When Bees Die by Cynthia Washburn

Author:Cynthia Washburn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dystopian fiction, Post-apocalyptic science fiction, Environmental disasters, Contemporary dystopian fantasy
Publisher: Cynthia Washburn
Published: 2013-05-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“So, how was school, Alison? You don’t mind me calling you that, even at home? It’s better that way, you know.”

Alison looked up from her dinner of stewed root vegetables and one boiled egg. The egg was a treat not often available.”

“It’s okay, I guess. I’m really trying, Kas.”

“I didn’t mean that, I know you are. You’re getting a little extra help, right?”

“Yeah, Mrs. Marsh spends ten or fifteen minutes with me on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays after school. That really helps, especially with the Math.”

Kas exchanged glances with Coral. His girlfriend had said that she thought his sister was getting thinner. He studied Alison’s face as she ate. The clothes they had scrounged for her were in a bigger size, so it was hard to tell her body size under them, but Kas could see that her cheekbones were more prominent. Or maybe it was just the worried look she had on most of the time. Of course, she was growing up, much as he hated to think about it.

“Maybe we should talk a bit about our plans, you know, for the next little while. You know that we said you’d only be back at school for a month and it’s been over two weeks now. You’ve done great, by the way, if I haven’t told you that.” He started to reach over to ruffle her hair but pulled back. She was getting too old for that, Coral was right, he thought.

“So, a group of people, a small group, including us, is going to go under the wire. We’re going to leave Rossville forever.” Kas studied his sister’s face but she showed no expression. “You were right about that place at the back of that playground where the ground has fallen away into the ravine. Somehow the sensors aren’t working well there. So that’s where we’ll start. The fences aren’t electrified so it’s just a case of cutting the wire there.”

Coral continued the topic. Kas and she had worked this out in fine detail and talked about it over and over. “There’s nothing for you to worry about, Alison. We’re going to look after you. But, I won’t kid you; it’s not going to be easy. The main problem is we don’t know what we will find. Other people have escaped but we don’t know what happened to them. It’s possible they all died but I’d rather not think that.”

“I’m just tired of being scared all the time. I hardly talk to anyone at school just so that I won’t say the wrong thing.”

“I know it’s been tough, but it’s almost over.”

“Oh, I almost forgot, my teacher—you know, Mrs. Marsh—sent home a note. I’ll just get it from my back pack.”

It was just a few short words scribbled on a scrap of paper. Need to speak re student progress. A scraggly tree was drawn in one corner with a basic line drawing of a swing beside it.

“Okay, thanks, Alison, for remembering that.”

What could that mean? The drawing must refer to the small playground where they planned to make their escape from.

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