Desolation ✔️

Chapter 1: Quarantine

"Attention, all civilians! Quarantine has now taken effect. I repeat: quarantine has now taken effect. Everyone report back to your houses immediately."

A booming, robotic voice cuts through the chaos from somewhere in the distance, but I can't identify where it's coming from. Quarantine?

"Scarlett, we need to get out of here!" Carter ushers, pulling me back. I fight his grasp again.

"I need to see them! I'm going home!"

Carter purses his lips and holds my gaze. It's hard to believe just moments before we were dining in a restaurant and talking about our futures after high school. Only four months until the real world. But this version? Is this even real?

"Okay. Okay, let's go," Carter finally says.

Thank you. My house is only four houses away, but it's a whole obstacle to get there: too many cars litter the street and it's impossible to cut through without running into at least one person. Just stay on the sidewalk no matter what and avoid the street altogether. Carter follows close behind as we run.

Avoid the street...eyes ahead...don't look towards the shouting...

Suddenly I trip over something and almost fall, but Carter grabs me. My eyes try focusing on the object obstructing my path, but my feet make suction sounds beneath me and suddenly I feel sick. Carter gags and curses under his breath. I blink until it materializes before me.

We're standing in a puddle of someone's blood...two inches from the body...or is it a body? There's an arm here, a leg there, and the features on the poor victim's face are beyond recognizable.

I scream.

Carter wraps his arms around me and pulls me away. Tear blur my vision and I cover my mouth to contain the gags, sobs, and screams.

"Oh, God," I breathe, stumbling at the thought of my shoes absorbing the blood. I can barely stand. "Who did that? Oh God, oh God, oh God! I think I knew him!" But as I say it, I'm not sure. Was it a him, or a her? The body was too mangled to tell.

Carter shakes his head, keeping his eyes forward. "I don't know, Scarlett. But whoever—whatever—did that is probably why we're quarantined. We should get your parents and get out."

I nod and we continue forward, though I drag my feet along the concrete, afraid of tripping over another body. Who could do something like that? Didn't someone try to help? My hands shake at the thought of my parents and how it's been two weeks since I've seen them.

Finally, we reach my house. Carter pounds his fists on the door. "Mrs. and Mr. Evans, it's us, Carter, and Scarlett!"

"Mom! Dad!" I call.

Metal clanks on the other side of the door and it flies open.

Both Mom and Dad stare wide-eyed and afraid. At the sight of Carter and me, they urge us inside with their eyes trained on the road.

Our house is the only one with all the lights out and little movement. Mom draws me in for a hug and I squeeze her tight, breathing in her fruity smell. My heart steadies. Yes. They're okay.

"We were so worried about you!" Mom says, stroking my hair with a shaky hand. "They're not letting anyone in or out. It's been absolute chaos since yesterday."

"What happened yesterday?" I ask, pulling away. Despite their frightened expressions, I feel like everything will be okay, even though I'm not exactly sure why it's not right now. "There was a dismembered body in the street. The police are aiming their guns at innocent people. Everyone's panicking. We're on quarantine!"