We Are All Strangers Read Online Free

than no company.” Keegan presses his arm against the wall beside my head and smiles. His curly black hair stands out against his pale skin. The slightest bit of sunlight finds its way inside the patio, reflecting upon his icy green eyes. His light pink lips turn up in a smile. With his mouth closed, he is actually quite attractive.
    “Are you just going to stare at me all day?” he jokes.
    “Eh, it was a nice sight until you started talking.” I move towards the other side of the patio, and dig my hands into the pockets on my pants. Someone has heard us. I can hear footsteps approaching near the patio. Be quiet , I mouth to Keegan as I slide out of the entrance, and head back into the general area.
    A male guard walks over towards the patio to see where all the noise is coming from. But when he walks inside, all he finds is Keegan sitting against the wall with his eyes closed pretending to be asleep. I try to act as though I am staring at the ground, noticing that my favorite guard seems intent on catching me. When her attention drifts to an elderly man that is screaming for help, I peer over at the patio. The guard shakes his head and makes his way back into the general area, resuming his post by the facility’s entrance.
    Keegan makes his way back into the general area and slips a piece of paper into my hand. In messy handwriting, Meet me on the patio later is scribbled across the withered paper. I am not sure where he obtained the pen and paper, probably back in the vaccination room when the guards weren’t paying attention.
    I walk with my head lowered, moving towards the beds, hoping that one of them will clear out soon. I am exhausted. That’s what standing around with nothing to do all day will do to a person.
    “Harper.” I look up and find a male guard pointing towards a free bed down the line. “That one is free if you’d like to catch some rest.”
    I nod and stroll over to the bed, easing myself onto the creaky mattress. I wrap the light sheet over my body. The soft pillow helps to provide some of the comfort I seek, enough to lull me to sleep.
    Later that night, while everyone is asleep, and the guards are busy keeping post outside, Keegan comes and gets me. “There’s a ladder leading up to the roof of the patio,” he whispers. “I don’t know about you, but I need outta here.”
    “Let’s go then.” I push past him carefully, making sure not to wake my fellow civilians.
    When we reach the patio, Keegan already has the ladder pulled down. “We need to be quick. I’m not sure how long it’ll be until the guards come back.” I nod and begin to climb, one foot after the other. The cold, steel ladder feels lovely against my skin. It feels like freedom.
    When I reach the roof, I pull myself up and wait for Keegan to climb up the ladder after me. He climbs up much quicker than I do, pulling up the ladder quietly behind him.
    “What do you think? Worth getting in trouble for?” he asks.
    “Yes.” I laugh.
    There are no guards on the roof to yell at you for talking. There are no guards standing nearby to yell at you for standing too close to someone. Out here, I am able to do as I please. For now, at least.
    I stand in the middle of the roof with my arms outstretched and allow the cold air to pound against my body. I don’t mind the goose bumps or the shiver it sends running over my spine. I feel free. I feel alive for the first time in what feels like forever.
    Keegan comes and stands beside me. Under the moon’s light, I notice a small gray mark on his inner left wrist. “What is that?” I ask. “Are you hurt?”
    “Something like that.”
    “What do you mean ‘something like that’? You’re either hurt or you’re not.”
    “Someone is a bit testy,” his smile fades, and his eyes fall closed. “Look, I don’t want to alarm you. One of those things bit me on my way here. I managed to hide it from the guards, but over the past few hours, it has started to grow more