Serena shuffled from side to side in her bed, restless and unable to sleep. Normally, she would have no problem sleeping but usually, the News didn’t have her so fearful. The images from Italy kept going through her mind; the faces of people gasping for breath. China had been a distant place in her mind, but Italy really wasn’t that far from Ireland. Ireland played them at the rugby each year and Irish people regularly went there on holidays. She knew that from work. It was inevitable that the virus would now reach here now. She tried to stop thinking about it, it would do her no good as she needed to work the next day.

Despite her difficulties sleeping, she made it into work. It was tough to work behind a bar when you are tired though. The place was bustling as usual with orders for food and drink flying in. But the same topic of conversation was at every table. At one point a chill went down Serena’s spine when she heard that a whole region in Italy had just gone into lockdown. She felt like she had been transported into a horror movie.

The first thing she did when she got home was to turn on the news to see the latest developments. Things were indeed as bad as she had feared. The Chief Medical Officer of the country Dr. Holohan said that it was now only a matter of time before there was a recorded case in Ireland. Serena’s thoughts turned to all the people who were about to die. She thought of her vulnerable neighbours. An elderly couple lived on one side of her and a guy in a wheelchair lived on the other side. She hadn’t interacted with them much till now but she resolved to call into them that night to let them know that she was there if they needed anything. It was the least she could do and it would take her mind off worrying about herself. At least, she would be doing something.

She went to the elderly couple first. Their names were Alan and Mary, both in their late seventies. And wow, could they talk. At first, about the virus then about their grown up children and finally about the forthcoming warm summer they were praying for. Finally, Sabrina managed to say her goodbyes, promising to check in on them if things deteriorated.

Then it was time to check in on the man that lived the other side of her in a row of bungalows. She didn’t know much about him and had only every seen him in the distance since she started renting her house three months previously. It was a very different experience. She buzzed the doorbell and waited. Just as she was about to leave the door opened slightly.

“Sorry, do I know you?”

“Oh! My name is Serena. I’m from Poland but I live next to you.”

“Oh right! Sorry, didn’t recognise you. Hope you don’t mind but I’m in quarantine with this virus and all.”

“Yes, that is why I am here. In case, you need anything. All you have to do is ring me. Okay?”

With that, she put a crumpled page with her name and number on it through the letter box sensing he didn’t want her close.

“Bye, don’t forget to ring if I can be of help!”

“Ehh, thanks.”

With that, she left.