Chapter 5 - The Plague

The doctor's words brought silence throughout the shelter. "Plague?" the woman whispered as she ran back to her son. "How did he get it? It's not possible," She yelled as she pushed the doctor away from her son.

"I need to check his body completely for any bites, please let me." The doctor said, trying to get to the boy.

"No, I won't let you... you will kill my son," The woman trembled and hugged her child to her bosom.

"It's okay, but I need you to answer these simple questions okay. Check his body for any sign of bites or small bumps? Like um.. Like a mosquito bite," he said to the ballistic woman.

Giving him a doubtful look, she started removing her son's clothes and started checking. "He doesn't have any wounds, see. He doesn't have the plague. Stop lying," she screamed as she threw a water bottle at the doctor.

He dodged the bottle like a pro and said, "That's good. That's good," he nodded and continued, ��Did he ingest any poultry or meat, any kind of meat these few days?" he questioned in a doubtful voice.

The woman hesitated at this question. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

"Please answer it. It could save your kid's life," the doctor pleaded with his eyebrows scrunched.

"My husband hunted some..... Some cats yesterday," the entire room started to murmur. "He was hungry, and he just wanted to eat meat, we had no other way," she cried as she held her son close.

The doctor closed his eyes tight and lifted his glasses and said, "We are going to have to isolate you ma'am. You and your family might have been infected by.."

"Noo, you don't get to isolate me. You don't have any authority to. I am a CITIZEN of America, I have my RIGHTS," she screamed eyes wide. The doctors and nurses came closer trying to calm this woman, but she pushed everyone away from her path and screamed, "If you come close ill spit on you."

"There is a cure for this plague, so please calm down," the doctor tried to calm her again. But she ran and punched his face.

"No one touches my family. NOO ONE," she screamed. She lifted her son and ran out of the temporary tent. The nearby nurses lifted the poor doctor from the floor and took him to a nearby bed.

Reya tried going forward to convince her, but her mom held her back. She shook her head, telling her not to. "Mom, that kid might die," She whispered.

Her mother firmly shook her head. "You can't save everyone. And from the way she behaved, she might even scratch your eyes out if you go any closer."

Entire emergency tent started panicking, "Oh my god, it's the plague. The god condemns us,", "Darling did you touch that kid, why don't we wash our hands,", "Oh thank lords that woman is gone. She might have spread us the decease,", "Do you think I might have the plague. I touched that kid's hands." vague murmurs were heard.

Reya could only catch few of their conversation. But from what she heard she could only discern panic and disorder.

"Reya, I'm scared" Mina whispered, looking up at her through her lashes.

"It will be okay dear," she assured and held her sister closer. But she decided to hide behind her legs.

Mother clutched her hands. "Take Mina out of here. I have something to talk to Mr. Kooper," she whispered, as she walked up to him.

Reya could see that she was in a deep discussion. So she held Mina close and say, "Up see daisies. Who wants to go piggybacking on Reya~" she cooed as she lifted her up.

"Wheree is mommy?" Mina whimpered when they were outside the tent.

"Oh, mommy is playing with the cop. She is playing the game, who helps who?" she said and tickle her waist.

"Hehehe, okey" Mina giggles, and continued, "Reya, lift me higher, higherr" she laughed in glee.

"hahah my little Mina is so cute, with her button nose and rosy lips~" Reya said in a singsong voice as she held her close to her torso.

"My prinvess Reya is beautifull as well," she mumbles with her gappy tooth.

Reya just giggle at her accent. Mina had been having trouble pronouncing few words because of her gappy tooth, but it never stopped this chatty mama. She pinched her little nose and said, "Yes, my gappy toothed queen, let's get some lunch."

She made simple biscuit porridge for Lunch with the biscuits they got in our rations. "Here comes food~" she said as she lift the hot vessel carefully with a wash cloth.

"yeaehh, food" Mina cries as she lifts her spoon like a weapon.

Reya served them in some broken bowls she found in a destroyed building. "Here you go. Some sweet porridge for a very sweet girl," she said as she handed over her food and served herself a ladle full.

Mina kept watching between her bowl and her's. "Reya, why does your bowl have so less?" she questioned with a confused look.

"Oh that... That's because mom also might be hungry when she comes home," Reya answer in a very awkward tone. Mina is very attentive to details. Like, she is in the stage where children's notice everything with interest.

Her sister kept looking at her for a while and said, "Here you can have some of mine. I don't like sweet things anyway," she said as she tried to ladle her bowl's content to mine.

Reya smirked at this. She knew her sister loves sweet things and she hate them, but the way she served was quite cute. So she accepted it mumbling small thanks.

Mom came after they finished their lunch. Reya served her a warm bowl of porridge as well.

"Thanks, Reya" she said and accepted it.

"Mom, what did you discuss with Mr. Kooper?" she inquired, biting the back of her spoon.

Her mother sighed and looked at them with a very tired expression. "Girls, I think we should leave this place," She said with a serious tone.

Reya frowned at her announcement. "But mom, can we even survive outside, and if so where are we going?"