VIRUS - Redemption

TWO

12.03.2038

"Beans?" I stood at the food trough, shovelling beans onto people's plate, something I did once a week on Sundays. Every second day, London holds a dinner for the community; it cuts down rations and gives people a healthy meal at least 3-4 times a week. Who knows what they're cooking their families every other day?

The dinners were my Mothers idea; and my Father only approved them after learning that it'd cut down food wastage and the amount of food people were taking home. Once Luther knew he'd be more in control of rations, he loved the idea. My Mother, on the other hand, wanted to get at least 4 healthy meals into the community per week, keep them strong and lively. They were very different people, you see.

Beside me was a girl named Ana, she was handling potatoes. Ana was taller than me, by quite a lot – she never wore any colour other than black, she said she didn't want to peacock. Her voluminous curls always stayed untied and her brown eyes always looked tired. Ana was my best friend.

She was my best friend for a lot of reasons, but the main one was the fact that she was the coolest person in the entirety of London. How is that possible or even measurable?

Not only because she's been an armed guard since 13, but she raised all of her siblings – all 7 of them. Her parents had both been killed by the age of 15, so she brought up her entire family. All 8 of them live in a 3-bedroom house and rely on each other for everything.

Also, Ana stands for Anarchy. All of her siblings have names like that. Her Brothers, Rogue, Duke and Titan; and her Sisters, Ryette, Reign, Bandit and Warden. Her parents, Martha and Frasier Hayes were both HAF. Head of Armed Forces aka the best of the best. Martha and Frasier met while in Iraq, working for the US Armed Forces. They moved to the UK 6 months before the Virus outbreak occurred; they wanted to settle down and have kids.

Shame they couldn't watch them grow up.

"Beans?" I asked again, slopping the 5-kind bean mix onto their tray. All the food was by my Mother's recipe, so I knew it was good. I'd rather be eating it then serving it.

"So, when are they going to tell everyone?" Ana asked me, referencing to Robert's new idea of war. She slapped some mash potatoes onto someone's plate before looking across at me, raising her eyebrows.

"I was thinking Robert may do it tonight, once everyone has their food." I shrugged my shoulders, and she nodded. "Or maybe, he's decided not to do it and isn't going to tell everyone. It's been 3 days, and I've heard nothing from him, I haven't even seen him."

"It's still going to happen, Elle." She sighed, serving more potatoes. "His minions are just over there, I spotted them a few minutes ago." I looked over to where her spoon was pointing to see East, the West twins and two more people I hadn't met. I sighed deeply, getting a new scoop of beans ready.

"I wish they'd just fuck off already." I whispered to Ana, who let out a quiet giggle. "One of them called my Father a 'nutcase who couldn't handle the pressure'."

"They're currently trying to start a war with the Dead," She scoffed, shaking her head lightly, "And somehow the man who built a fortress for safety, is the nutcase? They're just trying to intimidate you."

I nodded, the guilty feeling in my stomach crawling back. Whenever I talked to Ana about my Father, she always referred to him as a hero – a great man. She knew he was harsh on me, but not even close to the extent he really was. Her Father was a military man, so harsh parents were the normal for Anarchy. She saw her Father in Luther, I think it comforted her whenever she came to my house.

"Who knows," I shrugged, serving more food. "I just want them to announce it and make it real. I know about it, you know about it – but no one else does."