Day 3: The Sickness & a New World Adventure

Pastor Johnson said the sickness was avoidable. He told me that after Mom passed. He said the people of the Old World were fat and lazy, couldn't take their eyes off of their phones and computers for five seconds. On the island, we don't have fat people. We don't have big people, unless they're pregnant, which is seldom. And no technology, really. All we have is what our government controls and that isn't much. But apparently the people of the Old World had a lot; phones that can write what you say, touch-screen computers, games without controllers. I'm not sure why people had a need for those things but it kept them pretty busy. So busy they didn't noticed their kids playing with the sick or the dead in the street, so busy they didn't notice the signs the Old World government told them to look for with the sickness, so busy they didn't notice they were dying.

Once the sun was up, the Old World became more intimidating. In the dark you couldn't see the streets upon streets upon streets. How did people navigate this place?! I'm so use to being on the island where everything is just....there. But here, the Old World is open. Finding Wal-Mart was easy for Pastor Johnson, I guess because he's been here before. If I had to walk through by myself, however, I most definitely would have gotten lost. Turns out Wal-Mart was a pretty useful place, back then and now. They had some canned food, not much, though.
    "This is canned fruit." Pastor Johnson showed me. The can was yellow and orange with brightly colored fruit in a syrup-y looking juice. A hand reached between us and jerked the can out of Pastor Johnson's hand. It was Marco, a widower who lived across from Mandy and me, and he popped open the can before either of us could say anything.
    "Oh wow...that's sweet." Marco gasped for air, passing the can of fruit to me. "Here, try it." He wiped his mouth. I looked to Pastor Johnson for some notion of anger. He laughed and nodded for me to go ahead. I pressed the cold can against my lips and let the chill fruit slide down my throat. It was tender to the bite but still had the firmness of a freshly picked...what was that? It was soft, kind of tangy.
    "It's a peach." Marco said, watching my eyes investigate the outside of the can for some answer as to what this amazing new discovery was. He smiled, a side ways, dimpled smile as I handed the can to Pastor Johnson.
    "No. You keep it. It's your first can of food from the Old World, enjoy it!" Pastor Johnson insisted. I squealed with joy but quickly silenced myself at the sight of Ol' Miss Angie sitting on the floor, holding her stomach.
    "Miss Angie..." I said loudly, handing her the fruit can. "Look what we found! Here, eat some." She didn't hesitate. I knew the hunger pains she was having, feels like someone is in your stomach, raking at your insides. It looked like it helped her a little, I hope so anyway. She has a handicapped daughter at home and if  Miss Angie doesn't return, who'll feed her? Who'll watch after her?

What's going to happen if I don't return? Will there be someone to take care of Mandy?
-Jemma