The making of a natural born leader
"Alright, give us the ball back and we promise you can have it in he next break time"
It was a reasonable proposition. At least in her mind and ever one to speak her mind and be reasonable, she was doing what she did best. As always there was always a moment of surprise in her head when other people didn't think so. The boy kept his hands firmly wrapped around the ball and refused to pass it over.
"Come on Tommy, you promised us we could have it through this playtime" she protested. Boys could really be very irritating and obnoxious when they wanted to be. "Look give us it now and we'll let you have it tomorrow morning break as well as this afternoons"
She was beginning to lose patience and the other girls were getting impatient also. She didn't like to lose her temper, if a quiet compromise could be found, she was always determined to find it. Tommy seemed to be weakening as she spoke, hands on hips, shoulders back, head held high, unafraid. Tommy Becker had a habit of getting physical when he wanted to be. It wasn't the first time she'd had to stand up against him when it came to sharing things throughout school break times.
"This afternoon, tomorrow morning and lunchtime breaks"
"No fair, it's the only decent ball," piped up a voice behind
"Fine" she smiled ignoring the voice behind her, feeling a little jubilant at her negotiation. Ok it could have gone better but she'd succeeded in her goal. There were plenty of other activities to do the rest of the day and the next day. It was the principal of the thing.
Inside her teacher watched with a smile and shook her head in usual disbelief at the affair. Here on the school campus, the politics of seven-year-olds were always fascinating to watch, especially when Amber Thompson was involved.
"Hey Amber, you busy after school?"
Amber paused dragging books from her locker and peered round the side of the open locker door to see Dal leaning beside it, skates hung about his neck.
"Sorry Dal, can't go to the Skate Park tonight. My dad isn't doing too good," she said quietly
"Yours either?" mumbled Dal
Both their mothers had fallen victim to the virus already and after a time now there fathers had both become susceptible to the plague which was wiping out what seemed like the entire world.
Amber closed her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder, skates hanging by their laces in her hand. The halls were starting to become less crowded and fewer kids turned up for school. Teachers were now scarce and more and more kids were being taken off to various camps, as parents became too weak to care for them. Eventually there would be no one at the camps to care for him or her either. She and Dal were of the few whose families hadn't sent them away citing that the few last days they had, they would spend them together.
"Actually I was just wondering if I could walk home with you, don't feel much like going to the Skate Park these days"
"Sure of course" nodded Amber.
They left the school campus together, with a few other kids who still turned up. Amber wondered why she bothered going herself, but it got her out of the house, which was slowly turning into one of death. Dal was in the year below her school wise, but they'd been neighbours for years and his father had become her family's doctor. Although in the recent months, he'd been unable to help them, after eventually falling victim to the virus himself.
They walked silently for a few streets; the buses no longer ran, as there wasn't anybody to drive them. Most of the roads and streets were now empty and desolate and if it was lonely here, in the cities outer limits, Amber often thought about how lonely and desolate the city must feel. She had not ventured near it for months. Most of the time they got around on their skates now, to the various set up points around which provided food and medication for the surrounding areas. The faces they now saw on the streets were all kids her own age or younger. Few over seventeen or eighteen appeared, and she found it strange and ominous that eventually she'd be one of the oldest people to populate the planet. It wasn't the type of thought she pondered on for long.
"Amber," Dal paused, but Amber stayed silent. Dal liked his short silences, and she knew he was setting himself up to ask a question about the future. That's all he talked about mostly these days, preferring not to reflect on the past or the situation of the present "When it's all over, we're going to stick with each other right?"
"Course Dal, you know we are. We've already talked about this haven't we?"
"Yeah I know, I just...I was thinking...I want to head for the country"
"The country?" asked Amber as they turned along another desolate road
"Yeah, I want to get away from all this. Start out somewhere new, a fresh new start. I was thinking maybe I could start a farm up...somehow"
"Somewhere new sounds pretty good at the moment Dal" sighed Amber "The country it is then"
"Really, I mean, you'll go to the country with me?"
"Well of course, we promised to stick together right?"
"Yeah"
"Right now though, these next few weeks or however long I have with my dad, I'm going to make them as memorable and comfortable as I can. I won't be at school tommorow Dal. It's time to stop avoiding the inevitable, I have to stay home and look after him. I want to remember some of the past with him, the happier times. I think you should do the same"
"So this is our last day of school?"
"Guess so"
"Guess I shouldn't have left my spare wheels in my locker then"
Amber smiled weakly as Dal gave a small smile of his own. They continued on in silence until they reached Amber's house.
"I guess I'll see you later then" shrugged Dal as Amber started up her drive "Say hi to your dad for me"
"Yeah, I will thanks Dal, say hi to yours for me too" replied Amber "And keep in touch ok, phones are still working for now"
"Sure, bye"
"Bye"
It was two weeks before her father took a turn for the worst. Amber shared memories of past vacations, parties, family moments as she watched him slip away, haggard and weak. She sat by his bedside into the early hours of a bright warm morning.
"Amber?" he said weakly, his voice barely a whisper
"Yes, I'm here dad" she leaned down over him and spoke gently.
"Amber my girl, my beautiful girl" his voice cracked through weakness and emotion. Amber swallowed back the lump in her throat "Amber, there's something I want you to have"
Glancing down she noticed his fingers gently move on his chest to reveal a ring which he'd been holding on for the past few days. She took it into her hand and pressed her palm to his.
"Your mother gave it to me, and I want you to have it"
"Of course dad, of course" Amber blinked back tears as she watched her father eyes smile up at her despite his weak form.
"My beautiful child, how I wish I could see you grow up into the woman I know your going to be. Strong, determined, caring and carrying such a large open heart on her sleeve"
Amber smiled and wiped a runaway tear from her cheek as he spoke.
"Ssh dad, you'll make me blush" she said softly but her father didn't seem to hear her
"Such a strong independent young woman, promise me you'll never change" his voice was growing weaker and quieter as he spoke
"I promise dad, I promise"
"Never become anything other than what and who your are"
"Ssh dad ssh"
Amber pressed a kiss to his forehead as he mumbled words to her
"I love you Amber, you and your mother were my world. Never forget how much we loved you"
"I know dad, I know"
Amber voice cracked as he started to drift away, eyes staring into some distant void
"We love you so much, you've made us so proud"
"I love you too dad, love you both so much"
Within six months, there was no one left but feral kids roaming the streets. For a time she and Dal spent their days gathering belongings and planning the future, as changes came and kids formed 'tribes'. Amber harkened it back to the beginning of time, when tribes roamed the earth and eventually evolved to the world they now lived in. Well now they were the population of the earth, and things seemed to have come full circle. And with full circle came new dangers and new rules to live by. Survival had become the new way of life.
And so she and Dal set their plan into action. Nine months after they had buried their fathers and could stand the abandoned streets no longer, nor the danger of the gangs and tries which roamed the outer limits, they put Dal's plan to action. They would travel through the city to the country and make a new life for themselves.