To Be A Rebel

Chapter 12: Liar Liar

I sit in the coms room with Maxine and Janine and Jody. Nicole stands in the doorway, keeping her distance from those who are sick. Adora is lying on her stomach on a mat on the floor, still sick. I didn't want to put her down, but she's been getting fussy from being held so much.

After getting back to Noah Base, Paula, Peter, Tom and Sarah went to the camper vans. I came back here since I can't get sick, and I want to help those who are. Sam sits on the bed, back against the wall, his head on my shoulder. He looks awful-pale, sweaty, cheeks flushed with a few bright red dots still visible on his skin.

I wanted to wait a few hours, let the sick get their rest, but Peter insisted we listen to the radio documentary. He said it was extremely important we know just what kind of lies the Ministry is spreading about us. He says he's heard quite a few documentaries, but this is the documentary that seemed... the most concerning.

Maxine is fiddling with the coms deck controls. She's standing, letting Janine sit since she's feverish.

"Everybody ready?" Maxine asks.

"Yeah," Jody replies with a cough. "Let's see what they've been sayin' about us. I bet a pack of gum and a bottle of that liquor I found the other day that Janine was a dictator at Abel, and Five's a government experiment that went terribly wrong and now she's gone rogue."

"Betting high, I see," I laugh. "Okay, I bet my... hmm-oh! I bet my strawberry scented perfume that I am in a relationship with someone other than Sam, and that Maxine and Paula are insane doctors who totally forced Veronica to do terrible experiments on children... and puppies!"

"I hope you win," Sam murmurs, his voice slurring. The Tylenol is really starting to kick in, I'm guessing. "I like that perfume."

"Can we just get on with it?" Paula asks over coms, and I laugh sheepishly.

"Sorry. Uh, yeah."

Maxine presses play.

"Are we rolling, Viv?" Ian asks. "Right. Okay. Do you need some level from me? Let's see, what did I have for breakfast this morning? Oh, yes! The Minister sent in some rather lovely tins of pâté from Fortnum's Warehouse! She is splendid, isn't she, Viv? Alright, ready to go? Okay.

"Hello, and welcome to the Ministry of Recovery's documentary strand, Behind the Zombies. Today, we'll be combining a tell-all exposé with our regular calisthenics hour, so please use our music breaks to take your regular exercise. Remember, most zombie sieges last for fewer than seven days, and it's important to keep active, whether that's at home on the makeshift gymnasium on your roof, or by digging graves in the garden of your suburban semi."

There's a pause.

"How was that, Viv? Not popping too much? Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Okay, good. Power on, then.

"Today, listeners, we have a real treat for you. Recently, the Minister exposed a crew of troublemakers, liars, and thieves, who'd been painting themselves as heroes. Today, we bring you the true story 'behind the zombies' of the personalities and events of the once beloved settlement that fell so low: Abel Township."

Ian clears his throat.

"Okay, and then we'll put the music in here to get all those wonderful common people exercising," He says, then scoffs. "No, I don't want you to leave 'common people' in there. First rule of tabloid journalism: don't insult your audience. Not too much, anyway. We are editing this before it goes out, aren't we, Viv? Yes? Good."

"I hate this already," I say, as Maxine pauses the recording. "Not only is this whack-a-doo running around Abel, docking rations and hurting my child, but he's also spreading lies about us. I can't believe I saved him from zombies-twice!"