A New Pandemic

          Catching the bird flu changed thirteen-year-old Brittini Monroe's life forever. She was very lively and healthy before the virus, and before she knew it, she was caught in a whirlwind of disaster. Brittini was not the first in her vicinity to aquire the disease; just last night ten more victims rose from the shadows, adding to the millions worldwide.
          The day she caught the disease was a day unlike any other. She had sharp pains in her shoulder and chills down her spine, so she decided to stay home from school. Later that day she had a fever; she was also coughing, sneezing, and nauseas. Her mother called the doctor and was told to bring her in immediately. The doctor told Brittini and her mother about the bizarre number of patients with the same symptoms. At first, doctors were sure it was the flu, but with so many patients dying they found that it was something far worse.
          Brittini was diagnosed with Avian Influenza, or in layman's terms, bird flu. She was shocked to learn that she was a victim of a disease carried by birds. Her mother was mortified by the fact that her daughter may not survive the terrible wrath of the disease. Brittini was admitted into the hospital soon after she was diagnosed. As Brittini got closer to her room, the patients began to look worse and worse.
          Brittini's condition seemed to worsen each day she stayed in the hospital. Every morning five patients were found dead and Brittini was terrified that she would be next. Her heart was pounding tremendously and her head was in excruciating pain. Her mother ran around frantically demanding medications for Brittini. The staff told her that the entire hospital was under triage and that they would administer medicine as quickly as possible. An hour or two later, Brittini recieved medicine and gradually became well enough to go home.
          Brittini's experience with the bird flu was the longest seven days of her life. A few days after being at home, she noticed her mother experiencing some of the same symptoms as she did; her mother had become another victim of the bird flu. Unfortunately, none of the doctors' life-saving efforts worked and Brittini's mother died; raising the worldwide death toll to an unheard of 10 million.