Fade To White - Sequel to Fade To Black

Silent Revelations

* Hey readers! I think it's been almost an entire year since I last updated. I can't say sorry enough because you guys are always so awesome and post amazing and hilarious comments. I've been doing a lot of growing up and not having time to write but I'm finally in place where I can start writing again. I'm going to start writing longer chapters to make up for lost time and hopefully you guys will notice the lack of typos. I still need to edit Fade To Black in the future because I know my grammar and writing ability at the age of 14/15 was horrendous lol. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter and I hope to finish this book shortly before the end of summer for you guys. Thanks again for all the continued support and feedback! Love you guys!

Clementine awoke after a particularly violent jolt made her head collide with the cargo. She quietly cursed and rubbed the aching knot beginning to form on the back of her head. Wisps of cold air escaped through the itchy blanket and the chill soothed the heat of her face. She had no idea where they were, having given George full reign.  Over the churning of the wagon's wheels was a loud commotion of shuffling feet, yells, and shrieking children. Nudging her small frame between boxes of food and supplies she found room enough to look through the tiny hole she made in the side of the cart, like a tiny porthole. It was much safer than peering out from under the blanket. The fog was still curling up around the ground, making it hard to see how many people were truly there. Clementine could make out rapid shuffling feet and horses being led by their owners. There were bargains for food, advertised as "last chance". And the monotonous creak and turn of large wagons passing by became a hum in her head. Suddenly, as if only a few feet close, Clemy heard a strong, throaty cough that sounded painful. It was an old woman, clutching her sides and spitting blood on the ground before mixing it into the gravel as if it were a normal occurrence.  She held out a shaky hand and the wagon made a full stop. Clemy hit her head again and had to bite her tongue in order not to yell. The weight of the wagon shifted and George's calm voice flooded her ears, Clemy having refused to hear it for the last several hours of their journey.

"Can you spare a penny, Sir?" The old woman asked, a blood soaked handkerchief in one hand, the other pleading for anything. 

"Yes, ma'm.  What ails you?" George asked, concerned. He gently placed a silver dollar in her palm and she quickly tucked it away in her skirt pocket. 

"The plague," She coughed, "It's ravaged the city." It was a chore for her to say these words without a hard cough, a small dribble of blood clinging to the corner of her mouth. George swiftly stepped back, forgiving himself, before reaching into his pocket once more for another silver dollar, handing it to her, and climbing back onto the wagon. 

"Bless you sir." She smiled as warmly as she could and the wagon began to move again. Clemy found herself staring at the old woman as they rode off, her hand still shivering in the cold as she pleaded at passersby. For a small second she thought the woman had looked at her, deep into her, and Clemy looked away, her heart beating fast.  The woman vanished into the fog. 

The crowd began to thin and the city began to quiet. Clementine decided to break her silence. Peering out from under the blanket she looked up at George's stalky figure. "Where have you taken us?" She demanded.George's head turned to acknowledge her and for a second she could see the panic in his face.

"Atlanta . . ." He replied, but his voice trailed off in thought.

"Atlanta?"

"You said anywhere but here, so that's what I-" His voice had wandered off again as the herd of people moving together like fish up a stream had dwindled down to a few dozen.