As the day moved on, tension simmered beneath the surface of New Haven. Word of Peter's condition spread quickly, and whispers of fear and uncertainty began to creep into the community. The men, in particular, were on edge, each wondering if they might be next. The strange illness seemed to target them specifically, and with no clear cause, paranoia was starting to take hold.
George tried to remain focused, his mind spinning with possibilities as he continued to oversee the day's work on the water system and the school. But his thoughts kept drifting back to Peter and the other men who had fallen ill. Something was clearly wrong, but George didn't yet have enough information to piece it together.
Then, as the afternoon sun hung high in the sky, a new distraction arrived, more refugees.
