Life in quarantine is the same everyday, get up, get dressed, go run on the treadmill, shower, dress comfy, school, bed. Nothing changed. I thought after a few months when it started, it'd be over, but we're still here. Still stuck, like a moving wheel on a circuit, never going anywhere but still spinning.
Being 18 years old and never knowing if you're going to leave the house is confusing. By then you think, I'm gonna go to college or I have to go to work. Well, not for me or anyone else. See, a pandemic happened about 10 years ago when I was 8. A flu like disease that aggressively became worse, tore through the world. It began in china and slowly made its way to the United States. The disease started off simple. A cold even, but then things got worse. People started... changing. They started attacking other people who weren't sick. A doctor wrote an essay on it saying these aren't humans but creatures. Their skin turns a pale yellow, maybe even green. They lose sight and heightened smell. They are attracted by the smell of blood and sound. These "creatures" ate only human flesh. For the first year scientist studied them through cages, they would run tests and see if they reacted differently. I honestly think they just wanted to make the public feel safer. Cities started shutting down and forcing people into their homes until families were attacking each other. They called the people who weren't affected the "untouched". About 5 years into the pandemic the government moved the "untouched" into one huge city. Of course there were only 40 cities left in the world. They split us up into colonies in the quarantined city. There were two groups. The strong were the people who would parole the city, keep justice in order and protect the city from the creatures. Then there's the quarantined. These are the either week enough to be infected or the children of those. They work only in their homes. They do the governments work, writing the essays, making the medicine, the cleaning, the cooking. Now its been another 5 years and its adjusted, the attacks of the city walls have slowed way down. The quarantined still aren't aloud out of their houses due to some of the Strong are still catching the disease. They've gone far enough to black out my house windows and cut of internet.
That's where I come in. I'm Alley, I'm one of the children of the quarantined. I'm 18 and have lived in the pandemic for 10 years. I haven't seen the outside since the pandemic has started. My parents occasionally show me news reports. My mom home schools me. To her I'm a freshmen in college. My dad is always in the office, I don't really know what he does in there all day. Our food consists of can meats and small amounts of canned veggies. We get a new stock of it every Monday. That's really the only way I know it's Monday. I used to have an older brother, one day my parents told me he caught the disease and to protect me, they sent him off. I don't really remember him. Anytime I try to remember, I get light headed.
Today's Tuesday, Calculus day. My mom knocks on my door at 7 am. "Alley, sweetie. Time to start school." she says opening my door and turning my day light lights on. You would think being home schooled meant I got to sleep in. Not according to my mom. I slowly rise from my bed and yawn. My mom sits on the side of my bed with a tray of one red pill and a small glass of water. My parents told me the red pill helps my immune system from catching the disease. "Here, time to take your medicine and get dressed." she says, pushing the tray closer to me. I pick up the glass and sip while swallowing the pill. I set the glass down and look at her. "Any news today from CDM?" She shuffles over and frowns. "No, just the same. Stay in your house, Stay safe." CDM is the news channel that was created to send updates about the pandemic. They never really update it anymore. My mom strokes my cheeks, " You have such beautiful eyes." She smiles and walks out closing my door. That was weird I think. I get up and stretch before putting on my all black clothing for working out. I step onto my treadmill and turn the news channel and start running. " Good morning, and welcome to CDM, your safe news. Today we have found two new creatures against the walls. No adaptations yet but we would like it if the quarantined would stay safe and inside. Remember..." I say it with the news " You're our future."
I finish my run and take a small shower. My parents always told me to take 10 minute showers, as using too much water would make it easier to get sick as your skin would dehydrate. I never really understood that logic though. My mom barges in, "Alley, Its been 15 minutes, get out." I quickly turn the water off and put a towel on. I open the current and look at her worried. "mom.." She hugs me, don't worry, you wont get infected it was only 5 minutes longer, just don't tell your dad. She helps me get dressed and we start school. I drown out her constant teaching about square roots and decimals and stare of the black window, I wish I could see out of. Suddenly, A rock comes flying through the black mirror, exposing the bright light.
YOU ARE READING
Quarantine
RomanceQuarantine has lasted for 10 years. Alley decided its been long enough and runs away. her parents have shielded her enough from the real world. She soon meets other friends along the way and the hardship of living alone.
