War by Alexandra Gurzau

We landed at the gates of the new kingdom. Sam-land. Land of Sam. Young and unaware. Exactly what we were looking for.
It was pitch-black, but we couldn’t risk starting a fire. The warmth could have alerted the Guards. Still, I could feel the flames in General Viral’s voice: “Alright, boys, get some rest now. Tomorrow we’re going to war!”
Day 1: The plan was simple. Same as always: infiltrate, multiply and invade.
The closer we got to the Tonsil Gates the more clear it became they didn’t know who we were. It was easy to go unnoticed. We walked in through the front doors and no one batted an eye.
“Good job, boys!” General Viral caught up with us inside the Gates. “Lie low for now, but keep infiltrating. We’ll get this place warmed up in no time”.
Day 2: We multiplied by hundreds and spread all over in a matter of hours. By dawn, my other Virus brothers were attacking and putting pressure on the Tonsil Gates. The Sam-land guards, the Leukocytes, called the alarm to the Immune System to send reinforcements, but most of them wouldn’t recognize us anyway.

They could not put down the fires as fast as we started them. The air was hot. Buildings collapsing. The land was red from the burning ashes of the Sam-cells, the cells keeping the kingdom and the body of Sam alive and functioning. White piles of the bodies of defeated Leukocyte Guards everywhere...it was War.

[…] Day 4: The past days had been victorious. “How could they defeat us when they had no idea what kind of Viruses we were?” the thought that kept me going. But something didn’t seem right anymore. The air felt cooler. I couldn’t see the same fear in the eyes of the Leukocyte Guards. Almost as if they knew something more. As if they managed to regroup and put the information together to figure us out, to find our weak spot.
Our strength lied in our numbers and our ability to go unknown by the Leukocytes and the Immune System. This is how we grew an army big and strong enough to take over. Once the Immune System learnt who we were, half our battle was lost.
Day 5: “Keep fighting! We need to keep spreading if we want to stand a chance!” General Viral was fighting the Leukocytes with his last breath. Our numbers were dropping by the minute. I didn’t know how much longer I could keep going.
I was almost ready to surrender, when a hot wave woke me up. A new army landed in Sam-land. They were not as many, but bigger, stronger, merciless. The Bacteria! They devastated everything in their way. Sam’s Immune System was already weakened by our battle, the Leukocyte Guards didn’t stand a chance in front of their new enemy and our new ally.
Everything was on fire again. Ruins and despair all around. I was feeling reborn!
“All attaaack!” General Viral and Major Bacter howled at the same time.
[This was the fifth day Sam was feeling poorly. He was burning hot and his throat was so sore he could barely eat. So weak, he wouldn’t even get out of bed. A couple days before the Doctor said this was Tonsillitis. A simple viral infection that should go away on its own in a matter of days.
Sam’s mother was growing more concerned, though. She expected her little boy to get better by now. Instead, his temperature stayed high and he was coughing so badly it was making him sick. Sam’s mother called the Doctor again. She was afraid this was no longer just a viral infection.]
Day 6: What was this?! Another different type of soldiers came out of nowhere. They were flying around in Capsules, shooting at us and putting out our fires. They were not part of the Immune System, but definitely fighting alongside to protect Sam.
Day 7: I couldn’t understand it. I thought we were winning, but there I was running for my life.
“Major Bacter,” a voice thundered from one of the new flying Capsules, “surrender now. Your war is over!”.
“Never, Commander Antibio! This is our fight!” General Viral shouted.
“You stay out of this, General Viral!” anger increased in Commander Antibio’s voice.
“We both know my Antibiotics Troupes have no power over your Virus army. But not to worry. Sam’s Immune System has learnt everything about your kind by now. The Leukocytes will hunt each one of you viruses down to the last!” Commander Antibio’s voice sent cold shivers through my body. “I am here for the Bacteria!” he raged before starting another shooting craze.
Major Bacter was trying to regroup his Bacteria officers. “We had the perfect plan! We let the Viruses give the first blow, make the humans treat it as a viral infection.” I could hear fragments of his cries as I was frantically looking for cover. “Then, we sneaked in to create this Supra-Bacterial-Infection and defeat Sam. But we’ve been caught up! They sent in the Antibiotics. We’re doomed!”
[…] Day 9: I was still in hiding. The Antibiotics destroyed all the Bacteria, however they could not touch the Viruses. Instead, the Leukocytes found and wiped us out. I knew it was just a matter of time before they got me too.
The worst part was that Sam’s Immune System learnt how to fight our Virus Army. My kind would never have another chance to infect Sam or do any real damage.
The War was over.
Sam won.
[The Doctor figured that Sam developed a bacterial infection on top of his initial viral infection, so Sam had a course of antibiotics. The treatment didn’t touch the viruses, but cleared up the bacteria. Sam’s immune system managed to fight off the viral infection and create specific antibodies that will remember and easily target this kind of viruses in the future.
Sam’s fever went down. He didn’t even realise what an important battle he had won, but it definitely felt good to finally be back to his full of energy and happy self.]