Virus | The Darkest Minds Ψ

Road Trip

Chapter IV

A way to describe Virginia now, simply put, was desolate.

Ever since the economy tanked, families were kicked out of their homes, one by one. There were mostly camps where groups of adults stayed together — although, often hunting kids to turn in.

In the years I had been on my own, I'd stumbled across a couple, but they were never quick enough to catch me. Few — very, very few — had been desperate parents who just wanted information if I knew their kid, if they were alive. But that was very rare.

It had almost been three years since I escaped. I had managed to teach myself a lot since I was living on my own, like hot-wiring a car, siphoning gas, and stealing things without being caught.

A bad way to live, I know, but it was the only options for kids now.

I stumbled upon a few kids over the years. We'd given each other short nods and went our separate ways. We didn't want to get caught up in each other's trouble.

It was late November when I was looting the gas station of its scarce goods. I looked at my bag filled with some first aid, food, and even a hairbrush with approval. I hadn't found stuff like this in ages.

I was about to go out the back door and hopefully find a place to stay the night, when I heard the screech of tires outside.

I froze, instincts taking over as I ducked behind the empty register. This was a bad situation. If there were skip tracers out there and they had a car, then I wouldn't be able to get away fast enough — not without doing damage to them, which would put me on their radar. The screech of the unused door opening alerted me to their presence and my heart sped up, my mind running through every possible scenario and anything that could help get me out of here.

I stayed impossibly still as I heard hushed talking. My body tensed as I sensed someone coming closer and I nearly screamed when a girl with dark eyes looked at me in surprise. Her eyes stretched wide, as did mine, as we stared at each other.

She looked around eleven or twelve, definitely not a skip tracer. And while she looked thin and haggard as most kids did now, she didn't look... scared. She wasn't bound by the wrists so I reached the conclusion that it was just another group of kids. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Too soon.

"Suzume, we have to leave," I heard a panicked voice say, and a boy with dark skin and glasses rounded to where me and the girl -- Zu -- were. "Who are you?" he glared.

"Chubs, Zu, we have to move, Lady Jane is on the trail," another kid with blonde hair and blue eyes said, joining us. I wanted to scream. How many kids were there?

"Lady Jane?" I asked sharply instead, and the blonde boy looked at me in surprise, as if just noticing me. "You better have not lead a skip-tracer here." My heart sped up with panic at the situation.

If she sees you, puts you in the radar, you're done. You'll go back to Thurmond.

The boy glanced at the dark skinned kid, as if asking for help.

"We can't deal with this right now," Glasses said, glaring as if it were my fault. "We have to go."

Zu tugged on blondie's arm, pointing at me.

"We can't take her, Zu," Glasses sighed.

Zu gave the boy a dry look.

"I can't get caught up with anyone," I muttered, pushing myself onto my feet. I headed to the back door, hoping this "Lady Jane" wouldn't find me. I just wanted to find a place to sleep tonight, now there was a possibility of a skip-tracer around. Or worse, a PSF.