by Wilde, J. M.
I looked at my right arm, inspecting three long, straight scratches that ran from near my elbow all the way down to my hand. The scratches looked deeper at my wrist, as though something had been digging into my skin. I traced a finger over the deepest cut, wincing when it stung. The familiar pain triggered my memory, and I saw Jo holding onto me tight, her fingernails clutching my wrist as she tried to pull me out of the water. I remembered seeing the heartache in her face when I let go. I remembered her, Wyatt and Ben watching helplessly as I went under.
I stepped into the shower, letting my tears disappear under the stream of hot water. The only people I had left in this world thought I was dead. I hoped they were okay. I hoped they made it over that flooding bridge. I hoped they made it to Sydney.
“Sydney!” I gasped, suddenly remembering everything. “The rescue ship!”
I scrubbed myself clean, trying to be thorough even though I knew I needed to get out of the hospital and on my way to Sydney as soon as humanly possible. Once I was finished, I opened the door into the clean room and wrapped myself in a towel, feeling a surge of hope at the thought that I could be reunited with my friends again. All I had to do was find a car.
I quickly put on the crisp, white cotton t-shirt and pants that had been provided for me and flew out the door. I was greeted by another tent full of people, all staring at me. This ward was much less intimidating—there were no plastic walls dividing the patients and not one biohazard suit in sight.
“Hello,” a sweet-looking old lady said as she approached me. “You must be Eva. I’m Edna. Welcome to Recovery.”
“Thank you,” I said, distracted as I scanned the room for Priya. “Is Dr. Desai here? I need to speak to her immediately.”
“Oh,” Edna said. “She and the other doctors are in a meeting in the courtyard.”
Without saying a word, I headed for the nearby exit into the yard. I didn’t want to be rude, but I didn’t have time for polite chit-chat. I walked outside and was struck by the size of the prison-like facility. The two large tents had been built on dry, cracked earth out in the middle of nowhere. Yet, in the centre of the yard stood a decent sized greenhouse, full of lush green plants, vegetables and herbs. Two large water tanks had been built next to it, and it was clear that the hospital was designed to withstand long periods of isolation. Separated from the wards were three long rows of camouflage and navy colored tents that I assumed were the medical staff quarters. It looked like a small village. Two tall barbed-wire fences surrounded the entire area, and I wondered if they were there to keep zombies out or patients in. A few fellow recovery patients were wandering about, and near the camouflaged tents I spotted a huddled group of people sitting around a picnic table, looking at papers. I saw Priya with them, pointing at something in a plastic folder as she spoke to the group.
“Dr. Desai,” I said as I got closer. “Sorry to interrupt, but I remembered something. Something that affects all of us.”
“Go on, Eva,” she said. They all turned their attention to me, waiting intently.
“There’s a rescue ship coming,” I said. “It’ll be arriving in Sydney in a matter of days. If we leave now we can make it with time to spare.”
The table of weary, overworked doctors and nurses stared at me for a moment before glancing at each other, some even raising their eyebrows in suspicion.
“I think you’re mistaken,” a middle-aged man with greying hair said, holding back a smirk. “No-one would risk coming here, no matter how many people need saving.”
“They’re coming. Soon,” I said, crossing my arms defensively.
“Bruce is right,” a woman said. “No government or military in the world has the resources or manpower to operate such a wide-scale rescue.”
“Eva,” Priya said, looking sheepish. “You’ve been through an ordeal. You have a concussion. You’re not thinking straight.”
“I heard it on the radio myself,” I said, surprised that no-one would believe me. “There was a message from Commander Eric Renner telling any survivors to meet at all capital city ports for rescue. They’ll arrive in Sydney on the 24th.”
“Didn’t she also have a high fever when we brought her in?” one of Priya’s colleagues asked, ignoring me completely. “It could have been a hallucination.”
“Look,” another doctor chimed in as he pushed a pencil behind his ear. “Even if she didn’t imagine all this, we’d never make it to Sydney. Who knows what’s out there.”
“Exactly,” said another. “Sydney is Ground Zero. It was hit the hardest and fastest by the Eversio Virus, there’s no doubt it’ll be completely overrun by now. It’s a wasteland of death and disease.”
“So you’d all rather stay here?” I asked, infuriated. “Trapped within these fences until you die?”
“We have better chances of survival here than outside of those fences,” Bruce said.
“I’m sorry, Eva,” Priya said. “There’s no way we can leave. We could never transport all these people there safely. It’s too much of a risk.”
I didn’t know what to say. A part of me wanted to slam my fist on the table and tell them they were dooming themselves if they stayed, but another part of me completely understood why they didn’t want to leave. I had my own fears about leaving and—unlike them—I knew what was out there. I knew how dangerous it was. But I also knew that I would risk everything for just one chance at freedom.
“Okay,” I said, defeated. “I’ll go alone.”
Bruce scoffed. “You’ll do no such thing! Lives were put in danger to bring you here. Precious resources and medicine was used to save your life. We did not do all that just to have you run off on a suicide mission.”
“I’m not staying here,” I said firmly. “I truly appreciate what you’ve done for me. I do. But this is our only chance at escape, my only chance to find my friends, I won’t pass it up just because the road ahead is uncertain.”
“Look, I understand that you’ve been through a lot,” he said, his face turning crimson in anger. “And you’re obviously not thinking clearly. You are our responsibility. You’re not going anywhere.”
“You can’t keep me here,” I argued.
“We have armed guards posted at the only civilian exit. They’re under strict orders to not let anyone out without one of us present.”
“Perhaps we should let her go,” Priya suggested. “We’re here to save lives, not control them. Besides, we could give her our research. If Eva makes it to the rescue ship with everything we’ve discovered, it could help the outside world prevent anything like this ever happening again.”
“I can’t believe you’re buying this ridiculous story!” Bruce said. “The girl is delirious.”
Pray glared at him for a moment, before turning to me. “Eva, do you mind giving us a moment to discuss this matter.”
“Fine,” I said before storming off in frustration. I waited by the door of the recovery ward, watching them argue. Bruce was getting more heated by the minute, as were a number of others, but Priya kept her cool. As calm as she was being, it was obvious she was losing the argument, so I began planning my escape. Walking out the front door wasn’t an option, so I scanned the fence, looking for a way over without getting pinned by the wire.
“Eva,” Priya called, and I turned to see her walking towards me.
“I don’t care what they say,” I said once she was close enough. “I’m leaving.”
“Shh,” she said, looking behind her. Her peers were still sitting around the table, watching us warily. “Listen to me carefully, and act upset.”
“Huh?”
“They won’t listen to me,” she continued. “But I believe you, and I’m going to help you get out of here.”
“Oh, Dr. Desai, thank you.”
“Remember, they’re watching. Look disappointed so they think I’m turning you down.”
“Okay,” I said, doing my best to appear upset.
“I’ll help you, but you have to do something for me,�
�� she said. “I’ll make you a copy of all our research. I want you to take it to that rescue ship and give it to the highest authority you can find.”
“Wait,” I said. “You’re not coming with me?”
“No,” she said. “I have to stay here. These people need vital medical treatment and we are short-staffed as it is. I’m needed here. But if you get the research to the right people, then all the work we have done will help even more people.”
“But what if they don’t listen to me?” I asked.
“Make them listen,” Priya urged. “Talk to them the way you just spoke to my colleagues. Be bold, Eva. This research will save the world.”
Priya’s trust in me gave me the confidence I needed to take on such a huge responsibility. “Okay,” I said, standing tall. “I’ll do it.”
“Thank you so much, Eva,” Priya said with a slight smile. “Go inside and get some rest. You will be leaving tonight. Wait until everyone in your ward is asleep and meet me here.”
Priya turned and walked back to her colleagues, who had turned their attention back to the pile of papers on the table.
I walked into the recovery ward and found my bed, feeling nervous about heading out on the road alone. I lay down and closed my eyes, knowing I would need my rest before my great escape.
Chapter Four
Once I was sure everyone around me was fast asleep, I snuck out of the recovery ward to meet Priya. As I waited in the shadows of the tent, I looked up at the night sky. I’d never seen so many stars before. It looked like the entire universe had come out to play, to dance in the darkness, to bear witness to the tragic play that was unfolding on the dry earth beneath them.
“Eva.”
I looked into the darkness to see a figure walking towards me. “Priya?”
“I brought you your shirt, jeans and boots,” she said as she handed them to me. “They had to be cleaned and disinfected. These will serve you better than the paper-thin clothes we gave you in the recovery ward.”
I hurriedly changed into my old clothes while Priya kept watch.
“Quickly, follow me,” she said once I was ready, before turning back the way she came. I did as she asked. “We have to hurry before my bunkmates notice I’m out past curfew.”
She handed me a satchel. “Here, take this. There’s a folder inside with everything we have discovered about the Eversio Virus. In it you will find all my research notes, photographic samples of the virus and a brief of the properties we have discovered within the virus. Do not lose it.”
“I won’t,” I said as I hung the bag over my uninjured shoulder.
“I have also included all your blood work and test results in there. It is proof not only of your health but that the virus can be treated if caught early.”
“They’ll know you helped me leave,” I said quietly, concerned for her safety.
“Yes,” she said.
“Will you be alright?”
“They won’t do anything. They need me too much.”
Whether they would do anything or not, I knew her chances of survival were incredibly low if she stayed. I made one last attempt to save her. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”
“Whether I want to or not is irrelevant,” Priya sighed. “I will not abandon my patients. I have a duty to be here, no matter what happens.”
She handed me a full water bottle. “Speaking of which, you’ll need this. I mixed some rehydration powder in the water. Your body won’t be as strong as usual over the next few days; this will help to keep dehydration at bay. It is vital that you take care of yourself, stay hydrated and eat as soon as possible. I had hoped to give you some food from the staff mess hall but I couldn’t take any more than my rations without raising suspicion. I apologize.”
“Don’t apologize, Priya,” I said. “You’ve done so much for me already. You saved my life and now you’re helping me escape. I can’t thank you enough.”
I followed her behind the rows and rows of staff tents, the sounds of snoring and whispered conversations echoing through the thin walls. We stayed silent as we rushed by the makeshift town, too frightened to breathe in case we were caught.
Soon, the tent city was behind us and we were headed straight towards the fenced off perimeter. I noticed a large object against the fence, and assumed by its shape that it was a dumpster.
“Here, help me move this,” Priya said when we reached it.
Standing on either side of the foul smelling container, we grabbed hold of it and pulled it forward slowly, revealing a gate. A heavy chain and two large padlocks hung off it, keeping it secure. I pulled the dumpster again, cringing at the sound of its squeaky wheels.
“That’s far enough.” Priya stood between the bin and the fence as she searched her pocket for something, pulling out a set of keys. “Only the staff and officers know of this exit. It’s usually protected by a guard, but Bruce asked him to stand at the civilian exit tonight in case you tried to leave. He didn’t think I was brave enough to help you.”
“I’m glad he was wrong about that,” I said.
“He’s wrong about a lot of things,” she said bitterly. “He didn’t think my treatment would work, and even now after all the lives it has saved he still won’t admit he was wrong.”
The gate clicked open. “Quickly,” she said as she stepped inside. We followed the path in between the two fences, looking back towards the facility every few steps to make sure we weren’t being followed.
“Once you are out,” she said, “follow the dirt driveway. It will lead you to the highway. Then turn right and just keep walking. The nearest town is about five hours walk away.”
A ray of light blinked in the distance behind us, and I could tell it was a flashlight. “Hurry!” Priya whispered, panic in her tone as we started to run.
Reaching the next gate, Priya moved frantically as she began to unlock it while I kept watch. The light flickered as it passed behind and in between the tents. Whoever it was, I was sure they were looking for us.
“I think they know we’re missing,” I whispered. A man’s voice echoed in the distance. I couldn’t make out who it was or what he was yelling, but it sounded urgent. “Priya, you have to come with me.”
“I’ll be fine, Eva.” The gate clicked open and she pushed me outside before shutting and locking it again. “Run!”
I turned and ran just as the light moved closer and the voice grew nearer. I ran as fast as my legs could take me, struggling to stay on the worn tyre tracks in the midst of darkness. As I pushed one leg in front of the other, I tried not to think about what was happening to Priya. I tried not to think about how I was alone in the middle of nowhere, hardly able to see the path in front of me. I tried not to think about how I had no weapons, no food, no mode of transport to get me to Sydney alive. I pushed all those thoughts away, knowing if I dwelled on them for more than a second, I would surely collapse under their weight. I couldn’t let that happen, not after everything Priya had risked to get me out. I had to keep going.
An hour later, I’d slowed my pace to a brisk walk, wanting to conserve my energy as much as possible. I took the water bottle Priya had given me out of the satchel and took a sip. It had a sweet taste to it, refreshing me instantly. I wanted to down the whole bottle then and there, but I knew I had to drink it slowly and make it last. I didn’t know when I’d find water again.
I went over my plan out loud, wanting to cement it into my mind. “Okay, Eva. Find a weapon. Eat some food. Get a car. Go to Sydney.” It wasn’t the most complicated of to-do lists, but each task was as vital to my survival as oxygen. And in the eerily silent and seemingly endless night, the sound of my voice comforted me.
Every now and then, my mind wandered to my friends. I thought about where they might be, if they were already in Sydney, if they were even still alive. I worried about what I would do if I made it to the rescue ship only to find they weren’t there. Would I get on the ship? How could I leave knowing that they were still tr
apped, still in danger? No matter how sweet freedom from this wasteland would be, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I knew I had abandoned my friends. I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to wipe those thoughts away. It wasn’t the time to be worrying about that, I had to stay focused.
The sun started to rise over the horizon, illuminating the landscape just enough for me to see the highway up ahead. I veered right, heading towards the road that would lead me to Sydney.
As dawn broke and the surrounding scenery became tree-lined and full of greenery, I hoped I’d left the cracked earth of the outback behind me for good. Soon, I came across the construction site of a newly established housing estate. It looked as though building had just began when they were hit by the outbreak; with one short street of six houses, only three of which were finished. Out of those three, just one house appeared to be lived in—judging by the basketball ring in the driveway and the furniture visible through the wooden planks that were boarding the front window. I stood in the street for a few minutes, watching and listening carefully for any signs of movement.
Once I was confident that I was alone, I walked down the freshly laid cobblestone path to the front door and slowly turned the handle. Thankfully, it was unlocked, and I entered the home with hope that I might find a weapon and something to eat. I went straight to the kitchen, my stomach rumbling in anticipation. But the empty cereal boxes and food cans strewn all over the counter was not a good sign. It looked like I wasn’t the first hungry straggler to seek refuge there. I opened the cupboards, hoping something had been spared, and to my surprise I found two bottles of water, a can of lentils and a half-empty jar of peanut butter.
“Better than nothing,” I said to myself, glad to have found something to satisfy my hunger. I slid the findings into my bag and began my search for a weapon. The kitchen drawers had been raided, not a single knife remained. I scanned the room, looking for anything I could use. A few leftover planks of wood sat on the dining table, and next to it was a set of nails and a hammer. I walked over and picked up the hammer, knowing it would be enough to at least give me a fighting chance. I was about to head upstairs to check for any other weapons when I noticed the door into the garage was slightly ajar, and I nudged it open. Daylight shone through into the dark room from another door exiting into the yard, and I wanted nothing more than to see a car in there, but it was empty. I sighed before climbing up the stairs, turning into the bathroom first. A pool of dried blood stained the otherwise white tiles, and I tried not to imagine what might have happened there.