Chapter 1

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I sat with my head down as the bell rang and the class started shuffling again.

Half the day was already over, and I just sat there with my head down most of the time.

I looked up as someone poked my arm.

"Are you not feeling good?" Melanie, my best friend, asked with a worried expression.

"Nah, I'm fine." I said, putting my head back down and closing my eyes.

"Ok, but if you're not feeling well, tell me and I'll take you to the nurse." She said, turning back to the board.

A few minutes later, the teacher walked in and started her teaching. Or giving us an annoying lecture with an added bonus of 'homework' as I call it.

It had been half an hour, I was now sitting with my head propped up on my hands.

The teacher sat down for a few seconds and took a sip of water. She stood back up again and was about to continue with the lecture when-

*Thud*

There was a loud thud as the teacher fell to the ground, looking pale. The class rep quickly got up and ran out, as the class started mumbling and talking.

"What happened?"

"Is the teacher okay?"

"Should we check on her?"

"Is she alright?"

Everyone was whispering and talking among themselves when the class rep came back followed by another teacher.

Mrs. Clinton checked on our collapsed teacher as we all stood around her and tried to grasp what was happening.

"Did she pass out?"

"Was she sick or something?"

"Is she gonna be okay?"

They all started whispering again.

"Keep quiet everyone!" Mrs. Clinton shouted.

She put her hand to the teacher's wrist and looked struck with horror.

She looked up at us and said, "I need someone to help me carry Mrs. Ford to the infirmary."

A few girls stepped up and tried their best to help carry the teacher out into the hall and then to the infirmary.

"Now I need all of you to form a line and move to the grounds." She said and went towards the door. "Jason, make sure that they all get there and no one is left behind." She said to the class rep and left.

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A little while later, we were all on the grounds, waiting for whatever they had called us here for.

"Psssst!" Melanie whispered as she pulled at my arm, " What do you think happened?"

"I don't know.. Let's hope that they explain to us what's going on.." I answered back in a whisper.

<Hello everyone, good afternoon.> A loud booming voice was heard from the many speakers surrounding us.

"Good Afternoon, Headmistress." All the students answered in unison.

< something is going on today and many may have already experienced that some of the teachers have been collapsing.>

"Yes, we have!"

"Are they okay?"

"They fell right in front of us!"

"It was horrifying!"

Everyone started speaking again and whispering to each other. It was so loud that it took another minute for everyone to quieten down again.

<You will all be sent home immediately. Your classes will be canceled for the next few days. We hope to see you eventually when we have everything under control.>

With that everyone started to disperse as the Headmistress left coughing.

In a matter of minutes, everyone was walking back home, or getting on their bikes and riding out. The buses got filled and were driven out to their designated neighborhoods and towns in different sections of the city.

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As I turned into the street, Melanie walking behind me, we ran over to our houses and then went inside.

I heard Melanie yell bye as I closed the door and took off my bag.

Walking inside, I strode through the hallway to the kitchen.

"Mom, you won't believe what happened today." I said as I walked through the door into the kitchen.

Looking around, I saw that she wasn't there. I ran out and went upstairs to my parent's room, and knocked on the door.

I waited outside for a few minutes and opened the door when I didn't get an answer.

Striding in, I looked around and saw that no one was in there either.

Walking back downstairs, I entered the kitchen again and was walking around a little.

"This is not funny, mom. If your hiding th-" I was saying as I walked about the kitchen, then stopped in my tracks.

"Mom?" I whispered, my eyes widened in surprise as I looked at my mother, laying unconscious on the floor.

"Hey, mom!" I yelled getting down on my knees next to her and making her limp body sit up next to the counter.

"Mom! Wake up! Wake up!" I yelled again, then I held her hand.

Her hands were as cold as ice. I firmly held her limp, cold hand in my warm one and felt her pulse. It wasn't beating..

Her hand fell back to the ground as I let it go, and ran out to the lounge, tears streaming down my face.

I saw that my dad was sitting on the couch and the TV was turned on in front of him. He was probably watching the news before- No, he's watching it now, and will look up when I call him..

"Dad?" I called, more tears brimming in my eyes.

There was no response..

I walked up to him, tears flowing uncontrollably out of my eyes making my sight blurry.

I sat down next to him and held his hand. It was colder than moms hand, and there was no beating of his pulse.

I let go of his hand and sat down next to him, my eyes welling up again.

In front of me, on the TV screen, the reporter was sitting limply in her chair, her open eyes staring blankly.

The headline read:

{ MYSTERIOUS DISEASE CAUSING ALL ADULTS TO COLLAPSE AND DIE }

I sat there, looking at the screen, so many thoughts going through my head, none of which could be a reality..

[ This is all just a dream. I'm gonna wake up any second, and mom's gonna be yelling at me cuz I missed the bus, or that I'm gonna be late for school. Any second. I'm gonna wake up any second now. ]

[ I know I am. ]