March City: Rebellion of the Gifted [Book 2 | Complete | Fantasy/Sci-fi]

Chapter 19: Sick Weather

"It was for a chance there could be a cure. There was never any guarantees."

Ah, of course, the excuses. They never said there was a cure. They just heavily implied it to make the students vote to leave the sanctuary. And now they were digging back, realising they made false promises. There never was a cure. There never would be. After all the struggles they had all gone through in March City and breaking out of the simulated reality, Mina had hoped Ari would finally see her for an actual student, a User, with her own ability, not just a weak little sister that need pampering.

That was too much to ask for, evidently.

"Look, if it bothers you that much Ari's not visited or spoken to you since this Candra business, I can try and hook you up to her."

Mina clicked her teeth at him and turned away. What she'd give to really show him her thoughts, face to face.

"I'll come back with something, okay? So try not to murder anyone in the mean time."

Chuckling at his own joke, Rale wandered off. Mina watched him out of the corner of her eye until he disappeared down the corridor towards the lifts. She stared at the spot where she last saw him, wishing she could project lasers out of her eyes to burn through the wall and Rale. It was a mistake to ever trust him. March City might be fake, but they would never have known if he hadn't gone poking in places where he didn't belong. Mina and the others had freedom, had their own identities, had lives there. And now all that was taken away because Rale got nosy and Ari got dragged into it.

Ari. With each hour passing, Mina became more aware of how her sister hadn't even bothered to visit her or make contact since all this started. She could imagine Ari being there now, trying to placate her fears by dismissing them, calling her paranoid or too much of an over-thinker, assuring her that she, Ari, would solve the problems — all the while creating more problems. Kena's plan to transplant Mina mightn't have been that bad. After all, lots survived: Vexi, Ilia, Urio, Jos... Mina would probably have survived. If Ari had stayed away instead of trying to play the hero, Mina wouldn't have to live the rest of her life as a damsel in distress, perpetual underachiever, and reliant on everybody.

If only Ari had minded her own business. Once again, if Ari had stayed quiet, disaster could have been avoided.

Whimpering came from one of the chambers. Throwing a last glower in the direction of the lifts, Mina headed for the cells to her right. She wasn't forced to stay behind bars, not even when the infirmary personnel came in with their bio-gel helmets and freshly-disinfected hands, because she wasn't rabid yet. But it was only a matter of time. The daily injections she got kept the fevers and tearing thoughts at bay and gave her mind clarity, but from how the worse-off students appear, the serum slowed the progress, but didn't stop it completely.

Behind the see-through, electromagnetic-radiation-charged screen, Eron, Lira's little brother, curled in a ball, weeping.

"Eron? Can you hear me?" she said in a soft voice.

"Mina?" Through the snuffling, Eron lifted his head, his eyes swollen and nose running. He sniffled, wiping his nose with the sleeve of the shirt he'd worn from March City. Rale might have thought his life was bad, sitting somewhere cushy tapping away at his beloved computer, but he had no idea how much they struggled in the cells. Infected students weren't worth wasting clothing on, not when those clothes needed incinerating at the end. They didn't trust the pressure washer and drier to not carry droplets from the infected students. At least they had provided disinfectant for the thermogel bedding so Mina could wash the sweat- and saliva-streaked bedding for the sick students.

There were a series of beeps and then the hiss of metal doors sliding open. Mina continued to reassure Eron, who now sat against the wall, clutching his blanket to him. The breathable material meant he was at least warm in the air-conditioned room. Mina couldn't reach him through the glass; they'd said he was at risk of turning into a full-blown monster any day now as he was so far gone, so he was at risk of hurting her or attempting escape. Mina couldn't help but note Lira hadn't visited, either, even though her own brother was so sick.

After a few minutes, there was another hiss of moving metal doors and the chatter of two people reached Mina's ears. Mina gave Eron another reassuring smile and stood up to face the two in charge of the Infirmary, in their bubble helmets.

"Hello, Mina," said Dimitri, his light grey eyes lighting up with his smile. "How is everything today?"

Dimitri rolled his 'r' sounds and spoke with a broad, heavy intonation. Christa, the older one — whereas Dimitri was about Lira's age — also had a similar speaking style. Both were paler than Rale, with white blonde hair and strong, angular features.

"The usual," said Mina, shrugging. "Eron's not much better. Cess and the others are still fine, no symptoms. Evia needs more bedding — her chamber's quite draughty. She's been camping in mine but that single bed is a bit cramped."

"I see." Christa flashed a torch in Mina's eyes per usual and checked her temperature. Satisfied with the readings, she nodded, tucking a stray white blonde hair behind her ear. "I shall speak to Michael about that. He will be reluctant to give more resources to this place, but I do not want my patients unwell."

"Speak to Jenny first, perhaps," said Dimitri. "She is more accommodating to the needs of others, unlike Michael."

"Or if that group Michael sent out can secure the Auckburn outpost, we can get more fabrics there, then we do not have to keep skimping on the uniforms and clothes. I know we have to ration, but Michael is being far too — what's the phrase? — stingy. We are only in autumn but if we cannot secure more outposts, what will happen in winter? Everyone will get pneumonia and certainly this place cannot accommodate so many sick." Christa shook her head and sighed. She patted Mina on the shoulder. "I shall see what I can do, darling. Come, Dimitri. Let us examine the patients today and then administer the medications."

They filed past Mina. Dimitri and Christa had been accommodating with her requests. Those who were particularly unwell or frightened received the extra resources and attention they needed, even if they were on the receiving end of Michael's ire. She could see living in harmony with people like them, and Jenny, who was willing to listen to Lira's bargain. She only wished Ari was also that willing to listen to others.

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