They say we can't leave

Chapter eight

I woke to the sound of static. It was loud and piercing in my ears. I jump out of bed confused looking for the noise. The front panel of the radio was light up, I search the nobs until it was low but high enough to hear. It's nothing but static coming through. I pick up the mic and say hello but still nothing, just static comes through. Emma stirs next to me but doesn't wake. I twist all the knobs to see if anything comes through but it's all static. I stare at it perplexed, I didn't realize I had left it on. Leaving the volume on low I decide to take a shower. It's almost time to head to breakfast anyways. Emma is going to be in the store today, and I am monitoring the folks at the farm. I turn the water on and it's hot on my skin. I soap up quickly, rinse and towel off. When I head back to the bedroom Emma is awake and sitting on the side of the bed. Her hair is messy and eyes full of sleep. I kiss her on the forehead. "Good morning" I say with a smile. She returns my smile "Good morning, did anything come through on that radio? I heard the static when I woke up."

"No nothing but static" I say with a frown. Emma looks at the radio curiously "There are power outlets on the deck right? Maybe it can't pick up signal this far down?" I never thought of that. "You're so smart Emma! I never thought of that at all. Let's try and sneak up tonight and check it out." The words come out more excited than intended making me blush. "Sounds like a date, I'm gonna go shower. You don't have to wait for me I'll meet you at breakfast." She gives me a kiss and is gone out of the room.

I exit our place and head to my parents apartment, maybe I can catch them before they go to work so I can ask them more about Emma's parents. My footsteps are loud on the metal hallway floor, no one is out yet, there is still an hour before breakfast is served. I finish the short walk and knock on their door. My dad opens it after a few moments with a smile. "Morning dad can I come in and we can talk?" My dad opens the door all the way and I step in and take a seat on the couch. He sits in the chair and faces me. My mom must still be getting ready for work, I hear the water running in the bathroom. "What's up kid?" My dad asks curiously. "I need to know more about Emma's parents and the scruff." My dad leans back in the chair and sighs. "I'll tell you what I know but it has to be quick your mother would be upset if she knew we were discussing this." This catches my attention and I scoot in closer to my dad as he starts his story.

"Your mother and I met Janice and George when we were in college. Janice and George as you know were Emma's parents. They were just a year or 2 older than us and they told us about this project they were working on. George told me they were building a station in the middle of the ocean, they were helping the government because they both went to school for engineering. George said that the government was planning to release a virus but they didn't have a cure for it. They said it was for population control but it got out of hand and more people were catching it before they could cure it. The world went into anarchy. The people were rioting in the street, burning buildings down. That's why they built this place and sent us here. We have been searching for a cure but there isn't one. We have exhausted all our leads and there is nothing more we can do. After we had been here for a few years you and Emma were both about 4 at the time and we found out the Janice and George had the scruff. It was the first time we had ever seen in lay dormant for a set amount of time. We quarantined them in an apartment on the 4th level. One day your mother and I went to check on them and they were dead. They turned into monsters. I had never seen the after math of the scruff up close like that. They looked like wolves, giant dogs but they still had their own face and head. Their heads were hairless including their eyebrows. Their eyes were huge and bloodshot. We wrapped them in sheets and carried them up to the deck and threw them over the side. No one knows what happened but us. We never told anyone. We disinfected the apartment and never spoke of it again until now. There were claw marks on the door where they were trying to get out. I felt horrible leaving them like that but I didn't know what else to do. Luckily we never had anyone else catch it, but it could be lying dormant in all of us right now and we wouldn't know."

I stare at my dad in disbelief. I am in shock and mad that they could keep this from us all this time. "Why would you never tell us this dad?" I ask in a harsh tone. "I never told you because I am the only one left that knows the truth. Your mother doesn't know. She thinks we were just sent here to do research. She didn't know that research would be used to try and find a cure." He says this but looks away and I feel like he is hiding something. "What's on the fifth floor dad? Why can't anyone get in?" I ask. "Emma's parents were the only ones that could get in, that's the truth." He said leaving it at that. I hear the water shut off in the bathroom. I forgot my mom was here I was completely wrapped up in my dad's story. "Hurry and go before your mother sees you. I don't want her to know you were here and ask questions. If I were you Ace I'd keep it to yourself for now." He rushes me out the door nearly slamming the door in my face. I stare at it in shock. There are people in the hallways now going about and talking. Everyone is heading for breakfast. I start to make my way to the cafeteria with thoughts racing through my head.