Chapter 11

I saw the town flooded with snow, the ground iced over and the frozen people stuck in it all. “Today,” my great uncle looked down at me, “You have to get them all to safety.”

“I can't,” I moaned.

“They'll freeze,” the lost boy whispered then I got to my feet.

“Maya,” Seth wrapped his arm around me to keep me upright, “What's wrong? What did you see?”

“See,” Darren brushed my bangs out of my face, “She looks ill, she needs a hospital.”

 

“The storm,” I looked at Cass, “It's coming now, the asylums aren't an option we need people in the bunkers now.”

“You had a day dream, May,” Cass started forward.

“I don't have time for this, Cass believe me for once,” I ordered.

“How would you know about a storm?” Darren questioned, “You haven't been at home to see the weather reports.”

“I see things before they happen,” I explained.

“I thought you saw ghosts,” he frowned.

“I'll explain everything later,” I replied then surprisingly he blocked Cass from me and Seth knocked Peck over.

 

“Come on,” Kiara took my arm and we ran out the door into the cold. “I'll take this side of town do you think you can run to the other?”

“Piece of cake,” I wrapped my arms around myself, “Don't go alone.”

“I'll go with her,” Eva joined us followed by Darren.

“Are you going to lecture me?” I asked as the girls ran off.

“Not right now,” he handed me a jacket, “My sister is on the other side of town and the risk of losing her is too much right now to argue.”

“Agreed,” I said then I saw Seth running out, “Get my brother and yours to the bunker, Seth.”

 

“Be careful,” he said then I hurried off with Darren close at my heels. It took an hour to get to the outskirts on the other side and it was freezing cold outside when we got there.

I started banging on doors and yelling, “There is a storm coming.” I was at the tenth house when I realized Darren had abandoned me. My face felt ice cold and blinking was hard, but I kept going from house to house until an alarm suddenly sounded from the community square.

“All residents, please proceed to the nearest bunker and bring extra blankets to keep warm,” Darren's voice sounded over a mega phone.

“I hate him,” I laughed then went over to the tower just as Darren came out. “Nice work,” I commented.

 

“Darren,” a dark haired girl came running over to us, “What is going on?”

“A big storm, Nora,” he hugged her, “I am glad you were at home tonight.”

“Are you Maya?” Nora looked at me.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“I hear you have an affliction too,” she smiled.

“I thought you were over yours,” I remarked.

“I'm working on it,” she grinned and then I had to go. We went from community to another trying to get to everyone. I could barely see anything by the time I got to the last area and Nora was being carried by Darren.

 

“Garnet, we have to get back to our bunker,” Darren called out to me when I reached the tower.

“One more call out,” I ran up the stairs, but when I tried to use the mega phone there were sparks and it wouldn't work. “S**t,” I hurried back down the stairs.

“What's wrong?” Darren asked, “It's freezing out we don't have time to mess around.”

“The mega phone isn't working,” I headed to the first house.

“We don't have time to go door to door,” he followed me.

“Your sister needs to get inside quickly, Price her hair was wet she'll get hypothermia,” I knocked on the door. A family came out into the porch and I wrapped my jackets more tightly around me. “Come on, people this is the biggest storm in our history you need to get to a bunker immediately,” I commanded, “The closest one to you.”

“You two,” Darren stopped two guys who were walking around the streets. They had guard uniforms on so they were quick to answer.

“What is the problem?” one of them said.

“The three of us have to get the rest of this community to the closest bunker,” he looked back at me, “Get Nora back to your bunker, Garnet.”

“Come on, Nora,” I said taking her hand.

 

“Darren, you'll freeze,” Nora tried to reach out for him.

“Be tough, Price,” I told him then hurried off dragging Nora behind me. When we got to the bunker there was an argument going on outside between the officers and some of the afflicted.

“You'll infect us all, it's too big of a risk,” one of the officers said then saw me, “Garnet your brother is waiting inside.”

“That's nice,” I walked up to him and punched him right in the nose, “Let the rest of them in they are human too.” We pushed our way through the officers and down into the bunker. I never let go of Nora's hand until I found a free bed and I set her down. “Blankets,” I wrapped her up in as many blankets as possible.

“My brother,” she said with tears in her eyes, “He's out there still.”

“I know, I'll go get him,” I got up again even though I had lost most of the feeling in my legs.

“Maya,” Kiara and Eva came running over, “Nice punch.”

 

“Get Nora some hot chocolate or coffee, something warm,” I could feel my body trembling.

“You need something warm,” Seth joined us with a bruise on his cheek.

“My brother,” I guessed.

“Just a scratch,” he shrugged, “You're pale as snow, May.”

“Yeah well, I owe one to Price,” I started towards the exit.

 

“Maya,” Cass spotted me.

“I am going back out Cass,” I headed for the door and he tried to follow. I got outside again and headed back in the direction of the community Darren was in. I got to the first alley, but then my body began shaking too violently to keep going.

“May,” Cass called out, but my eyes closed and did not open when I tried to wake up...

 

“Garnet,” the voice that woke me up was the same narcissistic one that I remembered from the days before the storm. “Come on, wake up,” he shook me lightly and I groaned.

“Let her sleep, Price she nearly froze to death,” Seth said and my eyes drifted open.

“Who let her go back out in the storm, Peck?” Darren retorted, “If I hadn't been going through there, she would still be there.”

“Do you want to start something?” Seth challenged him.

“Don't fight,” I sat up.

“Ever the pacifist,” Darren came over to my side, “I heard you punch Jorgensen in the nose.”

“I was following my instincts,” I looked around, “Did everyone make it?”

 

“We got everyone warned, they should all be in bunkers,” Darren informed me, “Thank you for helping my sister.”

“She probably hates me for leaving her brother behind,” I frowned.

“She'll get over it,” he answered.

“You're not her boyfriend so she doesn't have to get along with your sister,” Seth argued.

“Peck, you have made your opinion on this matter quite clear,” Price informed him, “I cannot force Maya to be mine, but I won't retract my proposal for a date.”

“You are very egotistical,” I smiled.

 

“You seem to be in a better mood, Garnet,” he commented.

“A little sleep did me some good,” I yawned, “Are the afflicted and the officers still fighting?”

“They're holding a 'discussion' in the lower bunker and it's not going well for either side,” Kiara came and sat on my bed, “You look all rosy cheeked again.”

“Rosy cheeked,” I rolled my eyes, “Where is Eva?”

“She is blow drying her hair after a quick shower, she's afraid it'll freeze otherwise,” she snorted.

“It is chilly in here,” I said and both guys automatically reached for a blanket, “I can get it myself.”

“You shouldn't have gone back outside,” Darren wrapped the blanket around me anyways.

“I couldn't leave you out there after you helped me out so much,” I told him, “I thought I'd make it farther than the next street over.”

 

“Maya, you're awake,” Cass joined us, “Head Officer Warner would like to speak with you.”

“If it's about the nose break I am sure there is a reason she did that,” Darren was actually defending me.

“You're coming too, Officer Warner wants a report on the situation, he is willing to upgrade your standing in the ranks,” Cass said and I panicked.

“More pills, that is not a reward,” I snapped.

“Relax, Garnet I will give my report and then request to stay at the ranking I am at,” Price insisted, “I don't like taking shortcuts.”

 

“Let's go,” Cass turned around.

“Aren't you going to ask if your sister is okay?” Seth called after him.

“She's just fine,” Cass called back at him, “Remember what happened to your nose, Peck.”

“I still can't believe you hit him,” I grabbed his shoulder and saw him stab a woman I didn't recognize.

 

“He deserved it,” Cass answered then we took the elevator down to the bottom level. Darren stayed close to me and I was grateful because at the moment he seemed more trustworthy than my brother. “Sir,” Cass knocked on the last door, “I have Maya Garnet and Darren Price to see you.”

“Bring them in,” Warner said then we went inside and Darren sat down right away, “Sit, Miss. Garnet.”

“Right,” I sat down.

“Now why don't you tell me what you were thinking when you assaulted an officer yesterday?” he demanded.

 

“He was denying people their basic rights because of something they have no control over,” I answered seriously, “I'd like to know why the doctors were standing with them against the people they infected in the first place.”

“What?” Darren looked at me.

“Price, you should know that the disease spreading was caused by adaptor pills taken by most of our society,” Warner explained, “We made a mistake and we are trying to fix it.”

 

“By leaving people like my sister outside to freeze,” Price said and I respected him.