INKWELL

Chapter Two

May 31, 2096

The line grew shorter and I got closer to the table. My sweat pores were working overtime, releasing the sweat now coating my skin. My heart was beating so fast I felt it would beat out of my chest. Tears gathered at the corner of my eyes and it took all my effort to not let them roll down my cheeks.

I didn't want to be left behind. I couldn't imagine it. With each new person that was pulled away from their family member, I felt my heart deflate. This was supposed to be a happy day, we finally had the ticket to our freedom. Why does everything have to be so difficult? I wondered.

I noticed Angela Cassey standing at the table where those taking the tests were seated. Her eyes were wet with tears and she looked like she could barely standing watching what was happening but she stood, watching, knowing it had to be done. Life was not fair, but I wished it could be. Why couldn't it be a bed of roses? Even when it was a bed of roses, why did those roses have to be intertwined with thorns?

People had come this far only to be separated from their loved ones. There was no body to blame. Angela was not wicked for doing this. She was not wicked for trying to save the few she could. Just like our village Chief. I didn't consider him wicked for separating the infected people from the non infected. There was no one to blame there. No clear black and white line. And I felt angry I had no one to blame.

My mind went to Erik Coal, the reason for all this. Like a match stick catching on a fuel soaked cloth, my anger transferred to him. He was the reason for all this. The reason the earth was polluted with ink.

But was he really the reason?

I mentally glared at my sub conscious even though I knew it was a valid question. All Erik Coal wanted was to improve the standard of living. He wanted others to have better than what he had when he was growing up.

But he should have listened to those warning about the pollution. If he had, things might have improved.

Yes, but people thought it was just rumours from jealous people. They didn't think it would be real.

He should have investigated himself. And if he truly had our interests at heart, he won't be kidnapping children.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. The back and forth banter between me and my subconscious was making me dizzy.

A cry took my attention to the front of the line and my heart slammed in my chest as I saw how close we had gotten to the table. There were just a few more people in front of me. I could see Wunmi shaking, one would almost think she was being electrocuted.

My eyes went back to what was happening in front. A heavily built man was on his knees, bawling like a child. The officers tried to pull him away but he refused to be moved. A pregnant woman was being held away from him. I guessed she was his wife.

I saw tears escape from Angela's eyes before she turned away, her shoulders shaking. Our line moved closer even as the man was being pulled away. My legs were now feeling wobbly. I closed my eyes and prayed, harder than I had ever prayed before.

"Please, don't let me be infected. Please, God," I whispered under my breath. I kept my eyes closed, refusing to open it even as we kept moving forward. The shuffling of feet in front of me signaled when I had to move forward. I knew in a few minutes I would be standing in front of the table to take the test. I squeezed my eyes tighter, my prayers intensifying.

I realised soon that I should have included my loved ones in my prayer. I was still praying when I heard something that shocked me to my bone, freezing my heartbeat for a second.

"Mrs. Abimbola!" someone screamed. It wasn't just someone. It was Wunmi!

I knew I should open my eyes but I couldn't.

Who was infected? Was it Mrs. Abimbola or was it Wunmi?

I could hear other people screaming in front of me, but my eyes remained shut. My brain was sending signals to my eyes to open but my eyes disregarded the signals. I was panicking but I couldn't do anything about it. I felt tears escape my eyes and roll down my cheeks. My body had suddenly gone cold and I could barely hold myself together.

I couldn't lose Mrs. Abimbola. She had been a mother to me, she was the family I had lost. She was my only family. I remembered her sickness a few days ago, I had wondered if she was infected. Now I wondered again. Was she?

And if it was Wunmi that was infected, I didn't know what I would do. Wunmi was the first true friend I ever had. When I lived as a rich girl, I had lots of friends but no true one. A lot of people attended my parties and laughed at my jokes but there was no one I could trust and bare my heart to. Wunmi had thought me the meaning of friendship. She was the sister I never had. I didn't think I could handle it if she was infected.

What if it was both of them? My mind seemed to go into overdrive at that thought.

Both of them! "Oh my God," I whispered, my legs buckling under me. I fell to the floor, making no effort to stand up. This was supposed to be a happy day but we had lost so many people. Tobi was gone and so were the other people who had stayed to fight RICCO CORP's men. Men that had been drawn towards our village by the signal from my phone. I blamed myself. It was all my fault. I knew I wouldn't be able to take it if I lost any other person. I wouldn't.

Someone grabbed my shoulders. "Ivy! Ivy! Open your eyes!"

That jerked me out of my panic induced state. I opened my eyes and stared at the scene in front of me, tears blurring my vision.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

What did she see? What did she see?

Who else wants to share a piece of their mind with the writer? :-D 😊

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©Jesutofunmi Fekoya2019