Chapter 34: The Broadcast

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  I felt a hand rub over my head and my eyes opened slowly. At first it was dark. Nothing but dark. Then the dull light pierced the darkness and I realized I was in a room. The setting sun was shining through the window and I squinted my eyes.

  "Hey," Someone said. I directed my eyes to see Nile and Darwin standing by my bed. I could feel tension between them and saw the dangerous glint in Nile's eyes. Darwin had a black eye and his shoulder was wrapped in gauze. Nile had dark marks under his eyes, a usual sight for Nile, and a scratch along his cheek.

  "Hi?" I asked, utterly confused as I sat up. I felt no pain. Not in my head or my side. I felt refreshed. Was it all just a dream? No, the pain had been far too real.

  "How are you feeling?" Darwin asked and Nile's eyes darkened again. With that question I knew everything was real.

  "Great actually. What happened after I-?"

  "You mean after someone almost killed you?" Nile asked and his glint took over his eyes. "We took you here and frantically wondered what to do. Then this genius took out some freaking magic healing stuff that I'm pretty sure has drugs in it and you got better obviously."

  "I did what I had to do. If I didn't you all would have died," Darwin growled.

  "It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't led them to us!" Nile yelled back.

  "I didn't. They tracked me. When they got here I had to come up with something. Unfortunately the bite mark was the best thing so that's how that happened," Darwin said slowly, as if Nile was a three year old and Darwin was trying to explain pre algebra to him.

  "Yeah well, you know what happened because you told them she was immune!" Nile yelled.

  "Wait. What happened?" I asked quickly. Nile and Darwin looked at each other for the first time and a look passed between them that I had never seen go between them.

  "Um, we don't need to worry about that right-,"

  "Darwin! Tell me!" I said. I was starting to get irritated.

  Nile sighed and held his hand out to me to steady myself but I ignored it and swung out of bed and out of the room.

  "Astrix-!"

  "Play the tape," Darwin said, cutting off Miranda.

  "Do what?" Van asked. The same looked passed between everyone in the room.

  "We can't show it to her, she'll get the wrong idea!" Kyle said.

  "I said, show her!" Darwin said, quietly but sternly.

  Trent sighed and jabbed a button on the Tv. Instantly a black screen appeared and a deep voice came out of the blackness.

  "Hello citizens of Dead America. I hope you are all doing well. We need your help now," The voice said and a picture of the U.S. appeared.

  "There are some people I need help catching. Mainly one person. There will be a large reward for her capture. What will that reward be? Simple. Immunity to the disease," The voice said and instantly my heart dropped and my eyes widened.

  "How is this possible? This girl is immune already. If someone brings her to me, I can start creating a cure. When it is finished it can be given to everyone and you won't have to worry about the dead anymore. This girl's name is Astrix Richards," I shut my eyes and prayed this was just a dream.

  "We would also like anyone that she is working with. The penalties for working with this girl are simple. Slow and painful death on live broadcasting, much like this one. So it's your choice. Get away from there now or suffer the consequences. Have a good day Dead America," And then the screen turned back to pitch blackness.

  Nobody said anything, they just looked at me. They all knew what was going through my head.

  "You guys need to leave," I said quietly. I could see Nile wince out of the corner of my eye like he was smacked.

  "No," Kyle said quietly.

  "Yes. In fact, I'll leave. I'll go right now," I said. I felt a hand on my shoulder and Morgan was there.

  "You don't want to do that. There are choppers everywhere out there. This area was the last place we were seen so they are searching. We expect they will search the houses soon," Morgan said.

  "In that case you guys need to stay here and I will leave. I can't let you guys get hurt," I said.

  "And we can't let you get hurt. We are all together now. Nobody leaves. Unless Darwin wants to," Nile said. Then I looked at everyone. Cory was sitting by Van and Kyle and Trent were sitting together.

  "Guys, I appreciate it but I can't stay. You all know this. Some more than others," I said.

  "You're not leaving," Van said. I sighed.

  "In one ear and out the other, huh?" I asked and flopped against the wall, sliding to the floor.

  "Maybe you don't realize this, but if I don't leave, you all could die," I said. The only one that showed any affect was Cory. Cory. A hatred burned in my chest instantly.

  "We are one big family right now. We all each other have left. Please," Nile said. Something flashed across his face. He did give up his mother and father to come with us.

  "Jeff. You promised him," Ashley said quietly. I cringed and so did Trent, Van, and Nile.

  I sighed knowing that I had just lost the war.

  "Okay. Okay. Fine," I said. There was a slight throb in my head and I rubbed my forehead.

  "Thank God. Kyle, Van, Nile, Miranda? You guys still up for tonight?" Trent asked. I looked in confusion at him.

  "We have started going hunting. There's no other way to get food," Trent explained.

  "Sorry, I think Nile is going to stay here," I said. Nile opened his mouth but I interrupted him again.

  "Have you looked in a mirror lately? You need to sleep," I said. Nile sighed and rubbed an eye.

  "Fine," He grumbled.

  "Okay well on that note. Morgan? You wanna come?" Trent asked. Morgan smiled and jumped off of the couch.

  "Sweet. Then we are leaving," Trent said. Within ten minutes Kyle, Van, Morgan, Miranda, and Trent had their assorted weapons and were heading out the door into the slowly fading light.

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A/N

Oh gosh, is something about to happen? Maybe...

Okay, I know I said that Sundays are my posting days but 1. I am bored 2. I am busy tomorrow cause of Halloween 3. I am also busy Saturday cause it's my birfday. and Sunday is gonna be half of my party so had to post today :p so this is my present to you guys. Might post again on Sunday if I get the chance.


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