Children of the Plague

She began to rock and wail again. Still, Ralph thought, there was hope. Celeste had said she could develop a cure. Then this transformation had occurred. It sickened him to think of the torture Ruth had put her through. It was no wonder she was withdrawn. Nonetheless, there had to be a way to bring her back.

"Celeste!" Ralph cried.

She started, and glared at him. She reached for the nearest object, a metal rolling chair, and hurled it toward him. It bounced off the window, just inches from Ralph's face. The window vibrated with the intensity of its impact. The chair crashed heavily to the floor inside the tank.

Ralph did not flinch. With his hand still pressed to the clear wall he responded quietly. "Celeste, what happened to you down there?"

"Born!" she screamed. The sound seemed to be torn from her throat.

Ralph froze. They said she couldn't communicate! He glanced at 877 E219. The soldier's eyes were glued to the window.

"Born!" she screamed again. She picked up the chair and began swinging it like a weapon, slamming it against the window repeatedly. "Born, born, born, born!"