Angel of Death

23

Coraline Chambers

New Ham started out with 225 citizens. Then Emily died, so 224. Then Cassandra, 223. Dewey and Lexie, 221. Chris, 220. Jason, 219. Gwen, 218. Erika, 217. Jessica, 216. Shay, 215. Freddy, 214. Millicent, 213.

New Ham's population was slowly decreasing and it was going to continue to happen. Nobody could stop it.

Cory couldn't remember the last time she had been home, in her own bed. She's either sleep in the backseat of her car or in the chair next to Harry's bed.

Harry hadn't woken up yet, after a week. Bodies had come and gone, in the ground after only a day or two in the clinic. Their last breath being shared with Cory or Gordie or Kelly, the last thing they saw was their faces. Everyone else had come and gone, never really dealing with the death.

People around New Ham were calling Cory the Angel of Death. It was funny at first, until they got a tiny little cold, a little cough.

'Allie is going to drive me over, I need a private room. I will not die in front of everyone.' Cory read the text aloud in a whisper, next to Harry's ear. Bean had been sick the last couple of days, she had been using the microphone to send all to her texts because her symptoms were the worst of all. She had gone blind and she couldn't stand or walk.

Cory closed all the curtains to hide bean as she walked to the private room in the back. She nodded quietly at Allie who was wheeling the wheelchair towards the room.

Cory waved by at Allie as she helped Bean get into the bed.

"Do you need anything?" Cory asked her quietly. Bean shook her head quickly, laying her head back and taking a deep breath. "God Damn Bean, still stubborn as hell." Cory chuckled, rubbing Beans arm.

Cory gave her one last look before walking out, stopping in front of Gordie. "I'm gonna go to a meeting. It's time." She informed him, leaning against the counter.

"You sure? Everyone's scared, and they're all blaming you." He asked, shaking his head. She scoffed quietly, looking down. "They need someone to blame, better me than you or Kelly. I deserve it." She mumbled, chewing on her lip as tears pricked her eyes. Gordie scoffed, pushing at her shoulder. "You deserve it? How? You're trying your hardest to make sure these kids pass away in the most comfortable way possible." He assured her, gripping her hand. She sniffled softly, patting his hand before pulling away

She walked over to Harry who still had a tube down his throat, still unconscious.

She kissed his forehead gently, rubbing his jaw. "I love you so much, Harry Bingham." She mumbled against his cheek, kissing him one last time before walking out of the clinic and to her car, pulling her jacket tightly over her body as the snow continued to fall.

She walked into the church quietly, ignoring the whispers as she sat down in the front, next to Grizz.

His hand fell on her knee, squeezing it out of comfort.

"How you doing, Cor?" He asked her softly, looking back and scoffing as the teens stared at her. She shrugged, leaning her head against his shoulder. "It's been really hard. Having to tell these peoples friends, siblings that they're gone." She whispered, scratching her cheek.

Allie walked up to the podium, sharing a sad look with Cory before clearing her throat. "Okay, I called this meeting today because we have gone through a rough couple weeks. And we needed to get together and mourn." She began, moving to the side and nodding over to Cory.

Cory cleared her throat and blinked away the tears, walking over the the podium.

"Okay, hello. I wanted to come and answer some questions about what's been going on. If you have a question, stand up." She announced, watching as a couple people stood up quickly.

She pointed over at a girl, nodding. "Why have you not been infected yet? You've been in contact with most, if not all the diseased." The girl asked. "I do not know. I wear a mask, wash my hands and take scolding hot showers." She answered.

She nodded over to a boy. "Why has everyone but your boyfriend died?"

Grizz scoffed at his words. Cory shook her head quickly, "I honestly don't know. Harry has been unconscious for over a week, I don't know what is going on with his body. Nobody else has been sick like that."

She nodded to one last boy.

"Why hasn't anyone else gotten sick?"

"I-I don't know." She answered. "You're no help!" A girl yelled.

Grizz scoffed, standing up and pulled Cory off the podium.

He pulled her out of the church and stopped in front of her car.

"Go home Coraline. You need a god damned break." He told her.

She sighed loudly, unlocking her car. Grizz waved as she pulled out of the parking lot, beginning the drive home silently.

Once she arrived, she gasped with tears in her eyes as she walked in, the smell of her dad, of her Harry ambushing her nose.

She trudged up the stairs quietly and put her phone on her side table then threw herself on the bed, letting her back relax as she sank down into the memory foam mattress, staring up at the ceiling.

She still felt her leg and arm muscles spasming, having not been this relaxed in weeks, even before everyone got sick.

"Y'all see the dog around here anywhere?" Oscar asked, sipping his coffee while looking at the two women. Cassandra chewed on her lip, shaking her head. "Nope, neither has Beth. Maybe... maybe he's over there. In the new world place." Karen tried, a hint of hope in her voice while she tapped on her cup.

"Hopefully." Oscar whispered, his eyes moving outside, watching everyone walk by, going about their days.

Karen looked at Cassandra with a curious glint in her eyes. "How was Harry? When you last saw him."

Cassandra gave a small grin, leaning her chin on her palm. "I saw him at prom, he and Coraline were dancing. I think he had one of the brightest smiles that town had ever seen. I'd never seen anyone so in love, so happy." She spoke with a happy tone, her other hand moving the tea bag. Karen grinned with tears in her eyes, gripping Oscar's hand.

"They're okay." Oscar whispered, nodding quickly. "They are. They're okay." She assured them, sure of what she was saying.

"It's so weird that only a number of people have gotten sick. Chris hasn't even been here five years and West Ham already killed him." Cory whispered to herself, playing with a thread hanging from her sheet.

She then shot up, her eyes wide in realization.

"Freddy moved here six years ago... so did Shay." She gasped, jumping out of her bed and running down the stairs, grabbing her car keys.

She drove to the mayors office quickly and got in with little effort, navigating her way to Karen's office in the dark, quickly flicking the light on.

She dug into her drawers, pulling all of the files out, first reading Jason's, then Erika's, Chris, Gwen, Jessica, Millicent, Freddy and Bean.

Jason wasn't born in New-West-Ham. He was born in Chicago Illinois. Erika was born in Los Angeles, Chris was born in Austin Texas, Gwen was born in Rhode Island, Jessica was born in New York, Millicent was born in Nevada, Freddy was born in Oklahoma. Bean was born in NYC.

"Oh my god. Oh my god!" She yelled, pulling her phone out.

She called Allie quickly, "Allie! This disease, it's infecting everyone that wasn't born here!"

Cory grabbed the files and ran out of the office and back to her car, beginning the drive to the church.

"What? What do you mean? Harry was born here." Allie argued.

"I know... I know. Maybe that's why he hasn't died?" She said, pulling into the church parking lot.

"I'll be there soon. I just texted everyone to meet at the church." Allie spoke, walking out of her house as Gordie pulled up.

"Okay. See you." She whispered.