Chapter 5

Jessa approached me, her steps slow and unsteady. I looked up from the stool I was sat at, watching her with worried eyes.

I had been skinning a rabbit, preparing it to be sent to dinner. My hands were covered in blood, my knife expertly working to save as much meat as possible. Having meat was a luxury, and although the rabbit wouldn't go far, it would certainly brighten up the soup.

Benji and Jake had been training for the last week, and after a slow start, Benji was definitely making progress. They had brought me four rabbits today, instead of one or two that they had been used to catching.

"Hi, Jessa," I greeted, pausing in my work. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head, sniffing. "I don't feel too good, Cass."

My eyes widened slightly in shock. Jessa hadn't been ill once since they were outcast, and that alone was enough to scare me.

Studying her closely, I could see that she didn't look too well. Her cheeks were flushed, and a few beads of sweat were rolling don her forehead.

"Go to bed. I'll send someone in to look after you in a minute." I instructed, putting down the rabbit.

"What will you do about dinner?" she asked.

"Don't worry, Jessa. I'll figure something out."

She nodded her head and began her short trek to her dorm, her feet dragging along the ground.

"Oh, damn," I muttered picking up the rabbit once again. I had nearly finished, so there was little point in passing the work to anyone else.

When the rabbits were all prepared, I picked up the bucket of waste, taking it to a group of boys.

"I'm going to need some of you to take this and deposit it somewhere away from camp," I told them. They immediately stood up, each fighting for the bucket.

Although the job was simple, they were beyond excited. I very rarely gave permission to people to leave camp without a trained scouter or hunter. But it was time to test them.

I stopped them before they left. "Go and ask Jake for a couple of knives. Just in case."

They eagerly nodded their heads, jogging away.

After speaking to Rose and asking her to check on Jessa, I walked to the fire pit and stared at the large soup pot. I didn't have any idea how to cook for myself, let alone the entirety of camp.

I heard footsteps behind me, each one getting louder. I smiled when I saw Jake.

"It's a wonder how you are so good at hunting. You can be heard coming from a mile away."

He rolled his eyes and settled down onto the bench.

Clearing his through, he said, "We had three boys drop out of chores today. All of them with the same symptoms."

I took a deep breath. "Fevers?"

"Yup. Poor kids. How did you know?" He asked.

"Jessa is down too."

"Oh, crap. Who's going to cook?" He asked, turning around when he saw a young girl approaching.

"Hi, Courtney. How are you doing?" I asked, gently. When she didn't answer I knelt down in front of her.

"I don't feel too good, "she said.

Lifting my hand up to her forehead, I felt her skin. She was burning up.

"Alright. Come with me," I said, lifting her hand and leading her along. I took her to the newbies building. It was empty at the moment and would make a perfect infirmary.

"Lie down in here, I'll get Rose to come and check on you in a while."

She lay down, pulling her blanket up to her chin.

Leaving her in peace, I strolled out to the fire pit.

"That's four ill so far, and I fear it will only spread," I told Jake and Rose, who were both poking the fire with large sticks.

"Who's going to cook?" Rose asked.

"I was hoping you might have an answer for that," I told her, crossing my fingers.

"I'll see what I can do," she said, leaving us alone. I only hoped that she could do something to help.

*

An hour later I was sat eating a rather tasteless bowl of soup, just grateful for something warm and somewhere to rest my feet.

Three more kids had fallen ill, confirming my fears. This was something contagious.

With the infirmary already filling, I had forced several dorms to move, making room for more sick people. But it was too late to contain.

Whatever the illness was, it wasn't pleasant. It started as a fever before the sickness took over. And I had no idea how to care for anyone that sick.

I sighed, staring deeply into my bowl. Luck had been on our side until now, with most sickness staying away.

"You okay, Cass?" Jake asked, nudging my arm gently. I shrugged him off.

"Fine," I replied. "But I don't know how we'll manage if anyone else gets sick."

"We will be fine," he said, sincerely. "I need to go to the city walls at some point though, check for newbies. I don't mind going alone."

"Take Benji with you. Just in case."

He frowned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. We can manage without you both for a day. Leave early in the morning, then you will be back early."

He nodded his head. "Fine."

I ate the last mouthful of soup, my stomach grumbling. Our stand-in cooks hadn't managed to spread the soup out enough, so our portions were much smaller than normal.

Just as I finished, Mia walked over, Evie giggling in her arms.

I held my hands out for the baby, smiling softly when I felt her weight in my arms. She really helped to relieve the stress.

"Mia, you don't look so good," Jake said, studying her face.

"Jake, you should never tell a girl that!" I told him, laughing slightly before glancing up at Mia.

"I am feeling rather ill," she replied, swaying slightly on her feet. As she began to fall, two arms caught her, holding tightly onto her waist.

Benji picked her up and faced me.

"Where do you want her, Cass?" he asked.

"Wherever there is space. Ask one of the kids who has taken on nursing duties. I'm sure they will fit her in somewhere.

He strolled away, his body slumping only slightly with the weight.

The baby in my arm started to cry, so I held her close, hoping that my heart beat might calm her.

Minutes later I still hadn't managed to calm the baby. Jake looked at me with pity.

Rocking her back and forth made little difference, and murmuring softly to her was no help.

Benji walked back, his hands clasped together as he saw me. He leant in close, making faces at Evie. I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it. But then it started to work, her cries quietening.

I sighed in relief, holding the baby out for him to take. He picked her up, sitting down next to me.

"You really have a way with babies," I told him.

He shrugged before giving me a breath-taking smile. For a moment I felt lost, even forgetting that Jake was sat on the other side of me.

***

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