I stand on the rocky cliff face, my black boots brushing the ground. My shoes are all I have left; everything else was taken from me. Ever since the Virus came. The knives at my waist are tied to my belt. They thump my hips as I walk, and the feel and sound of the weapons hitting me is sickening. Before the Virus, no one had any reason to own a weapon- and now I own five. My two silver daggers, a crowbar, a gun, and a long, spear-like stick for beating prey to death. The Virus changed our world forever. The moment it broke out, the whole earth went into quarrantine. No one was allowed to leave for years. Isolated. My people got the sickness and it killed them, slowly and painfully. Watching my family die was the worst thing that has ever happened to me. But I have a new family now- Isla. She’s a little girl, ten years old. She’s like a sister to me, ever since I found her, a crying two year old huddled in this tiny hut to hide from the rain. She doesn’t remember her family- I expect the virus got them.

We’re going to seek a vaccine, to protect her. Isla’s sick with the Virus. Every time I think about it my eyes burn and my stomach churns. The thought of losing her is just too much. She got it about eight months ago, and it’s getting worse. Way worse. The sickness works slowly, and I don’t know how much time we have left.

The meds cost a lot, as there is only a limited amount in the world. Doctors are working hard to make more, but it takes forever, and that’s where we are at right now. It can’t get any faster. People are just so desperate. Anyway, we’ve been saving ever since she got it. One small pill costs two thousand crowns. But it’s worth it. For Isla, I’d do anything. We’re heading to the Hidden Location, where you buy the medication you need. But we have a secret, and if it’s discovered we won’t be getting any meds at all, even if we offered a million crowns.

Isla’s a Berd. It means she’s not normal. She’s powerful- has abilities that aren’t common. And her blood is silver. Isla can make plants grow as high as she wants- and she can throw fire balls, and waves of light and cause a sunami if she wants. She can manipulate someone to do whatever she wants. Basically, in short, she has every power you can think of, and makes them up as she goes. Once she makes one up, she’s able to actually use it.

But ever since Berds came into excistence they’ve been hated by everyone. They came around the time of the virus breakout, and no one knows what was first- the Berds or the Virus. People think _they _caused it, and now they get hunted. Killed. The punishment for harbouring a Berd is death. If anyone found out….well. None of us would be here.

Isla’s riding on my shoulders, babbling constantly about goodness knows what.

“Once we get the medicine I’ll be cured, and we can make the dream house,” Isla says in a singing tone.

Isla has this fantasy that after she’s ok, she’s going to build us a dream house- her idea of the perfect home, with waterslides and toys and other fun kid stuff. It’s what’s kept her going for all this time- the thought of our future. She drew a diagram of it when she was eight, and she carries it everywhere, even know that it’s ripped and dirty and smeared. She holds onto it forever.

“Yep,” I say, smiling. “It’s gonna be amazing. You’ll be cured and we’ll both be safe and happy.”

“And we’ll have the dream house.”

“Of course.”

“I wonder if the medicine will make me vomit rainbows!” Isla giggles, imagining the effects of the antidote.

“I dunno. I hope not. It’s not supposed to make anyone vomit. It’s supposed to make you better.”

“I know,” she says, “but it’s still fun to imagine.”

“Yeah,” I reply. “Still fun.”

Isla yawns, and then whimpers in pain. “My head hurts,” she screeches. “It hurts!

‘I know,” I whisper. “Oh, Isla, I know.”

“It’s not fair,” she sniffs as we reach the Hidden location. It’s a small cave, covered with rocks and wood to keep people out. I rap on the wood and yell, “Hey! Let us in! We’re buying some meds.”

The door swings open and a young girl, about my age, 17, eyes me suspiciously. Her eyes are blue, and her hair is brown, sun-dipped in a lighter colour at the ends. It’s short and choppy.

“Hello,” I say.

She nods in an answer, and leads us inside. There are lots of people, sorting medicine and cracking tablets and making sure everything is in order. They look like doctors, in big, heavy white coats and surgical scrubs and masks. We pass a little kid sitting on a chair, a green syringe being injected into his arm. He is screaming, the look of utter horror on his face.

Isla sees and gives a little whimper. “I don’t want that to happen to me,” she whispers, clutching my neck hard.

I swallow hard. I can’t promise her anything, so I say nothing.

We go into a little extra room, with blue doctor curtains surrounding a single small bed.

“The money first,” the girl snarls.

I hand her a paper bag, and she eyes it, as if she thinks we’re cheating her.

I can’t resist snapping when I say, “it’s all there. For goodness’ sake, we’re _not_ short.”

“Alright, alright,” she says, glaring at me. “Get on the bed,” she tells Isla. She gets on, looking scared.

She watches the girl bring out a huge golden syringe and screams.

MORE SOON! I HAVE NOT FINISHED YET SOOOO SEE YOU FOR THE NEXT PART OF THEIR ADVENTURE!!