NIGHT CHASER ---- original ---- HIATUS

Research: Elena and Memoir

The lights in the middle school wing flashed brightly into Elena's eyes as she exited the hallway. She carried her medium sized blue backpack that had been cool a couple of months ago. Now small, compact backpacks were in. She sighed. Why did she even try anymore?
    Elena felt a light tap on her shoulder. It was Memoir.
    "Hey," she said quietly.
    "Hi!" Elena responded.
    "So, about the Tag virus, you know how I said it might be an artificial source?" Memoir asked. Elena nodded and stepped out of the way to avoid getting hit by some sixlets sprinting through the halls.
    Elena looked back at Memoir. She had changed a lot in the past week. She still didn't talk much, but her hair wasn't covering her face, and her eyes didn't point downward so much.
    "Yeah?" Elena said, fidgeting with the hair tie on her wrist that she still had from gym class. She pulled it this way and that until it snapped. Elena sighed and quickly shoved the broken hair tie into her jacket pocket.
    "Well, I'm wondering if that could be a start. But the only thing is, if it really is artificial, is it a toxin? Or is it something else?" Memoir wondered aloud.
    Elena nodded. That made sense, since the virus seemed to have a mind of its own, literally controlling its victim. It didn't multiply like most viruses. Wait... it didn't multiply. That meant it wasn't a virus, but, like Memoir had said, something else entirely. Elena relayed this revelation to Memoir.
    "Exactly. It isn't a virus like the media claims, and it can't be a toxin or a poison since it seems to think on it's own. Is there a type of pathogen we haven't discov-" Memoir was cut off by a girl with extremely long brown hair and amber eyes pushing her way in between the two almost-friends.
    "Ooh, this sounds interesting! What are you guys talking about? Wait, you're that weird girl that never talks!" the girl spoke to Memoir. She tilted her head with curiosity. Or maybe she was just being nosy. Elena rolled her eyes. Of course she would butt in on the conversation that just so happened to not be petty school talk.
    "Hi Sharon," Elena said with a sigh. She instantly regretted talking about their hypothesis in public. Not that it was secret, but it wasn't exactly known around the grade either.
    "Hi Elena! Can I join your little research group for this new virus? I heard you talking about it yesterday at lunch," Sharon asked. She pushed open the door at the entrance of the school and held it for Elena, but letting go when Memoir made to walk through. Memoir turned rapidly to the side To avoid being hit by the heavy glass door. "Oh, sorry about that, Mara."
    "Uh, her name is Memoir, first of all, and second of all, what? You want to join our research group?" Elena asked in astonishment. The fact that Sharon had overheard enough of Elena and her friends' conversation the day before was more than a little creepy. Didn't this girl TALK to people? Like a normal person?
    "Yeah! You said something about learning more about Tag. I want to join. I know that the school faculty wouldn't like it if some students were worrying themselves over this new scary thing. It might cause anxiety. But they don't have to know." Sharon threatened, her voice as sweet as sugar, with a hint of desperate poison.
    Memoir walked around Sharon to Elena's other side. It was clear that the clingy girl was making her uncomfortable. Elena tried to walk slower and distance herself from Sharon, with no luck. She just made pace with Elena and Memoir. Elena tried to ignore her. She turned away from Sharon, and towards Memoir. She looked up at the cloudy, gray sky that was green tinted, almost like a witches brew. She thought she caught sight of a patch of blue sky, but it disappeared faster than a wisp of a memory.
    "Elena?" The voice that Elena dreaded pulled her back down to Earth.
    "We have to catch our bus." Elena said shortly. She flipped her hair that was being blown around by the harsh, unforgiving wind behind her shoulder. She made to walk over to where hers and Memoir's bus was parked. It was the third one in an extensive line, what with all grades, kindergarten through twelfth grade, combined into one school.
    "I want to join!" Sharon called after her, and ran for the second of twenty buses that serviced all of the children of Highest Peak. Elena rolled her eyes again and gave her a grudging thumbs up. Sharon would never stop bothering them about it otherwise.
    Elena and Memoir stepped onto the bus and immediately spotted Evan, Stellan, Yamilia, and Adelyn.
    Elena sat down next to Yamilia, as always, as Memoir slid in next to Adelyn.
    Evan and Stellan smiled twin smiles at Elena. She grinned back. This was nice. The only thing they needed now was Liri, Norman, and Shane on their bus too. But, of course, that would've meant things would be perfect, and Elena didn't have THAT kind of luck, now, did she? No, that would be absurd.
    As soon as Elena got home, she made a beeline for the office, and pressed the button to boot up the computer. She started to research viruses. If her mom came in, she would use the excuse that it was good to stay informed about what was going on. They had even been learning about the genetic material of viruses in science. Her class had touched on viruses, and general information about them in sixth grade, but the memories had faded from her head, until all she was left with was a vague idea that it was not determined if it was a living thing, and something about a lysitic cycle? A genic cycle? Elena couldn't quite remember.
    She vivaciously stared at the screen, absorbing the information the website she had clicked on had to offer.