Code of Honor

Just over an hour and half a bottle later...we were gone. Whatever consciousness we had, had disappeared off the face of the earth. Leaving me in a mess of hiccups and giggles. I had always been a cheap drinker. I didn’t handle my alcohol well and I was small. It didn’t take much for me. Riley it seemed wasn’t much better off.

“It wouldn’t work,” He finally decided.

“Why not?” I questioned defensively my voice slurring slightly.

I’d had this plan well thought out. Or I thought I had. I was determined to find something he couldn’t fault. So far all I’d done was fail. He could fault any little detail in my plans for survival.

“You don’t have the strength to pull it off.”

I groaned loudly. Everything little thing. “I so can pull it off.”

“Nope,” He replied with a cheeky smirk.

I tilted my head back to glare at him. I was flat on my back across the bed, while he was sitting up against the headboard. Taking a swing from the bottle. Maybe it was the alcohol but he was really very cute all of a sudden. His hair was lying flat on his head, the tips falling over his eyes. His eyes were bright and every branch of the colour blue there was. His lips a soft pink....

“I’ve known you long enough...to know you haven’t got the strength.” He said pulling me from my reverie. “Your all skin and bones,” He laughed circling my upper arm his fingers.

“So? I can still do it,” I argued.

“No, you have to either, damage the brain or sever the spinal cord or head to kill a zombie properly.” He paused to take another swig and offer me the bottle again. “Believe me I know.”

“Oh? How do you know? Are you some kinda zombie killing expert?”

“Well, I don’t like to brag but....”

I groaned. I had no idea how we had even ended up having this conversation. We knew there was most likely no chance of us ever being invaded by zombies. But it had kept us amused for some time, discussing how we’d survive and what we’d do.

“So what, I can’t kill then with a bat.”

“And I still think your gun skills are questionable,” he finished.

“So if were invaded by zombies next I’m screwed,” I clarified.

“Well no. I’ll protect you.”

“Oh thanks,” I replied sarcastically and rolling over. Almost falling off the bed in the process. “Don’t trouble yourself or anything...what if I’m already a zombie?”

He laughed again and pondered my question for a second. I liked the sound. “Well...I’d stash you somewhere until they found a cure...I can’t lose my drinking buddy.”

I snorted a laugh. “Oh great, thank you. And what would you feed me?...actually don’t go there...I’m already feeling really queasy.”

I tried to sit up only to have the room spin awkwardly around me. I gripped the sheets in my fingers to ground myself. “I...I think I’m drunk.” I stated.

“No duh,” He laughed.

“Hey! So are you pretty boy.” Pretty boy was my new nickname for him. One born on nothing but pure drunkenness.

“Never said I wasn’t,” He answered “But you’re worse off than I am.”

“But I’m a girl,” I groaned. “We’re meant to get drunk easily so even the lowest of males can take advantage and further the species.”

He laughed loudly. “You want me to take advantage of you?”

“Keep your hands off me pretty boy,” I said.

But as I spoke I fell backwards, back into the bed. My head practically fell into his lap. I didn’t bother to move. He made a good pillow. He said nothing but his hand slowly moved up. He wrapped a few stands of my hair around his long fingers and started playing with it. I didn’t stop him, it felt nice.

“It’s so quiet here,” I mumbled.

“It is,” he replied softly.

Here I couldn’t hear the noises of the outside world. It was quiet. There was no gunning, yelling and screaming. It was almost normal here. I could almost forget the fact we were in a post-apocalyptic war zone. We were just two kids lazing around and drinking. Like we should have been. I reached for the bottle and took another sip.

“You know what would make this better?” I asked.

“Doritos?”

“No. But I like the way you think.”

He laughed. “What would make this better?”

I frowned and sighed. “I forget.”

“You’re a great drinking buddy you know,” he chuckled. “You can’t keep a train of thought for more than three seconds...it’s hilarious.”

“Glad I keep you amused....”

I had several more things to say and jokes to make but they all suddenly disappeared when his hand moved from my hair and travel led down the side of my face. This time it wasn’t the alcohol making my mind go blank. I watched his face as his hand moved slowly down my cheek. Sending shivers down my spine. They stopped just underneath my chin. His eyes moved from what he was doing down to my own eyes. I almost stopped breathing.
“You’re really...Beautiful, you know,” he whispered.

I wondered if it was him or the alcohol talking. Honestly I didn’t care. The look in his eyes was really getting to me. It was rendering my speechless. Something that didn’t happen very often. His eyes flickered down to my lips and back up again. I was at a loss. A small part of me was telling me this was bad. I shouldn’t be here let alone in this situation. I felt like I was betraying Oliver.

But then I felt his fingers on my skin again. Oliver was dead the other side argued. Yes, I missed him but he would forgive me. He would want me to be happy. Maybe Riley could provide that. That was I really, really wanted to kiss him. There was no doubt I was attracted to him. But I couldn’t decide if that was pure or just loneliness. I realized suddenly, I didn’t care. He must have seen the decision in my eyes because he made a move. One I was too scared to make. Slowly he lowered his face to mine. My breath disappeared. He pressed his lips gently against mine at first. They were so soft. I returned the favor just as gently. He smiled against my lips and then pressed his back to mine. This time a little harder and for much longer.

At first we just pecked gently. But it didn’t take long. Before I knew it his tongue was grazing my bottom lip. Asking for entrance. I parted my lips and out tongues met in a slow dance. A deep breath escaped my nose as he moved himself to lean over me. Leaving me pressed with my back against the mattress.

I kissed him back with all the passion he was giving me. I knew I had felt some attraction for him in the short time we had known each other. But I’d had no idea how strong it was until now. Right now I would have let him take anything he wanted from me. Slowly he pulled away, leaving his lips only an inch from mine. He both smiled and chuckled at one another. He must have felt it to. I felt his hand on my cheek again and closed my eyes, leaning my head into his hand. Before long his lips were back on mine. I wrapped my arms around his shoulder blades.

A loud crash suddenly brought us apart.

Riley shot up and off me, reaching for his gun. I sat up just as quickly and stared in the direction of the doorway. Then there was nothing. I started to wonder if I’d imagined the noise but Riley had heard it to.

“Is someone in here?” I questioned and he shook his head.

“No, it came from outside.”

I let out a deep breath. I was shaking. “What do you think it was?”

He shrugged. “Could be anything, someone clearing rubble or another part of a building coming down...I’d put my bet on the building.”

“What time is it?”

“Late,” He replied simply letting his gun go. “I’ll walk you back.”

“You don’t have to....”

“No I want to.”

I didn’t refuse his offer anymore. There could have been any number of things out there. I didn’t want to go out there on my own. I also just wanted to keep his presence around me a bit longer. Slowly shook himself out. He took the bottle from my hand.

“This was probably a bad idea.”

I shrugged, not sure how to answer and stood up on shaky feet. The alcohol was still strong in my system. He put his hand out to steady me as I almost fell backwards back into the bed. He smiled at me but didn’t say anything. He lingered for a moment before taking his hand off me and started picking up his gear. Slipping his jacket on as he did so. I followed suit and pulled my hoddie awkwardly over my head...and tried not to fall over.

Slowly, most likely for my benefit, he walked back through the store and to the door. I followed on slightly unsteady feet and with what was left of the bottle in my hand. Again he opened the door for me and held it while I ducked underneath. He let it drop again and I flinched at the noise it made. Riley smiled at me and reached for my hand. I gave it to him.

The walk out was a lot quicker than the one I made in since Riley knew where he was going. He didn’t make random detours off into the dark. I tried to make a mental note of the directions we were taking but it seemed impossible. My brain was soaking up anything but the Vodka. Eventually we found ourselves back out in the moonlight and surrounded by destruction. Back in the real world.

We didn’t share another word with each other. We didn’t need to. He walked me all the way back to the hideout without a word. The only contact we had was our hands wrapped tight around each other’s and the occasional passing of the bottle.

Though after we had left the Mall he seemed to be leaving it to me and slipping into a protector role. I had noted his other hand was securely rested on the pistol at his side. Somewhere in my alcohol addled mind I thought about throwing the bottle away but the though passed as quickly as it came.

“So,” He said simply as we came to a stop outside the hideout.

“So,” I repeated with a chuckled turning to stand in front of him.

“I spend most nights out there...if you ever wanna hang out again,” he said slowly rubbing the back of his head.

“Sure,” I said a little too quickly. I realized I sounded a little desperate. I started to ramble. “It was good...to you know have someone to talk to and all...and actually have some fun for once....”

“Yeah,” He said. “It was.”

I glanced up at the building. “I better let you go....”

“Yeah, if they catch me out this late I’m screwed.”

“Me too.”

He smiled and squeezed my hand before letting it go. “Bye.”

“Cya,” I replied and turned to face the entrance. I hesitated for a second.

“Grace.”

I turned to face him only to find him an inch from me again. I don’t know if it was the alcohol but suddenly his lips were on mine again. For the countless time that night I found myself unable to breathe. It was a small kiss. Short, soft and sweet. But it held the weight of the world.

“Goodnight.” He whispered.

“Night,” I whispered back in a small state of shock.

With that he turned his back and walked away. He didn’t look back. I watched him disappear around the corner and sighed. I couldn’t help but think what I’d gotten myself into this time. He was a soldier. I was breaking every little rule there was left. But I didn’t care...not as much as everyone else would. I took one last long drink from the bottle and slipped inside the door slowly.

Gently I pushed it close behind me and waited for the click with baited breath. Once the door was closed again I turned ready to take on the stairs. Getting back to bed in this state quietly was going to take some skill. I went to take the first step and quietly. Only I misjudged it and my foot slipped. I almost went down with it. I stumbled to keep my footing almost tripping over something in the dark.

“Fuck,” I said a little too loudly.

I managed to keep my footing and not spill the remains of the bottle. I let out a deep breath hoping no one had woken. But I had the feeling that wasn’t going to happen. Suddenly a soft beam of light hit me in the face.

“Grace.”

I glanced up the stairs. Shielding my eyes with my hand. To figures were standing in the dark. Dad and Jamison. I had the fleeting contemplation to turn and make a run for it. But it passed quickly. I wasn’t going to make it far in this state.

“What the hell are you doing down here?” My father questioned. I decided he really didn’t want to know.

They descended the stairs quietly and stopped before me. I tried very hard to put up the impression of sober. But I had the feeling I was failing miserably. My father wasn’t as naive as he sometimes made himself out to be around me.

“Grace,” dad said a little more firmly and I looked at him. I was expected him to be mad so I was surprised to see the amusement on his face. “What have you been doing?”

“Uh?” I mumbled glancing at the floor. “Stuff?”

He stared at me. The expression on his face confused me. I was braced for all sorts of yelling. Not this. Carefully Jamison reached out and took the bottle from my hand. I let him take it. It wasn’t doing me any good at all.

“You’ve been drinking this?” He asked with a small smile.

“Maybe...am I in trouble?”

“I don’t know yet?” Dad said his smile matching Jamison’s.

“Actually, I’m impressed you’re still standing.” Jamison said holding up the nearly empty bottle. “A bottle this strong could put someone your size in a coma.”

“Well...Riley helped,” I replied. Not realizing the hole I was digging myself.

“Riley?” Dad questioned. The smile was gone.

“My friend,” I replied simply. “Can I go to bed? You can yell all you want in the morning.”

They glanced at each other and Jamison shrugged. Another small smile adorning his face.

“She’s your daughter Cameron. I’ll leave this one to you.”

With that Jamison walked back upstairs and into the main room. Dad looked back at me and crossed his arms over his chest. I tried to give him back the hard stare he was giving me but from the smirk on his face I assumed I just looked like an idiot.

“I’m curious Grace, why would you do something like this. Bored?” he started and I shrugged. “Was it for this Riley boy...or are you just trying to spite me?”

“I don’t know,” I replied frowning. “I’d put my bet on all three.”

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Alright, go to bed. We’ll talk this over in the morning when you might actually have a chance to remember what we’re talking about.”
I frowned and went to walk up the stairs. Only to again misjudge where the first step was and almost fall back on my ass. Dad caught me and kept me on my feet. He was trying not to laugh at me so I tried to push him off.

It only took a second of my reluctance for him to take action. In one swift movement he picked me up and flung me up over his shoulder. I groaned. He carried me upstairs and across the dark room where he promptly dropped me into my bed, waking Dimitri in the process, and watched me curl into the blankets. The second my head hit the pillow I started to slip under into sleep. The last thing I heard before passing out was my father’s light chuckle and his footsteps walking away.

In the morning the sun was too bright. Way to bright. It would have been headache inducing had I already not had one. All it did was make it worse and thump behind my eyes. I groaned and pulled the blanket back over my head. I felt a strange sense of déjà vu. I could have sworn I’d only just pulled the blankets back over my head to hide from the sun. Then as quick as it was gone it was back. I groaned, louder this time, and again reached for the blanket. This time it wouldn’t budge. Slowly I opened my groggy eyes. My father was standing over me. A smug smirk on his face and his foot keeping my blanket down. I glared up at him. I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep and sleep this hangover away.

“Good morning,” he said cheerily.

I grunt and rolled over. Covering my eyes with my arm
.
“No you don’t,” he said and a second later I was being hauled to my feet. “I let you sleep half the day already.”

I grunted and wiped the sleep from my eyes. I was never a morning person. I was even worse of a morning person the few times I’d been hungover. The alcohol had seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I was regretting it. Once I could see I looked up at my father. He was watching me. That smug smile still on his face.

“What?” I snapped. He tried not to laugh.

“You’re not getting any sympathy out of me Grace. You brought this on yourself.”

“Whatever,” I mumbled and stumbled over to sit down by the extinguished fire.

Dad followed me and waited a seconds before giving Dimitri who was beside me a look. Unfortunately Dimitri took the hint, for once, and took off. Leaving us alone. I put my head in my hands. Trying to ignore the ferocious ache in my head. From the corner of my eye I watched my father pull a box closer to sit in front of me. He watched me for a moment before he spoke.

“We need to talk.”

“Well I don’t want to,” I mumbled. I was still mad at him.

“But this is the beauty of the situation. I’m the parent here, you are the child.”

He seemed so...different today. So cheery. I hadn’t seen my dad like this in a very long time. Not after the war broke out. I looked up at him and for the first time in years seen the dad I used to know. The father from my childhood. It stopped me making more smart ass and bitchy remarks.

“What happened last night Grace. Be honest with me. You’re not in trouble.”

I frowned at him. “You mean that?”

“Well it’s not like I can ground you now is it,” He said. “But no, I’m disappointed that you’ve been sneaking out behind my back and I’m worried sick about what could happen to you out there....”

“Last night was the first time,” I told him. “I haven’t done it before.”

“Okay but why? Was it...Riley?”

“You remembered his name,” I said a little shocked. My dad was hopeless with names. Especially the names of the boys I liked.

“His come up enough times for me to,” he frowned. “Explain this to me Grace. You’ve got me worried.”

I couldn’t help the smile that came to lips. “Worried for my safety or my innocence?”

He smiled back at me. “Right now both.”

I shrugged with a sigh. “I don’t know. I was bored I guess...I wanted to do something...Riley wanted to hang out. It just came together.”

“Okay,” He started slowly. “This is where I start to disapprove. I don’t want you hanging around with that boy. His a soldier, its trouble waiting to happen.”

I didn’t say a thing for a minute. We just stared at each other. Sizing each other up. Maybe if I had been better I could have fought him over it. But right then and there I couldn’t care less. The pounding headache was interfering with my thoughts something shocking. I really wasn’t in the mood to argue with him so I gave in. For the moment.

“Yeah fine...whatever,” I sighed running my aching head. Willing the thumping to go away.

He raised his eyebrow and stared at me. Shock lining his features. “You’re not going to fight me on this.”

“Maybe later...Can I go back to bed now?’

“No,” he smiled. “You’ve already slept half the day and you brought this on yourself. Go have something to eat. You’ll feel better for it.”

Groaning I heaved myself up onto my sore leg and walked over the where the food was kept. Over in the far corner of the room. Jamison walked past me giving me a small smile as he did so. It wasn’t his usual smile. It was more of an amused one. I ignored it and kept walking. I dug through the box of can slowly. Feeling extremely indecisive about what I wanted to eat. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to. I was hungry but my stomach was still feeling queasy.

“Well, that was very lenient Cameron,” Jamison said quietly to my father. A smile in his voice.

I glanced back over my shoulder. Watching them quietly and listening in quietly.

“I can’t help it,” Dad smiled. “I can’t be upset with her for being a kid because that exactly what she is...hopefully she’s just more careful about it in the future.”

“In the future?” Jamison laughed. “You expect her to do it again?”

“Of course she will,” Dad said seriously. “She’s sixteen and stubborn as a mule. The fact that I told her not to will fuel the will to do exactly the opposite of whatever I say...she’s been that way since she was two.”

“My daughters were the same,” Jamison laughed. “The second they hit thirteen.”

Dad chuckled. “I know I should be a bit more upset with her but I can’t. She’s talking to me again...and not with...,” he sighed. “I won’t let her go on bad terms.”

Jamison nodded the smile disappearing from his face. I watched them intently waiting for more. But they said nothing else. What was he talking about? The way he had spoken he seemed so sure something was going to happen. I won’t let her go on bad terms? What did he mean exactly by letting me go. Maybe he was just being paranoid I though. Maybe he was scared something would happen to me or himself and I’d still be angry at him. I dropped the can of food I had in my hand suddenly feeling sick to the pit of my stomach.

Riley and I had no more contact over the next week. My father was watching me like a hawk and since there was a task force out in the city with the intent on killing us on sight. We were under strict orders from my father to stay inside. I was really the only one he had any authority over but everyone listened to him nonetheless. I don’t know how it had happened but at some point my father had taken over leadership of this group.

When we had joined there had been only a small handful of people. Five men as I remembered it. Oscar and Jamison were amongst them. Like us they had all been cast out by the army. Deemed unworthy of evacuation and survival. So they had joined together to try and keep each other safe and like most rouge groups of the time not only a way to survive but to eventually stand up against the army.

Revenge for being turned away and left behind. At the time of our arrival there were two men both fighting for the position of leadership in the group. Neither really had the right idea. Neither really has the best interests of the group at heart. They just wanted to be important and have control over something. My father was the one to settled them down when the fights got out of hand. Eventually everyone just started looking to him. He never asked for the job it just fell on his shoulders.

My dad had always had a knack for leadership. As I said before people flock to him. It had always been that way. Eventually these two men took off to find their own way and our group slowly started to form on its own. Taking in refugees when we found them. Eventually they started coming looking for us. The red bands were soon born. At first they were to distinguish each other out from a crowd when the resistance groups were at the highest. Soon the bands stood out as a symbol for what we stood for.

AS time went on a lot of these groups dwindled away. Due to lack of supplies, infighting and the culling the army enforced after an attack staged by another group. I couldn’t help but think they were brave...even if they were totally stupid.

They were shot down before they even made it into the base. But what they had done was the stuff o legend out here. Soon a lot more people were standing against the government and on their own two feet. I couldn’t help but admire what my father did sometimes. He had taken a small band of misfits and turned it into one of the most successful resistance groups out there. Without even trying he succeeded where others failed.

“Alright Billy, you alright with this?” He questioned bringing me from my thoughts.

I was sitting up on the bench top watching my father work out the group who would go out and find us some supplies. The group was small. It had to be so it wouldn’t attract attention. At the same time there had to be enough so if something happened they would be able to fight back.

“I’m fine,” Billy replied confidently. Slinging the rifle over his skinny shoulder. “Me and Gracie have been practicing.”

Dad sighed with a chuckle and shook his head. Billy had a modified cap gun. He’d found it a long time ago and with some tinkering we’d recently been able to get it to actually propel small projectiles. This had been an endless source of entertainment to us in the long days stuck inside. We had made little targets and had practiced shooting them. Then when they got old we started trying to shoot the flies out of midair. So far we’d only managed to fluke hitting one...and manage to almost take someone’s eye out. Soon the small group left and I watched them go longingly. What I wouldn’t do to get out of this stuffy room. Even for an hour.

“Dimitri,” Dad called suddenly making me jump and almost fall off the bench top. “Come over here for a minute.”

Dimitri walked over pocketing whatever he’d been playing with. Something to just keep his fingers busy I assumed. Sometimes it just helped. He took a spot right next to me. A little to close for comfort and he knew it. I pushed him away and he pushed me back. Dad rolled his eyes.

“I could live to regret this.”

We both looked up at him expectantly. Carefully he pulled two handguns out and placed them on the bench before us. I studied them. Both seemed to be in alright condition. A little old but these days it didn’t matter as long as it shot. I recognized one as a colt, the other I wasn’t sure about but it was similar. Dad let us study them for a moment.

“Can I trust the two of you to be sensible with something like this?”

Both our heads shot up. Dimitri’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline. It was almost comical.
“What?” I asked and dad chuckled.

“Are you serious?” Dimitri asked.

Dad nodded. “I wouldn’t be offering them if I wasn’t. I realized this morning that even if you are kids you still need to be able to protect yourself properly. So,” he pushed both handguns towards us. In our respective positions. “You’ll probably started the water run again once it’s safe and I’d feel better knowing you were better protected.”

Dimitri picked up his gun and studied it carefully. Dad watched him with a smile.

“Just remember guys there loaded weapons...not a toy or a cap gun,” He gave me a look.

“We get it dad,” I replied.

Dimitri walked off to study his new toy...I mean possession. I was about to do the same when my father suddenly scooped it up from under my hand and held it in his hand. I frowned at him.

“Sensible, remember.”

I rolled my eyes. “I got I the first million times dad.”

He handed it to me but didn’t let it go straight away. “It’s not to be used to scare or prank Dimitri either.”

“Aw, ruin all my fun.”

He shook his head and let me take the gun. He hesitated to kiss me on the forehead before walking away. We were on slightly better terms these days. I still wasn’t happy with what he’d done but what he said the other day had gotten to me. If on the off chance something happened to either one of us. I didn’t want to lose him, or die mad at him.

And lately I caught the feeling something was going to happen. He wasn’t himself lately. Especially around me and it went beyond out little spat. These new guns just fueled my suspicion. My father would have followed me around with his rifle before he ever accepted that I could get into the sort of trouble where I’d need to defend myself with a gun. Without him around to protect me.

Sighing I pushed the thoughts away and followed Dimitri over to the corner of the hideout we’d claimed as ours. I sat on our bed beside him and together we started to talk animatedly about our new weapons. We compared everything from weight to size. About the only thing we didn’t do was shoot them. When Billy got back we instantly showed them off to him. Instantly he started picking on us like always. Our new guns paled against his rifle but we didn’t care. We stirred him right back all the way to dinner time. Billy had become somewhat of a bigger brother to us. Besides Dimitri and me he was the youngest. He was always treated me like a little sister and I treated him like I did my big brother.

That night we ate in silence. I’d been so caught up playing with Dimitri and Billy that I’d forgotten my earlier worries. The second I sat down they came right back up. First I noted we were eating earlier than usual and everyone seemed to be looking at the floor. My father wasn’t eating at all. He was watching everyone else. Mostly me and Dimitri. There was a sadness to his eyes along with that protective glow I’d grown accustomed to. That was when I knew for sure something was going on. I soon lost my appetite. My father and Jamison were the first to move when everyone had finished eating. I watched them intently as Dimitri chatted in my ear.

I wasn’t really listening I was too busy watching. They were talking quietly, packing a small bag. Hiding a gun in the bottom. They were behaving the way they did when they were organizing a trip outside. Maybe we were going out I thought to myself. Maybe I was instantly jumping to conclusions again. There had been very little indication that whatever was happening was going to be bad. It could just as easily be a good thing. A small bubble of excitement formed inside me. Maybe he’d let me come this time. Eventually on a silent signal three more men joined them.

Phillip, who had been the one to bring the information of the evacuations to us, and a man he had befriend Gary. Ben followed behind them with a serious look. I knew all the men but not well. They had only been recent initiates into our group. I had never expected them to stay this long. Dad started talking to them. I picked up from his movements and persona that he was playing the leader here again.

They all followed his orders without complaint. I was trying to listen in on what these exact orders were but I couldn’t hear a thing. They were getting ready to go outside that I knew for sure. They were holstering guns and carrying bags. Then they all proceeded to remove the red bands from their arms. Leaving them behind on the table.

“Grace, Dimitri.”

At my father’s call both Dimitri and I jumped up and bounded over. The pent up excitement of our fleeting chance to go outside escaping us. I hadn’t realized until then Dimitri had noticed my fascination with what my father was doing. He too had picked up on what was happening.

“What’s going on?” I questioned the second my father was in ear shot.

“We’re going out,” he said carefully. “Get the guns I gave you and leave your bands with ours.”

As expected Dimitri followed his order without a word. Pulled his band off and disappeared in a cloud of smoke to get his gun. I was a bit more hesitant. My father watched me like he knew I would question him.

“Why?”

A small half smile was what I got in return. “It’s just not safe tonight Grace. It’s best we leave them here.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

With that he turned his back and started shifting through the bag again. I caught the feeling he didn’t really need to do anything with the bag. He was just trying to put my off asking more questions. I sighed loudly making sure he heard and pulled the red band off my thin wrist slowly. Laying it next to my fathers. Then like Dimitri I proceeded to obtain my gun and holster it in the side of my pants. Hidden beneath my hoddie.

“Okay, guns stay hidden,” Dad ordered once we had past the last threshold into the night.

“Don’t pull it out unless absolutely necessary.”

We all nodded our understanding. Dad motioned over his shoulder and we all stated to follow him down the cracked street. Our walk was silent. I don’t know if was to stop us from attracting any attention or of like me no one wanted to split the peacefulness of the night. I had come to much prefer the world at nighttime. It was so much more peaceful and normal. The destruction had its own beauty in the moonlight.

But where the human life lacked the animals made up. I noted several more birds out scavenging for food and the occasional cat stalking behind them. But the domesticated animals were to be expected. As we passed into the southern end of the city I spotted a small herd of white-tail deer grazing on what was left of the grass in a small park. They looked up as we passed but the temptation of the food they’d found was too good. They didn’t run away. I watched them over my shoulder as we passed highly tempted to go back to pat one.

I turned back around. Lights on the horizon caught my eye. I couldn’t see what was ahead for the hill we were currently walking up but something was defiantly happening on the other side. Suddenly I felt unsettled. Something wasn’t right. Very few people had the recourse to have electricity. The army being one of the only ones. I couldn’t figure out why we were heading towards them. It could only spell trouble. I picked up my pace, curious to see what was on the other side. I reached the top and stopped dead in my tracks.

Before me was one of the main roads in and out of the city itself. I could make out a strong temporary fence going all the way across it so no one could pass. On our side a large crowd of people stood. Some quietly, some forcing their way to the front. At the front of the crowd soldiers were lined up all holding large guns across there chests.

Their line was only broken by two small tents. People were fighting to get inside them only to be pushed back by the solders. I looked further ahead. On the other side of the fence there were more soldiers, another larger tent that seemed to be well guarded. Also a small collection of trucks and buses stood out in the dark.

“What’s going on....Dad?”