A World Fallen Read online

  She tries to stifle this feeling, but it is not to be. It’s not a feeling. It’s a sensation. She believes these people could be good people, but is it in her head? Is it just the hunger? “Good people help others, don’t they? Wouldn’t I?” She...doesn’t know if she would. Protecting Mikey has been her number one concern these past few years. “If I were them would I really take that risk?”

  Her stomach growls again. Louder than before and during a break in their conversation. The bigger one, the tree chopper, jumps to his feet. She frowns again, “Shit! He heard that.”

  “Did you hear that?” he says to his group.

  He picks up a rifle and points it at the woods. “This is not good.” Rosaline thinks.

  The girl closest to the trees rises to join him.

  “I did.” she replies.

  “Hear what?” the other girl asks.

  Another of the guys gets to his feet and picks up a rifle. He hushes the group, as he slowly takes a few steps toward the woods. Rosaline takes a deep breath and draws her handgun. “This is it. Damnit.”

  She steps out from the tree line into full view, her gun drawn on them just as theirs are on her. “They didn’t shoot, thank God.”

  “What do you want?” the guy closest to her asks.

  She doesn’t answer.

  “You lookin’ to steal from us?” the biggest one interjects. His tone is firm, but he is rattled.

  “NO!” Rosaline responds.

  She answered with haste. She lied. She’s sure they know it.

  “What do you want?” the closest one asks again.

  Rosaline takes another deep breath. Her face stretches, her stomach growls again, her mind wonders, “For their sake I hope this is the right move.”

  “My name is Rosaline. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I-I...” her thoughts fade.

  She’s so hungry. She can see these people are afraid. That’s smart. “Fuck it Ros, be honest with them. Either they accept it and help, or you kill them. Damnit.”

  “I lived in a community once. Really nice with gates-”

  “What?” the largest one says, interrupting her.

  A fleet of confused looks greet her story. The young people glance to each other, none of them knowing what to think.

  “Why are you telling us this?” the closest one asks.

  “Just listen, please, I need to say this.”

  He peers over his shoulder to one of the women. They share a held look for a short moment. He shrugs his shoulders, she nods to him, then steps forward, joining him by his side. She squints her eyes and regards Rosaline for a moment, then bobs her head.

  “Okay, tell us.”

  Rosaline takes another deep breath, her eyes beginning to well.

  “When the disease spread they locked up in it. Made it like a little town. I was younger when I found it, fifteen, and in bad shape. They took me in and I lived there for two years. It was nice and peaceful for a while. It was like none of this ever happened.”

  She pauses, taking a short beat to gather herself, then continues.

  “One day some other strangers showed up. They let them in and they lived with us. Everything was fine for months. The strangers helped out, did chores, and chipped in however was needed. Then one night, out of nowhere, the strangers killed a bunch of people, stole a lot of supplies, and left. Everything changed after that, everyone changed. The community turned mean and bitter.

  “They went looking for the strangers. They were determined to find them. They searched for weeks. One day the search party came back. They found the strangers. They took them to the middle of the community and killed them, but it wasn’t quick. They tortured them for days. Made them suffer. Everyone saw it, most even took part in it. They enjoyed watching it. They made the strangers suffer until their last breath. Even, even the little child that was with them. When the strangers killed those people and left, a little boy’s parents were some of the people they killed. He was two years old and left alone.”

  The group before her exchange more unsure glances among them. They’re confused, and rightly so. Rosaline partially turns her head back to the woods, never losing sight of the group.

  “Mikey! Come here.” she yells out.

  A few moments pass. No one says a word. The only sound to be heard is the rustling of the fire, then a patter of feet walking over leaves. It’s faint, but in this silence it can be heard. A young boy exits the woods. Upon seeing Rosaline he hurries over to her, wrapping his arms around her leg. His eyes drip with concern as he looks up at her. She forces a smile to him and pats his head. She looks back to the group.

  “No one wanted to take care of him, so I did. After the community killed those strangers, I left and took Mikey with me. I couldn’t stay there. I couldn’t let him grow up around people like that. People who killed and enjoyed it. I didn’t take anything that wasn’t mine when I left. As far as I know they’ve never looked for me. That was three years ago. We’ve been by ourselves ever since. Mikey hasn’t eaten in almost three days, me in twice as long. We’re hungry and tired. We’ve not met a lot of people these past three years. We’re good about staying hidden. The ones we have met...mostly have been bad people. I’ve killed those bad people to protect him.”

  “Why are you telling us this?” the one closest to her asks.

  “So you know I’m serious. We just” -a sudden lump rises in her throat, catching her words. Her cheeks puff, her chest quakes, her eyes well again- “please....don’t be bad people...just-”

  Her emotions get the better of her and she weeps. There is no build up, no warning, just a river of tears. She is at her end and she needs help. She needs to know there are still good people left in this world. She needs to know that when she’s gone, whenever that time comes, that there is some silver lining out there for Mikey.

  Her tears rumble down her face and splash onto his. He grips her leg tighter and cries with her. Her hand rubs his head in an attempt to comfort him. Even at her most broken her first instinct is still to keep him safe.

  “Please don’t be bad...don’t be bad...I don’t want to kill any more real people.” she pleas in-between sobs.

  The woman near Rosaline places her hand on the man's shoulder. Her bottom lip curls under and her eyes sag. He softly nods his head at her, then regards Rosaline again.

  “Listen, my name is Hawaii. I promise you we’re not bad, and we’ll help you. We have food. You can have some.”

  There is a comfort in his voice. It only serves to increase Rosaline's flow of tears. They continue to cascade down her cheeks. For a moment she can’t remember the last time she cried, but only for a moment, then the memory of a young girl running through the woods, doing everything she can to escape death, rushes back to her. That night, that was the last time she cried.

  “Please don’t be bad, please.” she pleads again.

  “We’re not. I tell you what, we’ll lower our guns if you lower yours?” Hawaii says.

  Rosaline doesn’t respond. She continues to weep. Her hand trembles as it grips her gun tightly.

  “How does that sound?” Hawaii asks, a noticeable concern now raised in his voice.

  “I don’t know if I should or not, but I’m gonna trust you.” she replies, unable to believe she just uttered those words.

  “We’re gonna trust you too. On the count of three, okay?” he says.

  Her breath skips with sobs, “Okay.”

  “One...two...three.”

  “Damnit.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  He awakes to the warmth of the sunlight breaking through the crease of the curtains, splashing across his face. Her head lay firmly against his chest. Her arm draped over his midsection. Her hair is messy and her lips slightly agape. He smiles to himself as he watches her sleep. “What kind of life is this?” he thinks. After all they have been through he never imaged he would wake up like this, but he does, and for almost a whole year now. He wonders if there are others out there who have been able to find
some solace in this world. He feels guilty that he is able to. He’s not sure if they deserve it, but he’s glad they have it.

  He rustles a bit rubbing his eyes. He tries to move gently, so as not to wake her, but she’s a light sleeper. Most are. He figures these days it's essential. She rubs his chest.

  “Noooo.” she softly mutters

  He laughs and kisses her head.

  “Ew, your hair smells.” he says, prodding at her.

  Her face squeezes tight as she reaches up and touches his nose, “You smell!”

  She scratches her head, her dirty blonde hair tangling among her fingers, her pale skin matching their plain sheets. He sits up, but she doesn’t budge. She clings onto his body, keeping her head pressed against his muscular, tanned chest.

  “Ugh!” she exclaims from her still half asleep state.

  “It's our day, let’s go take a bath.” he says.

  “Let’s go take a sleep.”

  He laughs at her awkward reply, “Let’s go take a sleep? Really?”

  Her eyes finally open. She looks up at him groggily and grins, “Shut up.”

  “Come on, let’s get up.” -he moves her off him- “We need fresh wood today.” he says.

  “Noooooo.” she croons again.

  He slides out of bed and stands at the side looking down at her. He runs his hand through his short black hair, feeling the dirt built up in it. He smells his hand, grimaces, and shakes his head. She rolls over and locks eyes with him.

  “You’re the worst.”

  “No, you are!” he replies, with a smile.

  She stretches her arms and legs out muttering, “Blah, blah, blah.” as she yawns.

  He grabs a shirt and pants from the closet, puts them on, and begins to turn for the door. She throws her arms up in the air at him and holds them there. He leans down and kisses her cheek as she smiles wide.

  “Talk to Rad today, please?” she asks.

  He frowns, noticeably opposed to her request. She continues.

  “Baby, you two can’t stay mad at each other. We all disagree sometimes. Just apologize and bury it.”

  He scoffs and shakes his head, furrowing his brow.

  “I’m not wrong here. We have a perimeter for a reason.”

  “I know baby, but you’re who we look up to. I know you didn’t ask for it, but that’s how it turned out and you took those reigns. He didn’t get hurt, and I doubt he’ll do it again. Be the bigger person and make amends.”

  Even when she’s firm there’s still a comfort to her words. He knows she’s right. He has to swallow his pride and move past this. It’s unhealthy for The Family to keep tension between any of them. He sighs and nods. She smiles again, then he exits the room.

  He makes his way down the hall and past the bathroom that has become an ancient remnant of a time long past. He stops at the next room. He listens for a moment before knocking, attempting to hear any noise from the other side of the door. It’s quiet, so he knocks. No answer. He knocks again, harder this time. Still no answer.

  “Sweetie, I’m opening the door.” he says loudly.

  Still, no response. He twists the handle and pushes the door open. He steps in looking around. The bed is empty and already made. Someone is up and moving before he is. That’s rare.

  He closes her door and continues down the hall. He passes the stairs and heads for the other two bedrooms. He stops again at another door. He listens and doesn’t hear anything. He knocks. No answer from this room either. He knocks again and the same results remain.

  “Rad, I’m coming in.” he says.

  He grabs the doorknob.

  “Please don’t be jerking off again.” he whispers to himself.

  He enters to see another empty, yet messy, bed. This room has clothes on the floor, and the curtains opened allowing light to fill the room. Another person is up before him. He’s really slipping today.

  He finally comes to the last room in the house. He knocks hard. An immediate rustling accompanied by a tumble follows his knock.

  “I’m up! I’m up!” is shouted from behind the door.

  “Let’s get a move on, lots to do today.” he shouts back.

  He bounds back down the hallway and descends the stairs. No one in the living room or the dining room. He can hear noise coming from the kitchen. He rounds the corner to see Sweetie preparing breakfast.

  “Hmmm, beans and strawberries today? What a feast!” he says, the sarcasm dripping from his every word.

  “¡Ay chacho! You want better food then get it for me!” she playfully snaps back.

  “Why are you up so early?”

  Her brow furrows, “Early? You just slept late!”

  He bobs his head to the side agreeing with her. Her eyes dart to the ceiling, in the direction of his room, she motions at him with the knife.

  ”I get it, I get it! I wouldn’t wanna leave that love nest up there either.”

  "Hey now, that's my woman up there."

  "For now." she says with a wicked grin.

  "I can never tell if you're serious or not."

  She giggles and shrugs her shoulders. The kitchen door opens behind them. The large, young man known as Rad walks in with an axe over his shoulder. His dark complexion glistening with sweat. He looks at the two already in the kitchen, who are giving him inquisitive looks.

  "It's chopping day." he says.

  They nod, but do not reply. The three stand in uncomfortable silence for a long moment. Sweetie rolls her eyes and breaks the tension.

  "Whew, you boys feel that heat? Imma give you two a minute." she says, as she exits the kitchen.

  "Hawaii, look man I know-" Rad begins, but is waved off by Hawaii.

  "We're both right. You now how to be safe and I have to trust that. But we also set the perimeter together, all of us. We all have to honor it. It's for our own safety. It takes too long to search the outskirts if one of us goes missing. We can't be out past it after dark unless we've already scheduled to do it, and we can't go out there alone. You know that man."

  "Yeah, I do." Rad responds.

  "I'm sorry for freaking out like that last night. That was the wrong move. I know better than that. I have to be better than that."

  Rad nods in agreement.

  "We have to take care of each other, it's the only way we survive. It's important that you and me stay on the same page, more than anyone else. We do the heavy lifting not because we have to, but because we want to. Right?"

  "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry too, man."

  Hawaii extends his hand to Rad.

  "We cool?"

  Rad grabs Hawaii's hand, shaking it.

  "We cool, man."

  Hawaii pulls Rad to him, grinning.

  "Fuck this, come here man. We're family."

  Hawaii wraps his arms around Rad's stomach. Rad laughs and pushes him back.

  "Always playin' man, always."

  Hawaii grins and slaps the larger man's arm.

  "Is Outlaw up yet?" Rad asks.

  "He said he was getting up when I went to his room."

  "Yeah, we know how that goes. I'll get his ass up."

  Rad holds the axe up in the air and leaves kitchen.

  "Outlaw! Get your ass up! It's chopping day!" he yells, as he ascends the stairs.

  Sweetie returns the moment Rad exits the kitchen, passing him on his way out.

  "Let me guess, you were literally right outside huh?" Hawaii asks.

  She tilts her head, glaring at him from under slanted eyelids.

  "I was in the middle of something chacho! You two interrupted me!" she says as she sticks her tongue out at him.

  "Wow, alright then." Hawaii replies, holding his eyes and his mouth exaggeratingly wide.

  "Shut up and go get Zee so we can eat." she says while giggling.

  "Yes ma'am, eat we shall. I'm starving." he replies, then leaves the kitchen and heads for the stairs.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Zee places her hand on Hawaii’s arm. Fee
ling her touch, the solemn lover peers over his shoulder at her, cracking a forced display of joy. She returns the gesture, though hers is sincere.

  “You did a good thing.” she says, “Humility isn’t easy, but it is important.”

  She squeezes his arm and kisses him on the cheek. He rises from his knelt position, away from circle of stones and wood that make up the fire pit they're reconstructing.

  “How is it you’re always right?” he says, taking her hand.

  Her smile returns, reaching from ear to ear. Her nearly pale, barely tanned skin glistens under the piercing rays of the sun. She wipes a trail of sweat from her forehead, beaming in the way that only Zee does.

  “A woman’s intuition, baby.”

  He throws his head back and rolls his eyes.

  “Okaaaay.” he sarcastically replies.

  She giggles and kicks his leg, only a mild force behind her action. His head tilts, his jaw drops, a look of amusement overtaking him.

  “You wanna play that game?” he says, in a playful tone.

  She grins, “I’ll win.”

  He takes a moment to consider her retort, then bobs his head.

  “Yeah, you will.”

  Her eyes fixate on his and he holds his gaze. His love for her is written all over his face, a fact neither of them can hide from each other. He can’t help but blush and grin. She can't help but to croon.

  “Don’t give me that smitten look, tiger. We’ve got work to do before they get back.” she says.

  She brushes her long dirty blonde hair out of her face, winking at him in the process.

  “See now.” he says, pulling her closer to him. “You do that and I can’t. I just can't.”

  His mouth moves to hers. Their lips lock tenderly. She gives into the moment, dropping the stone in her hand and wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “The things you do to me.” she moans.