From Beyond The Grave

"Yes, I'll tell him," Erik sets the phone down, his eyes flicker to me.

I clear my throat. I been sleeping in, it's like one in the afternoon now. My shift at the market isn't until three. I scratch my head opening up the refrigerator for something to eat. All I can find is left over noodles. I groan.

"Your boss called." Erik spoke up. "He says the store is closed down, there is a serious outbreak of food poisoning. He thinks it's the new shipment of meat that came in."

Well, that was some bad news. I heard there was a outbreak, but we got that shipment of meat after it started. Whatever, it means I get to have a free day. I take my shower and I get dressed for the day. When I come out of my room, Erik is sitting at the table finishing up a mask. I look out the window that shows Jada's house.

"Hey, will you be okay if I go visit, Jada?" I ask Erik. He nods, waving me away.

As I walk the street a elderly man is running at me. I step over so Crazy Nuts could pass. The man took my shirt in his hands, and pulled me to him. "The end is near! WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE!" I just look at him, what a nut job. He lets me go and continues his rant. That is something you don't see everyday.

I count the doors as I pass them. Just to be sure it's the right apartment for Jada. It was like she was waiting for me, when I knocked it shot right open.

"FINALLY!" I burrow my eyebrows. Did I miss something? "Everyone ditched me," Jada sat down crossing her arms. She pats the spot next to her. Obediently I sit. "So, you don't have work today?"

I shake my head. "Apparently there is a epidemic of food poisoning. My boss thinks it's the meat's fault."

Jada pause, she just stares at the wall. "Where do you work again?"

"McGarlend's Meat Market. It can't be the meat, we got that shipment before the first food poisoning," I tell her.

I watched as her face turned white and her expression changed. She realized something. "It's not the meat, it's the fish."

"What?" I question.

"IT'S THE GODDAMN FISH!" Jada screams, but it's not directed towards me. I stand up, giving her space. It was like she was going to bite someone's head off. Jada spins around and grabs me. I just stand there, unsure what to do. "It's the fish," she whispers to me.

"It's the fish that is making people sick?"

Jada starts to shake me. "YES! See my boss got sick, and all he eats is fish. He's on one of those fad diets. Well anyway, the fish come from our waters! My friends were playing with that weird object thingy that washed up on shore, and they got sick too!" Jada pauses again. "It's that container, that';s the reason! They pushed that thing back into the water, when it was oozing out this crap. It has to be it!"

I stare at her in amazement. All the fishermen that was around that thing is now sick. It must have contaminated the water...

"What about that water?!" I just took a shower, oh shit!

Jada shook her head. "Our waters are polluted, we don't use the water that is out there for our island. Plus if we did use that water, it goes through so many filters it's impossible. Everyone would be sick too." Wow, that actually made sense. It had to be that weird object.

"I get it now. You have to tell someone. So no more people will get sick." Before Jada could react the door slams open.

It was her sister.

Jasmine growled under be breath when she saw me, but she ran to her sister. "We have to leave, now."

"Why?" Jasmine grips her hair at Jada's question. A man, twice my size runs through the door. I gulp, he could easily break me in half if he wants.

"Murray's mom died, but then she got off the bed and attacked him." Jasmine explains, I look back at supposedly Murray. He had blood spatter across his white shirt. Shit. "Murray had to shoot her, she was trying to bite him." I look up at him.

Murray gave me a glare. "That wasn't my mom anymore. It was something else," he said quietly. I look down, feeling guilty for judging him like that. "We really need to leave, Jada. Where is your mom?"

"Down the street." Jada is in a state of shock, she just stands there. She wasn't reacting at all. I push through her sister and Murray and snap my fingers. "What?" she asks, in a daze.

I take her face, feeling her sister clench down on my arm. "We need to tell someone what you know. That object could be the reason for everything. We have to spread the word." Jada looks right at me and nods her head. "Come on, we'll take your van."

Jasmine stops me. "You will not go anywhere with her." Jada pushes her, and drags me along.

"He is coming with me. Go find Mom, we will be right back." Jada pulls me out the door.