The Safe Place

Chapter 2

"June, wake up we're here" May said to June softly, shaking her shoulders lightly to wake her up.

June muffled some sounds and rubbed her eyelids.

"Where are we?"

"At the School."

"They took Annie away, June." May said almost in tears.

Now June sat upright trying to get what May said.

"Why? Where to?" She asked now wide awake.

"Mrs. Sheril said she should be kept under observation since she had contact with the freaks, s-she might have been infected." May said her lips trembling.

Hearing those words, June's heart beat faster than a drum. She was worried. What will happen to Annie? She thought. She had never experienced a situation where someone close to her was dead or dying.

She didn't feel anything when her teacher Mrs. Sheril cried when she lost her sister nor when her church member expressed her grief over her husband's death. But now, it was her turn. She wondered how hard it would be for Liz that her very own sister was in this situation.

"Let's get down the bus and go inside" May called.

They both got up and made their way into the school building together with all the other students. 

"Where is Liz?" June kept on asking.

"I don't know, she followed her sister to where they were taking her but I haven't seen her."

June had a lot of questions in her head about what was going on and she desperately needed answers.

Thinking of Annie made her think about her own family, her brother. Were they safe? What if the freaks attacked them? What if....

They all made their way into the building, by now it was evening, and the school didn't look as lively as one should be. She recalled running those hallways few hours ago, with Liz, Annie and May. She remembered the sound of the school bell and pupils' voices in the classrooms and hallways but now it was just empty. The hallways looked scary as only a dim light shone above
them.

They walked along the dark hallway as Mrs. Sheril led them towards the assembly room. The assembly room was a big empty room where the students did morning assemblies whenever it rained or when they had indoor school activities. They were never allowed into the assembly room except when necessary.

There, June saw about four more teachers other than Mrs. Sheril. She saw Mr. Newman, a fat gallant man who was the Health Education and fitness teacher. He was now wiping his sweaty face with a handkerchief.
She also recognised Mrs. Jeffery the youngest vibrant female teacher in V.S.A. Mr. Lee and the vice principal Mr. Hereford. They were all crowded together and discussing when the students entered and they quickly separated. June immediately knew that the issue was very serious when she saw that Mrs. Jeffery the ever cheerful with a pretty smile on her face was not smiling now. Instead her forehead formed creases from worrying.

They all huddled together in the assembly room and Mr. Hereford spoke.

"E-em pupils we are really sad to inform you officially that the town is in a deadly crisis as you may have known by now. Nowhere is safe. And you can't trust anyone. All of you will be staying here for now until we find a way to move forward. All of you should stay calm. The world might likely be coming to an end."

Those words echoed in June's head. The world may be coming to an end...  What made her shook up the most was the fact that Mr. Hereford stuttered. He never did.

"What about our family?" A trembling voice asked. It was one of the pupils, a small fair girl who was shaking with fear. We all turned to look at her.

"Don't worry, we'll try as best as possible to get to them even though we might not quarantee that they are safe. Everyone please be calm. Everything will be fine." The principal assured. June hoped he was saying the truth. She thought of her family, where were they? We're they alright? Tears slipped down her cheeks as she thought of them. She longed for home. She longed to see her mum and Dad and cuddle with them together with her little brother.

She remembered something her Mum always used to tell her. Don't worry June whatever happens the storm will pass. She consoled herself as her Mother's voice  filled her mind.

The teachers separated them. The boys from the girls and organised them in different classrooms where they would sleep for the night. They  were each given a bottle of water to refresh themselves. The female teachers went with the girls and comforted them. They pushed away the tables and the chairs in order to get enough place for lying down.

The girls were arranged around ten or so in one classroom. June made sure that May was with her wherever she went. They both held hands tightly protecting each other.

Mrs. Jeffery took their own group to a classroom. There were six of them. June, May, Lexi, that small fair girl who asked the question which June got to know that her name was Mira and two other girls June didn't really know.

After Mrs. Jeffery took care of things just as she was going out she gave them all a hug.

June felt safe for a moment. It was warm. But then it reminded her of her her parents. Her mother's sweet hugs that made her forget all the world's troubles. Her dad on the other hand didn't hug her much but she still remembered the few times they hugged and she felt safe in his strong arms. Like nothing could harm her.

The girls were left alone in the room to sleep.
The two other girls had already slept.

Mira was crying since they had entered the building and she was still crying.

"Can you keep quiet? Do you think you are the only one hear that has a family? I have mine and you don't see me sulking all over the place." Lexi snapped at Mira. From the sound of her voice June could see that Lexi was trying to act strong but she was falling apart.

June had almost forgot her hatred for Lexi with all that was going on but now she was furious. It wasn't Mira ' s fault, so why lash out on her? She thought.
As much as she wanted to snap at Lexi too, she knew it wouldn't help. She knew that Lexi was hurt, they all were so instead of lashing she just decided to calm down.

"It's okay, you don't need to shout at her. People have different ways they deal with these types of situations." June defended going closer to Mira.

Lexi just rolled her eyes and lay down to sleep.

"You can sleep beside us" May offered to Mira.

Mira moved towards May and June and they lay down together.

"My mum just put to bed" Mira whispered to them and started crying again. June didn't know what to do. She didn't feel the pain Mira felt, she didn't know how to console her. She just looked at her while she let out her tears.

June cried softly that night as she thought of all the things that happened that day. How so many things can take place in just hours. She closed her eyes, trying to erase all the bad thoughts and fell asleep.

P: Don't forget to vote.
Love, CS.