by Kip Nelson
He was right. Nick had saved Cosmo's life and he couldn't very well go and throw it away now.
“Fine,” Nick said.
“But before we go, I think I deserve some answers. I'm grateful that you saved my life and all, but I really think you should tell me what I'm getting myself into if I'm throwing my lot in with you. For all I know these men are justified in what they're doing and I'm making the biggest mistake of my life.”
“They're not justified in anything they do,” Nick snapped.
“They live under a bridge and prey on anyone who has the misfortune to get trapped in their web. All they want to do is hurt people. But while we're on the subject of secrets, why don't you tell me about how you got caught in that watermill? It's not every day you see a watermill going up in flames.” Confronted with this question, Cosmo turned his head down and grumbled a little.
“Ah, well, you see, that was just a little bit of bad luck on my part. Okay, I'll take you at your word and you can take me at mine.” Nick rolled his eyes.
The two men continued walking. Evening was approaching. Nick reckoned it was about four o’clock. He'd always had a good sense of time. He made sure to move in the opposite direction of the men chasing him, and carefully listened for any sounds of them, just in case they managed to surprise him. He was happy to be silent, and Cosmo was too, for the most part. Cosmo tended to grumble to himself. There was always an errant piece of rock or a stray branch that caught his clothes. Then, of course, there was the smell that seemed to have dug its way through their clothes into their skin. They'd need to get to a stream soon to clean off, and they really needed a change of clothes, but that was almost too much to hope for.
“This is not what my life was meant to be,” Cosmo said. Nick arched an eyebrow, wondering if the man was going to elaborate by himself or if he was going to wait for Nick to ask.
It turned out to be the former. “I had a nice life you know, not a good one necessarily, but not a bad one. Then this all happened, and I find myself out in the woods with no idea what's going to happen next. And you know the only reason I'm out here is because you can't trust people, but they still find me anyway. Part of me thinks I should have just stayed in the city.”
It seemed as if he wanted Nick to join in the conversation, but Nick remained silent, focusing on the way ahead. Cosmo continued grumbling to himself until Nick held up a hand, indicating for Cosmo to stop and be silent. The trees thinned to make a clearing, where two tents were set up. The remnants of a campfire were in between them. The tent flaps were hanging open, although there was not a way to see into them unless they moved closer. Nick could feel Cosmo tense beside him as the two men cautiously crept forward.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Cosmo said in a low voice, his eyes darting nervously around.
Nick shook his head and wondered if Cosmo ever had been brave. Nick knew there could be valuable supplies in those tents, and even if there weren't, it was best to scout out the camp in case these people were dangerous. At the very least they might be able to find clean clothes. Nick's stomach was growling as well. It had been a while since he had eaten, and there was only so long he could live off the anger that was building inside him. He walked up to one of the tents and reached out a hand to pull away one of the flaps. Just as he was about to peer inside, he heard a gruff voice from behind.
“Who are you?”
Chapter Four
“No, he can't find me, he can't find me,” Tanya said, cowering in a dark corner of an abandoned house.
Her short blonde hair was dirty, but her green eyes still sparkled, even in this new world, a world that was terrifying in a different way than the old one. This house was nice, Tanya thought to herself. She looked at the pictures of the children. It seemed like a happy home. One that once was filled with love. Tanya tried to close her eyes and push away the throbbing pain that always came to her whenever she thought of her past. This wasn't her home. It was better. He wasn't going to find her. She tried to stay in a new house every night just to make sure that nobody could track her movements.
She was sad to be leaving this house. The sofa was comfortable. She could almost pretend she belonged here, that she would be called down for breakfast and when she came back at the end of the day everyone would ask her how her day had gone. Instead, it was dark and lonely, a shadow of what it once was. She had no idea what had happened to the family that had lived here. Like so many others they probably tried surviving elsewhere. One thing she had noticed after moving from house to house was that homes were no longer sanctuaries. For so many people they had been the one constant in life, the one refuge they had had against the changing fortunes of time.
Now everyone else was like Tanya. Home never had been safe for her. Even this one wasn't. Every creak and groan, every whisper in the shadows was another thing to make her jump. Her gaze darted around her surroundings and the fear rose in her again when she realized she would need to go outside to scavenge for food. The fear was a constant companion for her, even before the world had changed. Her small stomach growled. She cursed it, trying to keep it quiet. If he found her, if anyone listened, they might be able to find her. Her breath caught in her throat.
She looked at the pictures on the walls and said goodbye to this family. She wouldn't see them again. She would find another house. Before she left she opened a drawer and plucked out a small china thimble. Another memento of her travels. It was her way of remembering where she had stayed and keeping a part of these families alive. It saddened her to think they could have been torn apart by the world and scattered to the wind. The kids left alone. She was twenty-three, but she felt too young to survive in this world. She barely could imagine what it was like for younger kids.
She didn't want to. Whenever she thought of them she had to think of herself when she was younger, and there were no happy memories. Taking one last look, Tanya closed the door behind her and ventured out into the world. With hunched shoulders she kept to the edges of the streets. In the distance she heard people shouting. It was the sounds of the city. The sounds that had been there all her life, yet somehow now they seemed more dangerous. Something howled. It could have been a dog. It could have been a wolf. Tanya tried to not let her imagination run away from her. She knew the real monsters were people. She'd known that truth long before most other people became aware of it. She was only twenty-three. Although in some ways she was much older.
Tanya moved skittishly around the city. She knew how to make herself small. How to hide herself away in times of danger. The buildings around her towered high and seemed so big. Although none of them seemed safe enough to enter. Occasionally she caught a glimpse of movement in the windows as she passed. She moved away quickly. Her feet were tired, and her throat was parched. She tried to ignore it, for there was no use thinking about it. It was strange how the city had changed so much in such a short span of time. Although maybe it wasn't that strange at all. She knew that deep down people were monsters. A lot of them anyway. Maybe not her. Then again, maybe she was, and she just hadn't been pushed in the right direction yet. Maybe it was in her blood.
The thought terrified her. She shivered, and it wasn't because of the cold. In fact, the air was quite temperate, which was a blessing, given how everything else had ended. She was wearing flat shoes, jeans, a T-shirt and a jumper that was a little too big for her. It was comfortable. The state of it was getting worse every day, though. The stitches were unraveling as they kept getting caught on jagged things that poked and prodded her.
Eventually, she came across a family huddled together in a park, sitting under the small wooden playhouse that was attached to a slide. Tanya watched them for a while. There were two young kids, laughing and smiling. It was a wonder how anyone could be happy in such a world, but they were unaware of the truth of it. Tanya saw worry lines on the faces of the parents, and the strained effort they were trying to make to give their children the illusion that everything would be alright. A sad s
mile played on Tanya's face. Even though the world was bad there still were tender moments like these to warm the heart, although it also served as a grim reminder of everything she had missed out on herself. In some ways those children were luckier than she ever had been.
Part of her always felt ashamed of having to approach strangers for mercy, and she tried not to make a habit of it. However, the stores mostly had been depleted, and it was hard to find food anywhere. Tanya crept up slowly. By now she knew exactly what to do. She held her hands up to show that she was not a threat and dipped her head.
“Excuse me,” she said in a soft, small voice.” The adults jerked their heads up and fear filled their eyes. They shifted around to grab their kids close to them. It was a natural reaction. Tanya didn't take it personally.
“It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you. I just wondered if I could share some of your food. I know you don't have much, but I've barely eaten or drank anything in days.” The adults looked at each other warily. Their good nature shone through and, thankfully for Tanya, they welcomed her to sit down beside them.
The children hadn't yet learned to be afraid of strangers, so they came up to Tanya. She smiled at them as she gratefully took the food the father handed to her.
“I'm surprised you're not in a house,” Tanya said as she nibbled on the biscuits that were in her hand.
“We're just taking a break. We're making our way across the city. We heard there was safety in the hospital, so we figured we'd try our luck there,” the woman said.
She was pretty, and looked like a mom. The man had kind eyes. Tanya had heard that about the hospital as well. She'd also heard that it was a lie. She didn't tell them that, though. Too many people had had their hopes crushed, and that was one of the worst things you could do to a person – take away their hope.
“What about you?” the man asked, “where are you heading?”
“Home,” she said, and ran through the cities and states she'd already used, not wanting anyone to be able to trace her back here. “I'm from Idaho.”
“You've got a long way to go then.”
“I'm hoping my folks are still there. I was out here for college. It's the only place I know where to go,” she said. She hated to lie to people, but sometimes a lie was just easier than the truth. Part of her was hoping that eventually she would lie so much that it would become the truth and she could forget the reality of her past.
Tanya took small nibbles, trying to make the meager meal last as long as possible. She noticed that the others were doing the same. It was a common trait among those who had survived. She couldn't imagine anyone living in luxury anymore. Despite everything they all had gone through, the children seemed to be in good spirits. Tanya noticed how the parents had far less food than their children. She felt guilty for taking some of their much-needed food, and pushed aside her own hunger to give it back to them. They were grateful. After they had finished eating the kids nestled into their father's arms. It was clear to Tanya that the state of the world worried them. She couldn't imagine how difficult it was for them. It was hard enough to worry about herself, let alone a family.
“You seem like a good father,” she said, thinking again how the children didn't know how lucky they were. Hopefully, one day they would be given the chance to show their appreciation.
“We're both trying our best to be good parents,” he said. Then he looked at his wife. Tanya wondered how she looked to them. Probably younger than she actually was, maybe like a teenager. People always thought she looked younger.
“Look,” the woman continued, “would you like to come with us? The world is safer when people stick together. I know you're off to Idaho, but maybe you could stick with us for a while? We'd hate to think of you out here all alone.”
Tanya thanked them for their kindness. “I really should be going. I have to get home, to my own family,” she said, and looked at the children.
The man and the woman seemed to understand. With that she thanked them again and wished them well on their journey. As they parted ways Tanya wondered what it would be like for them in the future. She hoped they found safety. They were nice people and nice people deserved to be happy. Children deserved to grow up. But she couldn't go with them. She had somewhere else to be. She had to escape the city and get out on the open road. That was the only way she could be sure he never would find her.
“You're never going to amount to anything in this world,” Tanya's father yelled, spittle flying from his mouth.
His cheeks were red, and his hands were ready to slap her again. The pain on her face still stung from where he had hit her before. She was on her knees trying to find a quiet place in her mind. She looked past him to the television, wanting to focus on anything but his unrelenting white-hot rage. The news anchor was talking about some solar flare activity. Before she could listen to anymore her father grabbed her cheeks in his meaty paws and jerked her head up to look at him. Red rivers flowed around his pale irises. Veins bulged at his temples. He was an ugly man, in more ways than one.
“I don't know why you're bothering to look at that. What do you want to bother with the news for? It's not like you're going to learn anything. You're a stupid little girl, just like your mother,” he snarled.
“If it wasn't for me, you'd never have anywhere to go in the world.” His breath was hot. Tears streamed down Tanya's face. Not that they did any good. They only served to make him angrier. He called her pathetic. A disappointment. He couldn't believe that she came from his loins.
He was napping when the solar flare lit up the sky. One of his frequent naps. He always said that taking care of her exhausted him. Tanya wasn't tired. She rarely ever slept. It was hard to sleep with a broken mind, with fear pervading every part of her soul. She noticed how everything went dark. The house was quiet. Silent. The hum of electricity was absent. There was no sound from her father. She crept out of bed and walked into his room. The sunlight beamed through the thin curtains and bathed him in a golden glow. He looked peaceful. It was almost hard to imagine this was the man who berated her and hit her and told her she was worthless.
She wondered if she should wake him up and tell him. His chest rose with each breath, and a faint snore rippled out. He would be angry at her if she woke him up. He'd probably be angry either way. He was always angry. There was a lamp beside him. It was useless. Tanya picked it up in her hands, curling her fingers around it. The end was heavy. She lifted it over his head and thought what it would be like to smash it down upon him. How many beatings could she give him before he awoke and realized what was going on? She didn't know if she could do enough to kill him.
The world was dark. Dark times for dark deeds. Nobody ever would have to know. Her hands shook as she thought about all the beatings he had given her over the years. All the hands over her body, the abusive words hurled at her. How he'd beaten her down and made her believe she was worthless. He'd basically kept her a prisoner and dying was all that he deserved.
But he still was her father and he held power over her. Even though she desperately wanted to smash his face in with that lamp and beat him to death she found she could not. There was something deep inside that prevented her. As he stirred and moved about in bed Tanya froze with fear. She placed the lamp back down and rushed out of the room, then ran out of the house. The door was flung open as she threw herself into the open world. She almost tripped because she was so intent on looking behind her, afraid that he was following her, that somehow, he knew.
She still was looking back, even now. Though she had been running away all this time, she still was sure he was after her, that he would find her. The only way she knew to escape him was to leave the city and find somewhere new. A new home. Maybe even a new identity.
On the outskirts of the city she was ready to embark on her journey when she heard a group of deep voices. She ducked under cover and waited for them to pass.
“I think we're going to have to go out there with more men. He's a slippery one.
I can't believe he managed to escape.”
“Well, he's going to pay for it. I don't care if we have to burn those woods down, we're going to find him.”
Tanya wondered who they were talking about. Whoever it was, she was glad she was not in his shoes.
Chapter Five
This was true freedom, David thought, as he and Mikey walked through the woods. Crossbows were slung over their backs. Their skin was warmed by the sun that cast an aurora all around them. It was beautiful. David smiled, and his heart was happy. He knew it wasn't going to last long. It couldn't. The authorities would get things back together in no time and start calming people down. Frankly, he didn't know why everyone was so upset. This was like a free vacation.
Sure, it was inconvenient that all the electronics had gone down, but that's what backups were for, right? Of course, he felt sympathy for the people whose lives had been lost because they were dependent on machines to keep them alive, and for the people who had been flying. There probably had been more than a few crashes around the world as well. It was sad so many people had to die, but David felt as though a culling had been necessary. Society had reached a point where there just were too many people to sustain a healthy living environment. It was survival of the fittest, and David was making sure he survived.
He wasn't a conspiracy nut, though. He didn't believe the government was behind it all. He didn't think they were that nefarious. It was just an act of God. Soon, though, people would get it all together. He was sure that in a bunker somewhere the President was barking out orders and the army was getting ready to surge through the country and restore law and order. In the meantime, David was going to have his fun. It wasn't as though he exactly loved his life, for he was thirty-tw0 and still single, but perhaps now that there were fewer men in the world, he'd stand a better chance at getting a girl.