Population Control

Camille III

Iktsuarpok - that feeling of anticipation when you're waiting for someone to show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they're there yet

0o0

Sat at the back, I didn't want to move. In my eyes, salty tears spilled and I didn't care who saw. Resting my head on Dylan's shoulder, I felt his cheek on my hair and the tears from his eye wetting it. At the back, none of us spoke, but there was light conversation between Matthew and Sam. "Where did you learn to drive?" Matthew asked.

Sam looked at him quickly, but kept his eyes on the road. "Canada, Alberta. We were staying with an aunt who owned private land, so father took me outside in the car." No cars were about, at least not many. Streets cleared, outside was practically empty. Only a single woman was outside, her being covered by shadows. Her arms were limp at her sides and she moved at a snail's pace. Edging forward, I kept my sight glued on her until she was no longer visible.

"Can you tell me what her name meant?" Quietly, I asked, not looking away from the dashboard. It was something to focus on, because it was too bright outside, but if I kept moving my eyes I would be too exhausted. The car grew silent.

"Gracious." Jason responded. Slowly, he explained, "It has Russian origins."

Dylan snorted, "She was anything but gracious." I smiled and laughed, too.

Dylan was dropped home first, and I said I would call him when I'm home. He told me to stay safe.

I was next and the sun was beginning to set. As yellow begins to fade to orange that begins to fade to red, I got out of the car. "You're going to be alright?" Asked Jason, looking at me with concern.

"Fine." I mumble, "Mom should be home at about eight, I'll be good." Closing the door, I watch as they leave in the car my dead best friend came to school in.

Unlocking the house, I settled on the matted red, stitched couch that had a blanket thrown over the top and funky pillows in its corners. I called Oven Baked first, wanting a pepperoni pizza and chicken strips (mostly so I'll have breakfast for tomorrow, too). They didn't answer, I didn't know that they could not answer you. Then, I tried Pizzas R Us and I got the same.

Since pizza wasn't working out, I decided on Chinese which, thankfully, worked. When the delivery driver arrived, he seemed so oblivious to the silence in the street or the bales of hay that figuratively rolled around.

Settled down with my takeaway on the settee, I turned the TV to the news. Just at the right time, because Philo_SamJ popped up in the bottom left corner, along with the video on full screen. "And with a shooting happening at the same secondary school this video was shot, people have their own theories on the video. Some believe the BBZ virus leads to this form of genetic mutation. However, the West Midlands police department deny all allegations that the shooting and the infected man are connected, but did not provide a further quote when asked what the shooting was about."

I took a bite of the duck rolls. "Gasper Benson has yet to leave his house in over 100 days but has said to not panic, and that the NHS has it all under control. However, a representative, who doesn't want to be disclosed, has told us 'it is a living Hell.' That 'there are terrifying images in there. Avoid the hospitals if you value your life.'

"In other news, hundreds are dead in England's capital as riots and looting have risen over double in the past twenty-four hours." Negative news continued playing as I turned on the hot tap and cleaned the cutlery I had just used.

The kitchen led in from the living room, it being large enough to also house a small square table and three seats. Sighing, I sat on the settee, tucking my legs under me, grabbing the hand-sewn blanket to cover me. Switching to the CD player there was a comedy show on. Letting it play, I laughed at something I had seen thousands of times; so much I could probably quote the entire thing.

My favourite song began playing so I answered the phone. "Hi, Dyl." I greeted.

"Hey, how are you?"

"I've... been better, you?"

He sighed, "Same." There was a slight pause where I fiddled with the corner of the blanket, "I told my parents about Anya."
Leaning up, I sat with my back against the arm, "What did they say?"

He huffed, "Called me crazy, for one. Said I should stop now if it was a prank. But when that video from Sam came on, they were open to believing me." We said nothing for a bit. Normally, we talk nonsense for an hour, say bye and sleep. Today was more than physically draining. "Your mom home yet?"

It was ten (an extra shift takes her to half seven at the latest, taking her around half an hour to get home). "Not yet, she's probably caught up with something."

"Cammy," I knew that tone: I fucking hate that tone. "What if she doesn't come back?"

"She will-"

"Hospitals are 'a living Hell'. If she's not back by morning, then she isn't-" I hung up. Fuck him. She is alive, I would feel it if she wasn't. I can feel her still here, a presence deep in my heart that just won't shake off. If she wasn't, then I would know.

Hey

How r u?

It was Jason. At first, I thought it had been Dylan and so I ignored it, not wanting to listen to a pessimistic arse.

Fine, you?

Same

Is ur mum back?

The roads look bad. If she isn't then she's probly stuck in that

Letting out a sigh of relief I didn't know I held, I typed back "no, and you're probably right." Thank God for that.

Thank you

As yellow began to fade to orange that began to fade to red, then somehow to black, I closed my eyes on the sofa after scrolling on my phone, seeing Rabid's and hearing agonies be called from young and old mouths. I think I'll settle on calling them Rabid's, because there's no professional name for them.

Bright, blaring light bloomed through the window's slanted blinds. The rays only shone on the settee, so the disturbing brightness woke me up. Squinting, I groaned as I stretched and shifted. Something inside me was missing, like a chunk of my soul was carved out. Mom wasn't home. There was no text or phone call. Of course, I knew what this meant, how could I not? When I actually felt awake, I decided to phone mom. Ring, ring... Ring, ring... Ring, ring... 'Hi, you've reached Madelyn, leave a message after the beep.'

I didn't go outside, but I went to my bedroom for hours where I stared outside, seeing the road jam packed with cars, people beeping and screaming at people to just drive. I also saw a Rabid: it wasn't anybody I knew.

Since I woke up, I didn't think I stopped crying. Silent tears, obviously. Maybe, I was still emotionally numb. Yesterday, I saw Anya pass in my arms, then I knew my mom was dead because there was no word from her.

Nothing else to do, I watched the lunch news and found out that school has been cancelled for everyone as scientists try to figure out what's going on. Said people need to find a safe place as soon as possible, that this is a National Emergency for the whole United Kingdom. It was after seeing that that I packed a bag. Only one, because too much and I would collapse from exhaustion.

Rummaging through the kitchen draws, I was looking for batteries. It being called a 'man draw', I didn't think there would be one in this house. However, mom had a drawer where she threw old keys in, old phones and apparently all the batteries from ASDA, because there were three boxes of them. Trying to be rational, I grabbed a torch and all the medicine in the cupboard. Water or food would have been a good idea, but I'd never been in a situation like this before, so my head wasn't exactly clear.

Finally, I grabbed my mom's note, read it over and over and over and over again. Neatly, I folded it and put it in the rucksack pouch at the front.

"Hey, Sam? Can you come and get me, please?"