Quarantined in Chaos (Nova Nocte) Read Free

only a little older than me and he's being searching this area for months by himself. I've been through plenty, I can handle it.”
                  I stretched my back and neck. Several pops rewarded me, but the tension remained in my stomach.
                  “The answer is no, Jordy. You can't go until you're older. I know you've been through a lot...”
                  “Would've been less if you hadn't let that creepy freak live with us.”
                  Everyone looked away and excused themselves while I tried to remember how to talk.
                  “I know. I wish I'd killed Yogi before he'd touched you. I'm sorry about that; you'll never know how sorry I am for not keeping him away from you. But that doesn't mean I can let you go into a dangerous situation before I'm sure you are ready.”
                  The thirteen-year-old crossed his arms and glared.
                  “I'm ready. Let me prove it, let me go on this raid.”
                  The vein in my forehead felt like it was about to pop. I rubbed it and forced myself to breathe slowly through my nose.
                  Keep control of yourself. Just breathe and remain calm. Find a solution, not a problem.
                  “I'll make you a deal, Jordy.”
                  Suddenly there were eyes all around. The boy dropped his arms and leaned forward on his chair.
                  “You start training with the adults today and we'll see how you're doing in a month or two. Not just combat training, either. You have to learn all of the survival stuff we need to know in case you get separated and have to fend for yourself: first aid, hunting, fighting, building, traps, fishing, edible plants, and etcetera. You learn all of that and do adult shares of chores until then, and I'll consider it. Deal?”
                  His hand rocketed out to shake mine.
                  “Yes ma'am. I'll start right away.”
                  Half a dozen voices bounced from all directions.
                  “Squirrel you can't be serious?”
                  “Jordy's just a kid.
                  “Are you crazy, he'll get killed on a raid?”
                  I held my palms up to squash the torrent of doubt.
                  “He's got a right to learn this stuff. If the kid can pull an adult's share of weight around here and learn to protect himself and others, then there's no reason not to let him be treated like an adult. This doesn't extend to donating, of course, but none of us are his parent. At best the community is his guardian and I say we start teaching Jordy how to be self-sufficient now. All of the kids will eventually have to learn anyhow. The matter's closed until it's been a month.”
                  Jordy spent the evening learning basic first aid from the Nurse. No one spoke to me for the rest of the night except for Edith – she wanted to know if Cal would like to share a shower with her.

C HAPTER 3 NOVEMBER 27TH - YEAR 2
                  Word spread about Jordy's new arrangement; I added myself to the raid team just to get away from the group. I woke up to worried or angry adults and Michael asking to train as well. Michael was easier to deal with. It only took ten minutes to convince him that he already has a grown up job helping look after Bobbi and Ellen. I threw in letting him learn first aid for good measure. The other adults aren't as understanding.
                  After hiking up to the Hedburgs, I was greeted by a hormonal Sunny rant and a cold shoulder from Troy. Bubba sat next to me at breakfast and patted my back.
                  “They'll git over it quick enough. Boy gonna need to know this sorta stuff if he's ever gonna grow to be a man; may as well start