A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 145

I helped Trish collect chicken eggs. A huge booming noise made me jump. Everyone else in sight was also looking towards the gate in alarm. I had never heard such a noise before and it made my heart beat faster in fear and worry.

I watched in shock as huge clouds of black smoke billowed into the sky. No campfire ever made smoke like that, it was thick and oily looking. A few fired people were running towards the gate, but the guards on top were not sounding an alarm.

I looked at Trish, "Do you know what happened?"

She shook her head, "No, but I am sure we will find out soon."

We both jumped as another boom sounded. Even more smoke rose to the sky in an ominous cloud that dimmed the sunlight even more than the clouds normally did. We kept working while keeping an eye on the distant gate. The guards would sound alarms if there was even the smallest chance of them getting inside though.

It wasn't long before a fired person ran past and gave us an update, "A bandit tried to take a jerry can of gas into the forest, but our fighters shot it with a fire arrow. He didn't get close to the forest, so the fire is burning itself out in the damp grass."

Trish nodded and thanked him. He left to go let the others know the news. We relaxed and started working again.

Another fired lady beside us suddenly stood up and pointed to the sky, "Look!"

It took me a second, but I saw five pigeons flying through the thick smoke as they headed for the pigeon coop. I recognized the pure white one, it was one of the ones that had been sent to Wainwright Fort to carry the messages back to us. They had released five to ensure that at least one pigeon would make it, but it looked like all five had found their way home.

We no longer had to tolerate the bandits outside our gate. I really wanted to see them leave, the sooner the better.

Those in the forest must have also seen the pigeons. Twenty fighters had returned to Sanctuary and were in Roland's office as they discussed plans. Diane and Ace were in there as well since they were the fighting trainers.

I waited on top of the cliff for them to come out. I knew they wouldn't stay inside Sanctuary long since they would be eager to dissuade our unwelcome guests. They also wanted life to go back to normal. I tilted my head and quietly snuck through the trees as I moved to a better spot to eavesdrop on someone else.

"Are they mad? They want us to attack the bandits before they get here? Some of the fired fighters are still at Wainwright Fort, there is no way they can get here quickly."

"That is the message the pigeons brought back. That Base Commander knows we are a lethal force in the dark and is hoping we can take out a good chunk of their force with arrows before they start running. He is also asking us to trail them and pick off stragglers. Otherwise a force that large will likely attack another settlement and take it over once they realize that their own settlement was burnt to the ground."

"Ugh... I really don't want to do this, but the worst part is that I can see their logic."

"That is exactly why Roland has been cooped up in that office for over an hour. If they aren't stopped, then they will continue attacking settlements."

The two men walked off and I sat in silent shock. We were not just going to be chasing them away with glowing eyes and rotten eggs, people would be fighting. Even with a bow, there was a chance that our people could get hurt. Diane could get hurt.

I knew she was good at dodging arrows since I had seen her do it before, and she had even got me to fire padded arrows at her during practice, but this was different. The bandits' arrows would be meant to kill. I couldn't imagine Diane dead. It hurt too much.