The Scream

by Meredith

They were singing so loudly they didn't hear the fireworks, and they also didn't hear the sirens, which would have alerted them that something had gone very, very wrong. Instead, once the singing had stopped, everyone realized just how silent everything else was. It seemed so quiet they could nearly hear it. And then - a scream, a shout so loud and almost inhuman it was difficult to bear. It lasted forever, but only a few seconds had passed when the earsplitting sound was cut off as abruptly as it had come.

The four of them looked searchingly at one another's faces. Cheryl couldn't believe that it was one of them. 

A moment ago they were four jolly friends enjoying their first day of real freedom. 

Now, with only a noise, they had turned on each other.

Each and every one of them knew that someone they trusted was poisoned.

Tommy screamed. Cheryl jumped, as did Sajah and Falcon

Tommy screamed again, curtly, bloodcurdlingly.

Is it him? everyone thought.

Sajah looked at Cheryl, stared at Cheryl. Not in the adoring, comfortable way that he used to; now he looked at her with distrust.

Cheryl's blood went cold. Is it Tommy - or is it - is it me?

Tommy kept screaming as he ran away from them and ran into an old abandoned house and barricaded himself in the house. He ran away from his friends because he was afraid, afraid that the person infected with the poison would infect everyone else. 

But then Tommy woke up and realized all his friends were okay and he was safe.

In the distance, someone screamed.