Lockdown: The Arcadia Diaries

Escape from Arcadia

Rome, Italy

June 3, 2020

Valeriana Moglia 

I'm caught off guard by the notification on my phone that someone wants to have a ZOOM session with me. I'm even more surprised when I see who it is; Isabella Joyner. The woman looks like she has just stepped out of a shower: her hair is damp and all messy. She's also wearing a white "I LOVE NYC" T-shirt.

"Where did you get the T-shirt?" I can't help but laugh at the words embroidered on it.

"Eh, a couple weeks ago," Isabella says with a shrug. "How've you been doing?"

I take a deep breath. "Not so much. I have been having therapy sessions for a while now, after everything that has transpired. I mean, it has been a year but the memories-some are still raw."

"I don't blame you," Isabella replies softly.

Just then, my friends Annibale Romani and Carla Ragonese join me in my apartment. Isabella looks surprised to see them, judging by the wide-eyed look she's giving me. "Having a party over there?"

"Ah, no. These are my roommates," I answer, then introduce Annibale and Carla to Isabella, who just waves kindly.

"Ciao," She says a bit awkwardly. "Sorry. My Italian sucks! I only know Ciao."

"Ah, I understand!" Annibale laughs. "My English is not very good either. Carla is better, but still not the best."

Then Isabella says, "How are you holding up over there in Italy?"
I shrug. "I'm holding up quite well. Yourself?"
Isabella takes a deep breath. "I just showered so that feels nice."
"Hey, I was going to talk to Annibale and Carla about how I-how we got out of Arcadia!"
"Oh, yes, that is right!" Carla laughs awkwardly. "You wanted to tell us about how you and your American and British friends escaped that infested hive you called Arcadia."

"Allora, cos'è successo?" Annibale asks curiously.
"I just remember it being a bumpy ride," I reply simply.

One year earlier...
Arcadia, ME
July 5, 2019
Valeriana Mogli

The armored car ride is smooth, except for the occasional bump with a dead person's body. In the truck bed, the American punks and the American journalist are staring off into space and Isabella sits in the back with the young teenager and Terra, not saying a word. David is on the heavy machinegun, keeping an eye out for infected people.

"Everything is going to be okay now, Valeriana," Terra whispers to me. "We're going home. We're all going home now." 

I then look behind me, on the truck bed, and see Treva talking with the other nurse named Courtney. "...Why'd you leave your post?" Treva is asking Courtney.

"Why did you leave yours?" Courtney retorts.

"You saw what happened at that hospital!" Treva snaps. "I couldn't just leave that little girl to die after seeing what happened with her family! Besides, the situation was already FUBAR over there! You would've done the same if that girl was under your care!"

"Our orders were to get the patients to safety! Not abandon the hospital entirely!" Courtney sounds livid. "C'mon, girl! Where's your brain? It's not like the parasites or whatever those things are..."

"Those parasites were going to overrun the hospital," Treva growls. "Tell me, do you have any better ideas?"

Courtney has nothing to say in response to this.