“We don’t know how it happened. They weren’t bitten,” Violet said.
“Unless they were bitten when we got out of that last place that we set on fire,” Zach said to Violet.
Violet shrugged.
“You set a place on fire?”
“That’s not even the worst part. We got locked in some creepy house at one point,” Zach said, trying to ignore the nurse that was getting his arm ready for an injection.
“Is that injection a vaccination?” Winter asked the nurse.
The nurse busied herself with needles before answering.
“It’s more of a medication to kill any beginnings of a virus.”
“How can you kill a virus?” Zach asked.
“We couldn’t until recently. But this is one step closer to finding the cure of this outbreak. You might want to look away.”
Zach looked sick as the needle went into his arm, but Winter couldn’t see what happened next. Another nurse bustled into the room and pulled the curtains across so they had privacy.
“Hello, Winter, god I bet this has been a very crazy time for you, hasn’t it?” She was being cheerfully polite as she began writing records in a folder she was carrying. Winter wanted to tell her it had been so much more than ‘very crazy’.
“Now, I’m just going to give you an injection and then I’ll be back in a few moments to tend to a few of these cuts you’ve got. What happened?”
“A car crash.”
“Nasty.”
Winter just nodded. She let the nurse inject her with the medication, and then heard her leave. The curtains weren’t drawn back, and Winter made to do so when she heard Violet and Zach speaking.
“So, did you see me as boyfriend material?” Zach asked. “Do you think it could ever work between us?”
“Of course I did,” Violet said. “Of course I thought we could work, but we both know now is not the right time.”
“But we’re out of London, now.”
“That may be, but we have a whole new life ahead of us now. We have to set up new living conditions and we have to find jobs. We could go in completely different circles, Zach.”
Zach didn’t reply instantly. “I thought it could work between us.”
“I think it still can, just not right now.”
“You know I love you, don’t you?”
“And I love you.” Violet whispered.
Winter heard them kiss. She smiled slightly, feeling sorry that the relationship hadn’t worked out. She had thought it would happen, and thought that maybe in Paris it would start up once more.
When there was no more sound, Winter pulled the curtain back and pretended she hadn’t heard anything.
“That injection hurt, didn’t it?”
All three of them had cotton wool bandaged on their arms. Violet had her arm in a sling.
“Try having a bullet taken out of your arm.” Violet grinned.
“I’d rather not.”
Connor appeared at the door.
“Winter, can I speak to you a minute?”
Winter narrowed her eyes. He had tried to pose the question as innocent, but she could see straight through him.
Violet grinned excitedly at her, evidently unaware of any complications the pair faced. Winter returned a slight smile as she stood up.
“How are you?” Connor asked Violet.
“I’m fine. It’s good to see you again.”
“You too.”
Winter joined Connor at the door and they walked down the hallway. She spotted William lying on one of the beds. He waved at her and she waved back. Winter expected to turn into one of the rooms, but Connor led her down flights of stairs, through narrow hallways identical to the one above, until they came to steps that were carpeted. They walked down these and found themselves in the posh part of the ship, and at the end of the hallway were offices.
He held open the door and Winter saw Cedric and Ruby waiting for her.
Cedric stood up and shook her hand again, a businessman ready to strike a deal. Winter took his hand and shook it stiffly, a look of annoyance on her face.
The ship began moving as Winter took a seat opposite Cedric and Ruby. Connor left the room and shut the door.
“It’s about time we set sail, isn’t it?” Cedric asked conversationally.
Winter said nothing.
“So, Winter, we can explain everything to you now, if you so wish to hear it.”
“Yes, I do.”
Cedric nodded.
“We have reason to believe the government aren’t all they are saying to be. We have reason to believe the government are plotting something under our noses, and that Paris will remain safe until every remaining survivor gets in the country.”
“Why do you think that?” Winter asked.
“Please, let me explain, it will save more time.”
Winter sat back in her chair and folded her arms.
“Ruby and I are trying to prove this, and we are finding people who believe what we believe. We have a number of people on our side, who want to speak out against the government and prove that they are doing something secretive.”
Winter was ready with more questions, but she knew she would be left with no answers once more. So instead she waited for Cedric to carry on.
“We’re interested in you in particular because of what you said recently, when you appealed for help to find Connor. You insulted the government, you questioned their motives, and we knew that with a personality like you we can cater to more people.”
“So you want me to speak out against the government, and become a hate figure?”
“Not a hate figure as such,” Cedric said. “But we want you to join us and become our ambassador. We want you to represent us. We want you to find out the truth about the government and expose it. We know you’re used to being famous, we know you’re used to getting hate, we know you can handle it.”
“And Connor said this would be something I’d be interested in?”
“He did indeed.”
Winter shook her head. She pushed herself away from the table and shook her head once more, annoyed and outraged.
“Well, he was wrong. I am not going to join you, to speak out against the government, because they are not doing anything wrong. You’re just paranoid. You’d be doing more damage than good.”
“Winter, you don’t understand…”
“Except I do understand, Cedric.” Winter spat. She began to head towards the door and took it as a good sign that nobody tried to stop her. “I understand what you want me to do, and I thought Connor understood me when I explained I never want to do anything like that again. Paris is a new start for me. I get to do what I want to do. I don’t have to be famous Winter Smith anymore. I don’t have to put up with news reports about me. Instead, I can just be normal, and start a new life and fend for myself.”
She pulled open the door. Connor looked at her from the hallway.
“I say good luck to you in finding a celebrity ambassador. I hope we never get to meet again.”
Winter let the door shut behind her. She looked at Connor.
“Thanks for thinking you could put me back in that celebrity role again, Connor. It seems you only wanted to be with me because of my status. Good luck in Paris.”
Before he could say anything else, Winter strode away from him, and climbed the numerous stairs until she found the hallway where she had been staying. She popped into William’s room.
“Why don’t you come and meet my friends?”
William sat up. “What’s going on with Connor?”
“They wanted me to go against the government and become a celebrity ambassador for whatever they’re doing.” Winter whispered. “I told them they could fuck off. Make sure you keep that quiet from Violet and Zach for now.”
William nodded.
The pair walked up the hallway and into the room where Violet and Zach were staying. Violet smiled at them as they walked in. Winter noticed her eyes drift
to William’s bum.
“This is William,” Winter said, catching Violet’s eye and grinning. “I met him on the way here. William, this is Violet and Zach.”
William introduced himself to Violet and Zach by shaking their hands.
“I guess you’re one of us now, William.” Violet grinned.
“Maybe, yeah.”
Winter looked at him. “Maybe?”
“If you want me to be.”
“Why not?” Winter shrugged. “You’re not that bad.”
As they travelled over seas, Winter found time to write in the journal she had found. She remembered back to how it had all began and wrote everything she could remember. She thought of her parents. She wrote hopes of finding them alive in Paris, or at the very least finding out what had happened to them. She wrote the fear she felt, the excitement, the worry, and even the fun she had had.
She made sure she remembered those she had lost. As she wrote their names, the memories she had with them, she allowed herself to shed tears.
She hadn’t told Violet or Zach about what had happened with Cedric and Ruby, although now she hoped that they would leave her alone and that she would never have to see them again.
Night had fallen and a heavy rain had begun to fall. They had been told to stay indoors, and when Winter had heard the doors leading to fresh air shut she felt suddenly trapped.
Violet and Zach had fallen asleep, and William had gone back to his room. Winter was sat in a room opposite Violet’s alone when she heard someone walk in. She turned around to see Cedric stood in the doorway.
He smiled at her, waving his hand slightly, before walking into the room and shutting the door behind him.
“Why are you here?” She asked, shutting the journal and put it into her pocket.
“Because I don’t like to be told no, Winter.”
He advanced on her until he was inches away from her.
“Move back,” Winter said.
“You have one more chance, Winter.” She could feel his breath on her face. His hand was only inches away from her throat. “One more chance to join my side.”
“I’ve told you already. I’m not doing it,” Winter said, her voice shaking.
“Then I will make sure your new life in Paris is ruined, Winter. I will make sure you never forget who I am.”
Cedric stepped away from her. The anger he was feeling seemed to flow around the room and sting Winter’s skin. He opened the door and saluted.
“Nice meeting you.”
Winter watched him go. She saw Ruby walk past, not bothering to even look at Winter.
Winter was stunned. She felt intimidated and afraid. Everything she had looked forward to about a new life in Paris was gone. She now dreaded what would wait for her. She now dreaded what could be.
Winter sat back down, opened the journal and stared at blank pages. Suddenly everything that she had longed for seemed daunting. The whole reality of what she was about to face sunk in.
She would have to start a brand new life in a foreign country. That wasn’t done easily.
Winter, listening to the rain pouring outside, lay down in her bed and willed sleep to wash over her. Staring up at the dark ceiling above, she realised just how hard these next few years were going to be.
She shut her eyes, and thought of the new life she would have to achieve in Paris. The Dead Years had only just begun, and now the impacts of them were going to hit her and everyone else around her.
This was just the beginning.
Acknowledgments
First of all, I have to say I can’t quite believe that I have a book in print. My own creation, my own characters, my own story is out there for people to read. From a very young age I was always writing and adapting stories, and at seventeen I had the idea to write the Winter Smith series. She began as a ‘superhuman’ before I realised that idea was not great. It’s been a long time spent working on this series, but suddenly one book is out there for the public to read. I couldn’t be happier.
I’d like to thank C. L. Raven, or Cat and Lynx, for being so patient with me. They’ve been happy enough to answer my questions about the publishing process, and they were my copy editors when I desperately needed someone else’s eyes to scour through my words.
I’d like to thank Kathryn Davies, for designing my cover. You really got what I wanted on the cover and if I even get one sale, you helped with that!
I would like to thank James. I started writing this story a long time before I met you, but you’ve been nothing but supportive of it. You haven’t laughed at the idea, you haven’t criticised my decisions, and you’ve been there for me. I know you’re expecting me to become a best seller now, but you might have to wait for that.
Lastly, I want to thank you, the reader. I wrote this story for myself, but with the reader in mind. The fact you have taken the time to read through this story of mine makes me incredibly happy.
Winter Smith is a series of books. The second book will be out soon.
About the Author
Look mum, I’m in print!
J. S. Strange is an author from South Wales. His full name is Jack Samuel Strange. He owns a video production company based in Wales called Brother Hipster Productions. From a young age, Jack was always writing. He would write scripts and short stories based off existing stories. He got the idea for the Winter Smith novels when he was on a flight to California. He started writing the Winter Smith novels from the age of 17. Jack is currently working on more novels, including the second instalment of the Winter Smith novels.
Winter Smith (Book 1): London's Burning Page 39