Deadly Plague

Chapter 1: The Outbreak

I was walking home with my friend Sophie. Sophie stops. I turn around. "What's wrong Soph?" She looks at me surely frightened. "I...I thought I heard someone scream..." I look at her. I know something is up by the glazed over look in Sophie's usually bright green eyes.

Sophie starts to walk again but slower this time. It's as if she's trying to be more careful with her steps as though she is pondering a unknown question. I get into Sophie's front yard and we both hear it. Only this time it's louder. Our eyes are wide with fear knowing that one of Sophie's family members is dead.

"Oh Rachel!! Why?!" Sophie sobs. Ever since this terrible epidemic started the population in Charlottesville has gone down. It all starts when your fingers and toe go numb due to loss of blood. Then you get a high fever and cysts. Next you cough so much that you feel as if you will cough your organs up any minute.

Then you die screaming in pain.

"It's okay Soph. I'm here for you." Sophie is a kind and generous friend. Very beautiful and caring. I hate to see her like this. She has never shown this much emotion. Even when she broke her arm.

Sophie's sobs have turned into short gasps. And eventually hiccups. I rub and pat her back comforting my small and delicate friend. I wish Austin was here. I thought. Austin and I had been dating for three months now. Sophie had just gotten excepted at the University of Virginia two days ago.

Then a heart-renching shriek escapes my house.

Sophie and I look at each other. Knowing exactly what was to come.

Chapter 2: Running Away

We burst into my house and see my mother on the ground convulsing and then she stops moving. Dead. My mother was caring and never raised her voice. We were obedient and never talked back. Seeing my mom like this was horrible. Her brown eyes were lifeless and her chest was completely still. I fall to my knees and sob. Sophie stands next to me and we both cry together.

Sophie and I had the best life until our dads died in the war. We were only left with our mothers.

We both burst into my house and fly up the stairs trying to get anything we need as fast as we possibly can. We exit my house with bags so full some of the zippers are breaking. We then zoom into Sophie's house. And do the same thing. I am standing on the old ragged porch waiting for Sophie to hurry up and I see a girl. She has long blonde hair and bright, Tiffany box, blue eyes. She has a light complexion and is about five feet.

I walk over to the girl and say " Hiya! I am Rachel. I have been waiting for my friend Sophie at that house over there," I point to Sophie's yellow ragged house. The girl looks up at me and says back "Hi. My name is Abby. I both of my parents died yesterday."

I look at the poor little girl and know that I was meant to meet her. God wanted me to. Sophie comes bursting out of the house huffing and puffing. "RACHEL! I (*gasp*) have been (*gasp*) calling your (*gasp*) name for (*gulp*) twenty minutes!" I turn around and look at her. "Soph. This is Abby. She has no parents just like us!"

Sophie walks over to Abby and says hi. We walk down our street and out into the great unknown.

Chapter 3: The Forest

We had been walking through the dark and damp forest for miles. My feet felt like a 2 ton rock had been dropped on them.

"Let's rest for a while," I managed to get out that before stumbling over a tree root. "We have been walking for about, uh, nine miles. We need a break for food and water." Abby and Sophie stop and turn around.

"Great idea Rach. Now lemme see. I have granola bars, pasta, tuna sandwiches, and crackers. And for drinks I have water, tea, and soda." Sophie states after digging through her backpack. I look at Abby. "What would you like?" I ask her. Abby seems to be pondering which to eat. "Ummm. I would like the...oh! Pasta! My mom used to make the best pasta ever!" Sophie pulls out the bowl of pasta. It's covered in a plastic looking film. The pasta looks delicious. Sophie pops open the lid and the smell is mouthwatering. We eat very quickly. Right as Sophie puts the bowl back in her backpack, we hear a loud howl. We look at each other and scream.