a purple of panic

~chap. 1: trying & crying

Channel surfing, the usual trash was on every channel. The light of the television flickered, Nya then saw an image of a hospital bed. "Over 38 people dead in only one month!" The screen flashed, transitioning to a news reporter. "Many people are in the streets rioting this week after the epidemic antidote outrage." The television flashed again; someone had changed it.

"Nya, you know we don't watch the news right now." Maria said, "Sorry, didn't know you were my mother." Nya whispered and looked down at the couch. "Why are you so interested in looking at those dying people anyway?" Maria glanced at Nya angrily, Alena stopped writing at the dining table and stood up, she had heard the fuse set off. "I'm trying to find a rate, I won't be watching much longer..." Nya replied, switching the news back on."What do you mean by 'rate'?" Alena asked, walking over to Nya. "Well, around 76 people will pass in the next two months," Nya whispered, looking down. "Oh, you're talking about the outbr–" Maria cut Alena off, "The epidemic, she's talking about the epidemic." Maria stopped and looked up at her, Alena had forgotten that Maria was sensitive to the general topic. The three had called the epidemic 'the outbreak' before Maria's grandfather's sudden passing. Now, Maria couldn't stand hearing the word outbreak due to her inability to cope with death. The government keeps reiterating they didn't cause the epidemic, none of the officials knew that over 75% of the youth knew the truth. They'd all end up the same way Maria's grandfather ended up if the government were to find out. Deceased in a cold, dark, depressing coffin. Every child and teen in the city's radius wanted to stay as far away from death as possible, though. Nya tried apologizing to her, "Maria, I'm truly sorry. You know things like this spark my interest though!" All three of the girls stood there in silence as Maria slowly started to bubble over. "Putting us in danger sparks your interest? Wow, I cannot believe you." Maria stormed out of the den, stomping into the kitchen. Alena stood there. "Well, we can't just wait till we're next on the list! Your grandfather died because he knew what he knew! He knew more than us! Understand I am not going to get us–" Nya paused, "What if one of us gets targeted! Or infected? Will it still be 'putting us in danger' to find out more about what's really going on, Maria?" Maria walked over and got in Nya's face, "What are you talking about?! This is a huge deal to me! I just want to keep y'all safe!" "I'm leaving, I need a moment away from the complete stupidity. Think about it while I'm gone." Nya opened the door and walked out, slamming the tall brown door behind her.

"You guys have been such hotheads over this!" Alena stood there, the tension in the air so thick you could slice it with a knife and continuing to thicken. "Alena, don't worry about me, worry about her. She's going to end up getting the whole building's attention out there." Maria shrieked, her voice sounding as if at any minute she'd break down crying. Alena sprinted over to the door, opening it to hear Nya's loud, angry sobs along with her footsteps. "I feel trapped in the one place I never thought I'd grow to hate. The one place I feel like people love, care, and enjoy me now feels like a prison. I cannot believe the government is forcing schooling through all of this hell. Maria is overreacting, I just want to know what's really going on. If she really cared, wouldn't they want to know more too?" She stopped ranting for a moment to breathe, "My family kicked me out, I can't stop buying more cigarettes for myself, and the one place that feels like my home has become dysfunctional. We're all screwed if we don't get ahold of more of that antidote for the epidemic soon." Alena sped up and grabbed Nya's shoulder. Alena noticed how the leaves and bark of the trees outside the large window had a purple tint, then stepped toward Nya, "If that's why you're so flustered, I'm sorry. It really wasn't meant how you took it..." Nya rolled her eyes. "It really doesn't matter. What does matter is the fact that I noticed the pattern of the missing people's posters. All of the ages ranged from 4 to 15 in children and teens." Nya grabbed three things out of her pocket, a cigarette, a lighter, and her phone. "If there have been over 38 deaths every month the past two months, and all of them being in more wealthy families, about ½ children that are missing have died, the other half have been infected." She switched hands, lighting the cigarette and smoking it while holding her phone and the lighter in the other hand. Alena realized what Nya had figured out, finally understanding what these officials are doing. Alena looked Nya in her eyes, "That's why you smoke?" "No, were you even paying attention? It's a de-stressor, you caught me at an extremly bad time. I'm going back inside." Nya pushed past her, wiped her eyes, and stepped into the apartment, dropping the cigarette into the ashtray and opening the door to see Maria, loudly sobbing again. Nya plopped down on the couch next to her, ignoring her completely. "So, we're next?" Alena questioned, walking a few minutes later with a puzzled expression on her face. "Maria being in a rather wealthy family and you and I being closer to the working class doesn't help our situation of staying alive," Nya replied, avoiding Alena's question.

Later that night, around 8 o'clock, Maria went back into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Alena was the only one with her, so she turned on the television to check the news. "Nya may have been right, surprisingly." Just seeing the death count on the screen rise and all of the hospital stock images on-screen horrified Maria. The screen transitioned to another reporter standing in front of a near hospital ranting about the conditions. She ended up on the couch, bawling her eyes out for a second time. "I don't want Nya to hate me. I just want her to understand. I think I'm messed up in the head." She cried, pushing her snotty face into Alena's shoulder and continuing, "My grandfather is the one man I cared for the most. He told me everything. That's the exact reason he's dead now." Alena pulled her in and wrapped her arms around her tight, "She's just as stressed as you are, Maria. Nobody ever dies without a real reason. We have to find out what's going on. You will be okay, I promise."