Congressus Mortuus: The Cataclysm of 2010

The *Congressus Mortuus, often simply referred to as the Cataclysm of 2010 or the Great Collapse*, designates the period of global societal breakdown initiated by the rapid and devastating spread of the Mortuus Affliction, a virulent necrotic reanimation pathogen. The inciting incident, and what is now widely considered the symbolic commencement of the Cataclysm, occurred on the afternoon of May 17, 2010, within the hallowed chambers of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

The Capitol Incident

On that fateful Monday, President Barack Obama was addressing a joint emergency session of the 111th United States Congress. The subject of the address was ostensibly regarding ongoing economic concerns and proposed fiscal stimulus measures. However, in the days and weeks preceding, localized reports of unusual violent incidents and rapidly spreading illnesses had begun to surface across several disparate urban centers globally, though these were largely dismissed by mainstream media and governmental bodies as isolated outbreaks of novel influenza strains or mass hysteria.

During his address, as President Obama spoke of bipartisan cooperation and national unity, Representative Earl Meeks of the 7th Congressional District of Indiana, seated in the House Chamber alongside his colleagues, began to exhibit what witnesses later described as "extreme agitation" and "disorientation." According to eyewitness accounts from congressional staff and fellow representatives present, Meeks, previously observed to be perspiring profusely and exhibiting an unusual pallor, suddenly rose from his seat mid-speech. Initially, his actions were interpreted as a potential protest or medical emergency. However, without uttering a word, Meeks lunged towards a nearby congressional aide, Marcus Finley, a young man from the office of the House Majority Leader.

In the ensuing moments of unimaginable horror, Meeks attacked Finley with feral intensity. Multiple accounts detail the horrific scene as Meeks, with unnatural strength and aggression, overpowered Finley and inflicted a brutal, fatal wound to his throat with his teeth. The chamber erupted into chaos. Initial reactions ranged from disbelief and confusion to outright panic. Security details assigned to the President and congressional leadership reacted swiftly, though initially hampered by the sheer incomprehensibility of the situation.

Eyewitness testimony from Representative Susan Weller of California's 33rd district, given years later to the Presidential Commission on the Cataclysm, paints a chilling picture:

"One moment, the President is talking about jobs and recovery, the next, absolute pandemonium. Meeks just… changed. His eyes went blank, but also somehow… red-rimmed? And the sound… God, the sound. Not just screaming, but this guttural… tearing sound. Then Finley was on the ground, and Meeks was… I couldn't process it. Nobody could. We were in the Capitol! This was supposed to be the safest place in the country."

Capitol Police officers, initially unsure of the appropriate response protocol for such an unprecedented event, attempted to subdue Representative Meeks. Standard non-lethal methods proved ineffective; accounts indicate that Meeks displayed an unnerving resistance to pain and continued his savage assault even as officers struggled to restrain him. Within minutes, before lethal force could be authorized or effectively deployed, Meeks collapsed, seemingly lifeless, beside the body of Marcus Finley.

The immediate aftermath of the Capitol Incident was marked by shock, confusion, and a rapidly escalating sense of dread. Congress was immediately recessed, and the Capitol Building placed under an unprecedented lockdown. Medical personnel rushed to the scene, initially treating the event as a bizarre and isolated act of violence. However, the situation took a terrifying turn within the hour.

Secondary Outbreak

As medical teams attended to the scene and began examining both Representative Meeks and the deceased Marcus Finley, several first responders and medical staff were themselves violently attacked. The pattern of these attacks mirrored the initial incident: sudden, inexplicable aggression, unnatural strength exhibited by the assailant, and the infliction of severe bite wounds. It became horrifyingly apparent that the condition affecting Representative Meeks was not an isolated incident but a contagious and profoundly lethal affliction.

Within hours, the Capitol Building became a locus of uncontrolled outbreaks. Despite desperate attempts at quarantine and containment, the highly contagious nature of the Mortuus Affliction, coupled with the densely populated environment of the Capitol complex, led to a rapid and catastrophic spread. News of the events in Washington, D.C., initially suppressed by government agencies attempting to maintain calm, began to leak through social media and independent news outlets, fueling widespread panic and misinformation.

Initial Governmental Response and Failure

The initial response from the United States government, and indeed most global governments, was characterized by denial, confusion, and ultimately, catastrophic misjudgment. The prevailing mindset within established institutions was to categorize the unfolding crisis within existing frameworks of understanding – as a novel disease outbreak, a terrorist attack, or a mass psychological phenomenon. This fundamental failure to recognize the unprecedented nature of the Mortuus Affliction proved to be a fatal flaw.

Misinformation and Containment Breakdown

Early public statements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized caution and investigation, urging calm and assuring the public that the situation was under control. These pronouncements, while intended to prevent panic, were quickly undermined by the rapidly escalating reality on the ground. Initial attempts at containment, based on standard infectious disease protocols, were woefully inadequate. Quarantine zones were established in and around affected areas, but the speed and manner of transmission, initially poorly understood, rendered these measures largely ineffective.

The Mortuus Affliction, unlike conventional pathogens, did not primarily spread through airborne droplets or fomites, though these routes were later determined to be secondary vectors. The primary mode of transmission was direct contact with bodily fluids, particularly saliva and blood, from an infected individual. Crucially, and terrifyingly, the Affliction was also transmitted through bites from infected individuals, directly introducing the pathogen into the bloodstream of the victim. This "vectorial" transmission, coupled with the aggressive, predatory behavior of the infected, created an exponential rate of spread that overwhelmed all conventional containment strategies.

Furthermore, the incubation period of the Mortuus Affliction was initially underestimated. While some individuals succumbed and reanimated within hours of exposure, others exhibited a delayed onset, remaining asymptomatic for several days while still being contagious. This "silent spread" contributed significantly to the rapid dissemination of the Affliction beyond initial outbreak zones.

The Baltimore Protocols

In the desperate early days of the Cataclysm, a group of scientists and medical professionals at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, led by Dr. Anya Sharma, a renowned virologist, developed a set of emergency containment procedures known as the Baltimore Protocols. These protocols, outlined in a hastily published and widely disseminated online document, represented one of the first attempts to grapple with the unique challenges posed by the Mortuus Affliction.

The Baltimore Protocols emphasized several key strategies:

• Immediate and Total Quarantine: Strict isolation of infected areas, going beyond standard quarantine measures to include complete lockdowns of cities and regions.
• Aggressive Culling: The protocols controversially advocated for the systematic and immediate destruction of infected individuals, recognizing the reanimated as an active and existential threat rather than merely sick patients.
• Barrier Fortification: Establishment of heavily fortified perimeters around uninfected zones, utilizing military and civilian resources to create defensible lines against the infected.
• Public Information and Education: Dissemination of accurate information about the Affliction, its modes of transmission, and necessary protective measures, combating misinformation and promoting public cooperation.

While the Baltimore Protocols were lauded by some as a pragmatic and necessary response to an unprecedented crisis, they were also met with significant ethical and logistical challenges. The "culling" aspect, in particular, sparked intense debate and moral outrage. Moreover, the sheer scale of the unfolding pandemic quickly outstripped the capacity of any localized protocols to contain it. Despite their limitations, the Baltimore Protocols remain a significant historical document, representing one of the earliest attempts to formulate a coherent strategy in the face of the Congressus Mortuus.

Global Cascades and Societal Collapse

The failure to contain the Mortuus Affliction in its initial stages led to a catastrophic global cascade. Within weeks of the Capitol Incident, major urban centers across the world began to experience similar outbreaks. The interconnected nature of modern global society, with its dense population centers and rapid international travel, inadvertently facilitated the pandemic's swift and devastating spread.

Urban Decimation

Cities, the engines of human civilization, became the epicenters of the Cataclysm. High population density, coupled with the rapid transmissibility of the Affliction, turned urban environments into death traps. The collapse of essential services – law enforcement, emergency medical services, sanitation, and food distribution – further exacerbated the crisis. As infection rates soared and societal order crumbled, cities became overrun by the reanimated, transforming into nightmarish landscapes of decay and violence.

Major metropolitan areas such as New York City, London, Tokyo, and São Paulo were among the first to be critically impacted. The iconic skylines of these cities, once symbols of human achievement and progress, became backdrops for scenes of unimaginable devastation. Governmental attempts to evacuate urban populations often resulted in further chaos and transmission, as fleeing masses carried the Affliction to previously unaffected regions.

Rural Degradation and Secondary Societal Fractures

While urban centers bore the brunt of the initial outbreaks, rural areas were not spared. The collapse of supply chains and agricultural infrastructure led to widespread food shortages and famine. The breakdown of communication networks and transportation systems isolated communities, hindering efforts to coordinate aid and support.

Furthermore, the Cataclysm exposed and exacerbated existing societal fault lines. Ethnic tensions, socioeconomic disparities, and political divisions were amplified in the face of existential threat. Resource scarcity and the breakdown of law and order led to widespread social unrest, looting, and internecine conflicts. In many regions, pre-existing conflicts were subsumed or mutated by the overarching struggle for survival against the reanimated and against each other.

The Fall of Nations

The Congressus Mortuus marked not just a public health crisis but a systemic collapse of nation-states as the primary organizational unit of human society. Governments, overwhelmed by the scale and nature of the disaster, proved largely incapable of maintaining order, providing essential services, or protecting their populations. Centralized authority eroded rapidly, replaced in many areas by localized survivalist groups, warlord factions, or simply the brutal realities of a Hobbesian state of nature.

The United Nations, and other international bodies, proved equally ineffective in the face of the global pandemic. Attempts at international cooperation and coordinated response were hampered by national self-interest, collapsing communication networks, and the sheer magnitude of the crisis. The dream of a unified global community, fragile even before the Cataclysm, dissolved into the fragmented reality of a world struggling for survival.

The Biology and Nature of the Mortuus Affliction

Despite the chaos and societal breakdown, scientific efforts to understand the Mortuus Affliction continued, albeit often under severely constrained conditions. While a definitive cure or vaccine remained elusive, significant progress was made in elucidating the biological mechanisms and nature of the pathogen.

Viral Etiology and Neurological Impact

The Mortuus Affliction was identified as being caused by a novel retrovirus, initially designated as Mortuus-REV, or MRV. Genetic analysis revealed no close relatives to known terrestrial viruses, leading to early, though unsubstantiated, speculation about extraterrestrial origins. MRV exhibited a complex and multifaceted mechanism of action, primarily targeting the central nervous system.

The virus rapidly infects brain cells, particularly in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum, inducing a cascade of degenerative changes. Key effects include:

• Necrosis and Tissue Degradation: MRV triggers rapid cellular necrosis, leading to the breakdown of brain tissue. This process is particularly pronounced in areas controlling higher cognitive functions, resulting in the characteristic loss of reason, memory, and complex behavior observed in the infected.
• Motor Cortex Activation and Disinhibition: Paradoxically, while causing widespread neural damage, MRV also induces a state of hyper-excitation in the motor cortex and related brainstem regions. This results in the enhanced physical strength and aggression observed in the infected, overriding normal inhibitory controls and unleashing primal motor programs.
• Pain Insensitivity and Enhanced Sensory Acuity (Limited): The Affliction induces a state of profound analgesia, rendering the infected largely impervious to pain. Concurrently, there is evidence of heightened olfactory and auditory acuity, likely contributing to their predatory behavior and ability to track potential victims.
• Reanimation Mechanism: Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of MRV is its capacity to induce reanimation following clinical death. The precise mechanism remains incompletely understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of factors: MRV's ability to maintain basic autonomic functions (respiration, circulation) even after widespread brain death, coupled with a form of cellular "reprogramming" that allows for limited motor function and instinctual behavior in the absence of higher brain activity.

Transmission Vectors and Pathogenesis

As previously noted, the primary mode of transmission for MRV is through direct contact with bodily fluids, especially saliva and blood, from an infected individual. Bite wounds are particularly efficient vectors due to the direct inoculation of the virus into the victim's bloodstream. Secondary transmission can occur through contact with contaminated surfaces or airborne droplets, though these routes are less efficient.

The pathogenesis of the Mortuus Affliction follows a predictable, though terrifying, course:

1. Exposure and Incubation: Following exposure to MRV, there is an incubation period ranging from hours to several days, during which the virus replicates and disseminates within the host. During this phase, the infected individual may be asymptomatic or exhibit mild flu-like symptoms, but is already contagious.
2. Symptomatic Phase: The onset of symptoms is marked by fever, chills, muscle aches, and increasing agitation. Neurological symptoms rapidly progress, including confusion, disorientation, loss of coordination, and escalating aggression.
3. Terminal Phase and Reanimation: The terminal phase is characterized by complete neurological collapse, followed by clinical death. However, within minutes to hours post-mortem, reanimation occurs. The reanimated individual, now a "Mortuus" or "Reanimant," exhibits the characteristic traits of the Affliction: loss of higher cognitive function, extreme aggression, predatory behavior, and transmissibility of MRV.

The Long Aftermath and the Scavenger Era

The Congressus Mortuus did not simply end in 2010 or in the immediate years following. While the initial pandemic wave subsided as susceptible populations were decimated and societal structures collapsed, the world entered a protracted "Scavenger Era." This era, lasting decades and arguably still ongoing in many regions, is characterized by:

Fragmented Human Enclaves

Humanity, reduced to a fraction of its pre-Cataclysm population, exists in scattered and isolated enclaves. These enclaves range from small, self-sufficient communities in rural areas to heavily fortified urban strongholds. Survival is a constant struggle, requiring vigilance against both the reanimated and other human factions competing for scarce resources.

The Persistent Mortuus Threat

The reanimated, while not actively proliferating in the absence of living hosts, remain a persistent and omnipresent threat. They are remarkably resilient, capable of surviving for extended periods in a state of undeath, and continue to pose a lethal danger to any unprotected humans they encounter. "Sweeper" patrols and perimeter defenses are constant necessities for any human settlement.

Technological Regression and Adaptation

The Cataclysm resulted in a significant technological regression. The collapse of industrial infrastructure, supply chains, and specialized knowledge bases has made it exceedingly difficult to maintain or reproduce pre-Cataclysm technologies. Human societies have adapted, developing more rudimentary technologies focused on basic survival, agriculture, defense, and scavenging. Knowledge of pre-Cataclysm science and technology is gradually being lost, replaced by a more practical, survival-oriented skillset.

Emergent Social Structures and Cultures

In the absence of nation-states and established social orders, new forms of social organization and culture have emerged. These range from cooperative communities based on mutual aid and shared defense to brutal, hierarchical groups dominated by force and exploitation. Religious and ideological movements have also proliferated, attempting to make sense of the Cataclysm and offer meaning and purpose in a shattered world. The "Cult of the Returned," a macabre and nihilistic movement that venerates the Mortuus, is one disturbing example of such emergent cultural phenomena.

Legacy and Historical Perspective

The Congressus Mortuus stands as a watershed moment in human history. It marks the abrupt and catastrophic end of the modern era, shattering the illusion of human mastery over nature and revealing the fragility of complex societal structures. The Cataclysm serves as a stark reminder of humanity's vulnerability in the face of unforeseen threats and the potentially devastating consequences of unpreparedness and systemic failure.

While the world of the pre-Cataclysm era is gone, relegated to history books and fading memories, humanity endures. In the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the Scavenger Era, new societies are being forged, new skills are being honed, and new stories are being written. The legacy of the Congressus Mortuus is not just one of destruction and loss, but also of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring, if often brutal, tenacity of the human spirit.

The study of the Congressus Mortuus, and the subsequent Scavenger Era, remains a vital field of historical and sociological inquiry. Understanding the causes, consequences, and long-term impacts of the Cataclysm is crucial not only for comprehending the present state of the world but also for informing future strategies for survival and rebuilding in a world forever changed by the Congressus Mortuus.