365 Days Alone

by Nancy Isaak

  Before I continue, I am going to ask all of you to please respect Yaz’s right to privacy. I will tell you now exactly what I think you need to know. Other than that information, anything else that Yaz has gone through is hers to reveal.

  So please do not ask her questions. If she wants to talk to you about her—trials—then let her do so in her own time.”

  (There were murmurs of understanding from all around. A few girls actually had tears in their eyes. Most, however, simply looked scared or horrified.)

  “What you do need to know, however, is that the Los Angeles area is closing down. There are gangs there who are now in control of major portions of the city and as far up as the San Fernando Valley.”

  (Another girl called out, asking if the gangs were guys. Orla shook her head.)

  “According to Yaz, all the gangs are made up of girls. She hasn’t seen a single male anywhere.”

  (Much groaning at this)

  “She also says that the girls appear to be in the same age range as here in Agoura Hills. So, if there are guys or adults still alive out there—sadly, Yaz hasn’t seen them.

  For about a week, Yaz was living with a group of girls who controlled an area around Beverly Glen and Sunset Boulevard. This was a peaceful group of girls—just like us—and they allowed anyone passing through their territory to join their community. Six days after Yaz joined, however, this group was overrun by a Hispanic gang of girls that came up Sunset. They had guns and knives and attacked without any provocation. Everyone except Yaz was killed, and she considers it pure luck that she managed to escape.

  Since that day, Yaz has been making her way across the San Fernando Valley toward us. She didn’t expect to find anyone here, but she was hopeful. It was her thought that—if there was no one in Agoura—then she would try and make it up into Santa Barbara where one of her Aunts lives.”

  (A girl put her hand up, to ask about the situation in the San Fernando Valley—which is relatively close to us.)

  “Yaz says that the girls in the Valley are dividing it into territories. Canoga Park controls everything from that city to the end of West Hills—just before the 101 heads down into our area. Yaz did meet up with some individual girls who are still trying to hold the area around Woodland Hills. They told her that the Canoga Park girls have become very violent. They have taken over Topanga Mall and are presently using that as their headquarters (many gasps—one of our favorite shopping malls had just become lost to us!).

  There are also people shooting at anyone who travels along the 101 Freeway. Yaz witnessed a number of bodies of girls, especially around the Shoup and Fallbrook exits. She, herself, was shot at three times—twice on the 101 and once when she tried to go down Las Virgenes to get some food at the Albertsons market there.”

  (Even more gasps at this. Las Virgenes is near the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station, and eventually turns into Malibu Canyon Road. If someone was shooting at people there, then that means that we’ve also lost Malibu Canyon, which is an alternate route to the coastline for us.)

  “Yaz has also told us that it appears that the Canoga Park girls and the Hispanic girls from Beverly Glen may be making their way across the San Fernando Valley in our direction. On the 101, Yaz has seen members of both of their groups riding down the freeway—on bikes and on horses. She doesn’t know where they were heading exactly, only that they turned off the freeway near Hidden Hills.”

  (This worried some of the girls, because it implied that the two gangs might be coming together to create one, bigger gang.)

  “And now I have to speak to you about what might be the most disturbing part of Yaz’s story.”

  (It took Orla a moment to start speaking again. She appeared to be considering her words very carefully.)

  “It feels so weird saying this—like I’m on an episode of “The Walking Dead” or something.”

  (One of the younger girls, obviously not a fan of the t.v. show, screeched something about zombies. Orla quickly held up her hands to silence the excited rumbling that followed.)

  “There are no zombies. At least, Yaz hasn’t seen any. But…there is something out there…and Yaz doesn’t think it’s human—or at least, it isn’t anything that she’s ever seen before.”

  (Total shock was on everyone’s face. At the end of our table, both Shawnee and Lily were looking very scared. Reaching out, Wandy put an arm around both, drawing them close to her.)

  “You need to know that Yaz was attacked at the side of the 101 Freeway—just around the White Oak exit—in that wooded fenced-off area in front of the building with the big columns. It was at night—very dark—and she isn’t quite certain of what she saw. Only that whatever it was, it tried to run her down. She said that it growled like a dog and had fur. But its eyes also glowed red and it walked on two feet. Also, Yaz said that there were more than one of these ‘animal-things’—and that they appeared to be hunting in a pack.”

  (From off in a corner of the room, one of the younger girls asked exactly what we all were probably thinking—“Was it a werewolf?”)

  “Yaz doesn’t know what it was. But one of the Woodland Hills girls told her that they were calling the beasts ‘werewolves’. The girls said that the creatures had come down from the Bell Canyon area just after everyone disappeared.”

  (Another girl spoke up, excited. “My dad says that Bell Canyon is where Boeing does all those secret experiments. They probably made them!” There was much chatter from the girls around her. Orla let it go on for a moment, then put her hands up for silence.)

  “The last thing you need to know about the—‘beasts’—that are hunting along the 101 Freeway. And this is the most important thing of all—Yaz thinks that they’re heading our way.”

  (Squeals of terror.)

  “So, if there is one thing that Yaz’s story has confirmed to this community, it’s that the outside world has changed drastically—that it’s dangerous now and, perhaps, even…deadly. There are armed and violent girls headed our way and, quite possibly, unknown beasts, both of whom mean us great harm.”

  (“They’re hell hounds!” It was Reena who yelled this. “It is the time of the Tribulations and they’re coming for us. We must all accept Christ into our hearts if we hope to survive.” Beside me, Jay—a Muslim—shook her head in irritation. Orla let Reena continue on about the End of Times for a few moments, then she began speaking again.)

  “If we have learned anything today, it is that we need to stay united. More than ever, each of us needs to follow the ‘plan’. We need to organize—and we need to find ways to protect and defend that which is ours.

  Trouble is surely coming to Agoura Hills. We need to be prepared!”

  (Orla stopped talking as Tray came up behind her and whispered something in her ear. She was holding out a paper that Orla took, lifting a small candle up so the contents could be read. After a few moments, Orla nodded in satisfaction. Then she turned back to us, holding up the paper, so we could all see it.)

  “In light of what we have just learned from Yaz, the Council and I have come up with some new rules to help us protect and defend our community. They are as follows:

  First—in order to adequately defend our borders, we will need to reduce our size. Starting tomorrow, our new area will be from Colodny Drive to Kanan Road and Driver Avenue to Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Anyone who is living outside of this area will be required to move inside the border limits. There are more than enough houses available here. If you don’t want to live in a house, we will be setting up emergency cots in one of the gyms. That, of course, is our preferred choice. The more girls we have here at the school, the easier it will be to defend both our people and our supplies from any invaders.

  Second—until we know for certain what these ‘beasts’ actually are, a curfew will be in effect—from sunset to sunrise. Know that we will have armed patrols moving at all times inside of our borders. Anyone caught outside after curfew will run not only the chance of coming into contact with the beast
s, but also of being accidentally shot by one of the Protection Detail.

  Third—we will be sending out Detail members on horseback to alert the four other groups of girls on this side of the Valley that we know of, to let them know of the gangs and the beasts that might be heading our way. These groups are Oak Park, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Moorpark. It is our intention, also, to introduce a ‘visa system’ with our neighbors. To protect all of our communities, all residents who wish to travel will now have to apply for a visa to legally cross into or through our own or neighboring communities.

  Finally, I just want to say—on a personal note—that I am utterly devastated by what we have learned tonight. I am also confident, however, that we girls will be able to protect our community. But to do this, we all have to stand together.

  This is Agoura Hills and this is our home.

  We are all sisters.

  And we sisters will protect what is ours!”

  Many of the girls around us actually erupted into cheers when Orla finished her speech.

  Even Jay and I clapped loudly.

  No matter our personal feelings about the Foxes, Orla was right. Agoura Hills was our home, and we girls would protect it from the evil that was coming.

  We were finally—united.

  WE ARE AGOURA

  Sometime after midnight, Jay found me sitting in Jude’s backyard, alternately looking at the twinkling constellations over my head or watching Pugly root around in the bushes at my feet.

  “Thirsty?” Jay sat down in a lawn chair, passing me one of the two sodas she was holding.

  “Thanks,” I said, taking a swig from mine. “I’m going to miss soda when it finally runs out.”

  “Maybe we’ll have figured out how to make it by then.”

  “If the werewolves don’t get us first.”

  It was Jude who had spoken, coming out to join us. She sat down on the other side of Jay and took a swig from her own soda bottle.

  “How’s Lily?” I asked.

  “Tossing in her sleep. Stupid Reena and her ‘hounds from hell’. She’s such a Chicken Little. No wonder Reena got left behind.”

  We clinked our bottles together in silent agreement.

  * * * *

  It was nice in Jude’s backyard.

  The fence was just high enough that we didn’t have to worry about someone looking over the slats and seeing us. And although we could hear the Protection Detail clip-clopping along the road out front, they never seemed to stop and actually check inside of the houses.

  We figured that—as long as we kept the lights low and didn’t cause any fuss—we would go unnoticed.

  * * * *

  I sighed—a little too loud.

  “What is it?” Jay asked.

  “New borders.” I sighed again.

  “Oh…sorry about that.”

  “Am I missing something?” asked Jude.

  Jay pointed off into the dark. “Jacob Riker’s house is across from Sumac Park, outside of the new borders.”

  “I see,” Jude nodded. “No more stalking, huh?”

  “I wasn’t stalking,” I snapped, only slightly offended. “I was—appreciating.”

  “Well, at least you’ve got a couple of his t-shirts,” noted Jay. “You can remember him that way.”

  “Is that what you’re wearing?” Jude asked. “I was wondering about that t-shirt. Didn’t seem your style?”

  This time I was offended. “I didn’t know I had a style.”

  Using her knuckles, she knocked on my head. “Hello, Barbie…anyone home?”

  Jay giggled as I swatted Jude’s hand away. “Seriously, Jude!”

  “You’re a fricking soccer-girl,” Jude chuckled. “Like could your clothes be any more white bread?”

  I was about to respond with something mean-spirited about her ‘lack’ of style when suddenly…

  ARRROUUUUU!!!

  With a squeal, Pugly immediately raced out from underneath a bush and high-tailed it back inside the house. He disappeared into Lily’s room, no doubt to hide under the covers, where he could fart in complete safety.

  ARRROUUUUU!!

  “Is that a coyote?” Jay asked, nervously. “It seems kind of loud for a coyote.”

  “You think it might be one of the werewolves?” Jude stood up, standing on her chair in order to look over the fence.

  “Do you see anything?” Jay was hovering directly below her.

  “I think it was just a coyote.” Jude got down off of her chair.

  “How can you be so certain?” asked Jay. “It could be one of the beasts.”

  “We don’t even know if there really are any beasts,” I said.

  Jay turned to me, confused. “But Yaz says that she was attacked by a pack of them. She said they hunted her.”

  “She was running in the night, through the woods—scared and alone. It could have been coyotes or dogs or even a mountain lion that attacked Yaz. But werewolves, Jay…that’s kind of a stretch, don’t you think?”

  “But Yaz said that the Woodland Hills girls said that the beasts came out of Bell Canyon, maybe even from the Boeing laboratories. Maybe they really are like some failed experiment.”

  I wasn’t so certain.

  “Jay, you’re the ‘science girl’. Like where’s the logic in any of that? First, how would the Woodland Hills girls know where these ‘beasts’ came from? I mean, did they just happen to be at Bell Canyon and see werewolves come out of it? And then did they just happen to meet up with Yazmeen right after she’d been chased by beasts—because I’ve been thinking about it, and it all seems awfully coincidental to me.”

  Jay’s eyes went wide. “You think Yaz is lying?”

  “Barbie’s making a lot of sense for once,” added Jude. “It does sound like Yaz is lying. Or else the Woodland Hills girls were lying to her.”

  “And even if Yazmeen really was chased,” I continued. “Like, seriously—werewolves?”

  Now it was Jay’s turn to sigh. “You’re right,” she agreed, although somewhat reluctantly. “It really doesn’t make much sense. There probably aren’t any hounds from hell.

  ARRROUUUUU!!!

  For a moment, we just stared at each other.

  Then—as if by unspoken agreement—we grabbed our sodas and went back into the house. Passing through the French doors, we shut them tightly—bolting them against beasts that, surely…couldn’t exist.

  * * * *

  During the next few days, a surprising number of girls actually did move into the high school. The rest took up residence in houses within the new borders as set out by Orla and her Council.

  In some ways the school-girls became their own community. They hung out together, eating at the same tables every day. At night, they would play board games or exercise out on the football field, protected by armed 11th and 12th graders.

  * * * *

  Jay, Jude, Lily, and I tended to keep to ourselves, however.

  We would show up each day for our meals—sometimes eating at the same table as the Continuation girls. Then we’d head off on our search detail. (We were still working our way through cataloguing the supplies in all the townhouses.) At night, we would sit out in the backyard, with Jay usually entertaining us with trivia about the star constellations.

  Pugly, of course, continued to be our big ‘secret’.

  Other girls, however, did bring their pets to the school.

  There was a boarding area set up on the far side of Agoura High, with separate running yards and cages for dogs and cats (and two rabbits). The pets were all fed at the same time and any girl was allowed to visit with her animals, but only after her work detail was finished.

  Meanwhile, Orla continued to insist that keeping the pets at the school was simply the easiest way to manage the distribution of their pet food. And—after Yaz’s horrifying story—to protect them from the beasts.

  Jude—of course—insisted that collecting all the pets in one place was because Orla and the Foxes were
eventually going to eat them. She said that what the Foxes really wanted was to keep their food source close.

  Jay and I, in all honesty—were conflicted.

  Whatever we might think about the Foxes on a personal level—on a community level, they were definitely succeeding. They had us girls organized and working together; we were surviving—and we were being protected…as were our pets.

  So maybe Jude was just being overly paranoid…maybe.

  * * * *

  Because we hadn’t enrolled Pugly in Orla’s ‘school-care program’, feeding him became increasingly difficult. We didn’t have access to the pet food from Ralphs and Vons anymore, since it had all been transported to the school’s storage areas, which were now well-guarded. Instead, we had to secretly scavenge whatever pet food we could find as we searched through the townhouses.

  Needless to say, this continued variation in Pugly’s diet did nothing to suspend his gaseous outpourings…fart, fart, fart!

  Also—we were still uncertain about the future; how were we going to feed the little pug once we ran out of townhouses to search?

  * * * *

  Meanwhile, girls began to pass through our territory.

  They usually came in twos or threes, often wearing backpacks—walking or biking along the 101 Freeway. Whenever they were spotted, an alarm would sound (a trumpet blown by one of the girls who had been in the school band).

  Wherever we were—when we heard the alarm—we would be required to race back to the school and take up our ‘defensive positions’. These had been assigned by Tray and Alice—with each girl being given a particular job to do in the case of an attack.