The Solitary Walk

By Maire Lynch

Imagine a global pandemic is heading to your city. Now imagine how it will affect your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maire Lynch
• Release date: Jul 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393367871

Book preview

Back When We Had Nothing

THE SOLITARY WALK

A NOVEL

This is a work of fiction.

There is one speck of truth, however.

The pandemic was real and it was spectacular...

ISBN 13: 978-1548139339

ISBN 10: 1548139335

Dedicated to those who had no idea I write...

And to my cat who has been a silent witness and never doubted me for a second...

Also a special dedication to Vanessa and Sharian who showed nothing but kindness at a time when others could not.

Thank you to everyone who shone their light and made my walk through the darkness a little easier.

Special mention to Captain Jenn Casey of the Canadian Snow Birds who gave the ultimate sacrifice May 17, 2020

Thank you for your service

Your bright smile lit up an entire country

May you rest in Peace

There’s a dark side to everything.

Prince

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.

Desmond Tutu

Can you learn stuff you haven’t been programmed with so you can be...you know, more human and not such a dork all the time?

John Conner

Terminator 2

Tell me all your thoughts on God

Dishwalla – Counting Blue Cars

C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\H2FJN84K\vector-2688221__180[1].png

PROLOGUE

Well, we certainly never saw this coming...

PART ONE

A Walk Interrupted

Definition of Pandemic

Adjective: (of a disease)

Prevalent over an entire country

Or the planet

It is usually classified as an epidemic first but spreads

Rapidly

And eventually affects entire populations.

Medicare First-Aid Kit

5 alcohol swabs

1 gauze pad

1 bandage roll

1 roll of tape

5 small bandages

5 bigger bandages

NEW YEAR’S DAY

I GOT UP EARLY AND the sun shone brightly on what I thought was going to be the best year ever.

One of hope, new love, forgiveness, major revelations and a complete overhaul.

This is the year I plan to quit smoking.

I always play my favourite song on this day.

New Year’s Day by U2.

It’s a tradition of mine that I’ve carried forward for the last 25 years or so.

Other than that, I had nothing major planned for today.

A walk to the local coffee shop brought nothing new and exciting. It was packed and I decided not to stay very long.

I made a few phone calls to say Happy New Year. I’m not one to party, never was. I prefer to go to bed early, get up early and go back to bed.

The rest of the day I spent de-cluttering, watching old movies and hanging out with The Cat.

If anything was going to shift in my comfort zone today was not the day I would notice.

Today was one of optimism and renewal and reading over my quickly scribbled resolutions. The same ones I carried forward from last year and would get around to...eventually.

I went to bed early with a book I started last October. I’m not a slow reader; it’s just one of those books that I’ve been struggling to get into.

‘As it is January 2nd, so it will be in September’.

I read that somewhere and made a note of it.

Today was rainy and chilly with only a minute of sun for company.

Our winter so far has been somewhat mild with less than average snow. This has made travelling a bit easier for all of us.

All of us who are brave enough to venture out that is.

C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\H2FJN84K\CartoonKids[1].gif

THERE’S A FEELING OF uncertainty these days.

A heaviness none of us expected so early in the New Year.

It’s subtle like everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We can all sense it but it’s too early to say what effect it will have on all of us.

We will find out soon enough.

We are at the tail-end of a very long but less than harsh winter.

Spring is struggling to show itself.

The groundhog either did or didn’t see his shadow. I can’t remember. I’m not sure I believe in such things. The same could be said for any of us on that day, so why disturb a groundhog? Poor thing is probably traumatized till summer.

I’ll gladly volunteer my shadow next year if I can. The outcome will be the same either way.

There’s been talk over coffee about the restlessness we are all starting to feel lately. Like everyone is holding their breath.

Something is not quite right.

We came into the New Year with our resolutions written on paper napkins and paper bags and now we can’t find them.

I asked someone the other day how they felt about this year of magic. I got the same answer I’ve been getting from everyone I’ve asked.

There is a shift coming and all we can do is wait and see what’s next.

C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\MHNY463W\whats-next-1462747_960_720[1].png

I’m what you call a social loner.

I enjoy my own company but also the company of a chosen few.

I don’t like surprises or loud noises. I like both feet on the ground. I have a terrible fear of heights and other people make me nervous if I’m not sure of their intentions.

It seems I never am.

I’m a terrible judge of character and have made some regrettable choices in the past.

I’m well-organized and detail-oriented and I always seek the truth.

I save my compassion for the underdog and there are days where I like my cat more than most people.

I love all animals because of what I’ve learned from being with them.

They live in the moment, deal with things as they happen, have no regrets and pass no judgement. I believe they are a lot smarter than we dumb humans give them credit for and I’m sure they fully understand their place in the world better than they understand our place in their world. Yet, somehow they find it in their pure and innocent hearts and souls to tolerate us and sometimes meet us on our terms. I prefer to meet them on theirs.

If only humans were so generous in their dealings with each other and all creatures we share the planet with.

C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\H2FJN84K\zoo-animals[1].jpg