“Trouble on the Island,” a Short Story
The final “prequel story” of “The Epi Chronicles” takes us to Puerto Rico after a disaster.
While the beta readers of “The Epi Chronicles” are busy at work, I’d like to introduce you to one more character in that whole story: Francisco Herrera. Like me, he is an immigrant to the United States and an epidemiologist. Unlike me, he is a medical doctor, and has far more wisdom and patience than anyone I know.
I hope you enjoy this last “short story” and hope you’ve kept up with “The Future Tyrant of Oldham,” “First Shift,” and “From Africa to Virginia.”
Francisco Herrera stepped off the plane into the thick, humid air of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The sun was blazing overhead, but the devastation from Hurricane Cordova was everywhere: toppled trees, scattered debris, and rows of makeshift tarps where roofs used to be. Cases of dengue fever and chikungunya had skyrocketed since the hurricane, and the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) had sent Francisco and his team to help local public health officials curb the spread.
It was exhausting work. Long days collecting data in mosquito-infested neighborhoods, inspecting standing water, and coordinating with overwhelmed hospitals left Francisco bone-tired. By the end of his first week, his phone was filled with pictures of swollen mosquito bites and chaotic clinics.
