5

A gentle voice woke me and I sat up, looking around.

"Andre?" Hanna whispered. "Andre?"

I groan. "I'm up."

"Did you get the envelope?"

I rub my eyes and squint at her. "Wait, you put that there?"

Hanna nodded. "Last night while you were out chatting with friends."

I throw off the covers and get to my feet. "Are you here to give me more information?"

"Of course. But first, did those pictures trigger a memory?"

I narrow my eyes and fold my arms. "Why?"

"Because it's important that I know what you know so that I know I'm giving you the right information." Hanna looks over her shoulder. "But you must be quick. My break is almost over."

"I was sitting in a cafeteria with Will and some other kids. Then there was a girl who fell to the ground. I knew she was dead." I look down. "What happened to her? " I whispered.

Hanna sighed. "I'm not sure if you remember but something was going around called X-gen. Most kids who were ten died, and those who survived were monitored for symptoms and then were brought here."

I blink. "So, what does that have to do with the living zombie you currently have?"

"We were trying to see if the X genes that were found in the kids would perhaps give adults the same abilities, but as you saw...it didn't work out well."

I sighed. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because...I believe that you can stop this." Hanna walked toward the door. "You can save the kids. Stop all this experimentation."

I shook my head and wrapped my arms tight around me. "You're wrong."

Hanna stepped out into the hall. "We'll see."

I look up and raced to the door and look out, like before Hanna was gone. A doctor with a white suit and a clipboard was walking down the hall. He paused at the door next to mine and knocked softly.

"Quinn, are you there?" he asked.

An angry voice inside screamed, "Go away! Why are you here?"

"Because we want to help, Quinn." the doctor tried to open the door but it was slammed back. "We want to help you and the other kids get better."

"Help us get better by taking away our memories? The things that make life worth living?" Quinn snarled. "Your bullshit isn't fooling me. Go away."

The doctor took a deep breath and stopped when he spotted me. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you. I'm Dr. Justin, and you must be Andre."

I blinked and slowly nodded my head. I was about to ask if he'd seen Hanna but then remembered she wasn't supposed to be on this floor.

The doctor cocked his head. "Are you alright, son?"

"I'm fine. Is Quinn sick? Are we all sick?"

"Yes. We're here to make you feel better, but some people like to make things difficult." he held up a walkie-talkie. "Can I have some assistance on floor five? Patient Quinn Owen is refusing her daily checkup."

A voice crackled back. "On our way, doctor."

A few moments later the elevator at the end of the hall opened and two guards step out, guns at the ready.

I shrank back into the room and watched them go to Quinn's door. The tall one banged it with his fist.

"Miss Owen. You have five seconds before we force our way inside."

I counted down the seconds in my head. The tall guard kicked the door in and the shorter one marched inside.

I heard Quinn scramble out of where she'd been hiding. "GET OUT!"

"Miss Owen-"

"GET OUT! I'M NOT LETTING THEM TAKE ME!"

I heard something shatter.

"THEY'RE NOT TAKING MY MEMORIES! GET OUT! GET OUT!" Quinn continued to scream.

Other kids started poking their heads out to see what the commotion was. Some started crying, and others closed their doors quickly.

Some watched with pity.

Quinn was dragged from her room. One guard on each side.

She was shorter and weaker than both guards, but she struggled until she managed to pull herself free from their grip.

I watched as she stumbled to her door, but the tall one reached out and tazed her.

She cried out and slumped to the ground.

The guards came and grabbed her arms, dragging her away. Like an animal.