Sweet Viruses

Chapter 8

Gabe

    I stare out at the empty highway waiting for a car to show up, Melody to walk out, and everything be back to "normal". It's been two days since they left and I can't take it anymore. I had already cleared out the storage room and fixed the fence. All that was left to do was wait. I'm starting to get concerned for the others as well, the bus should have been back by now. I continue sitting and thinking at the top of the high tower. The sun was starting to set and the sky was clear and a beautiful shade of orange. Just as I'm about to climb down and secure the base before bed, I spot something moving in the distance. I pick up my gun and peer through the scope for a better look. I expect to see another mutant like a wolf or bobcat, something common in the area. I focus in on the thing and get ready to shoot, just as it looks at me. Staring straight at me is Caitlynn. She starts to wave and I quickly throw down my gun and rush down the tall ladder. Just as I reach the gate to open it a small group of loyals comes through. Caitlynn, Jacob, Andrea, and Will come inside. The line stops short at Niam who is covered in ash and smells like smoke. I stare out at the empty highway in disbelief, expecting more. I whip around to get some answers, but they silently trudge on up the hill to the bunkers. As Niam passes me I grab his arm. He doesn't move or look at me. "What happened? Where's everyone else? Where's the stuff?", I ask him. Still nothing. He rips his arm away from me and continues marching. I see a little strawberry in his hand as he passes.
I close the gate, lock everything up, and rush to meet the others. When I get there the girls have already gone off to their room, and Niam is nowhere to be found. I walk over to Jacob who seems just as distant as everyone else. Before I even say a word, he tells me. "There was a fire. They're all gone", he begins, "We went out to meet Will and when we came back, Niam was the only one. He said a mutant had got in, started infecting people. It was about to kill everyone when Peace took charge. She started the fire. No one got out...". I'm struck. Suddenly I feel dizzy and my head starts to spin with memories of all my friends. They're all dead. I lean against the wall so not to fall down. The person I think of the most is Peace. She was like a sister to me. She is a sister to Mash. I take it all in for a few moments, then start asking questions. "How'd Niam do it?", I ask him. "He was on guard. When he heard the commotion he went in to look, tried to save some people, but had to leave before he could". I half expect Jacob to be joking, to snap out of it any second, but he doesn't. Niam comes back to the dorm, his face washed and a change of clothes on. I try to walk over to him to say something, but he dodges me and keeps going. It's weird to see him so serious and distraught when usually he's the one making the jokes about dire circumstances and end-of-the-world nonsense. He remains silent as he lies down on the small cot. He curls up and pulls the torn sheets over himself with his back turned to us. Jacob and I look at each other with concern, but keep quiet so not to upset Niam even more. Jacob walks out of the room hearing Caitlynn's voice down the hall. I can't help but overhear their conversation. "How is he?", Caitlynn asks. "Not good, didn't say a word and went straight to bed", I hear Jacob respond. "Does he still have that little burnt strawberry?", she asks. "Yeah, he still hasn't said what's that about". Caitlynn gives out a loud sigh. "What are we gonna do?", she says in a muffled voice. Jacob sighs too, "I don't know anymore, Cait".
Later that night Will and Jacob join me back in the boys' room. All I can do is sit on my cot and think about the people, friends, lost today. Peace saved them. I still don't believe she's gone. I think back to just over a year ago when she sacrificed everything for Mash and me. It was even more simple when Mash was mad for lying to him. When Isaac proposed to Peace the night before... My nephew! How could I forget today is his birthday? I pull out a picture of my family from under my cot. Carrie was still pregnant then, but I remember the little face I saw just before everything went wrong. I haven't seen my family since. I went back to the house in my truck, but no one was there, except a mutant. I've prayed 110 times that they made it out, but especially now. I sink down in the cot and pull the thin blanket over me. I close my eyes and think to myself, happy birthday buddy. I couldn't even remember his name.
****
    Something is shaking me violently. "Wake up, you idiot!", whispers a soft voice. I open my eyes to find Andrea shaking me awake. "It's your turn for guard", she whispers to me. I look around to see all the other boys peacefully sleeping, except Niam. "Hurry up", she demands quietly before turning and walking out of the den. I rub the last bit of sleepiness out my eyes before jumping out of the cot.
The morning air is crisp and sweet. The sun is just barely rising as I climb the ladder up the dorm building. I grab a gun out of the barrel and drop down to my seat. It's not long before I hear someone else leave the building and start to climb the ladder. I look to see Caitlynn climbing up. She gets up without a word and sits down on the cold concrete beside me. We sit there for a few moments before she starts to ask questions. "So where are they", she asks. I had completely forgot they didn't  know about Melody. I start to feel guilty for not telling Andrea and Caitlynn their best friend has a good chance of being dead. I shift in my spot uncomfortably. "Well... um, she was guarding while we were moving stuff", I reluctantly start. "And?", she asks expectantly. "And, someone... um kinda attacked her". I look at Caitlynn and her eyes get wide and panicked. "What?! Is she okay? Why isn't she here?", she asks all at once. "That's not it", I say as her eyes get wider with fear, "the person who attacked her, for some reason, kinda... threw her off the building", I finish slowly. She gasps as if winded from what I just said. She stars to rock back and forth on the ledge we're sitting on. "How long have they been gone?", she asks. "Just, well... two days", I say like it's not a big deal. Caitlynn tries to take all this in. A small tear escapes her eyes. She stares blankly at the sunrise for a while so I sit there quietly. After a long time she finally breaks the silence. "I'm sure she's fine. They all are", she says very distantly. I look over at her again and several tears are streaming from her eyes. "Do you think our families are out there somewhere?", I ask trying to change the conversation from Melody. "Well, I know my brother was with my parents in Mexico, hopefully it hasn't hit them yet. As far as the families here, I bet they left. They panicked and had to go. I know Sabrina is smart", she says kindly. "Yah, I just don't understand why'd they leave all of us. I get my sister just had a baby that day and everything, but no one stayed to find me", I start to think out loud. "You're an uncle?", Caitlynn asks with a new curiosity. "Yeah, yesterday was actually his birthday", I tell her. "That's sweet! He made it", she states confidently. "Let's hope". I can't help feel pessimistic with everything. "I'm gonna head back in", she says as she stands up and gets ready to leave. "Don't worry too much, remember, we're the loyals. They'll be back soon".
****
I sit alone on the roof for another few hours, watching the sun rise, thinking about all that Caitlynn said. She's always the optimist, even in times like this. As the sun starts to peek over the hills, casting a pink and orange light everywhere, the summer heat starts to kick in. I pull at my black t-shirt uncomfortably and wipe the small beads of sweat off my forehead. My mouth is suddenly dry and I almost put my gun down when I see something moving in the distance. I whip around to the bin and grab the binoculars. The long straight road seems to be completely abandoned until I see the little car Mash and Melody drove to the hospital in racing down the broken path. My heart starts to pound with excitement so I sound the alarm and drop down the ladder. This is it! She's back! Everyone comes outside with a sleepy look, except Caitlynn who bounds out of the dorm and starts to awkwardly run towards the car. As she passes me, she turns and gives a big smile, "I told you they'd come". The next thing any of us can see is long brown hair flying behind a very excited girl. By the time she gets to the car Mash is helping Melody out of the passenger seat. I can barely see the distant figures. Caitlynn observes Melody, head to toe, and lightly touched her wrapped up head. Melody ignores Caitlynn trying to be gentle and gives her a big hug. I can't help but smile at the two best friends. Then I notice my best friend walking up the steep hill with a hard expression. I try to get his attention by yelling out his name, but Mash never looks my way. He marches straight on into the dorms without saying a word to anyone. I start to follow him when Jacob grabs my arm, "Are you sure?", he asks me. "He's my best friend, of course I'm sure", I shortly respond. I snap my arm from his grip as I walk in the building.
I pace quickly outside the bathroom door where Mash has locked himself in. Finally the door slightly creaks open and he looks at me, still avoiding eye contact. "Walk?", I ask him. He slowly nods and we walk out of the dorm together. Everyone outside doesn't seem to notice when we walk out, but I can tell something is wrong with the scene. I watch as Andrea and Caitlynn come in for a big group hug. It seems like everything is in slow motion and Melody slowly turns her head. We make eye contact and the happy light in her eyes turns to a sad glance. Her big smile gets smaller and she turns away with a flick of her dark blonde hair. Something is definitely up. I continue walking side by side with Mash as we make our way down the school sidewalk.
Through the awkward silence I can make out the sound of the laughter behind us die down and turn to something very quiet and secretive. A few seconds later the door closes shut, locking us away from each other, with some obviously awkward things to talk about.
I get nervous as the silence stays longer and longer yet we continue walking in perfect pace with each other. I let my eyes flicker over to Mash every few seconds to catch a glimpse of him with his head down, deep in thought. He finally clears his throats and shakes the stillness in the air. He only mutters one word that rattles me, seeming to break my heart, "Peace?". I stop in my tracks realize what I'd forgotten so soon and so carelessly. How... how do I tell him? He finally looks up when I stop with a mix of emotions flashing on his face. I continue walking with him as if it's okay and I'd only forgotten. His head goes back down.
"Mash, I don't know how to tell you this... but Peace and the others, um, they, um". I stumble over my desperate words when it all comes out.
"There was a fire. A mutant got in and it was turning people. Niam was on guard. He went tried to save everyone, but he only got in there in time to see that it was Peace that saved everyone". I stop the explanation there and wait expectantly for him to say something. Instead he keeps walking in silence with his head down, getting faster and faster. Just when I think he's about to take off running, he stops and his legs immediately crumble under him. His hands cover his head and he starts crying loudly. "Noooo!", he yells in frustration from his fetal position. I slowly walk toward him and can make out the little whispers he's repeating while rocking back in fourth, his fingers digging into his thick black hair. "Not Peace. She's all I had left. Not Peace. She promised she'd never leave. Not peace".