All of the Stars Have Fallen Out of Line

Chapter 2: Breaking in

"Slow the fuck down." Robert complained in the passenger seat. He couldn't handle my speeding, especially in a car that hits every bump on the road like an explosive.

Robert was a skinny, 6'5 unathletic sophomore who had nothing better to do with his time than analyze video game statistics. He didn't even play them, and he sure as hell wasn't good at much else. He was simultaneously a dumbass, while equally clever. I like hanging around the guy because he never asked questions, and he always allowed me to do what I wanted to do— except speed, that is. We'd been best friends since I met him in the third grade at my mom's art gallery. He kept going on about how the gallery would look so much better without the art. How just the mere assumption that there could be art along the walls was the art itself. Stupid, I know. Regardless, he was the only person who knows about my sisters' special abilities, and understands my anxiousness to get my mom back.

"There are no cops around and I'm nervous okay?" I blew through a red light. The cops in Wichita couldn't even try to look like they cared.

Robert stiffened in his seat when the Chevy heaved against a pothole. "Glad I didn't eat breakfast."

Robert fiddled with the radio and turned on the news station.

Reporting from Washington DC, here is Ellaina with our current report on the virus. *music cue*
Hello America, and yes Bob I currently have the data right in front of me. The virus has infected over 78% of the US population as of today and we are urging everyone to continue getting vaccinated. There are euthanization programs available to hospitals to keep this infection at a minimum, however the outlook is not looking too bright. Schools will be officially closing down for this year no later than Friday, and I have reports that estimate two weeks until a total shutdown of the—

I killed the radio. No one wants to listen to how bad this place is getting everyday. People were dying every second and there were too many bodies to account for. The infection had compounded over the last couple months and the vaccine wasn't being pushed quick enough. Soon, it'd be seriously dangerous to leave and go search for mom putting me on a time constraint. Wherever she is, she needed to get the vaccine and soon.

"Guess picture day was for nothing after all huh?"

I ignored him and pulled into a space in front of the huge stone and glass building. I'd been here a handful of times as a family, visiting my dad at work.

"Ok, when we go in there don't make eye contact with anyone. If someone asks who you are we say we're David Blakenship's kids." Robert was definitely the type of guy to royally screw something up.

"Roger that." He winked at me as if this were some under cover mission action movie.

I rolled my eyes and headed into the building, knowing he'd follow.

———————————————————————— . Red

I left the keys in the ignition since Blue was taking the car to the lab. She didn't wave goodbye or anything before switching seats and zooming off to the back of the school building, probably where she told Robert to wait for her.

I couldn't blame her for being anxious for answers. The world was changing and rotting at an alarming rate. Soon, we wouldn't even be able to go outside, and our only hope would be to wait for government to pass out a vaccine.

Some people blamed the world's decay on the individuals with special abilities. Regular people have always felt inferior and decided there had to be a reason as to why this was all happening.