Playing With Death - Part 21: The R.Y.S.

Jeremiah led Cody, Trevor, and Jordan through the woods. They had already been travelling for a good solid hour. Eventually, they came to a small clearing, where Jeremiah had set up a small camp. He gathered a few water bottles and his backpack. "So," he said, as they continued on, "it's called the R.Y.S. which stands for Refuge for Young Survivors. The whole place is locked up like a space shuttle. Filtered air is the only thing that's breathed in. It allows for the children to go about life, and never get infected. Like I said, we're hoping that pure, uninfected blood, can help us find a cure. An immunity if you will, to the virus."

Jordan. "That makes sense,"

"As long as it's all what you say it is..." Trevor added.

"You will see soon enough, that I'm telling the truth. It's just over the next hill."

As they reached the top of the hill, Cody recognized where he was... he had been here before, and named the area 'Lightening Fork Path', because the trail forked and wound around large transformers. But now, in place of some of those towers, was a large, simply squared, building. No windows, no holes, nothing. Only large, blue letters, spray painted on the side, saying 'R.Y.S.' "It doesn't look like much," Jeremiah said. "But looks weren't really what they were going for."

They made their way down the hill and approached the refuge. A large, metal door was visible on the opposite end. Jeremiah banged on it. A small slit in the door slid open, revealing a set of eyes behind glass. It opened, and a tall, lean man greeted them with an AK-47. "Jerry, who are they?" he said.

Jeremiah gestured to Cody and the rest. "It's cool, Terry, they just wanted to make sure I was telling the truth about this place. They have kids."

Terry nodded. "Okay, this way." He led them down a long hallway, and into what looked like some form of a control room. The wall directly to the right upon entering the room was made of thick glass.

"As you can see," Jeremiah said, gesturing to the glass wall, "the children are watched and observed by men and women in hazmat suits, so as to not potentially spread disease. We also have people teaching basic education. This is to ensure that the children are educated and well underway for when and if this whole mess of un-dead freaks ends."

Cody peered through the glass. On the other side was a room with about 25 children, all of which were scattered about the floor, playing with toys, reading books, or just laying down. "And they're fine? Like, they don't mind being caged up?"

"Well..." Terry said slowly, "I mean, they don't really wanna go outside where all the walkers are..."

Trevor nodded. "Fair point."

Jordan spoke up. "How does the process of getting their blood work?"

Jeremiah waved his hand toward the door on the opposite end of the room. "Follow me." The group complied, and they continued to follow him through more doors and hallways, till they came to a solid, metal door. "Behind this door is where it happens. We sit them down, take some blood, and send the kid right back to his quarters." He grabbed two hazmat suits. "Here," he said, giving one to Cody. "The doctor is about to do one right now actually."

Cody put the suit on, and Jeremiah opened the door. As soon as the door closed behind them, steam filled the room.

"That's the air being purified." Jeremiah explained.

Inside the room, the doctor, also in a hazmat suit, was sterilizing the syringe and making sure everything was ready. He then walked to a different door, which opened up to the sleeping quarters. "Hey, Jackson, it's time to take some blood."

"Whaaaaat?" the child whined. "I thought Kayli was going next..."

"Come on."

Jackson sighed and entered the room. The doctor stepped him through what was going to happen, and went through the whole process of sticking the I.V. in the child's arm. After they finished, Jackson was ordered to have bed rest for the next hour or so. Jackson slowly complied.

After exiting the medical room, Cody nodded to Trevor and Jordan. "Everything looks really good. Kid's got a good attitude about all this, and the process of blood taking is professional and safe."

A few minutes later, they all were standing right outside the building.

"So." Trevor piped. "What do you think Cody?"

Cody bit his bottom lip. He glanced at Jeremiah, then at the R.Y.S. then back to Trev. "I think..." Cody stopped, and gave a long sigh. "I think I should do it."

Jordan nodded. "Alright then. Let'd go grab the kiddos."

Jeremiah put a hand on Cody's shoulder. "Trust me, they'll be in good hands till this is all over."

Cody nodded, and thought to himself. You had better be right, Jeremiah. You had better be right.