The Divided States of America

Chapter 4

Erin sat in front of the gate of her home colony, waiting as they opened it from the inside. She glances back at the crate of injections strapped to the back of her bike, knowing she'd need to find a place to hide them. They're too valuable not to be hidden.

"Erin." Millie, one of the women on guard duty, calls her over as the gate finally opens.

"Need something?" Erin rides into the colony before stopping next to Millie.

"You need to go see Skye." She states quietly, breaking eye contact.

"Did she do something?"

"She-" Millie is cut off by Scout running down the street towards Erin. "Scout'll tell you." She nods, walking off towards her post.

Scout has been watching the gates practically nonstop since Erin first left, just waiting for her to return.

"What's happening, Scout?" Erin asks, dismounting the motorcycle, and starts to walk it up towards the house. She can tell something is wrong by Millie approaching her but isn't sure what.

"She's--she's sick." Scout quietly answers, looking down at the ground before looking back up at Erin. "You said she'd be okay, but she's not."

"Scout. I'm sure she'll be fine." Erin tries to reassure her but to no avail.

The both of them arrived at the house. Erin puts the kickstand down before walking inside and into Skye's room after not finding her elsewhere. Skye is in her bed, covered in various blankets; some Erin's sure aren't even theirs. Frank, the closest thing they have to a doctor, as he was once a vet, is by her side.

"What's going on?" Erin tentatively asks, walking over to the side of the bed and kneeling down next to her sister.

"Skye's sick, Erin." Frank gently answers. "Very sick."

Skye lifts her head to look at Erin, watching her with watery eyes. She holds her weak and shaky hand out to Erin, who takes it in hers.

"I--I don't understand." Erin looks towards Frank with a confused expression. "What happened?"

"She's been sick since you left. We've done all that we can."

Erin looks over at her baby sister and cringes before standing up and walking out of the room. She looks to Scout, who is sitting with the kids on the floor. Her face is gloomy as she looks up at Erin.

"Give me the bus' keys." Erin demands, holding her hand out.

A now confused Scout stands up, digging them out of her pocket, before handing them to Erin. Scout follows Erin outside and to the converted bus, standing on the stairs as Erin sits in the driver's seat. Erin puts the keys in the ignition and turns it. The bus cranks but fails to turn over. Erin lets out a frustrated noise as she hits the wheel.

"Needs fucking fuel." She gets up, causing Scout to move out of her way so she can get out of the bus. Scout follows her towards her bike before speaking up.

"What're you going to do?"

"Go get some fuel. Find a gas station that still has diesel. One that hasn't been drained." Erin pulls her helmet back on, not looking over at Scout, her anger all too obvious.

"But what about after that."

"We're going to Haven. To find someone who can help her." Erin looks down, closing her eyes for a long moment. She knows she's going to have to make a deal with the devil to save her sister: Biotech.

"Can--can I come with you?"

"You need to stay here and keep Skye hanging on, Scout." Erin finally opens her eyes and looks over at her. "Please keep her going, Scout. I can't lose her too."