History Recap / CreepshowS3E8MeterReader

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The mysterious man, who happens to be a Meter Reader himself, reaches his destination: the home of Mrs. Jones (Samantha Worthen). When Mrs. Jones answers the door, the man introduces himself as Dalton Fuller (Creator/JohnathonSchaech), having come to examine Mrs. Jones' daughter Mercy (Reagan Higgins). Upon entering the house, Mrs. Jones tells Dalton that Mercy has been spewing bile at her and shouting profane words in a language she has never studied. Hoping that Mercy hasn't reached "the final stage" of the sickness, Dalton tells Mrs. Jones that he'll need to perform a test before his prognosis. Entering Mercy's room, Dalton discovers the child tied to her bed. As he introduces himself to Mercy and assures her that he's going to help her, Dalton scans Mercy with the Meter, a specially crafted tool that Meter Readers use to check for demons within those who are potentially infected, then checks her out with a sacred mirror that will supposedly reveal the demon possessing her. To Dalton's surprise, it is actually Mercy's mother who is the infected one. As Dalton commands the demon to leave Mrs. Jones' body immediately, she proceeds to spew projectile vomit at him and bite a chunk out of her daughter's leg. Dalton arms himself with a sabre and enters combat with the possessed mother. Outside the house, the sounds of a struggle, the tearing of tearing, a thud, and crying are heard, which indicate that Dalton has become victorious.

At 7:02 PM, Theresa's laptop, hooked up to security cameras around the house, detects someone approaching, causing an alarm to sound. The mysterious person is revealed to be Dalton, who walks up to the door and knocks, insisting that the family let him inside. As the family gathers at the door, Theresa reminds Dalton about the curfew he set for them and refuses to open the door. When Maria attempts to take charge of the situation and let her husband in, Theresa grabs a customized meat cleaver and threatens to chop her father's head off. With no other options, Maria tells Dalton to spend the night in the cellar, and that they will get a doctor to retest him first thing in the morning. Dalton is forced to accept their terms and descends to the cellar, the doors closing behind him. Once Dalton descends, Theresa (who is revealed to be the narrator) reminisces about the first year of the pandemic. According to her, the world just wasn't ready to believe that the demonic plague was real, deeming it a hoax or mass hallucination. As society proceeded to fall apart and entire families succumbed to the infection, things became far too difficult to ignore, with revolutions even developing to rise against the "new world order". Theresa also remembers that her baby sister Madeline was infected early in the pandemic, and she personally had to assist her father in putting her down. After giving a brief description of the origins of the Meter, and the fact that less than 10% of the population are capable of using it, Theresa reminisces about the day her father left home. Dalton reminded her that "the Devil is the master of lies", and warned her to trust no one, not even him.

** The sabre that Dalton uses to kill Mrs. Jones is one of Lampini's props from [[Recap/CreepshowS3E3SkeletonsInTheCloset Skeletons in the Closet.]]

* CrazyPrepared: During the outbreak, Theresa was ''very'' well-trained by her father to combat the infected, keeping a close eye on the infection rates, checking security footage around the house, and carrying a tricked out meat cleaver to chop an infected person's head off. Dalton even took her on training missions to kill infectees together back when she was a kid.

* DeadlyEuphemism: When recalling how she had to help her father kill Madeline when she was infected, Theresa notes that the man "did what was nessecary."
* DeathOfAChild: Theresa's baby sister Madeline became infected, and Theresa was forced to help her father put her down.
* DecoyProtagonist: Dalton at first appears to be the central character of the episode, since we see him travelling through a ruined city to the house of a possessed victim. He spends three days travelling to the house, then kills that victim and spends the next three days travelling back to his home. When he gets home, he ends up forced by his own family to stay in the cellar. In doing so, the story shifts focus to Theresa, who is revealed to be the actual protagonist.

* FreudianExcuse: Theresa is so bitter, jaded, and cynical because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague during the first days of the outbreak, and she personally had to help her father put her down. Even before that day, her father rigorously trained her to combat the infected, to the point where the two of them went on "field trips" to take down infected people firsthand. Her gung-ho willingness to kill Dalton himself when he arrives after curfew could wasily be seen as her way of ensuring that she doesn't lose another family member to the plague.

* GreaterScopeVillain: The Devil, who hinted to be the mastermind of the plague.

** The [[Film/{{Creepshow}} ashtray]] can be seen on an endtable in the Fullers' living room.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: As mentioned, this episode draws heavy parallels from the the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, replacing a biological sickness with demonic possession.

!!Meter Reader

** Dalton's visit to Mrs. Jones' house is a giant reference to ''Film/TheExorcist'', complete with the house mirroring the appearance of Reagan's house (shrouded with fog and lit by a single streetlamp), a pot of pea soup boiling on the stove, the supposedly possessed girl being tied to the bed, and the person who actuall ''is'' possessed spewing projectile vomit. The episode's cover even features a Reagan lookalike spewing vomit at Dalton.

** This is the second episode of the series to be set in a post-apocalyptic future, after [[Recap/CreepshowS1E12TimesIsToughInMuskyHoller Times is Tough in Musky Holler]] from Season 1.

The next day, the sanitation workers Dalton met during his trip stop by the house, loading Maria and Michael's severed heads into their truck. As she watches the heads be incinerated, Theresa, having gained her father's immunity and is now a Meter Reader herself, completes the jigsaw puzzle her mother and brother were working on. A news report on her laptop states that infection rates are still skyrocketing across the world, so much so that the debate on whether the plague is biological or spiritual in nature has been rendered moot. Deciding that there is nothing left for her at home anymore, and taking the news' advice that those with immunity are needed more than ever to join the fight, Theresa leaves the house on her late father's motorcycle, hoping to continue his work. As she rides along, she recites a final voiceover about how her father said that the Meter Readers weren't special people, "just regular Joes doing the work of heroes", and their actions would be sanctified by history in the end. Taking note of the fact that her choices have made her "a regular Josephine", Theresa grimly notes that her work is only beginning.

* ActionGirl: Theresa, despite only being a teenager, is highly skilled at killing infected people, having been trained firsthand by her father. She takes down two in the episode itself, and even though they're her mother and brother, she only hesitates for a second. In the end, she takes Dalton's motorcycle and leaves home to travel the world, continuing her father's work in hunting the infected down full time.

* AntiHero: Theresa, despit her icy personality, ends up saving the day by slaughtering her possessed mom and brother.

* BaitAndSwitch: Mercy appears to be possessed, but when Dalton examines her, it's revealed that her mother is actually the one who's infected. Similarly, when Theresa suspects that her father has been infected, she discovers that he isn't, but her mother and brother ''are''.

* CoolBike: Dalton travels to Celestial Falls on a tricked-out motorcycle. Theresa takes ownership of it at the end of the segment, riding off to continue her father's work.

** Michael mentions that a friend of his told him they would be returning to school in the fall, and Maria mentions that the salons are opening again. Theresa regards both of their desires as pipe dreams because they aren't "essential".

* TheExtremistWasRight: For all her gung-ho mannerisms, it turns out in the end that Theresa was right in not trusting her father and refusing to let him inside the house. Not because he was possessed, but because it indirectly led to the reveal of the people who actually ''were'' possessed.

** The scene of Mrs. Jones and Mercy, where the unassuming parent of an apparently-infected child is actually the infected one, is repeated at the climax of the segment with Theresa's own family.

* KilledOffScreen: Mrs. Jones is heard being decapitated by Dalton as the camera focusesoutside her house.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The news anchor at the end of the segment mentions that those with immunity to the plague are encouraged to join the fight in stopping it. Theresa stares at the camera as the anchor speaks, signifying that the ''Creepshow'' universe itself is pleading with its audience to do the same for their own "plague".

* OneWorldOrder: The Department of Meter Readers is implied to have merged every remaining world governments into one faction, potentially as a means to unify whichever parts of the world hadn't descended into anarchy.

** Dalton's visit to Mrs. Jones' house is a giant reference to ''Film/TheExorcist'', complete with the house mirroring the appearance of Reagan's house, a pot of pea soup boiling on the stove, the supposedly possessed girl being tied to the bed, and the person who is actually possessed spewing projectile vomit. The episode's cover even features a possessed Reagan lookalike spewing vomit at Dalton.

* TookALevelInCynic: Theresa certainly became more jaded over the years, ever since her baby sister succumbed to the plague and she had to help Dalton kill her.

In a post-apocalyptic world lit under an orange sky, a mysterious man on a motorcycle rides through a deserted town. As he approaches a suburb, he witnesses garbagemen empty trash cans filled with severed heads into modified garbage trucks, in which they are incinerated. When the man rides up to them, one of the garbagemen warns him to go back, since he is in "the red zone". The man informs the worker that he's headed for the nearby town of Celestial Falls. The garbageman offhandedly mentions that they just came from there, and as such, "the Devil beat you to it". Nonetheless, the man rides off, destined to reach Celestial Falls. Over images of an abandoned city, a voiceover explains that the world was ravaged by a pandemic; a supernatural virus wherein people succumb to demonic possession that strikes indiscriminately. The exact reason for why this demonic contagion emerged is still being debated, but there is still hope for this world: the Department of Meter Readers. They are a "sacred few", a group of people with proven natural immunity to the contagion. They travel the world in the hopes of identifying the plague before it can spread further, and eradicating those who are unfortunately too late to be saved.

The mysterious man, who happens to be a Meter Reader himself, reaches his destination: the home of Mrs. Jones (Samantha Worthen). When Mrs. Jones answers the door, the man introduces himself as Dalton Fuller (Creator/JohnathonSchaech), who has come to examine Mrs. Jones' daughter Mercy (Reagan Higgins). Upon entering the house, Mrs. Jones tells Dalton that Mercy has been spewing bile at her and shouting profane words in a language she has never studied. Hoping that Mercy hasn't reached "the final stage" of the sickness, Dalton tells Mrs. Jones that he'll need to perform a test before his prognosis. Entering Mercy's room, Dalton discovers the child tied to her bed. As he introduces himself to Mercy and assures her that he's going to help her, Dalton scans Mercy with the Meter, a specially crafted tool that Meter Readers use to check for demons in someone who is potentially infected, then checks her out with a sacred mirror that will supposedly reveal the demon possessing her. To Dalton's surprise, it is actually Mercy's mother who is the infected one. As Dalton commands the demon to leave Mrs. Jones' body immediately, she proceeds to spew projectile vomit at him and bite a chunk out of her daughter's leg. Dalton arms himself with a sabre and enters combat with the possessed mother. Outside the house, the sounds of a struggle, the tearing of tearing, a thud, and crying are heard, which indicate that Dalton has become victorious.

Three days later, Dalton's family, consisting of his wife Maria (Cynthia Devans) and his children Michael and Theresa (Boston Pierce and Abigail Dolan), eagerly await his return. As Michael and Maria work on a jigsaw puzzle, Theresa listens to a podcast in wherein the hosts discuss the nature of the plague, as well as mentioning that the infection rates are off the charts in multiple areas and the only way to kill an infectee is through decapitation. Later that day, as they prepare dinner, Michael and Maria optimistically discuss how things will soon be returning to normal, with Maria mentioning that the salons are starting to open again and Michael saying that a friend told him they would be returning to school. In contrast, the bitter and jaded Theresa calls their desires "wishful thinking" because they aren't "essential". She also mentions that the infection rates are off the charts in Celestial Falls, and that their father hasn't returned in three days, shocking Maria into breaking the glass she is holding. After ushering Michael out of the kitchen, Maria and Theresa argue about whether Dalton will be the same if and when he comes home. Theresa argues that a Meter Reader's immunity needs to be reevaluated every 72 hours, reasoning that he might have become infected. What's more, Dalton gave the family strict instructions not to let him in after 7pm, further proving her idea that he may not be himself when he comes home. Despite clutching the glass shards so hard that her hand bleeds, Maria assures Theresa that Dalton ''will'' return before his curfew

At 7:02 PM, Theresa's laptop, hooked up to security cameras around the house, detects someone approaching, causing an alarm to sound. The mysterious person is revealed to be Dalton, who walks up to the door, knocks, and insists the family let him inside. As the family gathers at the door, Theresa reminds Dalton about the curfew he set for them and refuses to open the door. When Maria attempts to take charge of the situation and let her husband in, Theresa grabs a customized meat cleaver and threatens to chop her father's head off. With no other options, Maria tells Dalton to spend the night in the cellar, and that they will get a doctor to retest him in the morning. Dalton is forced to accept their terms and descends to the cellar, the doors closing behind him. Once Dalton descends, Theresa (who is revealed to be the source of the narration) reminisces about the first year of the pandemic. According to her, the world wasn't ready to believe that the demonic plague was real, deeming it as a hoax or mass hallucination. As society proceeded to fall apart, things became far too difficult to ignore, especially as entire families were infected. Theresa also remembers that her baby sister Madeline was infected in the first days of the outbreak, and how she personally had to assist her father in putting her down. After giving a brief description of the origins of the Meter, and the fact that less than 10% of the population are capable of wielding it, Theresa reminisces about the day her father left home. Dalton reminded her that "the Devil is the master of lies", and warned her to trust no one, not even him.

Theresa is then startled awake when she drops her cleaver and hears alarms blaring, and checks her laptop's camera to discover that the cellar doors are open. Entering the supernaturally darkened kitchen, she finds her possessed father beside Maria and Michael's corpses, ominously laughing at her. This experience is revealed to be a nightmare, as Theresa finds the doors still closed. When Theresa checks the kitchen, she finds her mother cooking dinner for Dalton, hoping to leave it outside on a tray outside the door for him. The two once again argue about Dalton's potential possession and the risks of letting him out, when Michael suddenly descends to the cellar himself, the doors slamming behind him. As Maria panics and begs Dalton to give Michael back, Theresa grabs her cleaver and storms off to the cellar to do what her father taught her to do, prompting Maria to knock her unconscious in a move of desperation. When she awakens, Theresa arms herself and descends to the cellar, where demonic voices and laughter are heard. Wielding her father's mirror, she commands any possible demons in the room to reveal themselves. At once, Michael suddenly appears behind her, wearing both a devil mask and red pajamas, carrying a plastic pitchfork, and having grown a pointed tail. He silently points in the direction the demon supposedly is, where Theresa slowly investigates. Following a trail of blood on the floor, Theresa discovers her father slumped in a chair. Dalton is not possessed, but he ''is'' mortally wounded. He weakly explains that Maria and Michael have actually become infected, and the three day delay he endured at Mrs. Jones' house meant he was unable to save them. He reminds the scared Theresa of what she has to do, even though she doesn't want to. Theresa then discovers Michael crawling across the ceiling, as well as her mother levitating behind her. The possessed Maria invites her daughter to look at her newly-clawed "nails" as Michael appears behind her. As Maria flies at her, Theresa moves out of the way, leaving Michael to be stabbed by the claws. As Maria screeches in anguish, Theresa proceeds to butcher her possessed mother and brother. When the deed is done, Dalton expresses pride in his daughter and succumbs to his injuries. Theresa proceeds to pick up the Meter from his dead hand.

The next day, the sanitation workers Dalton met during his trip stop by the house, loading Maria and Michael's severed heads into their truck. As she watches the heads be incinerated, Theresa, now a Meter Reader herself, completes the jigsaw puzzle her mother and brother were working on. A news report on her laptop mentions that infection rates are still skyrocketing across the world, so much so that the debate on whether the plague is biological or spiritual in nature has been rendered moot. Deciding that there is nothing left for her at home anymore, and taking the news' advice that those with immunity are needed more than ever to join the fight, Theresa leaves the house on her father's motorcycle, hoping to continue his work. As she rides along, she recites a final voiceover about how her father said that the Meter Readers weren't special people, "just regular Joes doing the work of heroes", and that history would ultimately sanctify their actions. Taking note of the fact that her choices have made her "a regular Josephine", Theresa grimly notes that her work is only beginning.

* ActionGirl: Theresa, despite only being a teenager, has become highly skilled at killing demons, having learned from her father. She takes down two in the film, never hesitating even though they possessed her mom and brother. At the end, she continues her father's work hunting them down full time.
* AfterTheEnd: This episode is set sometime after the plague left its mark on humanity.
* AndTheAdventureContinues: In the end, Theresa leaves her now empty home on her late father's motorcycle, hoping to use her newfound immunity to carry on his work in stopping the plague.
* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: Early in the episode, the unassuming Mrs. Jones is revealed to be possessed. Maria and Michael are also revealed to be possessed by the end of the story.
* AntiHero: Theresa, in spite of her jaded and icy personality, ends up saving the day by slaughtering her possessed family.
* ApocalypseAnarchy: Cities across the world were gripped in chaos as the plague began to spread, complete with revolutionaries standing out against the new world order. Even years after the plague first spread, the destruction remains, with many towns having long since been abandoned and left to rot.
* ApocalypseHow: The plague unleashed a ApocalypseHow/{{Class 1}} upon humanity. Since infection levels are still skyrocketing, it may possibly start bumping up to a ApocalypseHow/{{Class 2}}.
* BadassPreacher: The Meter Readers have all the mannerisms of one. As Dalton states, however, they aren't actual priests.
* BaitAndSwitch: When Mercy appears to be possessed and Dalton examines her, it's revealed that her mother is the one actually infected. Similarly, when Theresa suspects that her father has been infected, she discovers that he isn't, but that her mother and brother ''are''.
* BookEnds:
** The episode begins and ends with someone riding a motorcycle through an apocalyptic wasteland.
** The sanitation workers from the beginning appear at the end to collect Maria and Michael's severed heads.
** Theresa completes the jigsaw puzzle Michael and Maria were working during their introduction, just before she leaves the house.

** Those infected have the same eyes that the possessed Mrs. Bookberry had in [[Recap/CreepshowS2E2PublicTelevisionOfTheDead Public Television of the Dead]].
** With the Devil being implied to be the mastermind behind the plague, this is the second episode of the series, after [[Recap/CreepshowS2E4Pesticide Pesticide]], to have him play a major role in a catastrophe that leaves a large number of people dead.
** The sabre Dalton uses to kill Mrs. Jones is one of Lampini's props from [[Recap/CreepshowS3E3SkeletonsInTheCloset Skeletons in the Closet.]]

* ChekhovsGun: Dalton's mirror, which is supposedly used to reveal the demons possessing those who are infected. Theresa later uses it to discover the truth about her mother and brother.
* ChurchMilitant: The Meter Readers fancy themselves as these, even though they're not really priests.
* ConsummateLiar: Before he left, Dalton reminded Theresa that "the Devil is the master of lies", and told her not to trust anyone, even him.
* CoolBike: Dalton travels to Celestial Falls on a tricked-out motorcycle. Theresa takes it at the end of the story, riding off to continue her father's work.
* CrapsackWorld: The episode is set in a world where most towns are abandoned, anarchy runs rampant, and anyone you know can be a flesh-hungry demon waiting to devour you.
* CrazyPrepared: Throughout the plague's reign of terror, Theresa was well-trained by her father to combat those who are infected, keeping a close eye on the infection rates, checking out security footage around the house, and carrying around a tricked out meat cleaver to chop an infected person's head off. He even took her on training missions to kill infectees together, while still young.
* CynicIdealistDuo: It's more of at "trio" to be exact. Maria and Michael are both optimistic that the plague will pass and things will go back to normal. The bitter Theresa, on the other hand, is certain that the plague is nowhere near over, continuing to rain on the others' parades by bringing up the infection rates.
* DarkerAndEdgier: The heavy real-life parallels of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic make this episode significantly bleaker than the others in the series.
* DeathOfAChild: Theresa's baby sister Madeline became infected and needed to be put down.
* DecoyProtagonist: Dalton appears to be the central character of the episode, since we see him travelling through a ruined city to the home of a possessed victim. He spends three days travelling to and then battling that victim, and when he gets home, he ends up forced to stay in the cellar. In doing so, the story shifts focus to Theresa, who is revealed to be the actual protagonist.
* DissonantLaughter: After Michael becomes possessed, this is the only thing that comes out of his mouth.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: If it wasn't clear from the first few minutes, this entire story is a giant allegory for the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. Let us count the ways:
** Theresa is listening to a podcast in which different people with different opinions argue about the nature of the contagion.
** Michael mentions that a friend told him they would be returning to school in the fall, and Maria mentions that the salons are opening again. Theresa disregards both of their desires as pipe dreams because they aren't "essential".
** Theresa mentions that the contagion was first called a hoax; a mass hallucination, saying that the world just wasn't ready to believe.
** The tearful scene in which Dalton leaves to check on and/or eradicate the infected mirrors that of an essential worker being forced to leave their family to treat the infected, not knowing whether or not they might come back home.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: When the possessed Maria accidentally stabs her similarly-possessed son, she screeches in agony at what she's done.
* EvilAllAlong: Maria and Michael are revealed to be carriers of the plague, and have been attempting to let Dalton into the house so they could kill and eat him.
* TheExtremistWasRight: In the end, for all her gung-ho mannerisms, it turns out that Theresa was right in not trusting Dalton or letting him inside the house. Not because he was possessed, but because it indirectly led to the reveal of the people who actually ''were'' possessed.
* ForeShadowing:
** Michael is seen wearing his devil mask before Dalton travels to Mrs. Jones' house. He later wears it full-time when he's possessed.
** The scene of Mrs. Jones and Mercy, where the unassuming parent of the apparently possessed child is actually the possessed one, is repeated at the climax of the story with Theresa's own family.
* ForgingScene: A brief illustration features a man crafting the Meter in a massive "ceremonial furnace".
* FreudianExcuse: Theresa is so bitter and cynical because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father put her down. Even before that day, her father rigorously trained her to combat the infected, to the point where part of said training was for the two of them to go on little "field trips" to take down infected people firsthand. Her gung-ho willingness to kill Dalton himself when he arrives after curfew could possibly her way of making sure that she doesn't lose another family member to the infection.
* GreatOffscreenWar: Several revolutions are implied to have taken place as humanity slowly fell to the plague, but none during the actual story.
* GreaterScopeVillain: The Devil, who is implied to be the mastermind of the plague.
* HellOnEarth: According to Theresa, this is what theologians believe is the cause of the plague, thinking that the gates of Hell have broken and unleashed its demons upon the Earth.
* ImAHumanitarian: Theresa notes that the infected devour people, starting with their own families.
* TheImmune: The Meter Readers have a naturally proven immunity to the plague.
* ImmunityAttrition: While Meter Readers like Dalton have proven immunity to the plague, it isn't unlimited. Theresa mentions that the immunity needs to be reevaluated every 72 hours.
* ImNotAHeroIm: Dalton believes that he and the other Meter Readers aren't heroes, just regular people doing heroes' work.
* {{Infodump}}: Theresa delivers a few of them to explain how this post-apocalyptic future came to be, since the episode's running time clearly wouldn't have been able to showcase everything.
* KilledOffScreen: Mrs. Jones is heard being decapitated by Dalton outside her house.
* KnightInSourArmor: The bitter and jaded Theresa, who was well-trained by her father when the plague hit, arms herself with a tricked out meat cleaver and makes short work of her possessed family.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The news anchor at the end mentions that those with immunity to the plague are encouraged to join the fight to stop it. Theresa stares at the camera as the anchor speaks, possibly signifying that the ''Creepshow'' universe itself is pleading with its audience to do the same for their own "plague".
* MacGuffin: The Meter. Dalton uses it only once to scan Mercy for a potential demon. Besides Theresa's narration regarding its origins and abilities, it isn't until the end of the story that the sacred tool has any significance again.
* MagicWand: The Meter, a specialized tool that was forged by "holy disciples" that Meter Readers use to detect the presence of demons. Theresa's monologues mention that the Meter's power actually comes from its wielders, not from the device itself.
* MeaningfulName: Theresa shares the same name as Mother Teresa, who also had a strong devotion to cure the sick. Of course, the two also had ''very'' different ways of "curing" those infected.
* MiddleOfNowhereStreet: Dalton's house appears to be a great distance away from civilization, presumably as a measure to lower the risk of infection.

** The [[Film/{{Creepshow}} ashtray]] can be seen on an end table in the Fullers' living room.

* NarratorAllAlong: Theresa's first narration is played far before she is properly introduced. Her being the narrator is only revealed once Dalton steps into the cellar.
* NothingIsScarier: There is a brief comic interlude where a large, demonic creature creeps up behind the Pope and apparently devours him. The actual act itself is left completely unseen.
* OffWithHisHead: The only way to kill someone who is infected, presumably to "preserve their immortal soul". The heads are later collected and burned by sanitation workers driving modified garbage trucks.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: The Department of Meter Readers are at first presented as a group of hooded figures, whom Theresa dubs "holy disciples", in an illustration as the demonic plague wipes out the population.
* OneWorldOrder: The Department of Meter Readers is implied to have merged all remaining world governments into one unit, possibly as a means to unify whichever portions of the world hadn't descended into anarchy.
* ParentChildTeam: In the early days of the plague, Theresa and her father would go out together to identify and kill infected people, possibly as a training exercise.
* PassingTheTorch: Theresa collects the Meter from Dalton after he dies, and thus becomes a Meter Reader herself.
%%* ThePlague: Quite naturally.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Dalton gave the family a strict 7 pm curfew, as well as orders not to let him in if he arrives after said curfew. When Dalton gets home after the curfew and his family refuses to let him inside out of fear that he's possessed, all he does is bang on the door, tell him that they can trust him, and begging his family to let him in, neglecting to reveal the reason ''why'' they need to let him in. Of course, Maria ''could've'' known what her husband was actually referring to, but was covering her and Michael's tracks at the time.
* PowerFloats: Once possessed, Maria gains the ability to levitate.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: As mentioned, this story draws heavy parallels from the the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, only with demonic possession instead of a biological virus.
* RedHerring: Dalton arriving home after his curfew, having the cellar doors close behind him, and Theresa's nightmare involving him seem to hint that he ''is'' infected. He isn't, and he ends up killed by the actual infectees: his wife and son.

* RiddleForTheAges: The exact nature of the plague is left deliberately ambiguous, with no hints as to whether the possession is the work of genuine demons from Hell, or a virus that simply mirrors the symptoms of demonic possession. By the end of the story, it doesn't really matter, since the infection rate is so high that all debates about the plague's nature have been rendered moot.
* {{Satan}}: He's mentioned to be the possible source of the plague.

** The sanitation workers advise citizens to dispose of their loved ones' severed heads by yelling [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "Bring out your heads!"]]
** Dalton is named after the possessed child of the same name from ''Film/{{Insidious}}''.
** The infected display several mannerisms similar to [[Franchise/EvilDead Deadites.]]

** Dalton's visit to Mrs. Jones' house is one giant reference to ''Film/TheExorcist'', complete with the house mirroring the appearance of Reagan's house, a pot of pea soup boiling on the stove, the supposedly possessed girl being tied to the bed, and the person who is actually possessed spewing projectile vomit. The episode's cover even features a possessed Reagan lookalike spewing vomit at Dalton.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mercy. Her apparent possession draws Dalton away from his house for three days, rendering him unable to save his wife and son from possession, and forcing Theresa to butcher them instead.
* SoProudOfYou: Dalton's final words to Theresa, just before he succumbs to his injuries.
* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: The infected are capable of hiding their demonic appearances, abilities, and mannerisms perfectly, at least before they reach the final stage. This makes it incredibly easy for them to fool people into thinking that they are innocent, prey on their loved ones' trust in them, and kill and devour people when they least expect it.
* TookALevelInCynic: Theresa certainly became more jaded over the years, ever since her baby sister succumbed to the plague.

* TheVirus: From what this story is based off of, this is a given. The key difference is that this virus induces demonic possession instead of a sickness.
* VomitIndiscretionShot: Mrs. Jones does this when her possession is revealed.
* WalkingTheEarth: Theresa does this after the deaths of her family, taking her father's motorcycle and traveling the country to continue his work.

* WeHardlyKnewYe: Mrs. Jones and her daughter Mercy only appear in the episode's first few minutes. While Mrs. Jones is heard being murdered by Dalton, Mercy's fate is left completely unanswered.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Theresa is extremely willing to chop off her father's head if necessary, since it's the only way to kill an infected person and she had to witness her father do the same to her baby sister.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Mercy is never seen again after her and her mother's scene. Even though her mother is taken care of, it's never revealed what exactly happened to Mercy after Dalton's little visit.
* WouldHurtAChild: The possessed Mrs. Jones bites a chunk out of her daughter's leg.

* ThePlague: Quite naturally.
* PoorCommunicationKills: Dalton gave the family a strict 7pm curfew, as well as orders not to let him in if he arrives after said curfew. When Dalton gets home after the curfew and his family refuses to let him inside out of fear that he's possessed, all he does is bang on the door, tell him that they can trust him, and begging his family to let him in, neglecting to reveal the reason ''why'' they need to let him in. Of course, Maria ''could've'' known what her husband was actually referring to, but was covering her and Michael's tracks at the time.

* ForeShadowing: Michael is seen wearing his devil mask before Dalton travels to Mrs. Jones' house. He later wears it full-time when he's possessed.

* FreudianExcuse: Theresa is so bitter and cynical because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father put her down. Even before that day, her father rigorously trained her to combat the infected, to the point where part of said training was for the two of them went on little "field trips" to take down infected people firsthand. Her gung-ho willingness to kill Dalton himself when he arrives after curfew could possibly her way of making sure that she doesn't lose another family member to the infection.

* HellOnEarth: According to Theresa, this is what theologians believe is the cause of the plague, thinking that the gates of Hell had broken and unleashed its demons upon the Earth.

** Theresa completes the jigsaw puzzle Michael and Maria were working on before she leaves the house.

* CrazyPrepared: Throughout the plague's reign of terror, Theresa was well-trained by her father to combat those who are infected, keeping a close eye on the infection rates, checking out security footage around the house, and carrying around a tricked out meat cleaver to chop an infected person's head off.

* FreudianExcuse: Theresa is so bitter and cynical because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father put her down. Even before that day, her father rigorously trained her to combat the infected, resulting in her gung-ho willingness to kill Dalton himself when he arrives after curfew, possibly her way of making sure that she doesn't lose another family member to the infection.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The news anchor at the end mentions that those with immunity to the plague are encouraged to join the fight to stop it. Theresa stares at the camera as the anchor speaks, possibly signifying that the ''Creepshow'' universe itself is pleading with its audience to do the same.

* OffWithHisHead: The only way to kill someone who is infected, presumably to release their tortured souls. The heads are later collected and burned by sanitation workers driving modified garbage trucks.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: A group of hooded figures, which Theresa dubs "holy disciples", are seen in an illustration as the demonic plague wipes out the population. They are hinted to possibly the founders of the Department of Meter Readers, as Theresa mentions they are the ones who initially designed the Meter.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Dalton gave the family a strict 7pm curfew, as well as orders not to let him in if he arrives after said curfew. When Dalton gets home after the curfew and his family refuses to let him inside out of fear that he's possessed, all he does is bang on the door, keep saying that they can trust him, and begging his family to let him in, neglecting to reveal the reason ''why'' they need to let him in. Of course, Maria ''could've'' known what her husband was actually referring to, but was covering her and Michael's tracks at the time.

* RedHerring: Dalton arriving home after his curfew, having the cellar doors close behind him, and Theresa's nightmare involving him seem to hint that he ''is'' infected. He actually isn't, and is killed by the actual infectees: his wife and son.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mercy. Her apparent possession draws Dalton away from his house for three days, rendering him unable to save his wife and son from possession, and forcing Theresa to butcher them instead.

** Dalton's visit to Mrs. Jones' house is one giant reference to ''Film/TheExorcist'', complete with the house mirroring the appearance of Reagan's house, a pot of pea soup boiling on the stove, the supposedly possessed girl being tied to the bed, and the person who is actually possessed spewing projectile vomit.

* VerySpecialEpisode: The first example of the series. Even though this virus is played for horror and entertainment, the virus it was based on is clearly not, and the episode pulls no punches to remind viewers of that fact.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Theresa is extremely willing to chop off her father's head if necessary, since it's the only way to kill an infected person and she had to witness her baby sister undergo it as well.

In a post-apocalyptic world lit under an orange sky, a mysterious man on a motorcycle rides through a deserted town. As he approaches a suburb, he witnesses sanitation workers empty trash cans filled with severed heads into modified garbage trucks, in which they are incinerated. Upon seeing the man, one of the workers warns him to go back, as he is in "the red zone". The man informs the worker that he's headed for the nearby town of Celestial Falls. The worker offhandedly mentions that "the devil beat you to it". Nonetheless, the man rides off, destined to reach Celestial Falls. Over images of an abandoned city, a voiceover explains that the world was ravaged by a pandemic; a supernatural virus in which people succumb to demonic possession that strikes indiscriminately. The exact reason for why this demonic contagion emerged is still being debated, but there is still hope for this world: the Meter Readers, a select number of people with proven immunity to the contagion, who travel the world in hopes of identifying the plague before it can spread further, and eradicating those who are too late to be saved.

The mysterious man, who happens to be a Meter Reader himself, reaches his destination: the home of Mrs. Jones (Samantha Worthen). When Mrs. Jones answers the door, the man introduces himself as Dalton Fuller (Creator/JohnathonSchaech), having come to examine Mrs. Jones' daughter Mercy (Reagan Higgins). Upon entering, Mrs. Jones tells Dalton that Mercy has been spitting at her and speaking in a language she has never studied. Hoping that Mercy hasn't reached "the final stage", Dalton tells Mrs. Jones that he'll need to perform a test before his diagnosis. Entering the child's room, Dalton discovers Mercy tied to the bed. As he talks with Mercy, assuring her that he's going to help her, Dalton scans Mercy with the Meter, a specially crafted wand that Meter Readers utilize to check if someone is infected, then checks her out with a mirror that will supposedly reveal the demon possessing her. To Dalton's surprise, it is actually Mercy's mother who is infected. As Dalton commands the demon to leave Mrs. Jones' body, she proceeds to spew vomit at him and take a bite out of her daughter's leg. Dalton arms himself with a sabre and enters combat with the possessed mother. Outside the house, the sounds of a struggle, flesh tearing, a thud, and crying are heard, which indicate that Dalton has won his battle.

Three days later, Dalton's family, consisting of his wife Maria (Cynthia Devans) and his children Michael and Theresa (Boston Pierce and Abigail Dolan), await his return. As Michael and Maria work on a jigsaw puzzle, Theresa listens to a podcast in which two hosts discuss the nature of the plague, as well as mentioning that the infection rates are off the charts. After a while, Michael and Maria optimistically discuss how things will soon be returning to normal, with Maria mentioning that the salons are opening again and Michael saying that a friend told him that they would be returning to school. In contrast, the bitter and jaded Theresa calls their desires "wishful thinking", mentioning that the infection rates are off the charts in Celestial Falls, and that their father hasn't returned in days. As Michael leaves, Maria and Theresa argue that Dalton's immunity needs to be reevaluated every 72 hours, with Theresa debating that he might have become infected. What's more, Dalton gave the family strict instructions not to let him in after 7pm, furthering her idea that he may not be himself when he comes home. Despite clutching a glass so hard it shatters, Maria patches up her injured hand and assures Theresa that Dalton will return before then.

A few minutes after 7pm, the house's security system detects someone approaching. The mysterious person is revealed to be Dalton, who walks up to the door, knocks, and demands to be let in. As the family gathers at the door, Theresa reminds Dalton of what he told them and refuses to open the door. When Maria attempts to take charge and let her husband in, Theresa grabs a customized meat cleaver and threatens to chop her father's head off, as it is the only way to kill an infected person. With no other options, Maria tells Dalton to spend the night in the cellar, and that they will get a doctor to retest him in the morning. Dalton is forced to accept their terms and descends to the cellar, the doors closing behind him. Once Dalton descends, Theresa (who is revealed to be the source of the voiceover) reminisces about how the world wasn't ready to believe that the plague was real, but as society proceeded to fall apart, things became too difficult to ignore. She also remembers that her baby sister Madeline was infected as well, and how she personally had to assist her father in putting her down. After giving a brief description of the origins of the Meter, and the fact that less than 10% of the population are capable of using it, Theresa is then reminded of the day her father left home. Dalton reminded her that "the devil is the master of lies", and warned her to trust no one, not even him.

Theresa is then startled awake when she hears alarms blaring, and checks her laptop's camera to discover that the cellar doors are open. Entering the darkened kitchen, she finds her possessed father beside Maria and Michael's corpses, ominously laughing at her. The experience is then revealed to be a nightmare, and when Theresa checks the kitchen, she finds her mother cooking dinner for Dalton, hoping to leave it outside on a tray for him. The two once again argue about potentially letting Dalton out of the cellar, when Michael suddenly descends to the basement, the doors closing behind him. As Maria panics and begs Dalton to give Michael back, Theresa grabs her cleaver and storms off to the cellar, prompting Maria to knock her unconscious in a move of desperation. When she awakens, Theresa arms herself and descends to the cellar, where demonic voices and laughter are heard. Wielding her father's mirror, she commands any possible demons in the room to reveal themselves. Michael suddenly appears behind her, wearing a devil mask and red pajamas and carrying a plastic pitchfork. He points in the direction the demon supposedly is, with Theresa oblivious to the fact that he has grown a pointed tail. Following a trail of blood on the floor, Theresa discovers her father slumped in a chair, not possessed, but mortally wounded. Dalton weakly explains that Maria and Michael have actually become possessed, and the three day delay he endured at Mrs. Jones' house meant he was unable to save them. He then reminds the scared Theresa that she knows what she has to do, even though she doesn't want to. Theresa then discovers Michael crawling across the ceiling, as well as her mother levitating behind her. The possessed Maria invites Theresa to look at her new clawed "nails" as Michael appears behind her. As Maria charges, Theresa moves out of the way, leaving Michael to be stabbed by the claws. As Maria screeches in anguish, Theresa proceeds to butcher her possessed family members. After the deed is done, Dalton expresses pride in his daughter and succumbs to his injuries. Theresa then proceeds to pick up the Meter from his dead hand.

The next day, the sanitation workers Dalton met during his trip stop by the house, loading Maria and Michael's severed heads into their truck. As she watches the heads be incinerated, Theresa, having become a Meter Reader herself, completes the jigsaw puzzle her mother and brother were working on. A news report on her laptop mentions that infection rates are still skyrocketing, so much so that the debate on whether the plague is biological or spiritual in nature has been rendered moot. Deciding that there is nothing left for her anymore, and taking the news' advice that those with immunity are needed to join the fight, Theresa leaves home on her father's motorcycle, hoping to continue his work. As she rides along, she recites a final voiceover about how her father said that Meter Readers were "just regular Joes doing the work of heroes", and that history would ultimately sanctify their actions. Taking note of the fact that her choices have made her "a regular Josephine", Theresa notes that her work is only beginning.

* AfterTheEnd: The episode is set sometime after the plague left its mark on humanity.

* AntiHero: Theresa, in spite of her jaded, bitter, and icy personality, ends up saving the day by slaughtering her possessed family.
* BadassPreacher: Dalton has all the mannerisms of one, even though he insists he isn't actually a priest.

* BookEnds: The episode begins and ends with someone riding a motorcycle through an apocalyptic wasteland. The sanitation workers from the beginning appear at the end to collect Maria and Michael's severed heads. There's also the jigsaw puzzle Maria and Michael were working on in their first scene. Theresa completes it before she leaves in the ending.

* CatapultNightmare: Theresa has one in which she discovers that her father is possessed, and standing over the freshly killed corpses of her mother and brother.
* ChekhovsGun: Dalton's mirror, which is supposedly used to reveal the demons possessing those infected. Theresa later uses it to discover the truth about her mother and brother.

* CynicIdealistDuo: "Trio" to be specific. Maria and Michael are both optimistic that the plague will pass and things will go back to normal. The bitter Theresa, on the other hand, is certain that the plague is nowhere near over, continuing to rain on the others' parades.

* DecoyProtagonist: Dalton appears to be the central character of the episode, as he travels a ruined city to the home of a possessed victim. He spends three days battling that victim, and when he gets home, he ends up forced to stay in the cellar. In doing so, the story shifts focus to Theresa, who is revealed to be the actual protagonist.

** People in the suburbs are seen wearing masks.
** Theresa is listening to a podcast in which people argue about the nature of the contagion.
** Michael mentions that a friend told him they would be returning to school in the fall, and Maria mentions that the salons are opening again.
** Theresa disregards both of their desires as pipe dreams because they aren't "essential".
** Infection rates are mentioned to be off the charts in multiple areas.
** Theresa mentions that the contagion was first called a hoax; a mass hallucination, saying that the world wasn't ready to believe.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: When the possessed Maria accidentally stabs her similarly possessed son, she screeches in agony at what she's done.
* EvilAllAlong: Maria and Michael are revealed to be carriers of the plague, and have been attempting to let Dalton inside so they could kill him.
* TheExtremistWasRight: In the end, it turns out that Theresa was right in not letting Dalton inside. Not because he was possessed, but because it eventually led to the reveal of the people who actually ''were''.
* ForeShadowing: Michael is seen wearing his devil mask before Dalton leaves home to travel to Mrs. Jones' house. He later wears it full-time when he's possessed.
* FreudianExcuse: Why is Theresa so bitter and cynical? Because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father kill her. Ever since then, her father rigorously trained her to combat those that are infected, resulting in her gung-ho willingness to kill him when he arrives after curfew, possibly her way of making sure that another family member will not succumb to the infection.

* ImmunityAttrition: While Dalton has proven immunity to the plague, it isn't unlimited. Theresa mentions that it needs to be reevaluated every 72 hours.

* KnightInSourArmor: The bitter and jaded Theresa, who was trained by her father when the plague hit, arms herself with a tricked out meat cleaver and makes short work of her possessed family.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The news anchor at the end mentions that those with immunity to the plague are encouraged to join the fight to stop it, possibly implying the same for the audience.
* MagicWand: The Meter, a specialized tool that Meter Readers use to detect the presence of demons. Theresa's monologues mention that the Meter's power actually comes from its wielders, not from the device itself.
* MeaningfulName: Theresa shares the same name as Mother Teresa, who also had a strong devotion to cure the sick. Of course, they also had ''very'' different ways of "curing" those infected.
* MiddleOfNowhereStreet: Dalton's house appears to be a great distance away from civilization, presumably as a measure to prevent infection.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Dalton gave the family a strict 7pm curfew, as well as orders not to let him in if he arrives after said curfew. When Dalton gets home after 7 and his family refuses to let him inside out of fear that he's possessed, all he does is bang on the door and keep begging his family to let him in, neglecting to reveal the reason ''why'' they need to let him in. Of course, Maria could've just been covering her and Michael's tracks at the time.

* RedSkyTakeWarning: "Orange" sky, to be specific. The sky is this color throughout the entire story.
* RiddleForTheAges: The exact nature of the plague is left ambiguous, with no hints as to whether the possession is the work of genuine demons from Hell, or rather a virus that mirrors the symptoms of demonic possession. By the end of the story, the infection rate is so high that all debates about the plague's nature have been rendered moot.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mercy. Her apparent possession draws Dalton away for three days, rendering him unable to save his wife and son from possession, and forcing Theresa to butcher them instead.

** The sanitation workers alert citizens to dispose of severed heads by yelling [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "Bring out your heads!"]]
** Dalton is likely named after the possessed child of the same name from ''Film/{{Insidious}}''.

* SoProudOfYou: Dalton's final words to Theresa before he succumbs to his injuries.
* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: The infected are capable of hiding their demonic appearances, abilities, and mannerisms perfectly, at least before they reach the final stage. This makes it incredibly easy for them to fool people into thinking that they are innocent, prey on their loved ones' insecurities and trust in them, and kill and devour people when they least expect it.
* TookALevelInCynic: Theresa has certainly become more jaded over the years, ever since her baby sister succumbed to the plague.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Mrs. Jones, who manages to delay Dalton for 3 days, rendering him unable to cure his wife and son.
* TheVirus: From what this story is based off of, this is a given. The difference is that this virus induces demonic possession instead of a sickness.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Mrs. Jones and Mercy are never seen again after their scene. Thankfully, Mrs. Jones is heard being killed in the house, but it's never revealed what exactly happened to Mercy after Dalton's little visit.

* ChekovsGun: Dalton's mirror, which is supposedly used to reveal the demons possessing those infected. Theresa later uses it to discover the truth about her mother and brother.

The next day, the sanitation workers Dalton met during his trip stop by the house, loading Maria and Michael's severed heads into their truck. As she watches the heads be incinerated, Theresa, having become a Meter Reader herself, completes the jigsaw puzzle her mother and brother were working on. A news report on her laptop mentions that infection rates are still skyrocketing, so much so that the debate on whether the plague is biological or spiritual in nature has been rendered moot. Deciding that there is nothing left for her anymore, and taking the news' advice that those with immunity are needed to join the fight, Theresa leaves home on her father's motorcycle, hoping to continue his work in stopping the plague. As she does, she recites a final voiceover about how her father said that Meter Readers were "just regular Joes doing the work of heroes". Taking note of the fact that her choices have made her "a regular Josephine", Theresa mentions that her work is only beginning.

* CallBack: This is the second episode of the series to be set in a post-apocalyptic future, after [[Recap/CreepshowS1E12TimesIsToughInMuskyHoller Times is Tough in Musky Holler]] from Season 1.

* ConsummateLiar: Before he left, Dalton reminded Theresa that "the devil is the master of lies", and told her not to trust anyone, even him.
* CrazyPrepared: Theresa was well-trained by her father to combat those who are infected, keeping a close eye on the infection rates, checking out security footage around the house, and carrying around a tricked out meat cleaver to chop an infected person's head off.
* CynicIdealistDuo: "Trio" to be specific. Maria and Michael are both optimistic that the plague will pass and things will go back to normal. Theresa, on the other hand, is sure that the plague is nowhere near over, continuing to rain on the others' parades.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: If it wasn't clear from the first few minutes, the entire story is a giant allegory for the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic. Let us count the ways:

** Theresa mentions that the contagion was first called a hoax, and a mass hallucination, saying that the world wasn't ready to believe.
** The tearful scene in which Dalton leaves to check on and/or eradicate the infected mirrors that of an essential worker being forced to leave their family to treat the infected, not knowing whether or not they might come home.

** And of course, the most sinister real world aspect of the entire story: '''the sheer paranoia that comes with not knowing whether someone is infected or not.'''

* FreudianExcuse: Why is Theresa so bitter and cynical? Because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father kill her. Ever since then, her father rigorously trained her to combat those that are infected, resulting in her gung-ho willingness to kill him when he arrives after curfew, possibly her way of making sure that such a thing never happens again.

* ImmunityAttrition: While Dalton has proven immunity to the plague, it isn't unlimited, as Theresa mentions that it needs to be revaluated every 72 hours.
* ImNotAHeroIm: Dalton believes that he and the other Meter Readers aren't heroes, just regular people doing heroes' work.

* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: The infected are capable of hiding their demonic appearances, abilities, and mannerisms perfectly, at least before they reach the final stage. This makes it incredibly easy for them to fool people into thinking that they are innocent, prey on their loved ones' insecurities, and kill and devour people when they least expect it.

* TheVirus: From what this story is based off of, this is a given. The difference being that this virus induces demonic possession instead of a sickness.

* TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse: The infected are capable of hiding their demonic appearances, abilities, and mannerisms perfectly, at least before they reach the final stage. This makes it incredibly easy for them to prey on their loved ones' insecurities and kill them.

In a post-apocalyptic world lit under an orange sky, a mysterious man on a motorcycle rides through a deserted town. As he approaches a suburb, he witnesses sanitation workers empty trash cans filled with severed heads into modified garbage trucks, in which they are incinerated. Upon seeing the man, one of the workers warns him to go back, as he is in "the red zone". The man informs the worker that he's headed for Celestial Falls. The worker offhandedly mentions that "the devil beat you to it". Nonetheless, the man rides off, destined to reach Celestial Falls. Over images of an abandoned city, a voiceover explains that the world was ravaged by a pandemic; a supernatural virus in which people succumb to demonic possession that came for those loved and hated in equal measure. The exact reason for why the demonic contagion emerged is still being debated, but there is still hope for this world: Meter Readers, a select number of people with proven immunity to the contagion, who travel the world in hopes of identifying the plague before it can spread further, and eradicating those who are too late to be saved.

The mysterious man, who happens to be a Meter Reader himself, reaches his destination: the home of Mrs. Jones (Samantha Worthen). When Mrs. Jones answers the door, the man introduces himself as Dalton Fuller (Creator/JohnathonSchaech), who has come to examine Mrs. Jones' daughter Mercy (Reagan Higgins). Upon entering, Mrs. Jones tells Dalton that Mercy has been spitting at her and speaking in a language she has never studied. Hoping that Mercy hasn't reached "the final stage", Dalton tells Mrs. Jones that he'll need to perform a test on Mercy before his diagnosis. Entering the child's room, Dalton discovers Mercy tied to the bed. As he talks with Mercy, assuring her that he's going to help her, Dalton scans Mercy with the Meter, a specially crafted wand that Meter Readers utilize to check if someone is infected, then checks her out with a mirror that will supposedly reveal the demon possessing her. To Dalton's surprise, it is actually Mercy's mother who is infected, proceeding to spew vomit at him and take a bite out of her daughter's leg. As Dalton commands the demon to leave Mrs. Jones' body, he arms himself with a sabre and enters combat with the possessed mother.

Three days later, Dalton's family, consisting of his wife Maria (Cynthia Devans) and his children Michael and Theresa (Boston Pierce and Abigail Dolan), await his return. As Michael and Maria work on a jigsaw puzzle, Theresa listens to a podcast which mentions that the pandemic has no end in sight. After a while, Michael and Maria optimistically discuss how things will soon be returning to normal, with Maria mentioning that the salons are opening again and Michael saying that a friend told him that they would be returning to school. In contrast, the bitter and jaded Theresa calls their desires "wishful thinking", mentioning that the infection rates are off the charts, and that their father hasn't returned in days. As Michael leaves, Maria and Theresa argue that Dalton's immunity needs to be reevaluated every 72 hours, hinting that he might have become infected. What's more, Dalton gave the family strict instructions not to let him in after 7pm. Despite clutching a glass so hard it shatters, Maria patches up her injured hand and assures Theresa that Dalton will return before then.

A few minutes after 7pm, the house's alarms begin detecting someone approaching. The source of the noise is revealed to be Dalton, who walks up to the door, knocks, and demands to be let in. As the family gathers at the door, Theresa reminds Dalton of what he told them. When Maria attempts to take charge and let her husband in, Theresa grabs a customized machete and threatens to chop her father's head off, as it is the only way to kill an infected person. With no other options, Maria tells Dalton to spend the night in the cellar, and that they will get a doctor to retest him in the morning. Dalton is forced to accept their terms and descends to the cellar, the doors closing behind him. Once Dalton descends, Theresa (who is revealed to be the source of the voiceover) reminisces about how the world wasn't ready to believe that the plague was real, until things became to difficult to ignore. She also remembers that her baby sister Madeline was infected as well, and how she personally had to assist her father in putting her down. After giving a brief description of the origins of the Meter, and the fact that less than 10% of the population are capable of using it, Theresa is then reminded of the day before her father left home. Dalton reminded her that "the devil is the master of lies", and warned her to trust no one, not even him.

Afterwards, Theresa hears alarms blaring and checks her laptop's camera to discover that the cellar doors are open. Entering the darkened kitchen, she finds her possessed father beside Maria and Michael's corpses, ominously laughing at her. The experience is then revealed to be a nightmare, and when Theresa checks the kitchen, she finds her mother cooking dinner for Dalton. The two once again argue about potentially letting Dalton out of the cellar, when Michael suddenly descends to the basement, the doors closing behind him. As Maria panics, Theresa grabs her machete, prompting Maria to knock her unconscious in a move of desperation. When she awakens, Theresa arms herself and descends to the cellar, where demonic voices and laughter are heard. Wielding her father's mirror, she commands any possible demons in the room to reveal themselves. Michael suddenly appears behind her, wearing a devil mask and red pajamas, carrying a plastic pitchfork, and having grown a pointed tail, and points in the direction the demon supposedly is. Following a trail of blood on the floor, Theresa discovers Dalton slumped in a chair, not possessed, but mortally wounded. Dalton weakly explains that Maria and Michael have actually become possessed, and the three day delay he endured at Mrs. Jones' house meant he was unable to save them. He then reminds the scared Theresa that she knows what she has to do, even though she doesn't want to. Afterwards, Theresa discovers Michael crawling across the ceiling, as well as her mother levitating behind her. The possessed Maria invites Theresa to look at her new clawed "nails" as Michael appears behind her. As Maria charges, Theresa moves out of the way, leading Michael to be stabbed by the claws. As Maria screeches in anguish, Theresa proceeds to butcher her possessed family members. After the deed is done, Dalton expresses pride in his daughter and succumbs to his injuries. Theresa then proceeds to pick up the Meter from his dead hand.

The next day, the sanitation workers Dalton met during his trip stop by the house, loading Maria and Mikey's severed heads into their truck. As she watches the heads be incinerated, Theresa, now a Meter Reader herself, completes the jigsaw puzzle her mother and brother were working on. A news report on her laptop mentions that infection rates are still skyrocketing, so much so that the debate on whether the plague is biological or spiritual in nature has been rendered moot. Deciding that there is nothing left for her anymore, and taking the news' advice that those with immunity are needed to join the fight, Theresa leaves home on her father's motorcycle, hoping to continue his work in stopping the plague. As she does, she recites a final voiceover about how her father said that Meter Readers were "just regular Joes doing the work of heroes". Taking note of the fact that her choices have made her "a regular Josephine", Theresa mentions that her work is only beginning.

* AndThenJohnWasAZombie: Early in the episode, the unassuming Mrs. Jones is revealed to be possessed. Maria and Mikey are also revealed to be possessed by the end of the story.

* BookEnds: The episode begins and ends with someone riding a motorcycle through an apocalyptic wasteland. The sanitation workers from the beginning appear at the end to collect Maria and Mikey's severed heads. There's also the jigsaw puzzle Maria and Mikey were working on in their first scene. Theresa completes it before she leaves in the ending.

* CrazyPrepared: Theresa was well-trained by her father to combat those who are infected, keeping a close eye on the infection rates, checking out security footage around the house, and carrying around a customized machete to chop an infected person's head off.
* CynicIdealistDuo: "Trio" to be specific. Maria and Mikey are both optimistic that the plague will pass and things will go back to normal. Theresa, on the other hand, is sure that the plague is nowhere near over, continuing to rain on the others' parades.

** Theresa is listening to a podcast about people arguing about the nature of the contagion.

** Infection rates are mentioned to be off the charts.
** Theresa mentions that the contagion was first called a hoax, and a mass hallucination.
** The tearful scene in which Dalton leaves to check on and/or eradicate the infected mirrors that of an essential worker leaving to treat the infected.
** The sheer paranoia that comes with not knowing whether someone is infected or not.

* EvilAllAlong: Maria and Mikey are revealed to be carriers of the plague, and have attempting to let Dalton inside so they could kill him.
* TheExtremistWasRight: In the end, it turned out that Theresa was right in not letting Dalton inside. Not because he was possessed, but because it led to the eventual reveal of those who actually ''were''.
* FreudianExcuse: Why is Theresa so bitter and cynical? Because her baby sister Madeline had succumbed to the plague, and she personally had to help her father kill her, and her gung-ho attitude and willing to kill him when he arrives after curfew is her wanting to be sure that such a thing never happens again.

* KnightInSourArmor: The bitter and jaded Theresa, who was trained by her father when the plague hit, arms herself with a customized machete and makes short work of her possessed family.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The news anchor at the end mentions that those with immunity to the plague are encouraged to join the fight to stop it, and possibly implies the same for the audience.
* MagicWand: The Meter, a specialized tool that Meter Readers use to detect the presence of demons. Theresa's monologues actually mention that the Meter's power comes from its wielders, not from the device itself.

** Mrs. Jones' house number is revealed to be ''Literature/FourteenOhEight''.

* OffWithHisHead: The only way to kill someone who is infected. The heads are later collected and burned by sanitation workers driving modified garbage trucks.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: As mentioned, this story draws heavy parallels from the the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic, only with of demonic possession instead of a biological virus.
* RedSkyTakeWarning: "Orange" sky, to be specific. The sky became orange ever since the plague first began.
* RiddleForTheAges: The exact nature of the plague is left ambiguous, with no hints as to whether the possession is the work of genuine demons from Hell, or rather a virus that mirrors the symptoms of demonic possession. By the end of the story, the infection rate is so high that the debate about the plague's nature has been rendered moot.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Mrs. Jones, who manages to delay Dalton for days, rendering him unable to cure his wife and son.
* TheVirus: From what this story is based off of, this is a given. The difference being the virus induces demonic possession instead of a sickness.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Mrs. Jones and Mercy are never seen again after their scene, and it's never revealed what exactly happened to them after Dalton's little visit.

* InfantImmortality: Averted. Theresa's baby sister Madeline became infected and needed to be put down.