As Lisa stepped into the room, Madie picked her diary up off the table next to Tony’s cot. “I’m going to get some sleep. If anything changes with Tony feel free to wake me.”
Thoughts of slumber filled Madie’s head as she walked down the 2A hall toward her room. She walked most of the way with her eyes closed. A miscalculation in distance and position in the hall caused her to stumble into the water fountain.
“Dammit”, she yelled, louder than she intended.
It wasn’t going to be a good day; she could feel it in her bones.
Madie stopped to rub her bruised knee and glanced at the community bulletin board. Evan and JT had finally put up the new flyers for the festival. Although, over the last few years, the community leaders group organized the event, the idea originated with Bear Country years ago. Since then, the festival had grown into a cherished tradition.
If she hadn’t been so tired and worried about her dying friend, she would have been more enthusiastic about the message. This year’s festival will be held in Liberty Park. The invite included everyone in the local area. Everyone loved the festival; it was a reprieve from the madness. As a sign of goodwill, all the local gangs would lay down their weapons. For three days, the fighting would stop, disputes set aside for another day or forgotten all together.
Madie was unaware JT had walked up behind her; she was staring at the flier as happy thoughts of last year’s event filled her head.
“Are you going?” JT said innocently as he reached to tap Madie’s shoulder.
Not hearing the question but the touch of a possible intruder, Madie spun around and threw a punch.
JT ducked and avoided the first hit. The second landed square on his left shoulder, “Hey! It’s me!” he cried out as he deflected yet another blow.
The familiar sounding voice caused Madie to stop flailing her arms in what was quickly becoming an out-of-control windmill. “JT, why the hell are you sneaking up on me?”
“I didn’t sneak! I’m on guard duty.” he waived his flashlight around as proof of his duties. “I noticed you were staring at the poster and stopped to see if you were going.”
Madie felt foolish and a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry”, she said apologetically. “I hope I haven’t given you a bruise.”
JT snapped his flashlight onto his belt. “It’s Ok, I’ll be fine, don’t worry about it.”
I really, really am sorry,” Madie said as she turned around to look at the flier again. “I love festival, don’t you?”
“Yeah!” JT replied as he glanced at his watch and suddenly realized he needed to be somewhere else. “Madie, I gotta go, I was supposed to meet Evan in the security office like five minutes ago.”
“No problem, I’ll see you later…and JT don’t sneak up on anyone else.”
Madie walked the remaining few steps to her room and fell onto her awaiting bed for a couple of hours of sleep. It was almost morning if she were going to get some sleep, she would have to do it fast.