Plagued

Chapter 1:

Fifteen years ago the world crumbled when a plague unlike any other devoured the globe. It started off with peeling skin that wouldn't heal, people started looking like zombies. Then their bones would start to slowly grind away. The last stage came with blood seeping out through their wounds, ears, eyes, and mouth. No cure was found. None that got infected survived. The only people that remained were the very lucky few that had a natural immunity to the disease. But within every single one of the survivors, the fear still festered deep inside them that the Devil was going to return with even more ammunition.
At least that's the story everyone told, I was one at the time so I don't remember anything and my sister refuses to tell me a single word about it. Now we live in a small farm community with other survivors. Life is pretty simple, you get up, you work, you eat, you sleep. Well, at least life was pretty simple.

"Eloise! If I have to tell you one more time to get off your damn ass then I swear to God I will come up there myself and smack the shit out of you!" Casey nearly screamed from downstairs. I rolled over in my bed as my eyes adjusted to the early morning sun peeking over the horizon.
"Just five more minutes!" I yelled back. I knew I really should get up and help, but then again, I could sleep. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and I prepared to die.
She ripped the covers off leaving me shivering. "This is the third time this week! GET UP!" Casey yelled. Grudgingly, I obliged and sat up. "Thank god, if you're not out in the fields in an hour I will murder you. You know it's the harvest!" And with that Casey stomped downstairs and headed out to hunt.
I stumbled out of bed, changed my clothes, and went down to breakfast. There was an apple and glass of milk waiting on the table. As much as Casey hated to admit it, she loved me.
I sucked down breakfast and headed out to the water pump to brush my teeth. It was cold and I wished I had worn a heavier jacket but as I was always told by Casey, "Whenever you're about to feel sorry for yourself, remember that you could have died in the goriest way possible, but you survived so get your fat ass off the ground and deal with it." She had been like this for as long as I could remember. Casey had her reasons though, I was sure that if I had been eleven and taking care of two grotesque, dying parents and a one year old baby I would have a similar outlook on things.
After rushing through my morning house chores, I headed out to the fields. Today was apple day, my favorite day of the week. My best friend and I would always have a competition to see who could pick more apples before the sun set. It was always fun (that might have been because I always won) and was a great way to make work seem more enjoyable.
I got to the fence opening around the orchard but David was nowhere in sight. I went to one of the ladies who was picking apples and asked if she had seen him. "He got assigned as a hunter today," she said smiling. Everyone had this assumption that we were in "love" or something. Which is disgusting, David is like a brother to me and if that's what they meant by "love" then yeah I loved David, but of course that isn't what they meant.
Disappointed by the answer I went off to pick apples, I hated being alone. Apple picking is actually really boring if you're by yourself. The only good thing about apples is that when you're hungry you just eat them, they don't need to be washed or cooked to taste good.
The day dragged on and I decided to head in early. I gave the orchard foreman my apples and headed home. I had just gotten up to my front steps when I heard shouting off in the distance, the hunters.
A couple minutes later they ran out of the woods carrying something, a limp body. My mind went immediately to Casey until I could make out her blonde hair and tall figure running towards me. The hunting party ran into the barn, that's where we kept our medical stuff/makeshift hospital. I started to run to their aid but Casey stopped me. Her eyes were red and her voice was shaky. "You can't go in there," she whispered wrapping me into a hug. David.
My heart nearly stopped. A huge lump  started to form in my throat as I tried to scramble out of my sister's arms. I let out a yell as I managed to break free and bolted towards the barn. "Ellie, no! You aren't ready!" Casey shouted as she tried to catch up, but she was too out of breath.
I busted open the doors to see the villagers hovering over the hospital bed. Whispering. They all turned to see me, tears streaming down my face. I silently walked towards them, the crowd parting as I drifted to the bed.
Before I saw anything I saw red, and then David's pale body came into view. I was almost sick. Lying on the bed was my best friend, and he had no foot.
My breath was wavering as I tried to hold back my tears. Everyone in the village was watching by now and I didn't care. I heard the door open again to see Casey standing there her face sad and empathetic. I looked back at David, nearly lifeless and pale. Then I turned to everyone, "What the hell!? How could you have let this happen? This is all your fault!" I wasn't directing it at anyone, but I need someone to blame.
Casey stepped forward, "Ellie, it was an accident! He stepped into a trap we had forgotten about, if anyone blame it on me!" She said. The only noise was the sound of my uneven breathing.

That night I refused to leave him, so Casey and I slept on the ground. It was freezing but I couldn't bear to be up in my bed knowing my best friend was all alone, dying.
The night was long and quiet, everything had fallen dead silent. So, as always my mind drifted off to the scary truth. But tonight was different, it made me feel better knowing David wasn't going through the kind of Hell my parents and the rest of the world did. He could survive this, I thought, we won't be able to do everything that we used to but he'll still be here.
Occasionally a bad thought would poison my mind and I'd be back crying but a good thought always squeezed its way back into my head somehow. Finally, after hours and hours of trying, sleep came, but I almost wished it hadn't.

Casey and David were there and they were sick. They were literally rotting in their beds but somehow still alive. Their eyes were mush in their heads and they cried out horrible screams that chilled my bones. And yet all I could was watch as eternity went by and they turned into dust.

I shot awake, I had kicked off all my blankets despite how cold it was. After I realized it was just a dream I looked out the window. The sky was turning a slight pink as the sun prepared to rise. I lit some candles when I heard David groan slightly and rushed to his side.
Much to my delight and horror he was fine. And by fine I meant he had regrown his foot.

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I hope you are enjoying this so far, it's a little boring now but it should get more exciting soon!
-MOO