Act One - Nebula Nominee 2009 by Nancy Kress

Author:Nancy Kress [Kress, Nancy]
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction, General, Fiction, Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General
ISBN: 9781604504552
Publisher: Arc Manor LLC
Published: 2010-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

BIOWEAPON RELEASED IN CALIFORNIA

ARLEN’S WAS ONLY THE FIRST STEP—NOW THEY’RE SPREADING MUTATIONS!

ACTRESS A PART OF BIOCONSPIRACY SPREADING EPIDEMIC

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE QUARANTINE OF L.A.

RUN ON GAS MASKS, RIOTS, CAUSE DEATHS OF FOUR

MUTANTS NOW AMONG US—YOU COULD BE ONE!

JANE SNOW AND MANAGER MISSING SINCE LAST NIGHT

* * * *

"They’re calling it treason,” Jane said.

"It is treason. Or something.” Bioweapon terrorism. Invasion of bodily privacy. Violations of the Fourteenth Amendment. Medical malpractice.

"What next, Barry?"

"I’m not sure. I need to think.” But all I could think about was what might have happened if I hadn’t gotten Jane away, if Ms. Resentful hadn’t called me. Riots cause death of four. And that was without the rioters’ zeroing in on a specific target.

"What did the twins do while I was gone?"

"Nothing.” They’d played inside and I’d sat outside, pretending they weren’t there. Jane went into the cabin.

A minute later she was back. “They’re making cookies."

"Fine. Just so long as they don’t burn down the cabin."

"We won’t,” Bridget said, and there they were beside us, having silently followed Jane. Belinda had a picturesque smudge of chocolate on her nose. I did not think that she looked adorable. Bridget added,

“Why are you scared, Jane?"

Jane knew better than to deny. “I went down to a town where I could get the news, and some people in LA are very angry at another group of people there. It could get violent." Belinda said, “But why does that mean we can’t go home?"

Bridget said, “They’re mad at us, too, aren’t they? You’re scared for us. Why? We didn’t do anything!" Belinda said, “Don’t be stupid, Brid. People get mad at us all the time when we didn’t do anything.” She looked at me. “Like Barry is mad at us."

Bridget scowled, making her suddenly look more like her sister. “Yeah. Why are you mad at us, Barry?"

"Because I didn’t want to have to bring you here. But if I hadn’t, you might both have been attacked by a mob now."

Bridget looked scared, but Belinda said, “Naw, we got really good security at home. Nobody can get through. I want to go home!"

"And I want you to,” I said, which was nothing less than total truth—even as I felt the treacherous desire to comfort little frightened Bridget ... oxytorin.

Belinda did not look frightened. She was working up to a towering tantrum. “Then take us home! Take us home now!"

Jane said soothingly, “We can’t, Belinda. It’s not safe. The—"

"It is safe! Daddy’s estate is safe! I want to go home!"

Bridget said, with heart-breaking hopelessness, “Belinda—"

Belinda kicked her sister, who screamed and fell to the ground. Then she kicked Jane, who made a grab for her. Belinda was quicker, squirming away, tears of rage on her grimy face.

"Don’t touch me! Don’t you ever touch me! I hate you, you go around feeling sorry for everybody who isn’t you! You feel sorry for Barry ‘cause he’s all twisted and short, and you feel sorry for Brid and me

‘cause you think we’re so different, just like you

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.