MOTH MOUND

CHAPTER 2

DISEASE

DEFINITION

A particular quality or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.

"We are suffering from the British disease of self-deprecation."

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DATE - JULY 1ST 2015

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A half-hour had passed, and I had lingered on Warden's vision to check for his return, every now and again, I would Tap Tabby's silicone TV head, only to get brushed off. She did not fear Warden's recoils as much as someone with bruisable skin would.

Finally, precisely forty-eight minutes later, the Warden had said his goodbyes to the scientists in that room, then stood up, and finally exited the scientific research lab, which was exactly ten minutes from the gymnasium where we were.

My gills gargled, I got on all fours out of pure instinct and took hold of Tabby's arm, not at all careful about the Virus who had obviously been all taken aback from my animal-like tendencies. Tabby shook me off again, "Alvi, lemme finish my introduction," She then grumbled, "So rude."

Naya, who she had chose to recite her introduction to, furrowed her eyebrows, her head on her hand to keep herself slightly away from myself, "Is Alvi ok?" She pressured on my name.

"Yeah, yeah, He's just like- an overly anxious lady-bug," She waved her hand about, "Alvi, just keep an eye on when Warden's is gonna get back." She pressed a hand on my face, which caused four eyes to wince.

My gills inhaled deeply to then disperse the air into a loud whistle. It thankfully grabbed the attention of the Virus, and made Tabby turn around finally, "Alvi!" She yelled, "Don't embarrass me!" She hissed.

"That big man on his way back," The soft voice of a slumber-full Virus had asked. "Right?" a few Virus turned their head to her, "I speak whistle when I'm too tired to speak sometimes." She mumbled her last words on a purple bubble that she had made earlier

The door to the gym then slammed open, followed by static, "Warden, the Alvis let off an emergency whistle!" My stomach dropped. Tabby's hands lowered as the other Virus slowly realized that we'd been busted.

Dexter whispered, "If the fire-guy fuckin wipes him out, we can make a break for it."

"We can't." Toby hummed still rather cheerily, lied on his back on one of the bleachers, "He won't do it." The soldier, followed by two more, had come into the room, weapons already aimed at all nine of us. We were dead, we were gone for. Warden would be furious.

"Fuck you, I can!" A growl emerged from the fire Virus who had stood up, flames sporadically grown on him.

"Oh I know you can, fire-crotch" Toby leaned himself up, the emphasis on can made Adrien's gaze twitch, "But you won't."

"Stay seated, or we'll shoot!" One of the soldiers warned in their raised voice, though it seemed almost like background noise to the rather insignificant argument between Toby and Adrien. I gazed at Tabby, who was stuck. Her TV-head in her hands in a crisis.

Toby was just as uninterested but afforded himself to whisper out a, "They won't." of re-assurance

"They have guns, I don't feel like getting fucking shot!" He spun around, fumes already risen, "That's all!"