Clean Slate/Chapter 3

This chapter 3 of Clean Slate entitled: In The Zone

Chapter 3 – In The Zone
August 20, 2014. Phoenix Safe-Zone. Orlando walked down the street alongside Elisa. The street were full of other survivors all heading to the same place as them as well as the military watching all of them. Making sure no one didn't do anything they didn't like. His stomach growled so loudly that he didn't even recognize that it came from him at first.

“I hope they still have rations left.” She said grabbing her stomach.

“You have the ration cards, right?” He asked as they past another solider who looked at them suspiciously.

“Yes, for the last time, yes.” She said irritated.

They walked in tense silence as they got in line for the first check point. He didn't mean to make her mad. Last time, she had forgotten them and they weren't able to eat for to days because of it.

“Sorry, I didn't--”

“No, I'm sorry. It'll be better when we finally get some food in us.” She said as they moved up another step in line.

It was hot outside. Too hot. The last time he could remember it was this hot was a couple years back when that Heat Wave Killer guy was big on the media. If he didn't die from lack of food then he guessed the heat would get him. How could the government treat them like this?

They reached the gate for the check point and Elisa handed the soldier the food cards. The guard took a quick look at the cards then took five of the eight they had and put in his back pocket.

“Hey, you can't just take our of cards!” Elisa said.

“Move ahead.” He said in a commanding voice as he handed them three back.

“Not until you give us are--” Orlando said as the solider slammed the but of his rifle into his face.

Orlando fell to the ground clutching the right side of his face.

“MOVE AHEAD!” The solider screamed at him.

“Come on.” Elisa said to him softly as she helped him up.

Orlando was tired of this. Tired of living with the soldiers watching every move they made. He even began to think that maybe it would be better if they just left and tried their luck outside the zone. His uncle Jerry had even told him as much. But there was the problem of getting passed the heavily guarded walls.

Elisa helped him to the “Mess Hall” area where all of the rations were served. She brought him over to one of the last empty tables and looked at his wound.

“It's gonna swell. I should go see if I can go find an ice pack or--”

“No—No just...go get us food before it's all gone.”

She nodded and left him there to get in line. He turned and looked around the room. So many people, all just blindly doing what the government told them. None of them realizing how bad it was here—or if they did they didn't say it.

“Are these seats taken?” A voice behind him said.

He turned to see three people standing with food trays behind him. He didn't remember seeing them around the zone before.

“Yeah.” He said as they sat.

“Hi, I'm Chloe. This is Katie and her brother Bradley.” The perky girl said.

“I'm, Orlando. You guys new here?”

“Yep.” Katie said.

Orlando turned and looked to see where Elisa was.

“Welcome to hell.” He said rubbing his swollen black eye.

Credits

 * Orlando Alba
 * Elisa
 * Chloe Fray
 * Katie Willis
 * Bradley Willis