Infected

Chapter 1

I looked further up the line. I cringed as the little girl in front was jabbed with a syringe into her arm. The woman took a full vile of the girl's blood. After our blood was drawn, we were to go to get our eyes, teeth, and hair examined for signs of being infected. If everything checked out to be clean, we get sent to get our new clothes. we are all going to be wearing white gowns. I suppose they feared our clothing even carried infection.

Two people were in front of me to get there blood checked. The man getting his checked was twitchy, with shifty eyes. his blood was up in the machine and the monitor started beeping immediately. He glanced around with worry and confusion. Everyone around him backed away. Two of the policemen tackled the man to the ground onto his stomach. The struggling man screamed, "Wait! Wait! Check me again! Just check me again!" his cries were ignored. Before I knew what was happening, it was too late to look away. While one policemen was sitting on the man's back strapping his arms to his sides, the other had his foot placed firmly on the back of the man's neck, forcing the man's face into the ground. The policeman standing up got his gun out of his holster and shot the man in the back of the head.

After the gunfire went off the room fell dead silent. the man stopped screaming and struggling, people stopped rotating, machines weren't being used. Looking at everyone's faces I saw looks of horror, terror, shock and grief. After about a whole sixty seconds, everyone started up again. Occurrences like that one are just becoming a part of everyday life. People aren't getting used to it though. little children clinging to each other crying. Women trying to comfort them. Behind me was a boy about eight years old. He was silent but his chin quivered as tears dripped off of it. he suddenly reeked of urine. I glanced down and see it tricking onto the floor. I felt pity for this poor boy, even more so realizing that he was alone.

A woman's voice caught my attention, "your turn, sweetie." She was talking to me and I gulped at the sight of the needle. I've always hated needles and this one was, for sure, the largest one to ever enter my skin. However, at this point, I was more terrified of the monitor to start going off indicating that I am infected. I winced as the woman pierced the needle into my skin. she took two full viles of my blood. I held my breath as the machine scanned my blood. It came out clean and I released a shaky breath I had been holding.

I went to the end of the line for the next examination. Fortunately, this line was much shorter. I had been in the previous line for hours. I watched the policemen carry the infected man's body to the room where they burned infected people. Easiest way to insure the infection is gone from the area. It's strange, to be infected, one must be bitten by another infected, or so I've been told, and that man didn't have a visible bite on him. The boy that was standing behind me in line had clean blood. he was behind me again. I was happy for him... but then again, if he is indeed all alone at his age, life's probably going to be hell. Ha, what am I talking about? With the apocalypse, life's going to be hell anyway.

I wondered if my older sister Erica, the last person of my family I'd seen alive, made here alive. I just wish I had somebody, at least. The little boy didn't have anybody... Maybe we could buddy up. I'm sure he needed someone too.

I whipped around to him,"Hello!" I said with what I think was a smile. He just looked at me. "uh, I'm Neyomi. What's your name?" I asked.

He ignores my question and instead asked, "how old are you?"

I answer," seventeen. What about-."

He cuts me off," then why are you talking to someone my age?"

I shrug, "guess I wanted a friend. what's wrong with that?"

He tries not to smile, "nothin, I guess." He shuffles his feet, "I'm Gage." he sticks his hand out and I shake it, "nice to meet you."

"Next." Said the grouchy heavyset woman waiting for me to sit down so she an look me over.