Fever Dream Red

2

"Have any of you even thought to look outside?" A voice muttered from Lily's door. Lily's rather bratty boyfriend, Matthew, stumbled through, one hand making a useless attempt at tidying his curly hair.

Matthew surveyed everyone's confused expressions, and sighed.

"They're bombing Albermis."

The chaos of voices erupted once again, although now they were more feverish and unknown.

"Why would they do that?" I muttered to Danny's equally lost expression, tripping over my own hypocrisy after my exasperation with Doug.
"Flush the...injured out, perhaps?" Inez shrugged however nonchalantly, even though I could swear I saw her trembling.

"We'll probably all die!" Doug spat out, his tall frame slipping down the wall until he was sat with his knees to his head in a pathetic little ball.

At that moment, Fae's baby started screeching again. I couldn't help but think that it was echoing Douf's statement.

"We've lived in Gloomy Cay for what? Nearly our whole lives. If we die then good riddance!"Eli spat, with an air of irritation, similiar to mine. With that, he slammed his door shut. Before Mimi slipped out of view, I saw her eyes perform the tiniest eye roll.

His mutterings were left largely unnoticed anyway.

I wandered over to my own window and pulled back the curtain.

Sure enough, over the water in the city of Albermis, bombs were tearing down skyscrapers and grenades weretaking the last of those infected. It was a haunting firework show in the crescendo of the world. The fiery orange and yellow flashing flames would soon die just like everyone else in the world.

Just below the window, I could see the events being played out in the mirror of the sea. The beach was deserted and looked grey with illness. I used to watch people sunbathing on the sand and swimming in the saltwater from that very window.

How could everything have gone so wrong?

The island has always lived up to its name, Gloomy Cay, with its deaths and murders and strangeness. But what was happening now was even more awful, even though it was outside the island's walls.

It was like we were all infused with the island's poor luck, and when we were adopted and brought out of its shell we exposed everyone to our misfortune, like the deadliest virus known to man.

My mind wondered to Addy, my mother. I wondered if she had died yet at the hands of some soldier who had delivered mercy to her. She could have been in one of those skyscrapers for all I knew.

She didn't deserve that fate. I couldn't think of many people who did.

I had feared developing the sores night after night. Every morning I used to check my body over and over, becoming increasingly relieved, scared and confused every time my skin showed up clear of anything.

I had to watch Addy's face as she discovered a sore on her arm. Her eyes were alarmed with fear, and her mouth was held agape in a silent scream.

She had shut herself away and ordered us to run as fast as we could.

I will never forget our goodbyes between closed doors. The muffled meaning of the words and the endearing thought of "How could this be real?"

We went to Gloomy Cay because it was the only place we could think of. It was deserted. No one in their right minds would flock there. No one except us, anyway. That's what we thought.

When we pulled up and got into the lobby of the massive apartment block that once housed our orphanage, an aggressive Matthew held us at gunpoint.

He made us strip to our underwear whilst everyone examined our bodies, searching for anything that indicated that we were infected.

Once they were all happy, Matthew dropped the gun, sighed with annoyance and welcomed us back.

Matthew had sort of established himself as leader. He had always been the type. Growing up he was loud, bossy and boisterous. The only person who ever came close to toppling him was Alfie.

He soon quietened down once Matt landed a fist to his face.

As if I had conjured Matt simply by thinking about him, he popped up.

"Glorious, isn't it?" He wrapped one arm around my body and pointed at the exploding city beyond. He grinned at me, and, letting out a shaky laugh, shook his head. "Just having a laugh."

He stared ahead again. His green eyes widened at the vision of destruction.

"Just think," He looked back at me,"soon we can go back there, get supplies and escape this dump once and for all. Those deaths are our key to freedom." Matt nodded at me, and I couldn't help grimacing.

"He's right, Finny." Lily was then behind me.

She placed a hand on my shoulder, her hair tickling my skin. She grinned sweetly at Matthew, who smiled back gently. It was the kindest I had ever seen him look, and I thanked Lily for it inwardly.

"I know he's right." I said, with a hint of irritation at people simply assuming my thoughts. "I just think he could be a bit more sensitive when these people's souls are only just leaving their bodies."
"That's just how he is, Finny." Lily told me, her voice sweet.

"Ruthless." She added, her voice devoid of any emotion other than bitterness and anger.
"Excuse her, Finny. My dear Lil is just tired, isn't she?" Matt almost growled at Lily, his eyes threatening her in ways that his words could not with me being there.
"Of course I am." Lily bit back, and sauntered back to her room.

As much as I wanted to argue with Matt's words, I knew that the destruction was for the better. Not just for the infected, whose lives were a living torture, but for us.

You had to stay away from them, or else you would become them.

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Thanks to PavoCartel and dojacant for doing so. It is appreciated :)