The Virus

Chapter 2

I put on my new sunglasses, hiding my eyes, before I walk into town. I walk past, in this town some of them walk in their monster forms. I walk into a cheap motel. "Three nights please", I say, giving the clerk 150 dollars.
"Of course", he says. His gray hair, and wrinkled skin remind me of a grandfather, but he radiates with a breathtaking beauty, and his eyes are like everyone else's. I go up to my room; it's small and plain, with a twin-sized bed, and white walls. I put my things in the closet, and go to take a shower. I look in the mirror. My face has dirt on it, and my long red hair looks untamable. I strip down and hop into the shower. I relax under the streams of hot water as I watch the mud run off my body like a river. I use an entire mini bottle of shampoo on my hair, and half the conditioner.
I get out and wrap a towel around me. I walk to my backpack and pull out clean clothes. I slip them on, and blow-dry my hair. I look in the mirror again. I feel clean, something I haven't felt in weeks. My brown eyes stare back at me. I am wearing jeans and a simple white shirt. I slip on a pair of brown leather boots. I sit on the bed, and pull out my knives, and a sharpening kit. The knives were my brothers, and the sharpening kit was a present from my dad.
I think back to that day. We had been sitting together in the living room. My brother and I were giving Mom a hard time about her blue eyes. She had short blonde hair, and was smiling at us. We had known about the virus, but we didn't take it seriously. My Dad was laughing at us. All of a sudden my brother Will started to throw up. I ran and got a trashcan as Mom led him to the bathroom. Next thing I know Will is quarantined in his room. Mom wont let me go in there. I was 17 at the time. I woke up one night, and see Will standing at my door. I get out of bed, and turn on my lamp. I walk up to him, and see his eyes. They look lighter than before. I lead him back to bed and I sleep on the couch.
The next day Mom and Dad are sick as well. I am taking care of everyone for several days. Then one night I am sleeping and I wake up to a pillow over my face. I struggle a bit, and then relax. "Kill her Will", someone says. It sounds like my mom. I shove Will off me. He falls off my bed, and looks at me. His once brown eyes are blue with green outline the same goes for my dad as well. My mom has a knife. She lunges for me. I dodge her and dive for a shotgun that's under my bed. I aim the gun at them and they back off. I know the gun is loaded with 3 bullets. Tears blur my vision as I aim at them. I remember Dad telling me that the virus would never reach us. I wish he had been right. I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest as I feel the recoil of the gun. I see the blurred form of my dad fall. I shoot two more times, and turn the gun on myself. This is what we had agreed on. If someone gets sick... kill him or her. I wish it hadn't been my family. I pray there is one more bullet. I pull the trigger... click. I feel a sob rake through my body, and I throw the gun, screaming is anguish.
I shake my head determined to get the memory out of my head; I even shake my shoulder as I feel the ghost kick of the gun from that night. That was three years ago, you would think I would be able to put it behind me a bit. I sit on the bed and turn on the TV. All the actors have blue green eyes. This observation makes me shudder. I turn off the TV and look outside. In a way the world had stayed the same except for a few details. All transportation went back to the way it was in the 1800s unless you are the king. That's right we have a king. I am in the country once known as the United States of America. Now it's called Nova. Another thing I have to tell you; as far as I know I am the last uninfected human out here. At least I haven't run across any in my three years of wandering around. There used to be places that weren't infected but they were few and far between and they all got snuffed out. Sometimes by people catching the virus; other times times by raids by the infected. After a few times I quit going into those towns after I was almost killed. I now have a long scar on my back to reminding me to stay away. I close the curtains and tie my hair up in a ponytail. I look at my reflection. A plain girl with light tan skin and a smattering of freckles looks back. I slip on my sunglasses and grab my money. I need supplies and unfortunately I need to act infected to get them.