It's the year 2038 and a deadly virus has consumed the world for more than 14 years.
In Denmark, an unknown politician took it upon himself to create a safe space from the infected. As long as you abide by the 8 Obligations, you are allowed to live...
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Getting busted for drinking on school ground is hardly the worst thing my parents has had to endure. Sometimes I hear my mother complain about all the troubles I cause and how come I can't be more like my adopted younger brother. She doesn't know I hear her saying these things to my dad. She would never say them in front of me, but I hear it anyway. And it sometimes makes me hate him. Not for real though. I love my brother. I just wish he wasn't such a golden boy all the time. I will always be a failure compared to him, so why not just do what I want anyway?
I cast a glance at Magnus who is walking right next to me. I can sense the conflict inside of him. The fear of his father fighting against the fact that he finds this situation a bit funny. He hardly ever has any fun. He's too busy being scared. And for a good reason, I know. But still, he needs to let go sometimes. I'm lucky enough to see that side of him occasionally. The fun side. The carefree side. But unfortunately, not that often, and not that long.
I love that side of him. The side that forgets all the shit he has in his life, and just do stupid things with me. And this situation right now, is making him struggle to not burst out laughing. I can see it in his eyes. But at the same time, he is scared they'll call his parents. But I will never let that happen. I'll rather burn down the entire school to create a distraction for them to call his parents. I just love him too much to see him suffer.
I love him... That's something I recently have figured out myself. And I don't mean that I love him like he is my best friend. No, I mean that I LOVE him. I'm in love with him. He is the most important thing in my life, and that is what I wanted to tell him last night. I know it will scare him. And he will pull away from me for a while. But he'll come back. I know he will because he loves me too. I can see it in his eyes sometimes. I just don't think he knows it yet. And I'm not sure he will ever let himself feel that way, but I won't lie to him. He deserves the truth. And it doesn't matter if he'll never love me back. All that matters is that he knows someone loves him. And will always love him. Even when he doesn't think he deserves to be loved.
My teacher takes us to the principal's office and makes us wait with the secretary while she goes in to speak with him. I look over at Magnus and catches his eyes. We smile at each other for a second before we begin to chuckle. It's just so fucking dumb! The bitch hasn't even figured out that Magnus doesn't go to this school yet. I swear, sometimes I doubt that these stuck-up teachers have any brain capacity.
Suddenly, Magnus stops grinning and stares at the secretary who is looking awfully pale. She is grasping the phone in her hand while staring into thin air. I haven't noticed what she has been talking about on the phone, but from the way Magnus looks, I guess he has.
"Dude... what's going on?"
"I think..." Magnus swallows a couple of times and turn towards me. "It sounded like they were going to put the school on lock down. They can't. I need to get out. My dad will kill me if I don't get home!"
"Woah. Slow down. Take a breath. It might not be as bad as you think."
I have barely finished speaking as an announcement stream from the speakers.
"Students and Faculty. We have been instructed to stay inside until further notice. The epidemic has reached highest level of threat, and we are officially on lockdown. This isn't just the schools, but the entire country. Stay inside, stay in your classrooms, and most important – stay calm. I will let you know when there is any new development."
The speakers go silent again, and I can see that Magnus has trouble breathing. As he starts to get pale, I push his head down between his legs and instruct him to take deep breaths while trying to get the secretaries attention. But she is not paying any attention to us at all. She is on the phone. Probably calling her family just like everyone else.
"Alright, come here. We are going to find an empty classroom for you to calm down in."
I pull Magnus to his feet and drag him out of the office. No one notices. In the halls, there are chaos. No one is following the instructions. Teachers has lost their authority and the teenagers are running up and down the hall. Yelling and screaming. Rejoicing in the fact that the country has lock down. Most of them remember the last pandemic as a year where you didn't have to go to school. I guess they think it's going to be like this again.
I sigh, shake my head, and struggle with keeping Magnus on his feet as we make our way down to the library. It's almost always empty.
As we reach it, I sit him down on the ground, under a window which I crack open. Providing him with some fresh air. The color is starting to come back to his face.
"Is this better?"
"Yes... thank you..." Magnus reaches for my hand and I close my fingers around his. He's usually not someone that would hold anybody's hands, but I guess he is feeling a little terrified right now. And I really don't mind feeling his hand in mine. I decide that now is not the time to share my feeling, so we sit in silence for a while.
When a text from his sister appears on his phone, telling him that she is alright and have explained everything to their dad, Magnus starts to calm down a lot more.
Completely drained from energy, he leans his head against my shoulder and falls asleep. His hand is still in mine, and my heart begins to beat faster and harder. If I ever had any doubt about my feelings, I don't anymore. I love him with all my heart.
