Afflicted

by Susanne Valenti

  I turned the volume up so that I could hear what she had to say.

  "I'm here, standing just outside Harbour City as they prepare for the first ever 'sanctuary protocol rehearsal'. In just two short weeks, the city will cut itself off from the outside world and trial their survival technology for the first time.

  All food will be grown in the hydroponics buildings and distributed to the citizens taking part in the trial. The air locks will be sealed and the purification system will remove all contaminants from the atmosphere. In short, nothing from the outside will be able to get in and no one on the inside will be able to get out." The newscaster smiled excitedly while I suppressed a shudder.

  I just hoped that there would never be such a serious chemical attack on our country to make it necessary for us to all seek shelter in the walled cities. It sounded too much like a cage for my liking.

  My cellphone buzzed as I started to make my way upstairs again and I answered it without checking who was calling.

  "You're getting ready for school aren't you?" Lacey asked as I made it into my room and began the hunt for my bag.

  "Why wouldn't I be?"

  "It's closed. They've sent out emails..." I never checked my email and she knew it.

  "Thanks," I sighed with relief as I sank down onto my bed. If Lacey hadn't called I'd have walked all the way in for nothing. "Why's it shut?"

  "I’m guessing you didn't have time for a shower this morning either?"

  "I was running late-"

  "Or brushed your teeth..." Lacey laughed.

  "I was just about to!"

  "Well you can't. There's no water."

  "What?" I stood up and headed down the hall to the bathroom.

  "You don't trust me do you?" Lacey demanded.

  "Of course I do," I replied.

  "Then why are you checking the water?"

  I paused by the shower guiltily then tried to turn it on anyway. A tiny amount of water dribbled out, followed by nothing.

  "Of course I trust you Lace, but you live four blocks away. My water might have been fine." I shut the shower off and headed back to my bedroom. I could hear Reese snoring in his room as I passed his door.

  "It's not localised," Lacey said and I could hear the eye roll in her tone. "That's what I was trying to tell you. There's some issue with the treatment plant and they're concerned about something getting into the supply-"

  "They think terrorists spiked the water supply?" I asked, a chill running down my spine. I kicked my bedroom door closed behind me and sat in my windowsill.

  "Officially they're just saying 'there's a possible contamination issue and checks need to be made on the supply before it can be switched back on'. Blah, blah, blah, it's totally an attack."

  "I dunno, Dad said that the Monitor alerts were down recently. If they've gone after the water supply that would take a huge amount of organisation and-"

  "The Monitor isn't always right. The Anti-Pop are everywhere. The government can't possibly keep an eye on everyone," Lacey insisted.

  "The attacks practically stopped once the Monitor was set up. You can't fool those computers," I reasoned. The Monitor had come online around five years ago. It was an advanced screening system which scanned the internet, phone lines and even used lip reading technology on CCTV feeds to root out the terrorists and other criminals. Thousands of arrests had been made within weeks of it coming online and crime rates had plummeted. Everyone had to agree that it worked, even if it had effectively meant the end to privacy as we knew it.

  "The Monitor is great," Lacey agreed. "But it can't be everywhere, and they've had years to work out ways around it."

  "Maybe." I didn't want to dwell on what the terrorists might be up to these days. I hated the dark cloud that they had created over our lives. No one could ever feel truly safe anymore. "So what are we supposed to do about water then?"

  "They're giving out bottled water at the park while they work on the supply. Mom wants me to go and get some, wanna meet me there? We could hang out in the sun for a bit, it's meant to be a nice day."

  "Sure, I'll just get changed."

  "Twenty minutes any good?"

  "Perfect. See you then." I hung up and headed back to my wardrobe, shedding my pants and shirt in favour of a red summer dress. If it was going to be nice out, I wanted to make the most of it.

  I headed back out and Reese's snoring made me pause. He didn't know that school had been cancelled. I hammered on his door with a smirk on my face.

  "Mmgenup," he slurred sleepily.

  "You're gunna be late!" I called as I moved towards the stairs.

  "Ah shit, why didn't anyone call me?" Reese shouted angrily.

  "I just did!" I suppressed a laugh as I hurried down the stairs and out the front door.

  I jogged to the end of our drive and ducked behind a bush as I waited for him. I pressed my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud as I heard the front door slam behind me.

  Reese appeared a moment later, sprinting past my hiding place with his shirt half hanging off as he jammed his arms through it.

  Once I was sure he was gone, I let out a laugh and stepped out of the bushes as I wiped my eyes. I just wished I could see the look on his face when he got to school and realised I'd tricked him.

  "What's so funny Katy?"

  I spun and almost fell over as I spotted Lincoln sitting on his mom's porch. I glanced back towards the road where his truck had been parked the night before but it wasn't there.

  "I thought you'd gone?" I blurted out nervously.

  "Been spying on me? I thought you might be a bit big for peeking through the bushes now." He gave me a slow smile and I felt myself blushing.

  "I... no... your truck's gone-"

  "Yeah I had to take her to the shop. Couldn't fix her myself in the end." He ran a hand through his dark hair and leant back against the steps.

  "Oh. What's wrong with... her?" I asked finding it strange to refer to a truck like it was a person.

  "Well if I knew, I'd have fixed it." He smiled at me again and I twisted my hands together awkwardly. “So what was so amusing then?”

  “I just played a little trick on Reese,” I explained, feeling about as mature as a two year old.

  “Nice to know some things never change then,” he smiled at me and I couldn't help but notice how much he had changed. The wiry teenager I'd known had grown up; his chest was a lot broader and his arms were thick with muscle. His dark hair which had always been long enough to tuck behind his ears was now cropped short on the sides and slicked back on top.

  "Linc..." I began as I took a step towards him then stopped.

  He patted the step beside him invitingly and I headed over to join him, pleased that I wouldn't have to stand in front of him like I was giving a performance.

  As I approached the porch, I realised that I'd been wrong about things getting less awkward. The steps were long and I could easily sit right beside him or three feet away at the opposite end of them or anywhere in between. I made a snap decision and sat bang in the middle, arranging my dress so that I didn't end up accidentally flashing him and making the whole thing even worse.

  "It's been a long time Katy," Linc said slowly when I failed to continue. "I didn't think I'd ever come back here."

  "You didn't?" I asked.

  "No. I had no intention to return until I got the call about him."

  I nodded. His dad had died a few weeks ago and I'd wondered if it might have meant Linc would show up. When he didn't appear for the funeral I'd presumed he wasn't going to. But then my mom got speaking to his and found out he was coming to see her after all. I'd been waiting for him to arrive ever since but no matter how many times I'd rehearsed this conversation in my mind, it wasn't making it any easier to have now. Just tell him.

  "You didn't miss it here then?" I asked quietly, trying not to feel hurt that he hadn't wanted to see me ever again.

  He leant forward with his forearms on his knees and look
ed out towards my house.

  "That's what I missed," he said, pointing towards it.

  "My house?" I asked, feeling like I was missing something.

  "Being welcome somewhere," he explained. "Your mom's door was always open for me."

  "You were family," I said, wincing as I realised I'd used the past tense.

  "Almost."

  We sat in silence for a few minutes and I glanced at him several times, unsure how to phrase what I needed to say.

  "I'm sorry I got you sent away," I said quietly, unable to bring myself to look at him as I said it.

  Lincoln let out a surprised laugh. "How was it your fault?" he asked. "I didn't see you swinging that baseball bat at anyone."

  I turned towards him with a frown. He was looking at me like I amused him and I realised with a sinking feeling that he didn't know it was me.

  "I'm the one who called the police," I admitted, feeling like I might be sick. "I'm the reason they took you away." I could feel tears prickling in my eyes and blinked furiously to stop them from falling. "It's my fault-"

  "Of course it's not," Lincoln shook his head. "It was that bastard's fault, like every other shit thing that I've ever had to-" he paused and ran a hand over his face. "But he's dead now. And good riddance."

  I couldn't help but smile at that. When I'd heard about his dad's death there wasn't one bit of me that had been sad about it.

  "I still can't forgive myself for calling them," I said quietly, swiping at a tear that had managed to escape. "But I really thought he was going to kill you."

  The memory of that night was seared into my brain. Their windows had been open and I'd listened as the shouting turned into screaming. I could still hear the sound of flesh pounding flesh. I'd been so afraid for Lincoln that I'd called for help without thinking about what else it could mean for him.

  I hadn't known that Lincoln had finally had enough, that he had finally been pushed so far that he was going to fight back. When the police turned up they found him swinging a baseball bat. His dad had two broken ribs and was lucky he hadn't ended up with worse. The bastard had twisted it all to sound like Linc had attacked him and not the other way around. And his mom was too afraid to tell the truth so they'd taken him away. I hadn't seen him since.

  I jumped as I felt Linc wrap an arm around me. His arms were big and I felt tiny in them. I wanted to bury my face against his chest and cry but I forced myself not to. I hardly knew him anymore and if I wanted any chance of us moving past the past then I needed to get through this conversation with him.

  "Maybe I'd have killed him," Lincoln said in a low voice.

  "Don't say that," I replied.

  "I wanted to," he admitted as he released me.

  "He would have deserved it," I agreed. "But you wouldn't have deserved to have your life defined by that."

  "Hmm." Lincoln leant back and looked up at the sky.

  His knee was still pressed against my leg and I wasn't sure if I should leave it or move away.

  My cellphone buzzed and I answered it automatically.

  "Sorry Lace, I'm on my way. I-"

  "What are we doing today babe?" Ryan's voice surprised me.

  I flinched away from Lincoln guiltily. "Oh hey, I'm actually on my way to meet Lacey at the park."

  "That's cool, I told my mom I'd factor in picking up some water. She's been going mad about needing to wash some potatoes or something."

  "Wouldn't that be a bit weird? The three of us hanging out?" I asked.

  "Oh you think it'd make Lacey feel like a third wheel?" he asked.

  "Yeah." In my head he'd been the third wheel but I agreed with him rather than point out the fact that I knew my best friend a lot better than I knew him.

  "Not a problem, I'll call the guys and let them know. Shall I tell them to get there in half an hour?"

  "Wait, what?"

  "You said you're already on your way right?"

  I cast a sideways glance at Linc before I answered. "Just left home," I hedged.

  "Half an hour it is then. See you soon." Ryan hung up and I stared at my cellphone in confusion. I think I'd somehow arranged for the whole football team to meet up at the park.

  "Quarterback wondering where you are?" Lincoln asked with an amused smile.

  "Apparently so," I agreed as I stood. "I should go, Lacey's waiting for me."

  "All the kids hanging out at the park on a school day?" Linc tutted in mock disapproval.

  "No, there's no school today because the water’s off," I explained.

  "Oh I thought my mom just hadn't been paying her bills."

  "No there's some issue with it." I avoided mentioning Lacey's terrorist theory without there being any proof. "They're handing out bottles of water at the park until they get it fixed."

  "So I suppose I should head over there myself."

  "Oh, umm yeah. You should join us. If you want-"

  Lincoln started laughing. "No thanks Katy, I wasn't after an invite to hang out with your little friends."

  I raised an eyebrow at his tone. "Little friends?" I asked.

  "Yeah." He smirked at me. "Besides, I don't think your quarterback boyfriend liked me too much."

  "Right, well I guess I'll see you around." I turned and started to walk away before pausing and looking back at him. "If you're not leaving town yet?"

  "Nope not yet Katy, I'm staying with my mom for a few weeks."

  "Okay." I turned away again and headed for the street.

  "Bye," he called as I stepped off of his drive.

  I caught my foot on the curb and almost tripped as I turned to wave goodbye. I ducked my head and jogged away as blood rushed to my cheeks and I just hoped he hadn't noticed.

  Chapter Seven

  Kaitlyn

  "Where have you been?" Lacey asked as she spotted me.

  I skirted the edge of the crowd which had gathered around the guys distributing the water and joined her by the children's play area.

  "Sorry, I ran into Lincoln," I explained as I whipped a mirror out of my purse to check how my jog over had affected my hair.

  "Ooo, you're forgiven so long as you spill." Lacey led the way to the swings and I dropped onto one with a smile.

  "Well it turns out I was kinda worrying for nothing for the last six years," I sighed.

  "He wasn't mad then?" she asked.

  "He didn't even know it was me who phoned the police. And I actually got the impression that he was glad to have gotten out of that house."

  "Well you can't blame him for that if his dad was as bad as you said."

  "He was," I said with a frown. "I hope he's rotting in hell as we speak."

  "So you're friends again now?" Lacey swung herself back and forth a little using her toes to push off the ground.

  "Something like that. I don't even know him anymore, I was just a kid when he left and he's been off... I don't even know what he's been off doing since then." I shrugged.

  "So what does he look like now? I can hardly remember him. I think he had dark hair?"

  "Err yeah, dark hair. He's had it cut short now though."

  "He's bald?" Lacey wrinkled her nose and I laughed.

  "No not bald, just really short on the sides, a bit longer on top. It used to be a lot longer when I knew him, that's all I meant."

  "Like an army cut?"

  "Maybe. Why am I describing hair cuts to you again?"

  "Because Lincoln Walsh is like a ghost that follows you around - except now he's here in the flesh. Practically back from the dead! And I wanna know if he's hot!" Lacey laughed as she kicked off and swung higher.

  I laughed too and pushed myself forward so that I swung a little. "You should have just said that then."

  "So...?"

  "So what?" I asked innocently.

  "Dammit Kaitlyn you're killing me, is he hot?"

  "Well... yeah," I laughed. "He's gotten insanely fit. Like he must have spent the last six years lifting weights and he was always stupidly good looking so
, yeah."

  "I want to see him," Lacey said excitedly.

  "Well why don't you come over later then?" I offered.

  "He's coming to your house later?"

  "No, I just thought we could... look out the window at him or something." I laughed as I realised I was suggesting spying.

  "Okay then, I'll come and join your perving club. But only because you said he's insanely hot."

  "I didn't say insanely hot! And you're the one who wants to get a better look," I laughed.

  "Are you talking about me?"

  I twisted around and spotted Spencer leaning on the playground railings.

  "What makes you think that?" I asked as I stopped swinging and stood up.

  "I'm pretty sure I heard you saying the words 'insanely hot' and I can't imagine that was about anyone else." Spencer smiled broadly as he flexed his muscles. His fair hair looked golden in the sunlight and he'd pushed it back in a new style which made him look older than usual.

  "Who's insanely hot?" Ryan asked as he joined Spencer at the fence.

  "Kaitlyn's next door neighbour," Lacey said as she hopped off of her swing too. "Or so she says - I've yet to check him out for myself."

  "That guy who was lurking outside last night?" Ryan asked, his face falling slightly. "He's old though, You prefer men your own age, don't you Kaitlyn?"

  "Are you boys calling yourselves men now then?" I joked as we made our way out of the playground. "I must have missed the memo."

  "If Ryan hasn't managed to prove his manhood to you yet then I'm sure I could convince you." Spencer winked at me and I laughed.

  "I'll bear it in mind. Have you heard anything about Devlin?”

  “I'm waiting for his brother to text me with another update. They've said he's stable but that's about it.” Spencer frowned worriedly.

  “I'm sure he'll be alright,” Lacey said warmly, squeezing Spencer’s arm.

  We started to walk across the park towards the lake and Ryan pulled me close as he pressed a kiss to my cheek.

  "Where's Reese?" Spencer asked. "I thought he'd have walked down with you?"