THE PLAGUE

CHAPTER 1

The Wall

"We are going to die if I don't go outside!"

KARSON's father never came back after leaving their home 7 years ago. At first, it was hard for him not having a father at his side especially that his mom was too fragile to work for their own sake. Since then, Karson became the bread winner of his family. Day by day he hoped that his father will come knocking on their door, kicking and alive. His mother weeped every night, calling out his father's name, back then. At present, Karson's mom looks fine as she was when his father was still present but Karson knew that his mother silently grieves for his disappearance up to this time.

Today, after his work, he decided that he'll be going to the council and ask once more for his father's whereabouts. Ever since his dad left and never came back home, he constantly checked up with the council for news but every single time he got there and asked for information, they still held no intel about him.

Finished on his work as a machinery repairman in a food factory, he stood up, exhaustion evident on his face when he wiped his greasy hands on his white dirt-stained shirt. He then swabbed the beads of sweat on his forehead using the back of his right hand.

Walking through the cemented hallways in the factory, he crossed paths with his childhood friend, Carol, who also works in the factory as a supervisor. As their gazes met, both parties went to a halt.

"Going to the council again?" she asked, looking up to Karson.

"Yeah", he replied, raising his brows. It's like a gesture portruding that Carol already knew his answer.

"Wait for me." She commanded while pointing at Karson with a nod, like a warning that he should not refuse. He nodded then pointed forward, signalling for her that he'll wait outside. She then disappeared in the shadows, whilst him continuing to walk forward; his two hands in his pocket.

HE sat on a bench just blocks away from the building's iron entrance. While waiting for Carol's arrival, he leisured himself by looking at the factory's entirety. Flattened platinum walls that is about as tall as a "Redwood" tree measuring about a hundred feet. The elegantly designed windows that are plastered on the factory's wall. The massive iron double-door entrance that can fit a 20 feet truck. The huge tubes that stands atop the factory's flat roof, emitting black smoke and the building's glamorous shape, it was as if the finest architect in the district was the one who designed it.

When he first worked at the factory, he was astonished at the sight that the one who was with him to teach him everything he should know about the work, had to call him twice.

He put back his gaze on the structure's massive entrance and saw a short and slim figure running towards his direction. It was Carol. As Carol ran, her blonde wavy hair swayed with the wind, her medium-sized breast jiggled and both arms elegantly swung at her sides. He smiled at the sight of her.

"I-I'm sorry that it took me too long to go outside", said Carol slouching, hands on her knees while cathing her breath but never removed her gaze from Karson.

"It's okay", replied Karson wearing an exhausted yet attractive smile, showing his well-levelled white set of teeth. Carol was flustered at the sight. When they were kids, Karson was thin, and had soft face features, but now he looked masculine with his black messy long hair, deep blue eyes, pointed nose, well-sculpted jaws, muscular build and a towering height of six feet and ten inches.

"Hey, you okay?", asked Karson to Carol waving his right hand to her face, still sitting on the bench. Carol flinched at his words and immediately came back to her senses.

"Y-yeah, I am", replied Carol regaining her composure and pulling the hem of her blouse downwards.

"By the way, you goin' to the council wearing that look?", asked Carol with a twisted face while secretly trying to brush off the awkwardness she is feeling at the moment.

"Do I look that bad?", Karson asked in response then turned down to look at his white shirt that suddenly turned to brown after a day's work.

"Really bad", Carol replied jokingly, then both of them laughed.

CAROL and Karson walked side by side towards the Miles' Residence; Karson's house. After the conversation the two of them had, Karson decided to stop by at his place to fix himself and Carol volunteered to go with him. Their eyes wandered to the busy streets of District 4.

Grandar City, the capital of the country Sreel; divided into ten wards; Axeton , Brucle, Cruse, Darx, Eloni, Fsilt, Grumn, Hoile, Ionel and Jisx. Each ward were named after the founding members of the city. Each ward is then cleaved into 5 districts. The number of district signifies your position in the society. District 1 lives the Nusx, richest personalities in the city mostly the appointed leaders to rule. District 2, the Triones, the noble-born in the society, some are being appointed as the city leader and raise their ranks to 1. District 3, Chofis, they are often called the middle-class, owns small businesses in the city. District 4, the Oxinus or the artisans, they are the ones who are being given the crafts and heavy loads of work and in the census they are the largest population in the city. Lastly, District 5, the Yotis or the military power, these people are barbaric, low rational thinkers and are sent to protect the city from possible invasions.

"It's gotten more busy here, huh." said Carol out of nowhere, still wandering her eyes.

"Yeah it ha—" Karson's reply was cut off by a loud siren. Karson and Carol creased their eyebrows.

"What's happening?" both of them muttered to each other, then averted their gaze to a chaotic crowd from afar. They both ran towards it. Nearing the crowd, both of them heard a man shouting at the center.

"We are dead!" shouted the man, face in mixed emelotions while crumpling his already messy curly hair. "T–the Wall! Has fallen t–to the i–nfected!"

A Wall? Karson, confused ran towards the direction where the man is pointing.

"H–hey, wait!" Carol then followed Karson on his tracks.

Running few kilometers, Karson found nothing but houses, hence he was tired. He thought that the man was lying about the wall. He was about to come back from where he came from but a large bang made him stop and thus he continued on his tracks. Exhaustion eating up his body, Karson jogged and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he eyed a tall concrete structure in front of him, a Wall.

"N–no, t–this can't be!" Karson muttered under his breath as he fell on the ground with eyes wide open.