Darkening Days

Chapter 33 (End): New Future

I open the fridge and assess what I've gone through already. It looks like I'll have to make another trip to the grocery store. But I'm running out of cash- shit. I've already used up half of the grocery money that mom and dad left in the box on top of the fridge.

Putting this in mind, I put a slice of bread in the toaster, grab my cup of tea, and head over to the couch. I sit down and turn on the TV.

As I surf through the channels, I see headlines about my own town flit across the screen. "Petrified Small-town Kansas Residents Claim They Were Under Attack for Days", "Kansas Town Quarantined for Mysterious Reasons", "Terrorists Hold Kansas Town Hostage". When will the media hounds stop talking about this? It's already been what, ten days since they started this?

I turn the TV off, figuring that I'm not going to find anything good on. I might as well get dressed and get ready to go out, right after I have my toast, of course.

I return with only one bag of groceries; I have to be frugal with what little money I have. I try not to think about what I'm going to do in the future, when all of my money is gone. I could probably get a job, but then again, I can't get stuck in a job here- I want out of this town as soon as I can. Whatever- as I've resolved to do, I won't think about this any further.

As soon as I've shoved the groceries into the fridge and cabinets, I pull the container of Advil I'd bought for my stomach pains and cramps out from the very bottom of the grocery bag, and I fill up a cup of water from the kitchen sink. Kicking off my shoes, I sit back down on the couch, pop open the cap of the container, and take a tablet with water.

I've pretty much run out of things to do, and I'm actually really bored right now. Not only that, but I've also been unusually tired lately, so I might as well try to alleviate that. I get up and wander into my room across from the hall, flip the covers of my bed over, and I tuck myself underneath them without bothering to change out of my clothes.

I wake up to the door opening. I take a look at my clock habitually once I'm aroused from my sleep, and it says that the time is 7:35pm. Then I direct my attention to the door. Someone stands in the doorway to my room. I stare, only able to see a silhouette in the pitch black darkness. I'm not really afraid; I'm not even sure if this person is real.

All of my doubts are removed when he speaks, and I immediately know who it is. "Krystal", the Sovereign says. "I knew you'd be here."

"How long have you been looking for me?" I ask.

"Not long, only for a day. I thought it would be best to let you be alone for some time before coming to you again."

"You came too soon, then." I mumble as I roll over. The muscles all over my body cramp and they've been cramping ever since a few days after the big battle.

"I know you've had enough with me and with everything, but there's one thing I must tell you. I regret that I haven't told you sooner; unfortunately, Officer Meade hadn't brought it up until a day ago."

This catches my attention. "What? Is it bad?"

"I'm afraid so."

My heart drops, and I become afraid to inquire more. But, nevertheless, I do so anyways. "What is it?"

"You have a disease."

"What?" Well, shit. He can't be joking.

"The blood test that you took a while back shows that you have HCV."

My mind goes blank, and I have to force myself to snap out of it. "What the hell is that?"

"It's a blood transmitted disease."