Pure Sanitation: The Duneworth Collectors

By T.E. Foster

The sky is red. Roots are black. Shrubbery is purple. This is the world now, drowning in a nuclear fallout of chemical changes. Humans are no exception. Those that are mutated, affected by the toxins, are called Tainted. Those with immune systems strong enough to withstand it are called Pure Bloods. Those that want to keep their loved ones safe from the pending danger of the Duneworth Collectors… well, your chances of survival as a Tainted are slim to none. Ava Hardey, a Pure Blood, along with her Tainted best friend, Carey Lorrest, have to fend for themselves and keep out of sight or else be subjected to the mysterious organization that abducts Tainted from their homes and sanctuaries, never to be heard from again. In order to protect each other, they have to keep a low profile. But Ava learns that even the cautious don’t always get lucky. Ava and an unlikely group of Tainted and Pure Bloods band together for the mission of their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781329132801

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Pure Sanitation: The Duneworth Collectors

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© 2014 T.E. Foster. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-312-32721-4

Acknowledgements

There are many people I would like to thank for their part in making this book possible, from my excessive nagging about editing and reviews, to being there for me to bounce ideas off of. There are a few people who have been there with me from the beginning—thank you for being an endless supply of support! I could not have gotten by without your positivity and words of encouragement. Thank you all for always taking the time out of your busy schedules to look over my material to give me your honest to goodness opinions and critiques. To Pen Empire, my favorite creative writing club of Chaffey College, thank you for being apart of my editorial process, I know it wasn’t easy. All of you have been helpful to me in a big way! To all my friends and family, you have always had my back and pushed me forward. You’ve surprised me in the best way, proving time and time again that I can do this; that I was capable; that I wasn’t alone. I am truly grateful!

And one final thank you to the most inspirational person in my life, my mother. I hope that I continue to make her proud in everything I do. She was, and always will be, my biggest fan and motivator.

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CHAPTER 1

Ava did you hear that? I thought I heard something. Carey’s croaky voice startled me awake.

What? No, I said quickly while trying to wake myself up. I blinked in an attempt to let my eyes settle in the darkness.

She made an unintelligible noise and was soon back asleep.

My heart was pounding in my chest as hot fear pumped its way throughout my entire body, jolting me. I took a long, winded breath to wash away the last of my nightmares. I’d fallen asleep on the floor alongside the wall. After rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I glanced around the room. It had grown quite dark, casting black silhouettes of the few articles of furniture that Carey had in her room. A mattress lied on the floor in the corner and I could see the steady rise and fall of Carey’s chest as she, too, was consumed in a slumber that was long overdue. I stifled a yawn as I gathered myself to my feet as quietly as I could manage. One of us had to stay awake, and it was Carey’s turn to sleep.

I cracked open her bedroom door and peered into the hallway. It was almost as dark as Carey’s bedroom, but provided enough light that I could make my way down the hallway toward the living room. Familiar framed pictures hung daintily on the walls, highlighting cherished family memories. There was a large one that sat in the middle of the wall, a family portrait of Carey and her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Lorrest smiled, genuine and knowing, as they stood behind a young five-year-old Carey. She smiled the way most children do, unprepared and plastic like. Her parents had been so proud of that portrait, so proud of their only daughter.

Toward the end of the hallway was another photo, one that I had always been fond of. The very image used to sit in my home as well. Even through the darkness, I could make out the figures and the poses they were holding. There in the photo was our two families back when our parents took us to the Belleview City Fair when we were six-years-old.

Carey stood in front of her parents as I did the same with mine. Our fathers flanked our mothers, who stood side by side in between them. Carey and I had talked our parents into letting us participate in a pie eating contest. The odds of us actually winning were slim to none, but we wanted something to do together. As our parents stood on the sidelines, they cheered and whistled with excitement. When it was over, our mouths were coated with cherry-pie filling. One of the fair photographers happened to be nearby and offered to take our photo. We each took home copies and the pie eating competition became a sort of tradition for the next three years until we were nine-years-old. Until my parents were taken from me.

It has been six years since then, my fifteenth birthday having just passed. The ache that surrounded my heart squeezed, leaving a tightness in my chest at the thought of my lost parents. The turmoil of that time still haunted me to this day. I was young, but the details I’d retained then remained with me still. The photos image began to meld with the background as I sunk back into the memory of the news blaring from the living room. BREAKING NEWS flashed at the bottom of the screen. The news anchor tried to hold his nerve as he delivered the grim information. My parents sat on the couch, captivated.

The anchorman swallowed hard, his forehead beginning to glisten with sweat. "The toxic nuclear fumes from the east have officially crossed into United States airspace, hitting the east coast hard. Although there have been no signs of the need to quarantine, scientists are baffled by the effects the contaminated air has taken with the natural stability of our planet."

The anchor disappeared as footage began to stream. It showed trees with their tips tinged and stained a powdery purple. There was a panoramic shot of the sky, transitioning from its familiar sky blue to a hazy powdery pink. Further in the distance, it turned from pink to a deeper red. Confused at what I was seeing, I turned to look at my mother whose hand now covered her mouth in shock. My father bounced his knee, a typical habit he practiced when deep in thought. They seemed to notice my presence the instant I turned my head. They both moved for me, but my mother was quicker.

It’s past your bedtime, sweetie. Let’s get you to bed, she said as she rushed to me. My father’s attention went back to the television set as soon as my mother spoke, focusing on the images on the screen and the voice that spoke over them.

"There isn’t a way of knowing the rate of how fast these toxic fumes are spreading west, but scientists are—" was all I heard as my mother plucked me from the ground and carried me to my room toward the back of the hall. Her usual cool smile was absent that night, replaced by a poor imitation. She placed me in my bed and proceeded to tuck me in, a naïve me too young to realize the anxiety dancing in the pit of her eyes.

I gave her a deep frown. Mommy, what was the news man talking about?

Taken aback from my curiosity, she smoothed my wild wavy black hair back and said, Just boring grown up stuff, Ava.

My eyebrows furrowed as I remembered the images on the television. But mommy, the sky is blue.

She pulled the blanket up to my chin and rested a hand on my chest, staring, but not seeing. "Well sweetie, the sky is blue."

But the TV, the sky was—

Ava, it’s getting late. You need to go to sleep, she said in a distant voice. She bent and kissed my forehead, smoothing my hair back once more before cracking a slight grin. She walked from my room and left a heavy silence in her wake. And it was like that for three months. My parents didn’t want me near the TV. When I was allowed to watch television, one of them had to be present to monitor what I watched, making sure I wasn’t catching the bazaar information the news had been throwing out about the world and the new changes in it. By the end of those three months, the changes had begun to reach us here in southern California. News of mutation and infection spread. The sky above our heads began to look like the one I’d seen on TV. The tips of tree’s and shrubbery on the east end of Belleview began to spot with that powdery purple. Schools one by one were getting closed down, hoping this slight contamination would pass over or simply go away. When all this first started happening, my school was one of the few that closed down. As these changes continued to take affect, my parents allowed me to leave the house less and less. When they would leave the house, they made it very clear that I was never to come with them. Windows were to remain closed and any space where air could be let in was sealed shut.

One day, my parents had stepped out to go back to the grocery store to stock up. Before leaving, they warned me again not to turn on the television until they had returned. Me being an adolescent, all I wanted to do was watch my cartoons. But when I turned on the TV, I didn’t find cartoons. Instead, I found that familiar looking news anchor.

"Another school has been closed today. Our neighbors at Charmont High School have now been affected by this epidemic, the air reaching phase three; The Day of Red Sky has finally hit them completely. Their plant life has made their color transitions and the Charmont City hospital has released a statement that in the last week alone, thirty-four individuals have checked themselves into the hospital for signs of mutation and sickness; some cases more severe than others. They will not release the names of these individuals, but we will keep them in our thoughts. As this continues to spread, we warn those who have yet to be affected to please take extreme precautions. Wearing a surgical mask and keeping your skin covered up is advised." He went on explaining the proper wardrobe we should wear when exposed to the air outside and reminded viewers of the methods of sealing off your home as a means to minimize the amount of contaminated air that enters your home.

The doorknob twisted and my father appeared as the door swung open. His wide frame froze as he saw me sitting in the middle of the floor before the TV.

Ava, what did we tell you! He dropped the bag of groceries by the door and made his way toward me. My mother stepped into the house and before she could get a word in, a horrible cough took hold of her, racking her chest.

Clareece, are you alright? he said, turning on his heel to go back to her. She nodded, but the cough continued to choke her. The grocery bags fell from her hands and hit the carpet with a loud thud. Her shaky hands went to cover her mouth as she barreled over, her eyes shut tight.

My eyes began to tear up, a frown deepening and pulling at the corners of my mouth. I stood up. Mommy, what’s wrong— I started.

Mommy’s fine, Ava, she just needs to rest. Go to your room, please, my dad said firmly.

I sat there, torn. My father rested a hand on her back, rubbing in small circles between her shoulder blades. Her coughing fit was coming to an end. When she opened her eyes, her left eye was bloodshot red.

A timid footstep brought me closer to them, but my father turned to me again with a pleading glare. "Ava, please go to your room."

An ache in my chest began to pulsate as a sting resonated in the back of my eyeballs. A quiver took hold of my lips as I caught a glimpse of the darkening red sky just before my father closed the door. I turned my back to them and ran off to my room. I slammed my door behind me and lunged face first into the plush pillows on my bed. A chord struck within me, and I became angry, but at the time, I wasn’t sure why. And it was only the beginning.

Ava? a voice whispered from behind.

I pulled myself from my memories and turned around. A sleepy Carey was standing in the opening of the hallway, blinking through the darkness. Are you okay? You’ve been staring at nothing for a while now.

I shook my head. Just thinking, I said. Why are you up?

Carey put her back against the wall and placed the other hand on her forehead. I thought I heard something again. Did you hear anything while you were out here?

I could see the dark lines under her eyes. No, haven’t heard much of anything. You should go back to sleep, we only have a few more hours until dawn.

Are you going to be alright by yourself? She gave a brief pause, looking to the photo of our two families. I can stay up if you need me to.

I walked across the living room to the windows at the front of her house. Slowly inching the curtain to one side, I pulled a blind down to peer out into the street. The moon was waning, shinning through the pasty red mass that tainted the atmosphere, giving the city its maroon tint. The street was empty and the streetlamps were off, casting it in shadows.

I’ll be fine. I’m just going to go take a look outside and do a quick walk around the house.

She sighed. Don’t take too long, okay? We can’t afford—

I know, I interrupted. She stood there for a moment in silence. I could feel her eyes pouring into my back.

If you’re not back in here in five minutes, I’m going out there to get you, she said.

I turned the lock on the door softly and gave the doorknob a twist. Don’t. That won’t be necessary. Go back to sleep, Carey, I said gently before pulling the door open and slipping beyond the threshold before she could protest.

The night air was thick as I took in a deep breath. I removed the house key from my pocket and quickly locked the door. I hurried down the porch steps and approached the gate at the side of the house, carefully twisting the handle before rotating it back to minimize the noise. I followed the cement path all the way to the patio. The grass had long turned yellow and patches of that now common periwinkle was covering a decent amount of the grass. The yard was medium sized, although when we were younger, it seemed so much bigger. There was an old multi-colored swing set in the far right corner of the yard. The bars were spotted with rust and the paint job had faded over the years. Of the two swings hanging from the set, one of the chains had broken loose and rested on the floor. It had seen far better days.

An unexpected coolness gave lift to the goose bumps on my bare arms as a breeze kicked up and pushed the remaining swing, giving it a gentle nudge as it creaked in protest. A thick brick wall divided the house behind us and the houses on the left and right. I hadn’t heard any activity from any of them. A lot of people had either left the city or had found new hiding places. Lying low was our only option. With careful steps, I went to the east side of the house and peered down the pathway. The wind picked up again and I clutched my arms. I could hear the leaves of trees rustling and flapping against the wind, but another sound caught my ears. It had come and gone so quickly, but I heard it. I stopped all movement. The swing set continued to sway and squeak, immediately drawing my eyes. I couldn’t make out what the noise was. I waited a few moments before turning back and taking a few cautious steps across the patio toward the west gate. Another noise sounded coming from the inside of the house. A chill rippled through me and I hesitated for an instant before pushing myself forward to exit the west side of the house.

I looked around to the front, left, and right side of the house. I quickly ran to the steps but paused when something occurred to me. I looked back to the right and saw what appeared to be a small red car parked three houses away. The hair on the back of my neck rose and emptiness found its home in the pit of my chest as I realized that car wasn’t there before. I cut across the porch, key in hand, and froze when I saw the door had been slightly cracked open. With a timid hand, I cautiously pushed the door open. The room had an eerie silence. The open door cast a red glow on the carpet around my silhouette. I stood there waiting for something. A noise. A voice. But silence was all that came back to me. I took one step into the room, careful to keep with the cover of the silence. I then shut the door and took off in a sprint to run down the hall to check on Carey, but something caught hold of me.

A scream escaped my lips as a big hand squeezed and consumed my wrist. It pulled me back toward the doorway and I began to lose my footing.

Muffled screams called from the back of the house. My attention went to the hallway. Carey! I belted, but more muffled screams were her reply. My heart started beating in my throat.

A surge of adrenaline shot through me as I turned on my attacker. I couldn’t make out his features, but his looming figure towered over me. Another hand grasped a hold of my small bicep. With my free hand, I scratched away at his arms and hands, digging deep into his skin. The man gave an angry grunt and yanked me into his chest with me facing away from him and using his arms to restrain me.

Hold still, you little brat! he mumbled into my ear. I threw my weight into him, hoping he would lose his balance. The wall behind us caught him and he used it to put himself upright again. I tried kicking him in his legs, but he didn’t seem fazed by it.

Carey’s muffled screams grew louder. Whoever had her was coming closer.

Fight them, Carey! Fight them! Don’t let— my voice fell short as I saw a man emerge from the hallway first. Like the man who attacked me, he wore all black. I couldn’t make out his features in the dark, but I could see him struggling to hold on to a pair of tied up ankles. As he continued to pull her out, I could finally see all of her and the sight of what was going on encouraged me to buck against the man restraining me. Carey’s mouth was covered with duct tape that wrapped around her entire head. Her arms were tied at the elbow and also at the wrists, where another man appeared, trying his best to hold on to them. The third man was smaller than his accomplices, and he was also decked out in all black but his blonde hair shown in the dark.

Get the door open! the second man said. The man holding me shuffled me around in his arms, trying to keep his hold on me and open the door at the same time. I continued to wiggle and buck against him. He grunted again and used his strength to pin me against the wall. My back hit it with a force that knocked the wind out of me, stars dancing in my vision. The man reached over for the doorknob and gave it the slightest twist before pulling it all the way open.

Carey’s eyes glistened in the new found light that broke into the room. They were wet with fresh tears that streamed from her widened eyes.

Let her go! I screamed and I bucked against the wall again. My attacker grabbed both of my arms and pulled me from the doorway to make sure I was out of their way.

Shut up, he commanded. His hand fell over my mouth to silence me. I screamed against his palm anyway, furiously trying to get Carey to keep fighting against them, but I was beginning to see how hopeless this was turning. Carey was starting to droop and her limbs looked weak from all the effort. Her screams were turning into whimpers and pleas. My heart sank further into my stomach as tears of frustration stained my cheeks. They went out the front door and I could hear them clumping down the wooden porch steps before shuffling against the dried grass.

The man holding me had loosened his grip. I looked up at him from the corner of my eye and could see his focus was on the open door and his accomplices outside. We were standing near the couch and right beside us was a small table with an assortment of thick bodied candles. I didn’t hesitate. I snatched my face from the hand that covered my mouth and bit into the man’s fingers as hard as I could. He gave a yelp before pushing me from him. I pulled the leg of the table, raising it from the ground and the candles immediately hit the floor as I put every ounce of my energy into swinging it up toward him until I felt the end table connect with something. He gave a painful cry and slumped over into the corner of the room. I dropped the table and shot through the open door, jumping over the set of steps before embracing a rough landing. Pin needles rippled from the soles of my feet and up through my legs as I winced from the impact.

I sprang back to my feet and followed after them. I jumped on the back of the smaller man with the blonde hair.

What are you doing? Get off me! he yelled. He dropped Carey’s arms and she made a surprised yip as the top half of her body fell to the grass.

The man dragging Carey by her feet practically growled. Get rid of her. We have to get out of here!

The blonde man struggled with me hanging from him. His hands were trying to pry me off, but I held my grip until I felt someone’s arms wrap around my midsection and then found myself being launched across the lawn. I tumbled to the ground, dazed. The man I’d knocked down back at the house stood over me. I started back pedaling from him as he pursued me.

His hand went to his head and touched his right temple. You think you’re clever, huh? He swung an arm at me, quick to try to get a hold of me, but I kicked his hand away.

You think you’re smart for what you did to me? He lunged for me again, and another scream came from my mouth. This time, I wasn’t swift enough to react. His body covered me, crushing my lower half and pinning me to the ground.

Get off me! I shouted as I frantically tried to fight him, but his strength trumped mine. I twisted and turned and tried to keep myself from sitting idle. I’d elbowed him in the jaw once just before he caught one of my arms, and then the other.

Let’s go, Cameron, I heard one of the men call.

The man on top of me turned his head for only a second before completely restraining me with his massive hands. I’m coming! he yelled in return.

You should have stayed in the yard, Cameron said as he raised a fist and brought it down. The blow connected with my cheek and lightning flashed behind my eyelids, the air in my lungs escaping into open space. He got up and the pressure he used to keep me down released and I took a sharp inhale. I rolled over on my side and folded into the fetal position, the ache in my cheek pulsating in thunderous waves of pain.

An engine roared to life and Cameron’s shadow standing over me disappeared along with the sound of his feet hitting the ground in a jog toward the little red car.

I tried to stand, but only fell back to the prickly grass. No, I whispered, Carey! The car screeched as it peeled away from the curb and headed down the street.

Tears blurred my vision as I tried to stand once again. My body ached and my head felt heavy and drooped as I gradually made it on my feet. Damn it! I shouted as I pounded my fist into the grass. A knot started growing in my throat and the backs of my eyes began to burn. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes and my right cheek was beginning to numb.

They got her. They finally got her, too.

I turned around toward the house and made the long, painful walk back. My heartbeat racked my whole body like a jackhammer. I had to ball my fist to keep my hands from shaking, but that did very little. Soundlessly, I continued to cry, making my way back to the porch and back into the house. There was a ringing in my ears now, piercing through the thick silence. I took in the defiled living room, the little table lying on its side and the candles and other items spilled on the floor. I touched my cheek and winced. I cursed under my breath and choked on a sob.

Painlessly as possible, I headed to the back of the house to Carey’s room as quickly as I could manage. Carey and I had packed a duffle bag in case there was ever a time we needed to get out fast. We put clothes and other necessities in it just in case of emergencies. This was an emergency.

I plucked the bag from the floor, ignoring the soreness of my muscles and limbs. I slung it over my shoulder and left the empty room. I visited the kitchen, and not surprisingly, we didn’t have much. I tossed what would last the longest into my bag. I couldn’t stay here anymore. There was no point. I no longer needed to hide. I sniffled and wiped my tears as they continued to fall. I stood frozen with memories and ties that weighed heavy on my heart. I practically grew up in