The World We Once Knew Read online

  She didn't even realize that Dane and Addie had answered the questions before Addie nudged her in the side with all eyes on her, “O-oh...yuh me agree.” She whispered.

  The general looked over to a couple of officers who then escorted them into a room directly to the right. There they were led to large, industrial hampers as the female guard spoke to them.

  She pulled on long white gloves and stood behind the hampers, “Take every article of clothing off of your bodies, your gear, and anything on your person and place them in these bins. You will get them back once the screening process is over. Next you will be showered, disinfected, and you will fill out the necessary paperwork. There will be stress tests done upon you, multiple examinations, and you will be kept under surveillance for any abnormal symptoms for the next seventy-two hours. If any of you disagree with these first set of rules then you will be escorted out of here at once and sent on your way.” Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the white clad room.

  The officer eyed each and every one of them while Addie glanced between Quinta and Dane, only for her to pull her bag off her shoulders and place it within one of the bins first. Quinta wet her lips before she followed suit with Addie, her nostrils flared as she silently stared at the officer and began to strip herself as they were asked. She'd be damned if she had to spend another moment outside of these walls after they'd traveled all this way. Even if this situation that was given to them was bullshit.

  Keeping her back towards her brother, Addie did her best to cover herself. She kept both arms over her chest before she lowered one to her hips. One could tell that she didn't truly know what parts to cover more than the other. Quinta stood in the middle of the room with one arm across her breasts and the other to cup her privates from view. It wasn't long before Addie took note and mimicked Quinta because she too felt that this was the best of the other options. Getting naked in front of the others, Dane did the half decent thing and cupped himself. He kept his gaze down and away from the girls and blew out. His shoulder length, auburn brown hair dusted across the back of his neck while he turned his head and watched the inspector do her job.

  He cleared his throat, “Excuse me. My medication is in my bags, I'll need it while staying here.” He told her politely.

  The last thing he wanted was to seem like he was being resistant.

  Even though he expected this sort of treatment from the rumors of other survivors he'd crossed paths with, he couldn't help but feel defenseless. For the past year he'd had to be constantly on guard at every moment. But this...this was jarring. Though there was safety and assurance here those tales were also paired with horror stories and hidden fears. Stories of loved ones being found infected and put down immediately without remorse. Tales about the remains of the government taking people away before they go to the inner sanctuary. The killings of defenseless undesirables. Though a part of Dane was sure this was mostly to keep a majority of people in the small settlements alive and efficient, it was true that the imagined fear of an institution was abundant.

  Once they finished, the female officer signed off their items to be accounted for and sanitized while she passed by Dane and opened a second door, “We will take into consideration of your illness when we run a test and medicate you with our own means. You will get YOUR medication back later.” She answered him curtly.

  Dane was in no way comforted or assured that he'd have access to his medication. In fact, what he gathered from this abysmal woman was that they now had full control of what he needed. This situation was entirely in their hands if he got treatment of not. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel sick on the spot. Now reminded of one particular rumor that they'd simply let the weak wilt away to die while they focused on the able bodied.

  Within the room were ones dressed in wet suits with medicated soaps to assist them with their showers. These officials meant business for it would take one unsuspecting individual within their walls to come into contact with a string of the virus. The devastation would be dire. The workers raked their fingers through their hair and scrubbed their bodies three times over before they were finally allowed to leave. They were monitored as they dressed into plain, white clothing in silence before they were led to the last stop of the night.

  The glass doors unlocked and slid open in front of them only for Quinta to step in first. She glanced over their lack of furniture for they only had two bunk beds within.

  Quinta turned back to face the officer once more, “Wut about bein tested an ev'ryting?” She questioned.

  The woman looked the three of them over for a long period of time before she nodded her head, “You will. Get some rest until we're ready for you.” She answered.

  The doors slid shut behind them, cool air began to circulate through the room, and the locks clicked to secure them in.

  Addie watched the woman through the glass until she fully disappeared before she scratched her head, “Are we captive? Do you guys think this was the right thing to do?” She asked in a whisper.

  Quinta rubbed the back of her neck before she stuck her tongue in her cheek and took the bottom bunk on one of the bed, “We ‘ere now. Nuttin’ is goin to make it go away. So now we wait.” She answered.

  Laying back on the somewhat decent cot, Quinta admitted to the fact that her body relaxed on the spot. This felt damn good even if she didn't like the circumstances of what they'd been through and what was to come.

  Dane was in the oddest state of being unnerved and relaxed at the same time. Just the fact that they were able to sit on comfortable furniture, to be completely clean, dressed in fresh clothing, and to breathe in air that didn't reek of death was nice. He knew that although they couldn't get out, the undead couldn't reach them in here. That was enough to let him forget about the officials that watched them from across the hall behind their desks and computer screens.

  He followed suit with Quinta and took the bunk opposite of hers and laid down. He released a relieved groan once his back settled in and a light smile touched his features. Addie clenched her jaw. She stared at the people who behind their own protective glass in the shrouded dark, walk about and chat among themselves. She glanced back over her shoulder to see her brother and Quinta actually take this time to relax only for her to sigh and turn her back to the others.

  Just as she was about to climb into her bed above Dane's, the lights lowered in the room which caused Addie to gasp and pull away.

  She glanced from side to side before she reached out and grabbed Dane's hand, “Are you going to be alright tonight? Did you take your medication?” She asked with her blue eyes staring into his.

  Feeling that familiar grip of his little sister's hand, he naturally gripped back and flicked his eyes open to meet her worried gaze. She had a point, he would usually have another dose before sleeping as a precaution. That wasn't going to happen but as long as he'd have something by the morning he wouldn't feel the consequences. He never wanted to stress Addie with the details.

  His thumb stroked over the back of her hand to soothe her, “I did. We're fine now so you don't need to worry anymore. We did it.” He said to her.

  At the end of his sentence his tired eyes fell on Quinta across the room. He took a long look at her sleeping figure and Addie took the time to do the same. His fingers fell to his side as they both quietly watched the women they had met and bonded with. In order to fall asleep so suddenly and soundly meant that she was beyond exhausted and finally, if even for a moment, stress free. She deserved this rest, hell they all did.

  Addie cleared her throat before she climbed up and disappeared over the bed, “Goodnight Dane.” She whispered.

  Dane tapped his fingers against his chest, “Goodnight Addition.” He replied with his gaze still on Quinta.

  He couldn't help but wonder if they were going to stay together once they were cleared for entrance. It was quite soon but the thought of the three of them living together lingered and undeniably he liked it. He found that it was hard for him to trust a
nyone else he and Addie had run into, but she...fell right into place. Right into the little family he had left and this was weird, she was weird, the entire situation was weird. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was her face, he'd stared at it for longer than he should have. He wondered about her, where she came from, where she'd been, and what she'd been through. He had to ask himself why but he was just too stubborn to do so.

  Chapter 4

  A few hours passed and what should have been sweet, treasured slumber was snatched away before they were ready to wake. The bright, white lights flashed on with a hot glare over their faces accompanied by a voice which echoed in their chamber. Dane flinched the moment it all started as he tried to get his wits about him. He was in a sleep so deep he didn't remember where he was. The sterile smell in the air thrust him back to a time before the dead walked.

  He expected the beeps of the EKG machine, the weight of the tubes that trailed from his arm into an IV, and the warbled speech from clueless doctors in the past. All of them dead and gone for he had seen their demise with his own eyes. His first reaction was to reach over and grip the back of his hand in fervor, but he didn't feel a needle. There weren’t any tubes that chained him to his medicinal jail.

  Slowly his eyes opened and he panted out to see the strange room which quickly brought him to reality. The voices announced that there would be a test done and directed them to get up and stand in a line together. Dane wondered to himself why this had to happen NOW in the middle of the night but of course he couldn't say a thing or protest about it. They had all the control in the situation and didn't seem to be the type for conversation or objections.

  At the voice of “God”, Quinta clenched her eyes tight. She was on her stomach with drool that seeped from the corner of her mouth and onto the pillow. Popping up on the bottom bunk in a quick leap, she stared at her surroundings. She caught a view of Dane pushing himself up and Addie grasping her chest in her own startling fear. Quinta panted out before she was the first one to get up and out of bed. She ran her hands from her forehead and over her hair before she lined up.

  Stretching out, Dane gingerly rubbed his face and followed. He felt dead on the inside and even struggled to stand straight because he had missed his nightly dose. He was weak and dizzy but had to admit he was thankful to still be alive.

  At least he had that.

  He saw that Quinta was a bit more alert than his sister who just stood there with her shoulders sagged, her eyes shut, and a sullen look on her face. He felt the same way. Quinta's eyebrows tucked inward the moment she lowered her gaze onto Dane. This man, who was usually up and ready to go, stumbled to keep himself stable.

  This was not normal.

  Addie glanced back at her brother with her bottom lip latched in her teeth. She had known that look before many, many nights when he laid on that hospital bed and wasted away. For such a young girl, Addie had seen far too much of the ins and outs of her brother's illness. From the vomiting, to the moaning out in agony, to the tears he’d shed in delirium. She had this weight on her shoulders. All without their parents.

  She couldn't go through this again.

  The doors unlocked and slid open to allow them to exit. There were six armed guards awaiting them along the opposite wall. Quinta caught sight of the General once again with a few personnel in lab coats at the end of the hall; waiting. They were led through a set of double doors and stopped in front of a nurse with three containers in her hands. Handing them off one by one, they had to go inside the small bathrooms, give urine, and wash their hands before they proceeded on.

  Through another set of wide, double doors they exited out into a large hollowed room that had been fashioned for their needs. Three snipers lined each wall on the upper level, small tents were pitched up and away from each other in the four corners of the room. Clearly, by how heavily protected this area was, the trio would be fired down at any sign of violence or infection. There were treadmills enclosed in glass in the middle portion, and various makeshift rooms were closed off from their eyes.

  Quinta was the first to break off from the group to enter the tent to the far left, Addie in the far right, and Dane in the lower right. Each were alone with a nurse and escorted over with two armed officials. Upon entering there was an examination table, a regular table, and a rolling, metal tray with various tools.

  The nurse within pat her hand against the table and spoke as Quinta climbed on, “We're going to take some blood right now. Then give you a quick check up to assess where your health is, and finally we will do an exertion test for now.” She said.

  The flap of the tent was pushed open and the General stepped inside. Without a word or a greeting, he sat down on the chair in front of them, and opened the folder that was in his hand. He did not look Quinta’s way and clicked the pen while he spoke to her in a voice that commanded attention.

  “You are to answer these question to the best of your ability. Understood? Good. Let's begin. What is your whole given name at birth?”

  The nurse took a swab to sterilize a portion of Quinta's skin before she grabbed the prepackaged needle. Promptly, Quinta turned her head, and closed her eyes. Feeling a pinch later, she then blew out and turned to look at the General while the nurse drained her of three vials.

  “La'Quinta Tallulah Patterson.” She spoke in a slow, chilled tone.

  “Age.” The General ordered.

  “Twenty-one.” She answered

  He continued to write, “Where are you from?”

  Quinta sighed out in annoyance, “Saint Ann's, Jamaica.”

  At this he gave her a once over while the nurse ran a light over her eyes and checked her ears. Instead of asking his own personal question of how she made it to Florida, he stuck with his duty and to the paperwork.

  “Do you have any family living? If so where?”

  At the question Quinta clenched her jaw and turned her gaze downward towards her thighs. She sucked her cheeks in before she finally answered.

  “No.” She stated.

  The questions went on from there and were only grew to be more and more invasive. This only caused Quinta to feel even more on edge the longer this went on. She didn't relax until he left and the nurse proceeded to check her vitals and reflexes.

  “Lay down for me.” The woman ordered while Quinta obliged.

  She proceeded to receive a breast exam and a questionnaire on her sexual history. Lucky for her, she had none.

  The General entered Addie's tent and she went through the same process as Quinta to which she answered with, “Adelaide Marie West, seventeen, Longmont, Colorado, and one brother.”

  Not long after, the General left when he was satisfied with her recorded answers. Addie wet her lips while the nurse went on to explain the other procedures expected of them this time around. Her stomach flopped as she nodded in agreement only to clear her throat and stare the woman in her eyes.

  “Could you please check on my brother?” She asked in a whisper.

  In the middle of cleaning her station, the nurse paused before she met eyes with Addie, “I will see what I can do.” She answered in a gruff manner.

  Without another word, she exited the tent and left Addie there with the two guards that stared ahead and away from her. She was left alone to wait until she was needed with further instruction and her own horrific thoughts of what would happen to her brother in her absence.

  Dane sat down across from the nurse while she prepared his arm and searched for a vein. Finding it easily, she ran her finger over the slightly darkened scar that remained at the site which showed exactly where to inject him. Without flinching, the needle slid in with familiarity and virtually without pain. Soon his attention was taken by the General who soon came in to question him by the time she was on Dane's third vial.

  Clearing his throat, he opened the folder and clicked his pen at the ready before he went over the same questions, “Alright let's get this over with. Name, Age, where are you from, and any living
relatives. Go on.” He ordered.

  The nurse placed a bandage on Dane's arm as he answered as best as he could, “Dane Gerwig West, I'm nineteen years old, and I'm from Longmont Colorado. I have my little sister and I don't know the status of our parents.” He answered with the light flashed in one eye.

  “Deceased.” The General concluded with a quick quip.

  Satisfied for now, he nodded and left as the nurse marked off her findings on Dane's chart. Now it was time for the next phase

  The three of them were led one by one towards the separated treadmills in the center of the room. There were computers upon desks that stretched the length of the glass encasing. It wasn't until one would step inside that they would see the tight room was surrounded with two way mirrors. They would not be able to see or interact with each other for the duration of their test.

  Quinta was the first to be pulled from her tent and brought into the room labeled with a number one. She was hooked up with many sensors across her chest, head, and neck by her designated nurse within. Quinta stared at the General through the open door while he sat behind the middle desk. He kept his gaze on her just as intensely as she had on him. The nurse instructed her to stand on the sides of the treadmill and wait until they were ready for her to start. Clenching her jaw, Quinta watched the nurse's back as she exited the room and shut the glass door behind her. With a click of the lock, the door fogged over, and she was no longer able to see anything but her reflection.