Rise of the Plague (Book 0): The Sickness (Monte's Story) by Jeannie Rae

on. I feel like my whole world is caving in, after all that is happening and it seems like just another adventure to her. Miss high horse over here has probably never been around shady people before. She has no instincts at all. My Uncle Samuel was in the Navy for a long time and I’ve met some of his buddies who served with him. They were real upstanding guys. But the soldiers here are different . I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s like they’re acting like we’re cattle. Move here, do this, take that. There is something really off about these soldiers and this place. 
    “Save me a seat, I have to go to the restroom. I’ll meet you on the bus,” I say, offering a fake smile to Annabelle.
    “Alrighty,” Annabelle says heading toward the exit at the front of the arena.
    As I enter the ladies room, there are already a handful of women inside. Looking around, there aren’t any windows for me to escape. As disappointment fills my gut, I head to an empty stall and overhear the women’s conversation unfolding.
    “I know, right. I can’t believe it either—it’s ridiculous.”
    “Danny went to talk to one of the guard soldiers, and they won’t let anyone leave. They said that further testing is needed before we can be released. But I’ve noticed that they have evacuated this part of the city for blocks and are pulling out a lot of the soldiers. There are only a few left here.”
    “Then where is that one bus going? I saw a bunch of kids loading into it.”
    “I don’t know for sure, but I heard, that they are all orphans with no place to go and no one to claim them. Just to be safe, they could get rid of those kids—ya know what I mean—to make sure that none of ‘em are sick—and no one would even miss them. People would think that they died in The Port.”
    I bolt for the restroom door. I am not sticking around to see if these women are right. They could be planning on getting rid of us all—to be safe. Even the adults in this arena could be danger. They might have changed their minds or received new orders telling them not to release anyone. If they evacuated the area, like the woman said, than big trouble is probably headed our way. I can’t get on that bus and there is no way that I’ll be able to get Annabelle off of it. It looks like I’m on my own again. I don’t want to stay here another second.
    I see a door across the way and head for it. The nearest guard is talking to a family a few feet away, with his back to the exit. I’m getting out of here. As I approach the door frame, I look around. There are fewer soldiers than before, and that guard is still speaking to the family. I press the door open gently and walk through opening to the outside. I’m free. I’m so sorry Annabelle. I wish that there was something that I could do to get her off that bus. Wiping a tear from my cheek, I tell myself to be stone-hearted. I have to survive. But it doesn’t work—I can’t stop the tears from falling. With all my heart I hope that those women were wrong, and I hope that I am wrong—for Annabelle. I run down the side of the building and cut behind it.

FREEDOM
    I’m outside of the arena. I’m free. Scratching my wrist as I jog along the backside of the building—my scab feels like it’s been sprinkled with itching powder. It itches so much that it kinda hurts.
    I’m not sure where I’m going—anywhere but here. I don’t care if I have to sleep under a bridge tonight. At least my fate is in my own hands now. Thank God I made it out of that place. The air out here feels fresher, more-wide open. I finally feel like I can breathe—but I also feel tethered to Annabelle. My heart twists telling me that I am doing the wrong thing by leaving her behind. But what could I do? If I go back to that bus, they’ll make me get on it. Even if I could get Annabelle’s attention somehow—she wouldn’t get off the bus. She’s psyched about going to Blue Falls and getting reunited with her