CORONA

Day 7

Day 7

BRANDON

The low sound of the video game spurs out of monitor. Another win. I set the controller down and rub my eyes.

I look around. There's seven of us, out of twelve, who decided to sleep here tonight.

The room is quiet, save for snores coming from Elijah.

I rub my neck and head towards the en-suite to wash my face with cold water.

"Fuck!" I hear the sound of frantic voices on the other side of the bathroom and then running.

My mind immediately goes to Kiana.

My stomach drops and I'm running out the door before I know it. The sudden urge to protect Kiana is at the fore of my brain, since she's the only one I trust here besides Nick. I don't have the energy to care about anyone else.

Everyone is gathered at the midsection of the corridor that branches out into three directions. A sense of deja vu washes over me, and I shiver.

I struggle to see what they're staring at, or who. I don't know what happened, but I'm certain another body has turned up.

Panic seizes my throat when Anna burst into tears and I nudge Elijah aside with my elbow to get a better look.

And almost collapse to the ground.

I let out a sigh of relief, guilt following after, when I see Maria on the floor, her eyes and mouth wide opened.

There's no blood, this time. Maybe she was strangled, or something else. Whatever the case is, the dark part of my mind that had formed since this disaster started thanks the heavens that it isn't Nick or Kiana.

My eyes scan quickly among the crowd until it lands on her, frozen into place. Everyone is silent, except for Anna and Henry's muffled cries.

Jared leans down on one knee and closes her eyes with two fingers, turning his head away as if he's going to puke. I wouldn't blame him. Cleaning up dead bodies left a sour taste in your mouth for days. At least that's what happened when I helped with Tiana's.

Eleven more to go, I think bitterly.

—

Kiana's POV

I would've never thought the day would come where murder was starting to become something to expect.

I overhear Anna wondering to Elijah if she'd be next, making my fear for the unknown future intensify. I'm not one to get anxious or fearful especially when it isn't necessary, but I've never wanted to live more than I do now. If I die, what would happen to my brother? Would our relatives take care of him as they should? Would he be sent to foster care? He's only fourteen, he wouldn't be able to get by without me. He would say otherwise, but he wouldn't.

The common area is silent, save for small, whispered conversations. Jared is staring off into space while Nick and Daniel examine the papers Brandon and I found on the fourth floor.

I stare blankly at the wall, the frayed pieces of my mind wandering to thoughts of chocolate.

"Shit," Nick says harshly, making us look up. I lean forward in my couch, anxiety thrumming through my veins as I wait for what I know he's about to say. "What if it wasn't just Tiana with the virus?"

"Judging by 'murder of the day,' it's pretty obvious," Elijah nods in agreement. "We all just figured that the other five who weren't here died because of the drugs."