The Virus

Chapter 11

After what I thought was an hour of my eyes closed, trying to go to sleep, I couldn't do it. I tried to think, that got me sleeping, for some reason. I found thinking more harder than I thought, my mind was too tired, I couldn't even focus on the noise of the crickets and the wind, still I couldn't go to sleep.

I opened my eyes, turned over softly, pretending I was still asleep, and I saw Kaliver. His neck was tilted up to the sky. I watched him for a few minutes, then I wondered where Lorcan was.

"I know you're awake Elsie." Kalivers voice was raw, but I could tell he was sure.

"H-how did you know?"

"I-I uh..." Kaliver didn't seem so sure now. "It was just a test."

"You can tell me anything." I said, getting up and walking over to him.

"I know. Its him I'm worried about." Kaliver looked at a passed out Lorcan.

"Wow...he's asleep..."

Lorcan snored softly and turned his back toward us.

"Well, he's not awake, you can tell me." I asked. I really wanted to know how Kaliver could tell anything.

"Well for one I have exceptional night vision." He sighed. "I'm also an Analyzer."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Right, you're from the Outsrill, correct?" Kaliver sighed. "Ask him to explain it, but don't mention me."

"Ok."

Kaliver tilted his gaze back to the sky, I looked with him.

"Nice aren't they?" I asked, looking at the stars.

Kaliver shrugged. "I guess. I just use it as a reminder that the world is so much bigger than it seems. We're just one speck. I'm just one speck." He sighed. "It's also a reminder that nothing I do will ever matter in the grand scheme of the universe. No one pays attention to Washington anymore, half the population doesn't even know who he is. If I end up a hero now...it won't matter ten thousand years from now. So...why do anything?"

"I guess you're right. What are we going to do tomorrow?"

"Today you mean? It's o400IM."

"Right, today."

"Well once he wakes up we'll walk to...hopefully old Las Vegas. That's a big city, a 'million chances' they say. I think its a 'million chances' someone could get lost or something could go wrong." Kaliver looked at Lorcan. "Most likely with him."

I couldn't help but laugh. Sure Kaliver wasn't being very nice, but the chances something could go wrong with Lorcan were screaming through loud speakers, begging to be heard.

"How long is the walk?" I asked.

"Not long, maybe...a few hours through the woods, then we'll be in the spotlight of old Las Vegas."

"Well, should I wake him up?" I asked, looking at Kaliver.

"If he's really a guard-" Kaliver kicked him, nudged him more like, and Lorcan didn't budge. "Then it should be easy to wake him up."

"He told me he wasn't a light sleeper."

"Ah of course," Kaliver nudged Lorcan again, and sighed. "Well this may take longer than planned."

"Lorcan," I whispered. "Lorcan," I said, louder.

"You need to scream it."

"Are you sure?"

Kaliver nodded. "Positive."

"Lorcan!" I screeched.

He bolted up. I couldn't stop myself from giggling. "What is it?" He asked, using his hand to get up. "What happened?" He shot a dirty glance at Kaliver. "Were you guys trying to wake me...how did I fall asleep?" He narrowed his eyes at the dark haired boy. "Tell me!" He demanded.

Kaliver looked confused. "What? You fell asleep, I didn't do anything about it!"

"No!" Lorcan acted like it was the end of the world. "I was supposed to protect Elsie!"

"RIght." Kaliver started. "And as you can see she is perfectly fine. Not a scratch."

"But she could have been killed!"

"But she's not."

"Will you guys please stop talking about me like I'm some glass you're gonna break? You're freaking me out!" I said.

"Of course." Lorcan looked ahead. "So. I've planned it all out in my sleep, I know where we're going."

"Where, dreamland?" Kaliver asked, arching a brow to the sky.

Lorcan shot him another dirty glance. "Um, no. We have to get to the coast."

"Well while you were sleeping, I devised a new, improved plan, that will get us under the lights." Kaliver argued.

"I've got one to get us to-"

"Can you please stop arguing? I whined. "It's hurting my ears."

"Sure," Lorcan looked around awkwardly. "Okay so we're going..." He pointed to, from what I could tell, a random direction. "There."

"I hate to side with-"

"The person who almost shot you?"

"Well,"

Lorcan slumped.

"Yes," I continued. "But I think he has a better plan, and even better, we get to go to what was once Las Vegas, the city under casino lights, the-"

"Get used to the new place now Elsie, it's a lot different, we don't live in America anymore."

"Well technically-"

"For once I can't help to agree with your friend." Kaliver said. A sly grin crawled on Lorcans lips. "Get used to it, we live in a corrupt world, one where old Mexico and Canada are called the Outsrill, Zemira thinks it's better than every other place," Kaliver sighed. "It's separated to the world by a towering wall, scientists have gone mad, and the Corr is killing everyone."

"We live in a horrible world." I mumbled.

"And the virus is claiming new victims under its shadows of death everyday," Kaliver sighed and paused. "So I suggest we take my way."

"I still think that's a bad idea," Lorcan narrowed his eyes. "You could be leading us right back to the Lab,"

"Oh trust me I wouldn't want to that, I'm probably not wanted there-"

"Experiment." Lorcan finished, salt in his attitude.

The ending is pretty sad...hope you enjoyed!!