The Scourge - Page 11

"No."

Good, because I wasn't in the mood to sing anyway. Without my heart in it, I'd probably end up sounding only mildly horrendous.

I said, "Listen, for whatever it matters, I don't have the Scourge."

"Stop talking, grub."

I sat up. "My name is Ani, not grub. And I'm just saying that I understand you're scared. I am too, but I'm not sick. Even if I was, one slap on the cheek probably won't get you sick either. We're going to be all right."

She stopped and sniffed. "You don't know anything. You are going to test positive tomorrow, just like I am. And you might as well accept that now, because sometime after that, they'll ship us both off to the Scourge Colony. Neither of us will ever go home again."

I hesitated a moment. "Does everyone who gets tested end up at the Colony?"

"No. But we will. The governor hates my father for trying to replace her in the last election. And you're a grub. If she decides we're sick, then we're sick."

I shook my head as fear began to fill me. "The test isn't real?"

"Oh, it's real, but the Scourge is everywhere in Keldan, so unless you live under a rock--" She hesitated. "Do you--"

"River People don't live under rocks, Della." Sadly, this was not the first time I'd had to explain that to a pinchworm.

"Well, unless you live under a rock, you've been exposed to the Scourge. So I already know how my test will come out. You should accept your fate too." Now she stood and stomped over to me, saying, "It's your fault I'm here. And for that, I will do everything in my power to make the final days of your life as miserable and lonely as I can. I promise you that."

"Miserable or lonely, which do you prefer?" Yet again, my fear was coming out like anger. "Because whenever you're with me, I'm plenty miserable. I'd much rather you went to your half of the cell and let me be lonely instead."

"You shouldn't have come down to help me!" she yelled.

"And you shouldn't have asked me to come!" I countered.

She pinched her mouth shut and stomped back to the cell door, but kept her eyes fixed on me in a murderous glare. I wasn't sure it was safe to roll over and sleep, but I suddenly didn't care. Something told me that no matter how awful today had been, tomorrow wasn't going to get any better. For now, I needed to sleep.

Early the next morning, Warden Brogg appeared at the cell door with a cup in each hand. One for both me and Della, obviously.

"Where's the other warden?" Della asked. "Your superior?"

Brogg's eyes shifted. "Warden Gossel returned to the Colony this morning as punishment for disobeying the governor's orders."

The order to take five River People, I guessed. But I didn't say anything. Brogg probably wouldn't want to be reminded that I had overheard his conversation with Warden Gossel.

Brogg pushed the cups through the bars. "Here, take these."

"Breakfast?" I asked. After missing supper last night, I was hungry. But Della seemed to know better.

She sniffed at the cups. "This is the test? I thought it was more ... painful."

"That was the old test," Brogg said. "Trust me, you'd rather cooperate now than face the way we used to do it."

"How did you used to do it?" I asked, but Brogg shook his head at me, warning me not to ask again.

"What's in the drink?" Della asked, taking one cup.

"Do I look like a physician?" he replied. "All I know is it draws out symptoms that might not appear for two or three weeks otherwise. If you're sick, we'll know it within the hour. If it doesn't affect you, then you're free to go home."

He held out the second cup to me, but I remained on the bed, letting Della drink hers first.

She took a sip and murmured, "Tastes sweet."

He smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "Many people who take the test ask for more. But even if they beg, they only get one."

Tags: Jennifer A. Nielsen Fantasy
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