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DANNY PACED BACK AND forth after the latest newscast regarding the formula’s continuing threat. The prevalent news, however, was the lack of food; food costs had skyrocketed. “Is it possible to reverse or stop the effects? It would have to done globally, and other than a pandemic that undoes everything, I don’t know how to come up with it or know how to spread it around once we theoretically... Oh my God, Melissa you look like you’ve just been stabbed!” exclaimed Danny.
Melissa fell down on the couch and put her head between her knees.
“What is it, baby?” asked Kevin
“Is it something Danny said? I’ll kill him right now if it makes you happy. I’ll go right over there and smother him with a pillow. You just say the word. Baby, what’s going on?” Kevin asked Melissa softly putting his arm around her.
“Nice, and you said you would never let a woman come between us,” whispered Danny to Kevin as he approached Melissa and sat down next to her on the couch.
“We’ve been so stupid. Don’t you see they will stop at nothing? All these shows, all these new laws and taxes put in place. Social Security, bam! Almost gone. We had always heard that it might disappear, but instead, they pushed the collection age up to 90. Then before anyone knew it, the age you were eligible to collect became 95, then 100. They might as well as eliminate it. Of course, the IRS couldn’t stay out of this mess either. First tax breaks for couples that put off having children, then actual cash back for childless couples. Now I hear rumors that there are cash penalties for having children, and the penalties are based on how many children you have. No more Link, no more WIC, you are on your own. They weren’t even subtle about it. Just boom! Nationwide. Now they are handing out birth control pills in health classes and handing them out like Chicklets. You want to live longer, then it’s time to pay for it. Every extra mouth you add to the population, Uncle Sam has his hand out. There’s even a name for it.”
“The Malthusian Catastrophe,” said Maggie.
“Bingo,” said Melissa.
“That doesn’t sound good. The catastrophe part tipped me off. Isn’t that about too many mouths, not enough food? And the world ends soon after?”
“As usual you simplified it but essentially yes, Danny. The Malthusian Catastrophe is when the demands of a growing human population deplete the available agricultural resources, thus leading to mass starvation,” replied Melissa.
“Wow, you have so many layers to you,” said Kevin, impressed.
“Hey just cause I’m the Five-O doesn’t mean I don’t pick up a book once in a while.”
“You know what this means, don’t you?” Danny said, looking at Kevin.
“Soylent Green!” Danny and Kevin chorused as they turned and high-fived each other.
“Oh Lord please help us despite these imbecilic goofs,” Maggie muttered, looking upward toward the heavens.
“We have strayed from the point as usual. What I am trying to say is that the government or whoever the shadowy people are that are coming up with these kill as many people as possible schemes, are not going to stop at game shows. You said it, Danny” Melissa said softly.
“I said what? I say a lot of things, most of which I forget immediately after saying them,” Danny rambled, confused.
“Pandemic, Danny. You said pandemic. We had mentioned it before, sort of as an abstract idea. Like a crazy supervillain type who might try something insane. But now I believe this really may be more organized. More governmental.”
“God, you mean... a real pandemic? Oh, I don’t feel well.” Danny collapsed on the couch and curled into a fetal position, clutching a pillow to his chest.
“Well, Danny’s taking this well. Do the rest of you agree that the next step may be an extremely horrific one?” Melissa asked.
“I for one am wondering how we can make this place airtight,” said Kevin, staring at the air vents.
“Well, Melissa, you can count on me as the sane member of the team, and also the one who will actually get off the couch and do something,” said Maggie.
“Excellent, I knew I could count on you, Maggie. We just need to man up the remaining bodies in the room. What we need are people on the inside, within the government who haven’t been totally corrupted. There must be some who can see what’s coming down the road and want to stop this before it’s too late and want to put the genie back in its little bottle.”
“Melissa, honey, you’re talking in movie clichés. You’ve been hanging around the boys too long. I may have to spray you with water until the moment passes,” Maggie threatened.