Remember

  The coughing.

  That's all I really remember from the plagues. I'm lucky that way. A lot of the people who survived the plagues went mad. I was rather little when the plagues started. Fifth grade had just ended an the Summer was awesome. Me and Gavin had been hoping Daddy would take us fishing when he came home coughing. Then next day he was raving mad. The next day he started bleeding. Eyes. Ears. Nose. Every where. Most people die from the blood slowly filling their lungs. Daddy was lucky. Mama shoot 'em in the head, tear streaking down her face. I did the same for her about a year later like she ask me to. All my brothers had gotten their bullets by then. Or ran away. I can't remember which ones did what though. Now it's just me and Lilly. Other sisters died to.  I think, I really can't remember all that well.

  And that's all I remember about the plagues. I don't remember Jonny, stark mad,  with a kitchen knife right in front of me butchering Little, our dog. I don't remember that look on Mama's face as I gave her the bullet to the head she had ask for. I don't remember Liz-Beth, face down in the sink, after she had drowned herself and I don't remember the letter she left tellin' why. I don't remember Link, bloody eyed, strangling me till I blacked out or waking up in a pool of blood where Mark had stabbed him so he would let me go. I don't remember any of it. I swear that I don't. I promise. I don't remember. I don't remember any of it. I DO'NT REMEMBER.

  I really don't.