Chapter One

I was nineteen when the world went crazy, nothing that was would ever be again.

Remnants of a familiar world remained, but not enough to instill those warm, fuzzy feelings you get when life is comfortable and predictable.

I’m Bree Taylor. This is an account of what I remember, how things happened when life changed forever and I managed to survive. There is so much to tell, a thousand pages wouldn’t be enough to explain it all, but someone has to tell it. There needs to be a record so if we, as a planet survive, others will have the history. If we don’t, then the next species to invade earth will know what we did wrong.

It is now just a few days after my twenty-second birthday, I’m standing looking out the window and wishing my brother, Shawn, well in the afterlife. A seemingly small laceration on his leg became so much more and took him away from me, leaving me to figure out this world on my own. If I have relatives left living, I wouldn’t know. All that I cared for are now ashes spread over the dirt and just memories inside my head.

I am alone.

“Bree?”

I turned towards Darren, one of my adopted brothers, and gave him a look to tell him we were done discussing my decision. He didn’t heed the warning.

“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”

His voice was filled with grief and worry. Was I? Yes, at least eighty percent certain. “Darren, I can’t stay here. Being in the city is dangerous enough as a family, never mind a single girl.”

A desperate look appeared in his eyes. He was probably wishing at this point that some of the other brothers were still alive, but only Bobby and Darren were left out of my six older brothers.

“We’ll move you closer to us, keep you safe.”

We, being his very old mother and wheelchair bound brother. I gave him my most stern look. “I think you have enough to worry about, you don’t need me to add to that list.”

Darren’s eyes strayed to the picture I still held. The one of my family and me before life was forever altered.

“Shawn would have wanted me to. I feel like I’m letting him down.”

I offered him a smile that said I had accepted it, even though I really didn’t. “Shawn is gone and I have to go and try to find my own place now. You guys did all you could to prepare and teach me to fend for myself, your job is done.’

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the wall. “Where will you go?”

I turned and looked out the window. “I think the mountains.”

A sound came from him that told me he thought I was too much of a girl to survive that. “The crazies hide there.”

I chuckled and slowly turned back, rolling my eyes at him. “And they don’t in the city?” His expression pleaded with me. “Darren, I know you have always been close to my family, you’re like family. So I know that Shawn probably told you I changed after the virus.” The fear in his eyes confirmed my suspicions. He knew the truth. “I have to find out what I’ve become, before others do. I need to know if I’m a good thing or a bad thing. And I need space and solitude to discover this.”

“Bree, you could never be bad.”

My heart warmed from his words. “I hope you’re right.”

He sighed loudly. “Fine, but you’re taking Tremor and Shawn’s weapons – otherwise I’m going with you.”

I knew he wouldn’t, we both knew it, but it was his way of feeling like he had done all he could. “I don’t have to take Tremor. I can walk.”

He shook his head sending his black hair scattering around his face. “We have LadyBell and her colt; we don’t need any more than that. Tremor’s fast and loyal and he’ll get you through the bad times.”

I was hoping the bad times would be few, naive I know, but I could hope. My heart strained as I fought to keep my resolve. He loved his horse and to know he was sending him out there with me meant more than I could express. “Thank you.” I wanted to hug him, I really did, who knew when I’d have any friendly human contact again. If I hugged him now I knew I would fall apart, and I needed to keep my head out of the emotional whirl that was already threatening to suck me in. “I should get ready. I want to leave early enough so I can be out of the city before darkness falls.”

Darren nodded, even though his entire face told me he didn’t agree. “I’ll go get Tremor. You get your stuff packed up.” He looked at me for a long silent moment before he rushed back out the door.

I stood there looking at the door long after he’d gone. In my head I wasn’t at all sure this was a good plan. I was following my heart and it was telling me to get out of town and find out where I was meant to be. Of course my head was saying that was a load of crap, but I was still going to do it. I couldn’t explain why I needed to be outside and away from all the buildings and people, it just felt right.

Darren didn’t know I was already packed. When I knew Shawn wasn’t going to recover I started to gather up what I would need. Before Shawn was too far away from me, we had discussed my plan. He agreed I needed to leave. He had also said he was coming with me as soon as he was on his feet. I think by that point we both knew he would never recover.

I swore to follow the least traveled path. I promised to stay away from crowded places. I vowed to him I would survive and then I tucked the blanket around him and went off to cry by myself until my eyes felt like they were going to split in half.

I’m done with the crying and ready to take on what’s left of this planet and the series of trials I know it will throw in my path. Tale of a colony of peaceful people live high in the mountains, it’s my plan to find them. I hope the stories of the crazies that live between here and there are just that, a farfetched creation of some idiot’s imagination.

Going into my room, I quickly headed to the closet to pull out the packs that had been sitting ready for me. I didn’t need a lot. I could live off the land if needed, but one entire bag contained dehydrated food, just to be safe. As I swung the largest pack up onto my shoulder I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Would this be the last time I saw the woman looking back at me? I looked into my now green eyes, a leftover from the virus. I stared until I saw it; determination, hidden just under the surface. Sighing, I ran a hand through my choppy red hair and debated, very briefly, if I should dye it a dull brown and tone it down. I knew that would never happen. I wouldn’t trade in my brilliant hair for anything. It was a statement and if I couldn’t do anything else I was definitely going to make one.

Closing my eyes, I prayed for my spirit to stay strong. When I opened them I didn’t look at the mirror again, just picked up the other two bags and walked out of my home for the very last time

Darren stood outside holding the reins and crooning softly to Tremor. I couldn’t see his face, which was a blessing, I didn’t have to see his eyes begging me not to go again. The large horse’s ears flicked as he listened attentively. No doubt he was receiving instructions to keep me safe and out of harm’s way. Darren lifted his face away from the animal and looked over at me. “He’s quite happy you’re getting him the hell out of this city.” A half hearted grin appeared on his face. With a tilt of his head he motioned to the other side of the porch. “We’re going to walk with you until you’re outside the city limits.”

I turned and looked to see Bobby leaning against the side of the house. I couldn’t help but smile when he wiggled his eyebrows at me. Bobby was the clown of the group that grew up together. I often wondered if anyone else ever sensed he was too serious inside and that was why he joked around as much as he did. Bobby was my first crush when I was thirteen. It never went anywhere, for obvious reasons, but I still had a secret place for him in my heart. I was grateful he was coming along; it would prevent Darren from pleading with me to change my mind, again. “Hey, Bobby.” He pushed away from the wall and sauntered in his easy way towards me, his long leather jacket making him look like he floated.

“Hey, Brat. You didn’t think you were going to sneak off without saying bye did you?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He pulled the bag from my shoulder. “Good to know.”

Darren came over and took the bags, taking them to secure to Tremor’s saddle. “I think you should walk with us for a while and then he won’t be too tired to haul ass when you need him to later.” He didn’t look at me when he spoke.

“She’ll be fine, Dare, we taught her.” Bobby’s tone sounded annoyed.

Silently I hoped he was right.

Stepping in front of me, he looked me over. Without a word he moved and took off the coat that I couldn’t ever remember him not having. “You’re going to need something to keep you dry and warm.” He held the coat out to me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Pulling my hands out of my pockets I took the jacket and looked up at him. Bobby was a good six inches taller than my five foot five making me wonder if the leather was going to drag on the ground when I put it on. He continued to stand there and say nothing so I put my arms quickly into the sleeves. It hung about three inches off the ground. He gave me a triumphant grin and then moved around behind me, pulling at the material muttering about straps as he did. When he was finished the coat didn’t gape away from my body as much as it had.

“There’s a nice custom pocket on the inside left.” Leaning around me, he flipped the coat open to point to it. “And this…” Bending down to the cuff of his jeans, he pulled up the material to reveal a knife handle sticking out of his boot. “Fits in it perfectly.” I knew my eyes were wide as he slipped the knife into the pocket.

He stepped back quickly and jammed his hands into his pockets like he was afraid of grabbing me if he didn’t. As he looked down, just before his shaggy blonde hair covered his eyes, I thought I saw a tear running down his cheek. “Find a better place, Bree,” he whispered, so softly I almost missed it.

I swallowed the lump that lodged in my throat and nodded. “Thanks.”

“Let’s go.” Darren urged from where he stood. “I want you to have more than enough time to find somewhere to stay when it gets dark.

I wanted to take a huge breath and build the courage to take this final and first step, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it in front of them.

“Mom sent a bag of things.” Darren patted the small one tied to the back of the saddle. He didn’t elaborate what kind of things. Running his hand to the front of it, he flipped open the small pack. “Shawn’s hand-gun is in here and there’s enough ammo on the other side to last a long time.” He looked down at the ground and said nothing further.

I moved around to the front of Tremor and looked up into his big eyes. ‘We’re going to be just fine aren’t we?” I ran my hand down the blackness of his coat over his neck and picked up the reins. His ears flicked and he brought his mouth down to nibble at my shoulder. As far as encouraging signs went, that one worked for me.

I couldn’t stand the looks Bobby and Darren were giving each other, so without prolonging this any further, I turned and started to lead the way down the street, thankful we weren’t far from the nearest border.

 

I kept Tremor at an easy trot until we were far enough away that I wouldn’t be tempted to go back. Stopping, I turned him and looked back to the two men that stood exactly where I’d left them a few minutes earlier. I waved my arm at them, silently thanked them and wished them well. Turning the animal in the opposite direction, I prodded him with my heels to get us out of here. He complied without hesitation and carried us quickly away from the city that was filled with nothing but heartache that I could no longer face.