The virus

Chapter 1

Today was shaping up to be like any other. At school, I didn't talk keeping my head down as I prepared for class. The school was quite empty today now that I think about it though. I tend to be somewhat of a social outcast and I am generally soft-spoken when I do speak. "Hey, excuse me?" I tried to get the attention of one of my classmates, I think her name was Betty, but I am not quite sure. However, I know one thing and that was that she was popular. "Excuse me?" I raised voice trying to get her attention, but she still didn't seem to hear me. My mother had forced me to wear gloves so I ended up poking her with a gloved finger, many didn't think much of the sickness but my mother was a bit of a conspiracy theorist so I had to listen to her. She whipped her head around to look at me anger in her eyes.

"What?" She spoke with disdain clearly not enjoying my presence. I shrunk back unsure if I should even continue it wasn't even really my place anyway.

"Do you... what happened, to the kids in our class?" I finally asked knowing that if I spit it out she could move on with her life.

"They are sick, but why should you care?" She said before turning on her heel and walking to her seat talking to the one girl who was still there. She was right of course, why should I care? I didn't hang out with any of them or know much other than that they were in my class. Little by little kids began leaving class saying they didn't feel well. Why come to school if they didn't feel well enough to be here for the whole day?

Finally, the bell rang for my final class and I headed out. The parking lot was near empty when I left and I hit the button on my key fob before opening the car door. I glanced into the back seat to make sure my gear was there, I wasn't missing self-defense over this. I drove along the roads making it to the studio just in time for class. I got my stuff running inside, and was shocked to only see my instructor with one other student.

"Hey Kallie, I didn't think you were going to make it" I smiled James was friendly for an instructor and treated everyone like a family. He shrugs "you know, with everyone getting sick and all."

"Yeah, I stay away from the sick ones because I don't want to bring it home to my mom you know?" He nods gesturing to the dressing room, I walk over getting the cue. Once I was done getting dressed I came out, and I began to stretch. The other student walked over crouching to look at me.

"You look like a formidable sparring partner." I smile nodding finishing up my stretches.

"Want to test that theory?" He grins nodding, and we begin to spar. Soon we were both on the ground and I had him pinned. Little did I know was that he had other plans, as I felt his legs around my chest for a few seconds before my head hit the mat. Just like that, he was over me his chest heaving and I looked him in the eyes. They were wide and full of what I could only describe as adrenaline-induced excitement. James shouted for him to let me go. He rolled his eyes getting off and sitting next to me.

"You are good, really good. How long have you been doing this?" I smirked holding up four fingers and he nodded smiling. "Nice, that explains why you're good. I can definitely see you taking out some drunk looser late at night."

"I am going to take that as a compliment" I stood up stretching my arms out and he nods.

"You should."

James walked over explaining that he just received a call and needed to close because his mother was in the hospital.

"That's awful, is everything ok?" He nodded smiling, but I could see the sadness in his eyes.

"She's a fighter so I have no doubt she will do well, she just fell off a ladder and called for help. They think she might have broken a hip." I nodded heading back to the dressing room to get into my plain clothes. I headed out saying goodbye to James and the other student, I didn't get his name even though I should have. I will ask the next session we have. I made my way to the car heading home to my mother, and I couldn't wait to hear what she had to say about this as she would have more information on this situation.