Mutant

Seventeen

Maria Zagy found the last house to be boring and just plain despicable. It had been empty and had a lot of food and diapers on the floor. Nothing special and worthy that needed to be checked. She hoped this next house would be different.

Maria knew her job. And it was the very job that was assigned to her by Arch.
Her job was to go into every single house and make sure there weren't any wounded or abandoned kids. Pretty simple.

All she had to do was look. But so far, she found nothing.

Maria cautiously entered this new house. It was pretty dark and cramped, but the features were easily ignored. For Maria, all she needed to do was skim around and leave.
And from the look of it, the darkness represented the oblivious abandonment. Which meant no one was inside.

Maria turned around and headed outside.

But then a choky voice cried out.
"Please! I can't move, and I'm scared!"

Maria hurriedly ran back inside the house. She couldn't seem to locate the voice in any particular area.
"Where are you?"

"Over here!" The voice yelped again.

It seemed to be coming from an open door that was lit from just a small crease.

How did I not see that, Maria thought.

Maria ran to the door and then slowly pressed on the doorknob.

The area turned out to be a bathroom. Inside it was a naked eleven year old who seemed to be bleeding under her legs. The girl was crying and her legs were trembling.

Maria instantly gasped once she saw this sight. The girl was on her period.

"Please," she begged. "I can't move. It hurts too much,"

Maria wanted to run and hide away from the situation, but then she remembered all the times she's had her period. It was completely normal.

Completely.

"I..uh.." mumbled Maria, as she scratched her head. There had to be a solution for this.

"Hailey! She's the nurse now, so I think she should be able to provide you with pads. I would prefer a store, but it's a little risky out there."

The girl stopped crying. "How do I get to Hailey?"

Maria gave her a friendly smile.
"Don't worry kiddo, I'll take you to her. But first I need a towel to cover you up."

"It's right over there?" The girl pointed to a short metal rack where a flower decorated towel easily draped.

Maria hastily grabbed it and then began wrapping it around the girl like a spider's weave.

"Okay, that should do."

Maria then heaved her up and carried her in her arms.
"Hang on tight er..."

"Rachel." She said.

"Hang on Rachel, the hospital isn't far away."