Where We Go | Book Three

46. The Cure Is Real

Everyone gathered around the firepit and they sat close together on the wooden logs that circled it. The flickering glow of the flames lit their faces and I tried to avoid each set of eyes that were staring intently at me. It seemed as though the rumours were more widespread than I thought. 

Some of them were still eating the remnants of tonight's dinner; spam and rice. I'd smelled the tinned meat cooking earlier in the evening and thought I'd be hungry, but now, even looking at a plate made my stomach churn. There was too much anxiety to even think about food.

The murmured conversations quietened when Lucy finally stood up. She held her hands in front of her body, seeming calm and confident. I wondered how much of it she'd rehearsed, or if she was the type of person who could make up speeches on the spot.

I lowered my head, looking to the ground when she began to speak.

"Thank you to everyone for coming around this evening," she began. "I know a lot of you usually try and head to sleep early so we appreciate you staying out." She twisted her fingers around each other, shifting them into different positions. "Tonight, we wanted to let you know a few things that have been going on and we wanted to talk about some things that we think are in your best interest to know..." I looked up and her gaze caught mine in a brief moment. "I've heard some of the rumours that are beginning to spread and we want to be able to explain to you all before it gets out of control." She turned back to me, her eyes looking apologetic. "I'm going to pass over to Em now... I think she can talk about this a lot better than I can. Please, let her speak."

Looking around the crowd, I attempted a smile. "I'm not sure if part of that sentence is true, but I'll do my best." 

The firepit was quiet. Too quiet. Not even the wind made a sound between the trees as everyone waited for why they had been summoned. Their stares were intense, every set of eyes picking apart every inch of me. 

"Hi," I began with a shaky voice. "I know I haven't met everyone who's here so, for those of you who don't know, my name is Em Harrison." I swallowed the lump in my throat as I scratched the back of my neck. "I'll be honest, I'm not good with speeches but you all deserve to know the truth about what's been going on here. I know our group turning up has been a change and maybe some of you aren't so happy about it..." 

I glanced behind to Ben who leant against the cabin. He gave a small, encouraging nod. 

"I don't know the details of the rumours that have started going around but I'm sure they involve a cure... I'm here to tell all of you that a cure is real." 

 Murmured gasps and conversations spread through the crowd and I raised my voice so they still heard. I took a deep breath and finally spoke the truth I'd kept silent. 

"I was the Infected who was cured."

The tone of the conversations grew harsher and their volume louder. With a few words, their soft expressions quickly switched to distaste and anger, curled lips and furrowed brows. 

"What the fuck, Lucy?" one of them yelled out. 

After the words had been spoken it was like releasing water from a dam, freeing the onslaught of suppressed rage.

"You knew she was Infected and let her stay here?"

"She's too much of a risk!" they called.

"She could turn at any second!"

Lucy remained still, standing her ground. "She's properly medicated."

"And what happens when that runs out? She'll turn back."

"She'll infect us all!"

"We can answer all of your questions, I promise," Lucy tried to reason. "If you all just calm down for a moment."