The Virus

Anything but Normal

Today, was supposed to be a normal day. I was supposed to go to normal school, come home, do my normal stuff, and go to bed like normal. Like every other day for sixteen years. But, no. Today had to be different. Today was the day that my entire life, and every other persons life in America, was completely shattered.

I remember this morning, when I woke up. Everything seemed fine. Nothing was out of place. I could hear my Dad teasing my little sister Victoria about her new crush. My mom was laughing as she made pancakes. My little brother Antonio was running around screaming in excitement because his kindergarten class was experimenting with static electricity. I had rolled out of my bed and stretched, smiling because of my beautiful family.

I had put on a floral sundress. Yes, I had actually worn floral print on the day that hell broke loose. I texted my best friend Sabrina like usual about are plans to go to a party.

When I got to school, I had half a day complete normalcy. It was so unexpected when they came. It was right after Sabrina had told me a bad pick up line at lunch.

"Hey Alessandra, are you Japan? Because I want to get in your Ja-Panties!" She laughed.

"Is there a mirror in your pants? Because I can see-". I was cut off by a blood curdling scream.

"What the hell?" Sabrina muttered, the terror evident in her eyes.

Our questions were answered as men and women in hazmat suits bursted through the cafeteria doors.

Panic and absolute terror was what I remembered most. The guns they carried looked extremely lethal and the fact that they were in hazmat suits screamed suspicion. Students and lunch aids screamed and ran. The men and women shot without feeling.

What they shot out scared me the most though. It wasn't an ordinary bullet, pellet, or dart. It was a thin, needle with a yellow liquid inside. What could it be?

Everywhere around me, it was chaos. I screamed as a needle hit my best friend Mason in the neck. I ran towards him to try and pull it out but, by the time I had gotten there, his eyes had rolled back into his head and blood poured out of his mouth.

"Mason! Please don't go, please, please," I sobbed into his shirt.

As I held a pulse-less Mason in my arms, I felt extreme sadness and fury. He was my next door neighbor and my best guy friend. In kindergarten, he was my partner in crime. In middle school he always gave me boy advice. In high school he was my rock. I trusted him with my life. I wanted to kill whoever did this.

I slowly shut his eyelids, knowing I'd never see his bright green eyes again. I ruffled his dark hair and kissed his forehead. I stood up and ran.

Running as fast as I could, I dodged needles that hit my classmates. This was sick. Besides the panic and terror, I began to feel anger and disgust.

How dare they do this! Kill innocent kids without blinking. But who are they? What are they doing? Is this happening everywhere?

I lived in a small town in West Virginia. This kind of stuff doesn't happen here. Ever. Unless it's happening every where? Maybe it was a terrorist attack. Maybe it's a new vaccine? For the first time in my life, I was really, truly, confused. Sure, I got confused on homework or a test. But this? This was completely different.

I ran past the library and the gym, as more and more needles whizzed passed me. I felt a little piece of hope as I saw a small,partly undetectable closet up ahead. I pushed myself to go faster as my legs burned. Shoving it open, I slipped inside quickly and locked it and scooted a shelf of cleaning supplies over it.