California Under Attack: The Tragedy of Kassie

Chapter 3

"How did you get out?"

Immediately, my stride hiccups, balance teetering toward the desert floor. I managed to gather by bearing before I can slip up too badly, straightening my posture like a stick.

"Sorry," I say. "Too dark--didn't see a rock. What was that?"

We've been walking for around an hour now--Kalina, me, the girl, and the boy. They introduced themselves to be Olive and Clyde, siblings who actually managed to survive the pestilence without having to be separated from one another. Clyde is the same age as me, and Olive is the littlest at fifteen. If they didn't specify their ages, I would've assumed they were twins like me and Kalina-their hair and skin and eyes are strikingly identical.

For the most part, Olive and Clyde are a little quiet, but friendly enough. Without even a moment's hesitation they agreed to let me join the pack on their way to a supposed refuge in the rubble of the second wave's tsunami. Took me in as one of their own, no questions asked. Unlike Shakes and I, they don't seem to have any ulterior murderous motives up their sleeves.

The colors of dusk have just stepped aside for the deep, dark blue of night, and we're hoping to get to the safe camp by dawn. While traveling through the night, we've alternated back and forth between letting Clyde and Olive tell me stories about themselves and letting Kalina drill me with a dozen different questions about my well-being over the past few months. I don't mind--it's what I would expect from a sister I've been separated from so long, we both assumed the other was dead.

So far, the questions have been easy enough to answer.

"Did you get the pestilence too?"

"Luckily, I didn't."

"Right. I would've seen you in the sick tent if you'd gotten it. Speaking of, why didn't you ever visit me when I was sick?"

"They never let me. Trust me, I tried more than a few times. They were so strict about keeping healthy people out of the sick ward."

"The kids camp staff was so much meaner than the first camp. Hey. have you heard from the rest of the family at all?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"What have you been doing out here in the desert?"

"Oh, you know. Looking for food. Reading Hamlet. Do you still have your copy with you, or did you leave that in the safe camp?"

"I left it. But that makes me think--how did you get out?"

It is this question, out of them all, that makes me falter.

"Wait, what?"

Kalina grabs my hand to help me balance myself, laughing a little at the circumstance. If we weren't so blatantly treading through the dirt in the middle of the night, this could very well be like any other day--the two of us walking side by side into school. After years of such walking, and years of my teetering into her, the wall, anyone walking past us, she knows better than anyone that I've never been much for stability. She doesn't for a second assume I might've tripped upon the question.

"I'm asking about the safe camp," she says.

I play dumb. "What about the safe camp?"

"You were there when it got attacked, right?"

SHAKES: You betcha, sister. Who do you think was doing the attacking?