In case you didn’t know, I am a writer outside of this site. I enjoy constructing fictional words, characters, and designing overarching plots. About two years ago (it will be three years in April), an idea came to my head that stuck with me, “What if two teenagers were forced to marry and have children because of a drought in population, but they were both gay.” From there, the story took on a whole new life. From what was originally gonna be a cringe comedy about a gay man and a lesbian woman and their crazy antics, turned into a story about sacrifice, loss, love, and determination. The story has evolved a lot since that idea, so much so that is unrecognizable.

This story has gone through several revisions and two drafts. I’ve just kept on adding more and more to it, to fully flesh out the plot. And it is finally done. I am beyond proud of the story. Although it isn’t perfect, nothing ever is. And that is what I learned from this process. You’re never gonna think your work is perfect or good for that matter. But if it is something you wanna do, just go for it. But don’t be so down on yourself, perfection is impossible. The best you can be is you. Every other creative I have met, hates their own work but they make it because they love it. If you wanna write, sing, draw, create, whatever, just pursue it. As long as it makes you happy, then that is worth it. And if others enjoy it as well, that’s just a bonus.

I’ll stop preaching now and give you a synopsis for The Anti Fever. In the year 2441, a deadly fever spread across the city of Paris, Texas, like a tidal wave. Death spread its wings and let loose on humanity. Maximus Scallon, a 17-year-old yearbook student, was suddenly confronted by death itself as him and the rest of the yearbook staff escape the school. Join Maximus, Petra Vella, Addie Marion, Erica Ren, Damien Blaze, Lincoln Chambers, Cindy Mendoza, and more on Mix Medina’s crazy ride through The Anti Fever. Unravel the mysteries, the conspiracies, the lore, and the plot with our heroes as they assume their destinies to take on a god of unparalleled power, who seems to be behind everything.

The plan is to publish this physically one day but since it is very expensive and we are in a pandemic, that is going to be very hard. So because of this, The Anti Fever will be launching in its entirety on my Wattpad page (@GatedGardenHomes). I really hope you guys support it, I put my heart and soul into it. It is 63K thousand words, 20 chapters with a prologue and epilogue, and a very relatable cast. Every single one of my beta readers have enjoyed it so that must mean something, right? Below I have pasted the prologue to the book, if it seems like something you would like to read, the full book releases on 12/21 as the title suggests. Good luck, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and wear a mask.

Prologue:

TEAMS’ center for disease and virus control (TCDVC)

Paris, Texas2441

7 days before the fever

–

A large door swung open to reveal a man sitting at his desk. However, his eyes were glossed over as if he wasn’t there at all. He had short blue hair and a scruffy beard, and he wore a suit and tie. Behind him, a red light emitted from a window.

“Sir, we are getting a transmission from the executive,” said a meek and barely masculine voice.

“Damn, right on time. Carleton, do you happen to know the up to date population?” The man asked in a deep voice, which had an echo like a cheap Instagram filter.

“We are on schedule to hit a hundred billion tomorrow, sir,” the young man answered. 

“Good. Send the executive through. It’s time to get this project in motion.” The man ordered with a devilish smile. 

“Yes sir!” The boy scurried out of the room. Young Carl was about 18-years-old at the time, working as an intern. He had a thin build, pale white skin, black eyes, and short, light blue hair. He was an attractive young man with a bright future in the industry: or he would have been if he wasn’t about to die.

The man on the other hand was at least 40. He was bigger and pretty tall. The man got up to follow his intern. The window, cleared of big hairy men,  revealed a large room with a long path leading up to dim red lights. That was the only source of light in the room.

Carl led the man through the halls. People ran around like little ants, trying to appease their queen. Especially with the impending doom, we call Christmas, lurking overhead, it was even crazier than normal. 

Carl opened a door for the man. The door was only labeled with one letter: F. The man walked over and waited in front of the lights. Carl ran to a panel near the lights. 

“Set coordinates for the frozen plane,” Carl whispered into a microphone on the panel. The lights started to shine brightly, and a hole appeared in the red light that continued to grow. The room instantly became cold as a person stepped through the portal. 

The person had a womanly figure but the color of their hair, being green, meant that they weren’t. Their hair was fashioned a short, traditionally male, haircut. They also had a single dark brown eye; the other was covered by an eye patch. Their skin was of Hispanic descent even though they hadn’t seen this dimension’s sun in their entire life. 

“I told you it would be today,” they called.

“Maddie, it’s always a pleasure,” he said laughing. 

“What did I say about calling me, Maddie?” They growled as their eyes glowed red, matching the portal behind them. The air-only became colder. 

“I’m sorry, your executiveness,” he said, bowing his head. 

“That’s more like it Enzo,” they said, sneering at his name. “Do you have your half of the deal?”

“Yes, your highness. It is in this cookie monster cookie jar,” Enzo said, walking over to his intern. The poor boy handed it over, in pure fear. Enzo grabbed it and handed it over to the other person.

“Perfect, my child. And with that, I will bring you what you desire most. Immortality,” They grinned.  Tomorrow in honor of the population’s milestone, hold giant parties in the biggest cities you can find across this pitiful dimension. I will infiltrate them and infect every last one of them as they spread it for a week without ever knowing. In a week, bodies are gonna drop like flies. And then, it shall be achieved. Take you and your men into the grand bunker, the only safe place. Only then can you reap your rewards.”

“Yes my lord. We will be on our way soon.”

“Good, and Carleton dear,” they said, turning to him. Carl almost jumped out of his skin. 

“Ye-ye-yes Mix?” He asked sheepishly. 

“Lose the glasses,” they said with a smirk. With that, they walked back into the portal as it closed behind them. 

“Si-sir?” Carleton asked, after taking off his glasses. 

“Yes?”

“What just happened?”

“Victory.”