Virus | The Darkest Minds Ψ

Stowaway

Chapter VIII

"That won't work," Chubs sighed at Liam. "It's too risky."

"Well, what else do you suggest?" Liam asked stubbornly.

The boys had been arguing for the past two weeks about an unknown place and person. I didn't know them well enough to ask what they were talking about, but on the third day of hearing their whispers, my resolve cracked.

"Uh, I don't wanna, er, intrude, but what are you talking about?"

Liam and Chubs jumped and stared as if they'd forgotten I was there — which may have been true. I stayed quiet most of the time and mostly listened. It was a habit I picked up in Thurmond — we were hit if we talked at all, so I became adept at observing and listening. I guess that stayed with me after I left.

"Nothing—" Chubs started, but Liam and Zu glared at him. He sighed. "Fine. We're looking for the Slip Kid."

"Isn't that just a myth?" I asked. I'd heard of the Slip Kid before, but only in whispers. It was the sort of thing where you had to be in the know. It was so hushed up that it was almost like a shadow.

"It's not a myth," Liam said earnestly. "Apparently the Slip Kid can give you a place to hide and get you in contact with your parents!"

My heart melted a little at his enthusiasm, but sunk at the mention of contacting parents. Even if we did somehow find this alleged 'Slip Kid' there was no way my parents would ever want me. They would probably send me right back to Thurmond.

"A couple kids in Caledonia told us about him. A few kind of useless blues we ran across told us it's at the east edge of the state."

"So that's where we're heading?" I asked. "This alleged East River?"

"Yup," Liam nodded.

I blew air in through my cheeks. "Guess we better hop on the road then."

***

We'd been traveling for a couple days now. When Chubs would sit in the passenger seat, which was only occasionally, I did my best to help Zu on her math with my limited knowledge. I knew up to Algebra, which was more than most kids could say these days at least. Nico had practically made it his life's mission to keep us up with our schooling. In The Room, there had been some textbooks, but they were taken out a year or two after arriving at Thurmond.

We stopped the car a few miles out of West Virginia when we saw heaps of clothes — mostly boys' — stacked out side of the abandoned neighbourhood. I glanced down at my thin Virginia Beach shirt, faded jeans, and tearing jacket.

"Clothes?" I asked, picking up a toddlers shirt strewn carelessly on the ground. "I guess people really did leave quickly after the crash of the economy."

I saw Zu deflate a little bit when she saw most of the clothes were for boys. She glanced longingly at a pink shirt that would be too small for her, and instead grabbed some t-shirts and jeans and ducked back into Black Betty.

I grabbed a not too ratty looking black flannel, a few pairs of jeans, some scuffed up boots, and a black cap. I saw Liam smile and try on a leather jacket.

"It looks good on you," I commented, and then blushed at my words.

He grinned at me. "Nice boots," he laughed. I rolled my eyes playfully and started heading back to the van when Chubs's voice stopped us.