Vial #127

Chapter 30: Indications of Obliteration

When I wake, there is another figure in the bed beside me, Sadie. She looks so peaceful just lying there with her eyes closed. The only remembrance of the horrifying outside world is the loss of her arm.

I sit up quietly, trying not to wake anyone. "I was already awake," Sadie says quietly, peeling open her eyes.

"When did you get out?" I ask.
"Late in the night; everyone was asleep." "I'm so glad to see you again, I just felt so

alone," warmth fills my heart knowing that soon, everyone will be out and free and safe.

"It was awful. They put me in this white room for ages. It was just me and my mind." she smiles and we share stories of our time in the cells.

"This place is safe. They have everything to live a comfortable life. They have food and water; warm water." I try to brighten the mood, knowing that same feeling when I was released.

"Let's see how long that lasts, especially without our weapons," she shrugs her shoulders, the lack of trust still flows within her.

"They haven't had an accident in three months," I note. That seems to get her to feel more relaxed.

"Good morning," Jamie gets up, eyeing me suspiciously because of the events last night. I shake me head, blowing it off.

"How'd you sleep bud?" I inquire.

"Good, how about you?" e pushes his long brown hair out of his jade-colored eyes.

"Pretty good." I smile. This feeling of familiarity fills me. It is how the world used to be. Maybe, just maybe this world could return to somewhat like normal.

Fifteen minutes later breakfast is ready.; a steaming bowl of oatmeal, garnished with a sprinkle of honey-berries. The mixture of starch and fruit makes my mouth water as I sit down with the group at the same table. Only the kids under thirteen get milk, as the farms only have enough to support a few members.

"Emma, do you know when the others will get out?" Sadie asks. She wants to be with the boys; they're like her family.

"Well, Eleanor said that the monitoring could last up to about five days," I remember the talk that we had the other night.

"Who is Eleanor?" she asks and I inform her of this safe haven's leader. When breakfast is over, Dan, the tour guide, arrives to show Sadie and Jamie around, leaving me alone.

"Emma," I turn my head around, still not used to so many unfamiliar voices. "Hi, um, my name is Lester, I am the, uh, leader of science here," his voice is stumbling on and on. Gold framed circle glasses are perched upon his crooked nose. His faded blond hair is curled to the side.

"Can I help you with something?" I ask, still taking in his appearance.

"Eleanor said you were working on a cure," his voice goes low, "that you had some sort of journal that kept track of its progress."

"Yes I do," I reach down for the metal case and journal.

"Why, don't we take this to the lab?" he asks. I agree and follow him down several flights of stairs, leading to a deep basement. The large floor space is devoted to the lab. Counters and shelves are full of chemicals and papers.

"This is the journal that Darryl wrote. It has lots of formulas and notes and I also have several more vials of the cure." I inform him of the situation but his mind seems too engrossed in the formulas to take in my speech.

"Have you ever tried it?" he asks, his countenance full of wonder.

"Yes, three people have come back. One, Olivia was her name, she was the first but she didn't make it. The second was Stef; she didn't make it. She got bit in an attack. I got to her in time though, but the second time I was too late. The last was my Father."

"This is amazing!" he oozes, "we could save the human race with this." He immediately takes a vial and heads to a microscope; every now and then he checks the notebook for a reference or a formula.

I stand there on the sidelines, watching Lester intently. His eyes are so focused that I think he's forgotten all about me. In the meantime, I let my eyes wander around the room. There are formulas written on chalkboards and notebooks strewn everywhere. It's a typical scientific lab.

"Emma," I turn my head abruptly, "I'm going to talk to Eleanor to see if you'd like to be my assistant," he offers. I can tell that he doesn't socialize a lot, especially since he's the only one working in the lab.

"That would be fantastic," I smile, grateful to now have something to do all day. The lab is in desperate need of a clean up so I head to an aisle of cabinets. Each shelf is carefully labeled with different drugs or medicines and their uses, but the organization is hazardous. Jars overturned, leaking out chemicals. I find a pair of unused latex gloves, sliding them onto my hands and clean up the mess. Somehow in the quiet environment, my mind wanders to thoughts of my Father and brother. "I found them, in the huge world; something brought me to them." I daydream. Right now, they're stuck in confinement for doing nothing. This was wrong. "Lester, I think I'm going to head out," I say, my tone uneasy. He nods, barely looking up from the journal.

Back down the hallway, I can feel anger swelling up into my mind. I just keep breathing, deeper and deeper; each breath needing more control to not burst out in an infuriated scream.

When I arrive back at the beds, Jackson has arrived and is setting next to Sadie. "Thank god you're out," I express my emotion.

Still, my family, the ones I care most about, are still in confinement. The passion from my heart tells me one thing; one order that I must complete. It will risk everything but I know that it is worth it. I must find them and take them back. Enough is enough.