding

for eighteen years.