A World's Bounty

(20) Rhea

-Elle phones Rhea and after hearing she has not experienced any symptoms, warns her not to return to Marson, because of a sudden outbreak that has the whole town under quarantine.

-she says it spreads through contact, after Rhea asked if they discovered anything, and that victims tend to experience a number of seizures as well as hacking blood.

-just as Elle hangs up, Chelsea crashes to the floor, blood spewing from her lips.

--

"Symptoms? Well... no? I mean, I feel completely normal. Why? Wait, is something wrong?" Urgency rushes into my voice, as I spoke to Elle via cell technology.

There was a long pause on the other line, before her voice lowered. "Rhea, don't come back to Marson- stay right where you are, you hear me?"

No. Just tell me what's wrong! I wanted to scream into the phone, but I knew deep down that wouldn't help anything.

"Elle? Can you be honest with me? What's wrong?"

"Just listen to me and stay away until I call and tell you otherwise. I'm dead serious about this Rhea. An outbreak has spread all over, and if you haven't contracted the illness, there's no way I'm making you come back to a place full of sick people. Promise me you won't come back."

My mind whirred. Was she meaning the seizures? Was any of it related? Or not at all? She's not giving me enough information.

"Okay. I promise."

The phone line beeped, as Elle hung up on the other end.

"Okay, it looks like there's been a change of plans. Now I know this is gonna be last minute and everything, but Nisha, Elle just called and-"

My mouth came to an abrupt stop, as Chelsea suddenly began to shake violently, falling to the floor.

Dan's lips gaped, and it was then I noticed Christine, who'd backed into the corner. "Christine, Dan- take a big step away from Chelsea."

There was no mistaking the blood dribbling down the side of her face like drool, as Chelsea continued to rigidly seize against the tiled floor.

Dan looked at me like I was insane. "What do mean! She needs help, and I'm gonna-"

"No, she's right. We need to call your town's medical force, and let them deal with this." Nisha intervened sharply. "Unless you're a certified doctor with seizure experience, than it's better we just call the ambulance right away."

For a second, I was awestruck at Nisha's wise reasoning, and I quickly nodded my head.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too, we'll only cause more damage than we fix. Dan hurry up and call!"

But he was already dialling the number before the sentence was out of my mouth.

Maybe it's not what I think it is. Maybe it's just a seizure.

Then, Ricky's words from earlier replayed in my head.
Three seizures... in the middle of town..

Was it merely a coincidence anymore? Or had the seizure outbreak spread to Meadow Burrow too?

"Dan. Nisha. Pack anything you can carry. We need to leave."

The two stared at me with wide eyes like I was crazy.

"An ambulance is already on the way for Chelsea, we need to be gone before they arrive."

"Um, care to explain what the hell's going through your head right now?" Spoke Dan sarcastically,sharing a questioning look with Nisha.

"You guys- I never got to finish what I was saying before, Elle told me there was an outbreak, in Marson. People are dying because of this illness that's being spread, and Chelsea just showed the number one symptom."

"Woah, did you just say there's an outbreak?!" Nisha's chocolaty eyes searched mine desperately.

I nodded. "Yes, and Elle's just told me it's begun killing people. So we have to leave."

I lunged for the staircase, only to be restrained by Dan's tight grasp around my wrist.
"And how can you differ that Chelsea's got this illness? What if I have it now? Or Christine, or even you?"

This threw me for a loop, but I refused to show it.

"Because, I- I just know. Look, it already happened in Marson, and now it's happening here. The ambulance is already on it's way for Chelsea, is leaving won't change that."

With a dejected frown, he reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But just what do you plan on doing?"