Dystopia (Dystopia Trilogy Book 1)

Chapter 5

Note: This is the 5th chapter out of 20. Each Friday a new chapter will be posted. However, if you wish to read it now, it can be purchased on Amazon, B&N, iBookstore, Kobo, and Smashwords. You can also follow me on Twitter (JMRUL) and facebook.

A soft hand covered Dana's mouth. She jerked awake, but the small, delicate hand held her still. Dana looked over and Jesse stood over her with her finger over her mouth. Realizing that something was terribly wrong, Dana sat up. Jesse motioned for her to follow.

Making certain that no one watched, Dana slipped on her shoes. She headed for the exit, but Jesse caught her arm. She pointed at a hole in the wall and slipped through. Hurriedly, Dana followed.

They darted across the open field in the darkness to the barbed wire fence. The guards were too preoccupied with a poker game. Jesse pointed at a loose wire in the fence. She bent it and wriggled through. With a little extra effort, Dana did the same. Quickly, Jesse repositioned the wire so that it looked as strong as the others.

She ran off into the night towards what was called Shackville. Dana followed wondering why the girl had woken her. They reached the mass of trailers and small huts within minutes. Fires filled trash cans as people huddled around them with forlorn faces. One mother hugged her baby as she attempted to keep warm on the chilly night.

Skin and bones, thought Dana. She didn't see any officers patrolling the area. She figured that the authorities didn't worry about these people. They were probably too tired and too starved to attempt to flee anywhere.

They ran past shanty buildings that people called home. Jesse knew where she was going and all Dana could do was follow. After a few twists and turns, they came upon a small shack that was a mix of metal pieces and boards put together with nails.

Jesse opened the door and let Dana in.

"Nana is sick," said Jesse.

Dana looked over at the cot in the place. An elderly woman lay on it coughing. Not knowing what to do, Dana felt the woman's forehead. It burned. Dana figured that her kindness earlier made Jesse think she could help.

"I need water," said Dana.

Jesse left the room and came back minutes later with a bucket of water.

Dana looked at the black mess. She snatched another container and wiped it out as best she could. Then, she took her shirt and placed it over the empty container. Carefully, she poured the water from the full bucket into the empty one, using her shirt as a filter.

"Boil this," said Dana as she handed the newly filtered water to Jesse.

Dana shook her shirt and put it back on. Jesse walked back in. "Is it boiling?"

"It will in about 10 minutes."

"I need a plant. It looks like this." Dana drew a picture in the dirt on the floor. "Do you have anything like that here?"

Jesse nodded and ran out.

Frowning, Dana looked at the woman on the cot. She hoped her efforts helped. Dana remembered a time when her mother was called to help a neighbor with a fever. She had done the same as what Dana attempted now.

Jesse ran back in with several weeds in her hand that resembled what Dana had tried to draw.

"Put those in the boiling water," said Dana. "When it has steeped for five minutes, and the water looks green, bring it to me."

Dana brought the only oil lamp in the room closer. No electricity. Sorrow filled her at the idea of how these people were forced to live. And she thought she had it bad growing up. At least her family was allowed electricity, even if it was regulated.