throat constricts with terror.
“No, no, no,” he interrupts, waving his hands in front of my face. “It’s not what you think.” I stop and look at him, perplexed. I can’t tell from his expression where he’s going with this. “I’m not sick, not really. It’s stress. And no sleep, it always has this effect on me.” I shake my head; of course he’d say that. He’s scared. That’s understandable, but he can’t lie to us all, and then kill us! “It’s hard to explain,” he continues, letting out a huge sigh before carrying on. I’m sure he’s just buying some time while he prepares his lie.
***
After he finishes talking, I’m positive every word that has come out of his mouth is truth. His story makes me so sad—it’s filled with a desperate situation that sees no positive outcome. He has a six-year-old son, Harry. He never told anyone here about him before because he didn’t want to be judged for his situation. Harry was conceived during a one-night stand when Jake was only seventeen. He tried to make a relationship work with Harry’s mother, Pippa, but they were both far too young for that kind of commitment. Harry now lives with Pippa in the next town, and because of bitter rows in the past, Jake only gets to see his child one weekend every month. He told me that’s why he never really made much effort to get close to me, despite always wanting to. He thought all of this would have put me off. Much as I’m shocked by his admission of feelings, I’m more taken aback by how little I knew about his life.
It was just coming up to Jake’s weekend with Harry when the Lockdown notion started being broadcast. Pippa wouldn’t hear of Harry leaving her side, even for a day, just in case he couldn’t make it back. Jake got so angry by her reaction that the rows escalated and some awful things were said on both sides. This soon turned to heartbreak when Jake learned just how real the virus is—it put everything else in perspective. The only problem is ever since the incident with Tim, Jake has been desperately trying to contact Pippa through the phone, emails, Facebook, but no success. He has no idea where they are, or even if his son is still alive.
It’s now obvious why he looks the way he does. It doesn’t even bear thinking about.
I know he could be trying to fool me with this story about a child that no one has heard of before, but he says it with such a conviction that not a shadow of a doubt crosses my mind. Plus, his tears seem extremely genuine. My heart is racing with the injustice of his situation, and the fear he must be feeling. And I thought I had reason to worry. At least I know my family is safe!
“I’m a genius!” I suddenly cry out, completely changing the atmosphere between us. I can see Jake looking at me strangely, so I begin to explain my escape plan with Michelle. I invite him to come with us on our breakout mission; that way he can get to Pippa’s house and find out for certain about his son. All thoughts about the crackdown escape my mind; with Jake alongside myself and Michelle, we will definitely make it.
He smiles at me sadly. “Don’t you think I’ve already thought about that? Jamie has a tight regime around here, there’s no way of escape. In his mind, he’s doing it for our own good. Even if we did get out, how would we evade the infected and the armed forces?”
I have no answer to that, so I fall into silence.
***
I’m downhearted for the rest of the day. Of course Jake is right, but without the plan to escape, I’m stuck with the reality of remaining here—waiting to die. I try to convince myself that it won’t matter anyway, because the Lockdown is going to be effective, but I can’t make myself certain.
My instincts are screaming at me that if I don’t at least try , then I’ll never see my family again. Just the thought of that brings tears to my eyes. I may have never done anything rebellious before, and I may sacrifice
“No, no, no,” he interrupts, waving his hands in front of my face. “It’s not what you think.” I stop and look at him, perplexed. I can’t tell from his expression where he’s going with this. “I’m not sick, not really. It’s stress. And no sleep, it always has this effect on me.” I shake my head; of course he’d say that. He’s scared. That’s understandable, but he can’t lie to us all, and then kill us! “It’s hard to explain,” he continues, letting out a huge sigh before carrying on. I’m sure he’s just buying some time while he prepares his lie.
***
After he finishes talking, I’m positive every word that has come out of his mouth is truth. His story makes me so sad—it’s filled with a desperate situation that sees no positive outcome. He has a six-year-old son, Harry. He never told anyone here about him before because he didn’t want to be judged for his situation. Harry was conceived during a one-night stand when Jake was only seventeen. He tried to make a relationship work with Harry’s mother, Pippa, but they were both far too young for that kind of commitment. Harry now lives with Pippa in the next town, and because of bitter rows in the past, Jake only gets to see his child one weekend every month. He told me that’s why he never really made much effort to get close to me, despite always wanting to. He thought all of this would have put me off. Much as I’m shocked by his admission of feelings, I’m more taken aback by how little I knew about his life.
It was just coming up to Jake’s weekend with Harry when the Lockdown notion started being broadcast. Pippa wouldn’t hear of Harry leaving her side, even for a day, just in case he couldn’t make it back. Jake got so angry by her reaction that the rows escalated and some awful things were said on both sides. This soon turned to heartbreak when Jake learned just how real the virus is—it put everything else in perspective. The only problem is ever since the incident with Tim, Jake has been desperately trying to contact Pippa through the phone, emails, Facebook, but no success. He has no idea where they are, or even if his son is still alive.
It’s now obvious why he looks the way he does. It doesn’t even bear thinking about.
I know he could be trying to fool me with this story about a child that no one has heard of before, but he says it with such a conviction that not a shadow of a doubt crosses my mind. Plus, his tears seem extremely genuine. My heart is racing with the injustice of his situation, and the fear he must be feeling. And I thought I had reason to worry. At least I know my family is safe!
“I’m a genius!” I suddenly cry out, completely changing the atmosphere between us. I can see Jake looking at me strangely, so I begin to explain my escape plan with Michelle. I invite him to come with us on our breakout mission; that way he can get to Pippa’s house and find out for certain about his son. All thoughts about the crackdown escape my mind; with Jake alongside myself and Michelle, we will definitely make it.
He smiles at me sadly. “Don’t you think I’ve already thought about that? Jamie has a tight regime around here, there’s no way of escape. In his mind, he’s doing it for our own good. Even if we did get out, how would we evade the infected and the armed forces?”
I have no answer to that, so I fall into silence.
***
I’m downhearted for the rest of the day. Of course Jake is right, but without the plan to escape, I’m stuck with the reality of remaining here—waiting to die. I try to convince myself that it won’t matter anyway, because the Lockdown is going to be effective, but I can’t make myself certain.
My instincts are screaming at me that if I don’t at least try , then I’ll never see my family again. Just the thought of that brings tears to my eyes. I may have never done anything rebellious before, and I may sacrifice
Similar Books
