The Infected.

Chapter - 1 -

1.

"The government has recently released new information about the disease known as 'Beutionus.' It has moved its way to the upper northern regions of America, but no worries, if you are listening to this, your borders have been secured and we will have no uninvited guests hear to harm us. Now remember to keep stacked up on food, and-"

My television screen switched to cartoons and I turned around to scowl at my ten year old brother, Max.

"I was watching that you brat." I hissed, as he stuck his tongue at me.

"Dad said you have to help with dinner." I let out a small groan of annoyance as Max chuckled at me, sitting back and watching some more Phineas & Ferb.

I pushed myself off the cushions of the couch and dragged my feet to the kitchen, all we had was canned food so I don't know what dads needs helping with. Ever since "Beutionus" spread throughout Europe, every country free of the disease went into lock down mode, making us have nothing from other countries be brought in. Scientists are currently trying to figure out a cure, but we're all slowly losing hope. It was a disease most people were clueless to, in denial about the whole thing until it wiped the globe in what felt like a day.

The government has been showing us small clips on the news in other countries, but mostly keeping us in the dark. The disease was recorded to be passed by saliva or blood going into your system. It would make the said person dead in some ways, the body would rot, and break down, making it unable to properly think, or remember anything other than movement, eating and being able to digest. The disease would cause the person or patient, to crave flesh, to devour and destroy any living thing in its path.

Many people actually don't believe a word that is spewed, full of theories that aren't ethical. Most people, like myself, do what we have to do. Follow the law, strive to make ends meet, listen to what the government has to update us on. We're taking it day by day to be quite honest.

"Hey dad, what did you need help with?"

"I just wanted to have a chat." My dad was quite the man. Tough exterior but a gentle core, we've been two peas in a pod for as long as I could remember. My mother died when I was young, only seven at the time. She passed while delivering our miracle baby, Maxwell, due to low blood pressure and a seizure.

My dad took it hard, but he handled it well and slowly helped himself and I, adapt to the changes of her lost presence.

His hair was now thinning out with gray streaks here and there, puppy dog brown eyes and a rounded face decorated with some wrinkles and freckles.

"What about?" I gave him a awkward grin, sitting myself beside him on the kitchen stool.

"Hows school?" I shrugged and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Well..." To think about it now, school has changed a lot in the past few months. We were doing daily drills and lock downs, security guards were in each classroom, as well as a officer from the head department.

"It's alright, a bit hectic. Why?"

"Just curious as to what's going on with you." He rested his chin on one of his palms, blinking up at me with an abundance of humour.

"Nothing is going on with me." I let out a small laugh under my breath, giving him a pointed look as he gave me one back.

"Uh huh." He said, raising his eyebrows, I mirrored his expression.

"Alright, well, I got to go to the market and see if I can trade some of the vegetables that sprouted in the garden this morning." He stood from his stool, and threw his brown workers jacket over his shoulders.

"Okay." He gave me a hug, and I tightened my arms around him before I planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Be safe, alright?" I said softly, he nodded against my shoulder before letting go.

"I'll be back around seven-ish, alright guys?" He grabbed a brown paper bag off the counter, not awaiting an answer before he shut the front door behind him.

I sighed, walking around the counter and searching the cupboards for some sort of dinner.

Finding some beef stew, I grin to myself, popping the tab on the canned goods, and emptying into one of our many pots, turning on the stove in the process.

~*~

"That smells so good.." Max moaned, sitting himself on the wooden chair beside the breakfast table and looking at me expectantly as I emptied the stew into two bowls.

"I know." I muttered, inhaling the aroma with a deep sigh, before pouring us both some water from the filtered water tank.

"Dinner is served." Max let out an over exaggerated cheer, before digging in, almost burying his face in the stew.

I shook my head in amusement, ignoring the nagging thought of me worrying about my dad being alone.

Muggings happen frequently and I almost had it happen to me on my way home from school earlier in the month.

I sighed, as Max looked at me, sipping his water.

"Hey Fran?" He put his spoon in his bowl of stew and looked at me expectantly.

"Yeah, kiddo?" I took another spoon full of my almost empty remains.

"Do you think Beutionus will ever have a cure?" I froze, and slightly shrugged my shoulders, finishing off my food.

"Well, we have to stay hopeful don't we?" I dab the corners of my lips with the napkin, giving him a brief smile even though my body was aching.

"Wash up the dishes when you're done, I'm going to go put a movie on okay?" Not giving him time to respond, I hurry out of the kitchen, my fists clenched and mind rattled.

I shake my head absent minded, frustrated with myself for not realizing he isn't ignorant, he understands some grasp of how dangerous this could possibly be for us.

My face feels hot, as I force myself to forget about it, popping a movie into the VCR.

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