The Virus

Chapter 10

"We should make camp." He said, leading us farther away from the Lab. "It won't be long before they send more troops out, but I know it takes a few hours."

"Woah woah woah. What makes you think you're staying with us? You're a gun lunatic! Why would we trust you?" Lorcan said, furrowing his brow and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I dunno." Kaliver shrugged. "Maybe because I'm the only chance you have of surviving the TESTERS."

"Why were you even there? Do they inforce child labor?"

"No," Kaliver said softly. "I just lived there for as long as I can remember. I don't know why I was there."

I saw Lorcan give Kaliver a dirty look. "Sure." He said, doubtfully.

There was a strange sense in Kalivers voice, as if he was trying to hide something. I decided not to push it, but I knew one day it would come out of me, and I would force it on him.

Kaliver turned around so he could face me. "Do you want me or not?" He half yelled. He turned back around when I said nothing.

Lorcan still seemed mad, and I didn't know what emotion I was feeling. We walked into a forest and made a fire.

I had just set up our hammocks when Kaliver stood up from the fire. "I'm gonna go...make sure no ones here."

"He's strange isn't he?" Lorcan asked. "I still don't trust him Elsie. He almost shot you, he shot me,"

"Yeah what happened with that," I traced my memory. "One moment you were on the ground, the next you were up walking." Lorcan shrugged, not giving me any hints.

"I don't know," he looked back at where Kaliver had left, now engulfed in shadows. "But I still don't trust him, and I don't think you should either."

"He saved me from the brainwashing,"

"He?" Lorcan looked hurt. "I thought...I was on the way, in that time I was being attacked! He's now your trusted assistant?"

"Lorcan,"

"And to think of how much I gave you, how much you just threw away."

Lorcan retreatedto his hammock. "If you like him so much why don't you hang out with him. 'Make sure hes okay'"

"Lorcan...that's not what I meant," he didn't say anything, so I did what he told me to do. Before I left completely I could hear his voice.

"He put a gun up to your head Elsie, think of what you're doing."

——

I tried to be as quiet as I could, when I walked towards him. I tried, but though I couldn't hear it, something must have happened. A twig most have snapped or something.

"Hey Elsie."

"How did you know it was me?" I asked. "And how could you hear that?"

A flash of fear and worry crossed through the colors in his eyes. He turned around to me and shrugged. "I don't know, Lorcan wouldn't come see me, and I guess you stepped on something." His tone was unsure but he tried to sound confident. It was like he was trying to hide something, lying but clearly not having this lie made up.

"One thing about this group is, we don't keep secrets, I shared my secrets with Lorcan, and he shared his with me," I lied. "It helps us get closer to each other. This is probably the most dangerous thing I have attempted, so I want to know when I die, wether of the virus, or a great act, I want to know what you are like." I was pushing him too hard.

Kaliver turned his head away from me. "I'm not that open."

I sighed. "I know, and its hard to reveal your deepest burdens and secrets with someone you just met but-"