Lockdown! 02

Chapter 2

Three weeks later

“I don’t feel right about this, P,” Tim stated, as the three friends sat in the living room of the apartment. “Perhaps we were a bit thoughtless to Veronica’s feelings.”

“Chill, Bro,” Paul shot back as he cracked open his fourth beer of the afternoon. “If Ronny wants to stay with her sister for a little while, that’s up to her.”

“Yeah, but that’s just it. I don’t think she did. You heard her. She couldn’t stand to be around us anymore,” Tim said, looking over at Kamsi for support.

Kamsi shrugged. “Whatever, Man. She’ll get over it. And this way, at least we don’t have to listen to her moaning all the time.”

“Exactly,” Paul interjected, “less bitchin and more space. Good riddance to her.”

Tim let out a sigh and looked in Paul's direction. “Don’t you feel the least bit guilty? She’s a good person.”

“Oh shit, looks like Tdog has a thing for your ex, P,” Kamsi said, leaning across to put his arm around Tim.

“I do not,” Tim answered defensively, shrugging the arm from his shoulder. “It’s just…just...”

“Hey if you want her, Bro, go for it,” Paul said jokingly. “You two would get on well. You're both always moaning and bitchin about something.”

“Fuck you guys,” Tim stated annoyed as he picked up the TV remote. “Forget I even said anything,” he added as he flicked on the TV. As the screen came into focus the three men stared at the screen with bewildered looks on their faces. The news headline read, “global pandemic imminent.”

“Hey, Tim. Turn that up man,” Kamsi said, leaning in.

For ten minutes, all eyes were glued to the screen as the three men sat in stunned silence soaking in the words.

“They must be over-exaggerating things, right?” Paul said, turning to his friends. “I mean, things can’t really be this bad, can they? We would have heard something before now.”

“Seems pretty legit, Man,” Kamsi replied, without taking his eyes off the screen. “I guess we haven’t been keeping up with the news much recently.”

“This is bad! Did you hear how many people are predicted to die,” Tim announced in a panic. “It’s saying the whole country is going into lockdown starting Monday. This is insane!”

“Look on the bright side, Tdog. At least we won’t have to go to work,” Paul stated loudly before chuckling at his own comment.

“How can you joke about this, P?” Kamsi shot back as he turned to look at his friend. “I always said the Zombie apocalypse was coming and here it is.”

“It’s not Zombie’s you idiot,” Tim scoffed, shaking his head. “It’s a virus. At least we could fight a zombie, this is much worse.”

There was a further moment of silence before Paul spoke. “I’m sure everything is going to be alright,” he said, nodding his head. “The news always makes things sound worse than they really are. That’s how they hook you in. Mark my words, Boys. In a couple of weeks, this will have all blown over.”

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8 months later

“Hey boys,” Paul stated cheerfully as he entered the bedroom. “I think things are finally returning to normal. There were tons of people on the high street today, and most of the shops have reopened.”

“Oh, Thank god,” Kamsi answered, looking up from his bed. “I can’t take much more.”

“Yeah, don’t take this the wrong way,” Tim said smiling. “You guys are like family to me, but any more time cooped up in here with you two, and I might have to kill you both.”

Paul chuckled as he walked over to join his friends. “Well, you have got that Bruce Lee look going on with that hair, but I don’t think those pipe cleaner arms are going to do much damage.”

“Hey, that’s racist, Bro! You can’t say things like that,” Tim shot back, sitting up and rubbing his withering biceps.

“Chill, Bro,” Kamsi said with a chuckle. “At least your hair is manageable. This fro of mine is out of control. Have the Barber’s opened up yet, Paul?”

“Not yet, Man. Still shut I'm afraid. Not that I could afford a haircut now anyway. I’m so far into my overdraught, the bank’s going to cut me off soon.

“Tell me about it,” Kamsi replied sitting up, “With all of us losing our jobs, things are going to be pretty tough from now on.”

“I still don’t think it’s legal what they did,” Tim interjected. “I’m going to sue; they can’t just fire us like that.”

“Yeah, what are you going to pay the lawyer with hugs and kisses?” Paul joked. “face it, Man, we’re screwed.”

“Hey, whatcha got there anyway?” Kamsi said, looking over to see an envelope in Paul’s hands.

“Just some letter for Veronica. I’ll add it to the pile,” he replied nonchalantly.

“Wait!” Tim announced, standing up and snatching it from his friend grasp. “It says urgent and isn’t that the name of your bank”?

“Yeah, that’s them, open it if you care so much”? Paul replied casually.

“But isn’t that like an invasion of privacy”? Tim asked nervously. “It doesn’t feel right when it’s hers.”

Kamsi stood up and sighed loudly. “Hell, give it here, I’ll do it,” he said, snatching the letter from Tim and ripping it open before anyone could argue.

After reading the letter for a few moments, he looked up with a worried expression on his face. “You better read this, P. This might be a problem.” He said passing him the letter.

“What? What’s wrong?” Tim yapped impatiently as Paul ignored him fully engrossed in the words.

After what seemed an eternity, he finally looked up before sighing loudly.

“What’s going on? Tell me,” Tim demanded.

“It’s the bank. Seeing as we’ve missed a few payments on the mortgage lately, they’ve transferred it over to some debt collecting company. They want to come round and inspect the property and arrange some kind of repayment scheme.”

“Dam and we’re all broke too,” Tim said, bowing his head.

“But that’s not the worst part," Paul stated. "They want to see Veronica, Man. We aren’t even supposed to be here!”

“But your name is on the mortgage too, right?” Tim said, turning to face Paul. You can just meet them and sort it out.”

“Yeah, about that. You see after I filed for bankruptcy with the failed business, I had no credit rating. I asked my sister, Kylie, to help me out. It’s her name on the papers.”

“So, we get her to talk to them,” Tim shot back. “She’ll help us out, right?”

“Thing is, I don’t even know where she is,” Paul replied, gritting his teeth. “She was travelling in Asia when the Pandemic hit. Last I heard she was in Bali somewhere.”

“Shit, what can we do then? Can’t we talk to them and explain things”? Kamsi asked with a worried look on his face.

“I don’t think that's going to work, Bro,” Paul replied meekly. “It says here they are coming around on Monday, and if one of the mortgage holders is not here, they are going to start the process of repossession of the property.”

“So, we’re screwed then,” Kamsi moaned, placing his head in his hands. “Veronica has disappeared, and your sister is god knows where.”

“Oh, this is bad,” Tim said panicked. “Where are we going to go? I can’t sleep on the streets!”

“Calm down, I’ve just had an idea,” Paul said, scratching his chin. The two other men looked in anticipation. “We just need to find someone to pretend to be Veronica or Kylie. Arrange a payment plan and take it from there.”

“Yeah, but who?” Tim asked. “The virus is still about, and who are we going to connive to come over and commit fraud for us”?

At that moment both Kamsi and Paul looked over at Tim with huge grins on their faces.

It took Tim a second to clock on to what they were thinking and when the penny finally dropped so did his jaw. “No way, you’re not thinking what I think you are, are you?” he cried.

“Come on, Man. Remember that Halloween in college when you dressed up as Wonderwoman. Everyone thought you were really a chick."

“That was years ago and all Emily’s idea! You know I still have nightmares about that party,” Tim stated, angrily folding his arms.

“You’re our only hope, Tdog,” Paul replied in a soothing voice. “You can do this, Man. Put on a mask and lower your voice a bit. No one will know it's you. Remember, It’s this or the streets! Take one for the team.”

(See image 03)