Plague Town Read Online Free PDF Page A

efforts to talk to her had been studiously ignored. Maybe she had a crush on Gabriel or something.
    Whatever.
    I took out my copy of Professor Fraser’s The Black Death to Ebola: Plagues Through History, and pulled out my trusty NEO AlphaSmart. A lot of students used laptops, but if there was one thing I didn’t need during class was an excuse to distract myself with stuff like Facebook, Twitter, and random web surfing.
    The AlphaSmart gave me word processing, but no Internet. If I had access, I’d do it. My mind was willing, but my attention span weak.
    By the time Professor Fraser arrived, looking like a forties movie star in wide-legged black trousers and a white silk blouse, we were still missing at least a third of the class, and of the two thirds there, half were coughing miserably.
    The professor stood at the lectern and surveyed the class, with Jamie a couple steps behind her like a worshipful shadow.
    “So, how many here feel perfectly healthy today?”
    About ten of us raised our hands.
    “And how many would rather be home in bed?”
    Everyone raised his or her hands. We all laughed, followed by more of those nasty coughing fits.
    Professor Fraser smiled and shook her head.
    “Let me rephrase that. How many of you feel like death warmed over?”
    This time the number of hands counted for at least half of the students in the room.
    “Excellent!” she said. “I’d like all of those who just raised their hands to go home immediately.”
    A few students laughed, but from the expression on Professor Fraser’s face, it became obvious that she wasn’t joking.
    “ Now , please,” she said. “You are ill, and should not be here. The irony—of germ-infested students attending a lecture on pandemics—is not lost on me. But the germs you carry should be—so please take them away.” People still hesitated. “If you’re worried about your grades, I guarantee that anyone who misses any portion of this class due to illness will be given every opportunity to make up the work they’ve missed.
    “After all, intimate contact with a potentially lethal virus should count as part of your grade.” She clapped her hands together briskly. “Now go!” As much as she was trying to be upbeat, I had the feeling she wasn’t just being a good Samaritan.
    I didn’t blame her.
    At least half the class slowly rose and trailed out through the doors. The rest of us stayed where we were.
    “Jamie?” Professor Fraser gave a nod to her intern, who promptly grabbed a box and started handing out small packets to all of the remaining students. She dropped mine on the little foldout desk that was attached to my chair.
    According to the label on the packet, it was a Clean’n’Wipe sanitizing towelette. When everyone had one, the professor spoke again.
    “I suggest you all use these to wipe down your hands, desks, and the desks of those who sat next to you.”
    Nobody argued with her.
    “Miss Parker, you’re looking much healthier this week.” The professor smiled at me approvingly.
    “I think I pretty much kicked Walker’s’ butt,” I said.
    “Good.” Professor Fraser nodded. “You’re very lucky.”
    I caught Jamie glaring at me, and suddenly her animosity made sense. Total girl crush going on here. I’d been on her shit list since day one, ever since Professor Fraser had told me to take care of myself.
    Did I mention whatever ?
    When I stopped back at the dorm to check on Zara, she was still asleep. Her breathing seemed kind of thick and uneven, but her fever had gone down and her color was less “moldy cheese” and “more living co-ed.”
    I heated up some chicken broth on our hot plate, and when I brought it to her, she stirred. I propped some pillows under her so she could eat.
    “You sure you’re okay if I’m out tonight?” I asked, hoping desperately that she would say “yes.”
    Zara nodded, taking a few tentative sips of the broth.
    “Yeah. I’m okay.” She ate some more soup and had a swallow of