by Jamie Ott
Chapter 4
All the kids crowded around the kitchen for breakfast because Starr’s mother insisted everyone have breakfast together. Starr finished her breakfast quickly, and then went down to the dock.
It wasn’t long before Misaki joined her, followed by Misty and Kay, who had taken an interest in Tai Chi. Together they did their exercises on the dock, under the warming morning sun.
After, Starr and Misaki spent the rest of the day going from cabin-to-cabin, looking for food and supplies, as theirs were already running low. They didn’t want to risk running into town until they had no choice.
Starr and Misaki walked up to a cherry log cabin with a fishing boat and camper parked in front. It was a lovely two story, also just off the bank of the lake.
“Do you think Lily will really be okay?” she asked as she walked up the half dozen steps to the porch landing.
“Hold on,” said Starr, pulling her back by the arms and trying to sense if there was anyone inside.
“Sorry, just want to be safe,” she told her. “You miss her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. Next to you, she was my best friend in the world. I don’t know what I’ll do without her. Everyone else isn’t the same.”
The recovery of Starr’s hands was the most disappointing. She turned the knob of the front door too hard, and it broke into several pieces in her hand. Before her accident, she would have simply turned the knob, and broken the lock while leaving the knob, itself, unhindered. This time, she couldn’t command her hand to find the perfect balance between too hard and too soft.
Misaki must have seen the frustration on her face, for she said, “Don’t worry, Starr, it’s just gonna take some time. You remember what Chanler said? It could take months before you’re back to normal.”
Starr looked at Misaki, nodded her head and kicked the door open for her to enter the house.
Remembering her question, only moments ago, she answered, “As long as Lucenzo keeps giving her whatever antibody he’s got, I’ll think Lily will be fine. If she can last, being this...thing, for another couple years, we’ll turn her.”
Inside, the cabin was dark and cool. She sniffed the dank air. No one had been there in months. The couch and floors were covered in dust, and the electricity didn’t work.
“What if the Fleet kills Lucenzo, and no one knows how to make the antibody? Will they have to kill Lily, then?”
Starr couldn’t decide if she should lie or not.
“It’s okay, be honest.”
“I think so, Misaki. It’s sad, I know, but we just can’t have these things running about. Just one could start this whole thing over again, and spread the virus.”
She was about to walk into the kitchen when Misaki put her hand on her shoulder.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” she said, looking her straight in the eyes. “If one of the vampires should turn me, I want you to kill me.”
“What? I won’t! Not if there’s an antibody!”
“I don’t want to be turned, not ever.”
“Why not?”
“I’d rather go into the afterlife.”
“You believe in the afterlife?”
“Oh, yes, everything and everyone is reborn. Our souls never expire, and there is a world out there beyond this one. There, our ancestors wait, and will meet us when it is our time.”
Starr smirked.
“You don’t believe it?”
“Well, no,” Starr said apologetically.