The Name of the Rose

[Underleaf]

I don’t normally write things down like this, but this seemed important. Diana said she would check my spelling. The plague from the fair has taken hold within our district. The peacekeepers have begun evicting people, but no one wants to live in our neighborhood so dad says we’re safe. There is a curfew now. A boy from our neighborhood was shot by the Peacekeepers for staying out too late and trying to come back home. I didn’t know him. People knock on the door asking for help, but dad says I can’t answer and eventually they leave. Mom won’t let us leave the house except to go to school. My class is still mostly full. Time at home is very boring. Mister Engel has the sickness really bad and is bedridden. Dad is very upset about it but won’t go to visit him. He’s upset about that, too, I think.

- S.

[From Sera Yossarian's account of District 3's outbreak of Rose Plague]

[Underleaf]

Diana said she would check my spelling again. (Hi Diana!)

I watched from the window and saw a man stumble in the street. He fell, then wobbled around for about twenty minutes (I think) until Peacekeepers showed up. One began talking, I’m not sure about what, but then the man lunged and the peacekeepers started to yell. The one in the back shot him three times. He’s still lying there. Mom says he’s going into the burn pit tonight.

I like the suits the guys with flamethrowers wear. Leo left milk out and it spoiled, so dad hit him. I wish that wouldn’t happen, but nobody listens to me. Mom says I can’t watch them burn the bodies.

- S.

[Underleaf]

Work at the factory continues as usual. Mister Sampson recovered from the plague and came back to work but he looks like a scarecrow now. There was a fight between two men but Mister Silva, the one with nothing below his right forearm, broke it up.

I miss being able to leave my house. The air is stale and everyone is tense. You don't see people in the streets anymore because everyone else is hiding away like we are. The factories are still going, but dad just says that is making things worse. They tell us to keep wearing our gasmasks even on break, but I'm used to wearing mine so it doesn't bother me too much.

Some guy tried taking bets on how many of us will die by the time this is over and Mrs. Fuji told him to shut up and threw a stapler at him. I thought it was funny.

- S.