Us Against The World

Chapter 4

When I wake up, I realize the necklace and letter still remain in my pockets. Considering how nosey my mother is, I'm surprised she didn't search me while I was sleeping. When she calls me down for breakfast, I place the letter and necklace into my pillow case and shuffle to the kitchen. 

"Leftovers from dinner?" I asked as I tilted my head and my mother nodded. "For breakfast?" she nodded again and sighed. "Honey, we don't have a lot of money left and I can't risk either of us going out to the store. Especially when it's like that out..." 

"Like what, mom?" I interrupt rudely and she scowls at me. "Dangerous." I sigh and roll my eyes at her, mumbling "I'm not hungry." before spinning around and heading back to my bedroom. "Where are you going?" she calls but I ignore her. I hear her mumble something but I slam my door before I can make out the words. 

I walk over to my bed and pull the letter from under my pillow case. I look up at the door when I hear footsteps and sprint to the small desk next to my door pushing it in front of the door and turning the lock on the knob before my mother is able to walk in. She knocks loudly on the door and I ignore her once again.

I walk backwards toward my bed and sit down as I open the neatly folded and welted paper. "Farrah Jane, unlock this door, and speak with me!" my mother's muffled voice calls.

"My sweet Farrah," the top line reads and my heart sinks .

"there is much that you must know. I am sick and dying; but I do not want you to fear. Your life without me may or may not be difficult, and I pray that you and your mother live the best of lives. I always want the both of you to know that my love for each of you is endless; and I apologize that you and I will never get to know each other." I begin to cry at my father's words. For someone that I have never met, I sure miss him.

"I have found something that I believe you may find interest in when you grow. The necklace you wear around your neck has serious meaning; a meaning that you musn't go longer  not acknowledging." 

"I knew it!" I mentally scream and continue reading. 

"For so long I have been curious as to what the liquid inside of the amulet holds meaning for. My grandfather had worked for the CDC and he had told me that it has the power to heal almost anything. Since I have grown and he has died, the building had been overrun by the Consiliums; men who are trying to overthrow the government and create their own world. They are the ones that created the disease everyone has been dying from. Still, nobody knows what the disease is, or what is causing it.

I have longed for my childhood to see if his theory had been true, I invited my good friend Tom- who had been sick as well- to come to our home..." 

"Farrah, open this door now!" 

"I am no scientist, however, I believed that maybe I could use the liquid to help him. It cannot be consumed, but it clears the illness from the blood. If a small portion of the liquid is injected into the victim, they will be cured of all illness. 

I named the liquid "Rememdium" meaning "cure". I expect that when your mother shows you this letter, you will be of the right age to fight. As much as I despise sending my little girl out into this dangerous world, you have the power to save humanity. 

Good luck."

I hadn't realized the speed of my breathing until I had finished reading my father's letter to me. My mother was supposed to show this to me? I'm sixteen years old! Of course I'm the right age to fight. I hope my father doesn't mean to physically fight because I cannot see myself doing that. I have spent nearly my entire life indoors, though. How does he expect that I fend for myself once I'm freed? He mentioned in the letter that I could save humanity with the Rememdium, but how? Where would I have to go? I look back to the letter and it hits me. 

The CDC.

I grab the necklace from under my pillow case and attach it around my neck. It has been too long since I've worn it, and it feels good to have it back. All these years I had felt as if a part of me was missing without it, and now I have gain that piece back. I then grab my old school bag and stuff it with clothing and a few meaningful belongings.

If I'm going to leave at all it has to be tonight.