Day 1: The Field Trip

"Okay c'mon kids! Listen to either Ms. Frank or I. Stay in the group and don't run off." I said as I went to the back of the school bus to make sure we had everybody. "Alright everybody remember, we are here to make sick people feel better. So behave yourselves. Quentin, Are you allowed to do that at home?" Katie said to her son as all the other kids giggled. The bus driver then proceeded to let the kids off. Katie and I stayed back to make sure everyone got off. "Katie" I said as we both stepped off the bus together, the kids running in front of us. "Do you know how long we are going to be here? No one told me." Katie slowed down to the same pace as me. "About an hour. Then the bus ride to the other school would be twenty minutes." I smiled and thanked her while noticing all the kids running up to a man carrying a box. "Guys!" Katie said as we walked over.Katie ran up to the kids while I stayed behind a little. When I eventually got closer I heard her say to leave the rats alone. I walked up to the man holding the box and I saw that in it were probably six or more white lab rats. "Iris could you lead the kids inside?" Katie asked as the kids looked up at me. "Of course, Follow me guys." I said as I lead all of them inside. A few minutes later Katie walked in and lead the kids to where they would be performing. I wandered behind a little and took in all my surroundings. I didn't mind hospitals, people here try their best to help their patients. They tried their best with my aunt but it didn't work out.

I went to where the kids would be performing and saw that patients were already settling in. I went around to a few and talked to them. "Hello." I said to an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. "Well hello dear." She replied happily. Her hazel eyes were shinning bright with joy. "Are these your kids?"I smiled but shook my head. "No. I'm a student teacher. Although I wish they were mine." She smiled and I noticed she had curly pixie cut grey hair and a spring outfit on. "Well someday soon then. My name is Claire." Claire held out a small wrinkled hand, I gladly accepted it. "Iris Lithe." I replied."Did you know your last name means graceful?" I smiled and shook my head. "No, really? No wonder I always loved ballet." Claire laughed and I saw the students going onto the stage. "I'll be right back, it was really nice meeting you." I said to Claire and got up. "You too dear." I heard her say in her joyous voice. I walked to the front of the stage and stood in front of the kids. "You guys will do amazing. Ms.Frank and I will be in the back watching. Remember, exactly how we practiced. Good luck!" I said to the kids and walked to the back of the room, making sure to wave at Claire.

After the performance I went up onto the stage and looked out onto the crowd. "Thank you so much for having us perform for all of you. It has been wonderful." I walked off the stage as the patients clapped and started to leave. I ran up to Claire before she walked away. "It was nice meeting you Claire, maybe I'll see you next time." She smiled at me and nodded. "That would be wonderful." I said goodbye to her and walked back to where Katie gathering up the kids. "You guys did such a great job!" I said as I walked up next to Katie, everyone smiled "We couldn't have done it without you. Everyone say thank you to Miss Lithe for helping out." Katie said then looked at her watch. The kids said thank you in unison which made me chuckle a bit. "Your all welcome. Now I think it's time we head back."-A chorus of 'awes' broke out-" but we would probably get the chance to do this again." The kids started cheering again."Okay kids lets get onto the bus." Katie said as we walked outside. I got on last to make sure everyone was on."12,13,14 okay everyone is on." Katie said to me. I nodded and took a seat in the front. I then heard someone sneeze, it was Britney. "Here" Our bus driver said as he handed Katie a small bag of tissues. "Hey! Stop!" I heard coming outside of the bus. I looked at my watch crap, we're late. "Stop! Stop!" There was banging on the door as the bus driver started the bus. He opened the door and a middle aged Doctor ran onto the bus. "Excuse me but I'm gonna have to ask you to come back in." The doctor said panting a little."But, we're already late." I said looking around confused. "I know, but I can't let you go. Please, we'll explain everything once everyone gets back inside." I looked at Katie with worry and she shook her head a little."You heard the doctor, looks like our field trip has just been extended." She said looking at all the kids. "Everyone off." I stood up behind Britney. "Hold on a minute Britney." Said our bus driver, he held up his arm and was looking at the doctor with worry. "You too sir." The doctor said, They both got off. Right as I stepped off I heard Quentin. "Mom." "It's okay Quentin." I looked behind to see her out her hands on Quentin's shoulders."It's better if you don't touch... While you move inside you need to be kept 4-6 feet apart." Katie, Quentin, and the rest of the students piled out of the bus and we all walked inside.

"Ya, a potential exposure that's all they said. Britney had the sniffles..." Katie said in the phone. Right now the doctors placed us in a room that we were gonna stay in for a few hours. I was currently texting my older sister Hannah. Technically step sister but we act as if we have the same parents.

The doctors said its a potential exposure. I'm in a room with Katie, the kids, and a few other people. It's only for a few hours. ~I

A few hours? It's to long, I'm worried for you. Mom and dad know, I just told them. Please continue to update me as much as possible! ~H

Don't worry, I'll do exactly as they say. Everything's going to be fine. I gotta go, love you. Bye ~I

I hope so. Love you, see you soon. ~H

I set my phone down on a small table next to me and looked around. Katie was gone, probably outside talking on the phone. I also noticed Quentin was gone. One small child who was supposed to listen. I got up and went outside of the room. I looked down both hallways but I only saw Katie with her back facing me as she was on the phone. "Katie! Quentin's not inside. Do you know where he is?" Katie ended the call and turned around panicked. "What? I thought you were watching. Nevermind, let me check really quick." She went inside the room while I waited outside in the bright hallway. She ran back out and started walking down the opposite hallway "He's not the only one gone, Thomas is too. They probably went to go find the rats." I ran down a few hallways with her until we burst into another one."Hey, your not supposed to be here." Said a middle aged Asian doctor with a British accent. "I'm sorry, we're looking for her son and his friend." I said noticing a very attractive looking young officer."We think they may have gone to find the rats in the...research lab.." Katie paused and looked horrified for a second. I looked at what she was looking at, through a window I saw a man, a very sick man leaning against the window. He was coughing up blood and the whites of his eyes were turning a yellowish green color."I'll help them." Said the very attractive officer. The doctor looked annoyed for a second. He sighed and told us 4-6 feet.The attractive officer turned on his heels and banged his fist on something before walking away. "It's not a good time to lose your son." He said. Attitude much? Katie and I grabbed some gloves and masks from the dispenser that the officer banged on and we proceeded to follow him.

"W-where the hell are we?" Katie asked as we walked into a dimly lit room. It was kinda scary I had to admit. "That guy back there... Is it bad?" I asked kind of stating the obvious."We have 14 kids in here, we should know if it's bad." Katie said trying to get the man to talk."4-6 feet." Was all he said, I rolled my eyes at how rude he was being. "My son Quentin, I didn't just let him run off. He was obsessed with the rats. I was talking to parents." Katie said."I was talking to my sister." I said right before a man walked out of a door. "Um excuse me, we need to get in there." I said in hopes of the man letting us go through. "It's restricted." The man said as the door shut behind him with a soft click."A couple of kids, they would've been heading to the research labs." The snarky officer said to the man."Can we just take a look?" I said trying to sound as polite as possible. "I can't let you in." The man said sternly to all of us. Well that didn't work."Please I just need to look!" Katie said taking a few steps closer to the man. She looked sad and afraid."Hey 4-6 feet!" The man said sticking his arm out and backing away from Katie. "We were just in the same hallway as the infected man. Better not get to close." Katie replied smartly. Dang, I've never seen her act like that. "Hey hey hey! Your a cop man!" The man said as he looked from Katie to the officer."What do you want me to do? Shoot them?" The officer replied. I held back a chuckle as the man got a bit angry. "Here." He said taking off his ID and tossing it into Katie's hands. "I ain't dying for this job." The man then took off. Katie then walked up to the scanner and pressed the ID up to it.The red light turned green and she opened the door. "Your both a piece of work." The officer said. I turned around and looked him in the eyes."4-6 feet please." I smart mouthed him then turned and walked in behind Katie. We walked into anther hallway. This time it was a little brighter then the room we were just at but still as creepy. I walked forward then noticed another window. I looked inside only to fine two bodies laying on a metal table. They looked like the man that we saw earlier... But dead.I peered in closer to get a good look but all of a sudden a man in a yellow suit and white mask appeared in front of the two bodies. I gasped and jumped back in shock, only to hit something hard. I turned my head and looked up at the officer. He just stared back at me with a slightly irritated expression. I noticed that Katie had bumped into the wall and was holding a hand to her chest. She wasn't expecting that either. "Here, go go go!" The officer whisper yelled to both of us before the man in the suit turned around. We all passed the window quickly before the man turned around to look and see what the noise was.

We walked down another hallway only to hear giggling. We walked towards the sound to find the kids with the man from earlier. "Quentin! What did I say about sticking close?" Katie said sternly as she walked towards her now afraid son. "We're sorry for the bother." I said to the man as I also walked closer. Mr. Handsome But Cocky stayed behind and looked down."No bother, you have a nice boy." The man said looking at Katie then started walking past us. "C'mon kids, let's get you out of here." The kids started walking but just before Quentin left he turned to me. "That's a freaky mask Miss Lithe." I chuckled a little but stopped as I looked at Katie who looked kid of upset. We both lowered our masks and walked out of the room. Sighing Katie looked at the officer and I . "Don't ever have kids." She looked at the officer "But if you do, in that case sorry." The officer smiled but then got serious. "You seem kinda young to have an 11 year old." He looked at her with curiosity. I walked over to Katie, a sympathetic look in my eyes. "Well life is full of surprises."He nodded. "Yeah..." Katie took a step forward towards him."Well I'm Katie." She extended her land out to him."Jake" The officer said doing the same. A second later we all started laughing, good thing they remembered the rule.Once we all stopped he looked at me with curiosity. "And what's your name?""My names Iris." I said waving a bit. Jake smiled and waved back. I couldn't help but notice he looks cute when he smiles. A second later Katie's phone rang. She looked at it and got annoyed, I was able to glance at it and see that it was Grace. Katie pressed the hang up button and put her phone back in her pocket. "Your mother?" Jake said. "Something like that." I said adding a small hint of sarcasm. Since I started being a student teacher I've learned a lot about Katie and we've become really good friends."I uh, share custody with his dad's parents... Tonight's their night." Katie said as I rolled my eyes and groaned a bit."Your under lockdown." Jake said confused as to why they would be calling."That'll stop them." I said very sarcastically. Those people don't even listen to her!"Yeah, I thought it would." Jake said to me causing Katie to chuckle."They live in fear that something would go wrong on my watch, I live in fear of them being right." Katie said a hint of sadness in her voice. Jake nodded understandingly. I was about to say something when a doctor turned a corner into this hallway. "Hey, what are you doing down here?" The doctor said and I noticed it was the cute doctor that ran onto the bus before we were about to leave. "My son Quentin, he came down here." Katie said turning to see the doctor walking toward us. "The hospital is officially on lockdown." The doctor said as he was looking directly at Katie."Aren't we already on lockdown?" I ask confused. They said it wouldn't be lifted for a few hours, what now?"We won't be leaving for 48 hours." The doctor said looking my way. I pushed a hand through my black hair as sighed. This can't be happening, not now. "48 hours?" Katie said looking worried. "You've got to be kidding me." Jake said sighing and turning to look away from the doctor."Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, this is a unique system, we just got to trust we're in the right hands." He said sternly looking from me, to Katie, to Jake. "If we trust the system and follow the rules then everything will be fi-" the doctor didn't finish his sentence because he sneezed right into his arm.Katie and I gasped and stepped back putting our masks back over our mouths. "Hey hey hey," Jake said putting on his protector and stepping in front of Katie and I with his arm raised. "Step back. Katie, Iris, go get the other doctor, Cannerts. NOW!" Jake said. I looked at the other doctor with sympathy. The doctor looked so worried right now, knowing he was going to die. "SIR GET BACK! GET BACK." Jake shouted as Katie and I both ran to find the Dr. Cannerts.

Katie and I raced down the halls toward Dr. Cannerts office, careful not to touch anyone or hurt ourselves. Katie ran into the office first to tell him about the other doctor. Five seconds later Dr. Cannerts ran out with a mask pulled up to protect himself. "Where?" Is all he said before I pointed the direction and we all took off.When we got there I heard Jake yelling and I noticed he was holding his phone. I wondered who was on the other line but quickly shrugged it off as I saw the other doctor sitting down with his head buried in his hands. Jake hung up the phone and put it in his pocket as Katie and I stared at him. He then unexpectedly turned around and punched something-causing it to fall off the wall and onto the floor- and turned around the corner.

"1,2,3" switch "1,2,3" switch one of the girls kept saying. I didn't know who it was, I couldn't focus. 48 hours... It shouldn't be that bad. Hannah, mom, Luke... They're gonna be fine. I'll be fine in here. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to talk to Hannah, she is my best friend, I can't go too long without talking to her. Picking up my phone, I dial her number and wait. One ring, two rings, three ri- "Iris Oh My God!" Hannah said once she answered the phone. "I'm watching the news right now, how are you? What's going on? Are you safe?" I laughed a little happy to hear her voice. "I'm fine, don't worry! This man was infected, he's at the hospital. Yes, I'm perfectly safe, I'm in the room with all the kids, Katie, and a few other people." "I'm so glad! Mom looks like she's about to have a heart attack, so does dad." I pictured my black haired mother pacing around the house chewing off her nails while my dirty blond stepdad-Luke-sits on his chair, eyes glued to the TV. Lastly I pictured my light brunette stepsister sitting on the couch, eyes also glued to the TV, her knees up to her chest as she talks to me on the phone with one hand and bites her nails with the other."Tell them I'm fine and that I love them." I said looking out the window. In the distance I saw a line of flashing red and blue lights, I also saw hundreds of figures on opposite sides of something-a fence-I turned around and walked to my bed that was next to Katie's. Jake walked in the room and took his gear off. "And know that I love you. I promise I'll be safe" "You better, I love you too." Hannah said before I hung up. I sat down on the bed and looked at Katie sighing. She gave me a hopeful look before glancing at Jake. I looked at him and saw that he looked very stressed and very tired. I gave him a small smile before getting ready for bed.

We can get through this.