‘It took Hilary less than five minutes to drive the half mile to her home. During those minutes she reflected on the state of her latest patient. That David Bradley was ill she was in no doubt about. That it was influenza she was reasonably sure about, though she had a terrible feeling that she might be witnessing the manifestation of a new strain of the killer bug. Influenza had been responsible for millions of deaths throughout the history of mankind and the “flu virus had developed an uncanny means of mutating from time to time, developing new and more powerful biological weapons in its global war against the human race. Hilary knew that if this was indeed a new strain that had found its way to Olney, then she would need help from outside.’

This was Doctor Hilary Newton’s diagnosis after attending her first patient as the new resident doctor in Olney St. Mary. And much to her distress, her fears were increased when a second patient turns up with the same symptoms. Hilary decides it’s time to send both patients to the nearest hospital for further evaluation.

The patients were sent to Ashford General Hospital where Doctor Paul Trent, a specialist in respiratory diseases, would examine them and hopefully find something to relieve their stress as well as prevent others from becoming infected with what appeared to be a new strain of the ‘flu. But fears increase for both doctors when one patient dies on his way to the hospital.
After his examination of the surviving patient, Doctor Trent has an idea as to what they are dealing with. This theory is confirmed by the department head Doctor Malcolm Davidson. The village of Olney St. Mary has just become involved in a very serious epidemic of the “plague.”

Brian L. Porter has again brought to light the possibilities of an incident that could occur and may have already occurred without the general population knowing. How far will a government go to keep something this serious contained? How far will they go to keep it quiet? And what will they do if it turns out that the original source may have come from within the government itself? Pestilence is another eye-opener that will really make you start wondering about these questions and the possible answers.

Double Dragon Press
2010
ISBN 978-1-55404-723-9
267 pages ( )