Maya’s rule
The atmosphere was tense as everyone gathered for an emergency meeting. Among the crowd were Liam and Don, seated across from each other, exchanging glances. Also present were two young women, an old man, three other guys, and a couple with their two children—a boy who looked 12 and his 7-year-old sister. Maya was seated at the front in the center of the room, her arms crossed. And there was Logan, the only one standing, resting his back gently on a desk. Altogether, they formed a group of 14 survivors huddled together in one of the aisles of the mall.
"What's this meeting for?" Georgina 'George' Winchester asked in a bratty tone, her fine British accent dripping with entitlement. With her piercing emerald green eyes, slender figure, long black hair styled in a sleek bob, and manicured nails, she exuded a polished appearance that screamed wealth and refinement, from her golden glow skin to her sleek designer clothing.
"I was getting to it," Maya responded coldly, causing Georgina to roll her eyes.
Maya scoffed and cleared her throat, turning her attention to the rest. "In case you haven't heard, two trespassers were spotted in the mall," she said.
The group let out a gasp and began to murmur.
"Where are they?"
"How did they get in?"
"Are we safe here?"
"What if they're armed?"
"I heard they attacked someone."
"What if it ends up like last time?"
"Don't worry, Maya will keep us safe."
Maya raised her head. "Quiet," she raised her voice, silencing the murmurs. "You have nothing to fear. These trespassers are youngsters. A teenage boy and a girl no more than 5 years old. They have been held captive, locked in a room. Now all we have to do is figure out the best way to get rid of them," she said, the corner of her lips curling up.
"5 years old?" Another woman, sitting quietly in the group, shifted uncomfortably at Maya's words. Her name was Emily, and she had a gentle demeanor with a soft-spoken voice that was barely audible. With her doe-like brown eyes, she seemed to shrink into herself.
"Maya, are you sure they are dangerous?" Emily's voice trembled a little, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "I mean, they are just kids... maybe we can find a way to help them instead of... you know..." she swallowed her words, her body shrinking further. She knew what Maya was capable of and she couldn't imagine.
The room went silent, and they all exchanged glances. Maya fixed Emily with a piercing gaze, her smile still remaining on her lips.
"Oh, Emily," Maya began, tilting her head a little to the side. Her voice was soft yet razor-sharp. "You're so naive. You think a couple of kids can't be a threat? You're wrong. They're a liability, and we can't afford to keep them around."
Emily's face paled, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for support. "But... but what about their parents? They must be looking for them. We can't just... get rid of them."
Maya laughed coldly and mirthlessly. "Their parents are probably dead. And even if they're not, they're not our problem. Our problem is keeping this group safe, and those kids are a risk we can't take."
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft murmur of the children in the back. Emily's eyes filled with tears, and she looked down at her lap, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
Seeing the doubts still in some of their faces, Maya proceeded. "If one of those children turns out to be infected, we'll be putting all our lives at risk. Remember, there's no way to really tell how this virus spreads. They might seem fine now, but it's only a matter of time. We have lost many by making this mistake once. We can't afford to make the same mistake again," Maya emphasized those words with a commanding tone.
The room went silent again, with some nodding in agreement while others looked uncomfortable. The mother wrapped her arms around her two children, holding them close to her chest, and exchanged a worried look with her husband.
Maya's gaze swept around the room, challenging anyone to disagree. "Well then, since we've all agreed, the matter will be taken care of silently, but for now, we will work on fixing the barricades."
Saying this, she got up from where she was seated, signaled at Logan, and headed out of the room. The rest murmured and followed her from behind.
The group began gathering materials they could find in the mall. From broken chairs to shattered glass, they collected everything they could find to reinforce the barricade.
It didn't take long before the sun had completely set, and unfortunately, there was still a lot that needed to be done. They had to share themselves in groups so they could work on different sections of the building.
Two men were assigned to secure the barricade at the back door known as the service corridor. Michael was a 43-year-old married man with his wife and children still present, and Alexander, a 28-year-old single man who had lost his family in the early days of the outbreak.
"Do you think Maya is right? About the kids, I mean?" Michael asked out of the blue as he lifted a heavy piece of debris to place against the barricade, his brow furrowed with worry.
Alexander paused, wiping sweat from his brow before responding. "I don't know, Mike. It's a tough call. But Maya's not one to make decisions lightly. If she thinks those kids are a risk, then maybe we should listen."
Michael nodded slowly, his thoughts turning to his own family. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just... hard to imagine. They're just kids, you know?"
Alexander placed another piece of debris next to Michael's, his expression grim. "I know, Mike. But we've seen what this virus can do. You have kids of your own... I am sure you want to protect them as any father should. Don't overthink it." He added and gently patted Michael on his shoulder to reassure him.
Michael let out a forced smile. "You're right." He said and cleared his throat, then he lifted a piece of metal ready to place it against the barricade.
But just as he was about to secure it in place, the door, which was already in bad condition, loosened, snapped, and crashed backward with a loud bang.