I walk through the door cautiously. The room is surprisingly warm. I look over at Glen. He looks relieved.
"Thank you so much." he says.
The man looks pretty young; Probably in his twenties or thirties.
"Well, I thought that I was the only survivor," he says, "Who are you two? I'm Dalton."
"I'm Glen and this is Synthia," Glen tells him, "We are so glad we're not the only ones."
"Want something to eat? Maybe something to drink?"
"Yes, please." I say. My throat is scratchy.
I sit down on the torn up sofa with Glen. He looks at me and smiles.
"Finally." is all he says. I smile back at him.
"Here ya are." Dalton says as he puts two plates down on the wooden table.
"Thank you." I say. On the plates are bagels with cream cheese on them. My mouth waters. I haven't had warm food in what feels like forever. I take a big bite. It tastes perfect.
"Mmmm." I hear Glen mutter.
"You are welcome. Stay here as long as you need. I've got a guest room over there."
"We probably won't stay long." I say.
When I'm done, I put my dishes in the sink then go to the guest room and put my backpack on the dresser. Glen was right. There are more people. The door to the room opens.
"Hey." Glen says. "What are you doing?"
"I'm tired. Going to go to sleep," I say, "You?"
"Same."
I go over to the bed and lie down. He comes and sits on the opposite end.
"Do you think the Afterlives will come and destroy this city?" I ask.
"Eventually I think they will." he says, "But not for awhile."
I pull up the covers and close my eyes. I don't fall asleep.
What happens if the Afterlives come tonight? Will they devour the city like they did to ours? Are there more survivors?
When I wake up the room is still dark. It must be very early in the morning. I turn over and see Glen. He is fast asleep.
I look around the room once my eyes have adjusted. When my eyes scan over the door, I see a white light in the hallway. It illuminates half of the room.
I only hear Glen's breathing and my own.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump.
"Ah! Er... Oh, Glen you're awake."
"Have been." he says. He sounds very tired.
"What time is it?"
"I have no freaking idea." he says. He reaches up and rubs his eyes.
I look over at him. He looks back.
"Go back to sleep." he says.
"I'll try." I say as I turn away.
The City
Glen is surprisingly good at climbing; He passes me when I'm sitting at the trunk of the tree, resting. I watch as the sun sets over the trees.
The sky is dark now, and the stars are bright. In the city there are too many lights, which means you can't see any stars. So this is different for me. A new place; A new me. I can forget it all.
I climb down from the tree. I can't sit up there any more.
I turn around and see a small light. I immediately think of fireflies.
I walk closer. It's not fireflies. It is a light in the window of a building.
"glen!" I yell. he runs out of the woods to where I'm standing.
"What? Oh... Woah." he stutters.
"Come on! They could help! There are survivors!"
I run down the hill at full speed. My feet hit the pavement in less than a minute. But everything's different.
There are no lights. There are no people. There is nothing.
"Glen what's going on?" I ask him, but he just looks forward.
I look up and down. I was right. Nothing. So I turn away.
"I didn't know," I say, whispering. "I'm so sorry."
He just walks forward. No expression.
"What are you doing?" I ask him, "Glen? Glen!"
"What?" he asks, rubbing his eyes. He sounds tired; You can tell he's had no sleep.
"You were out of it."
"How? I felt awake." he says.
He stands staring at the city for a few more minutes before slowly walking toward the building that had the light on.
"Come on, Synthia. There might be people."
"What if it's an Afterlife?" I ask.
"Well, we'll find out."
I have no choice but to follow him. If I stay in the street, I could encounter an Afterlife. Maybe lots of them.
We open the door and bolt up the stairs and run through each hallway, checking for light. We get up to the fourteenth floor when we finally see a light. Glen bangs on the door.
"Hello? Help us! Please!" He yells.
The door opens a crack.
"Please come in." A voice says.
We are not alone.
The sky is dark now, and the stars are bright. In the city there are too many lights, which means you can't see any stars. So this is different for me. A new place; A new me. I can forget it all.
I climb down from the tree. I can't sit up there any more.
I turn around and see a small light. I immediately think of fireflies.
I walk closer. It's not fireflies. It is a light in the window of a building.
"glen!" I yell. he runs out of the woods to where I'm standing.
"What? Oh... Woah." he stutters.
"Come on! They could help! There are survivors!"
I run down the hill at full speed. My feet hit the pavement in less than a minute. But everything's different.
There are no lights. There are no people. There is nothing.
"Glen what's going on?" I ask him, but he just looks forward.
I look up and down. I was right. Nothing. So I turn away.
"I didn't know," I say, whispering. "I'm so sorry."
He just walks forward. No expression.
"What are you doing?" I ask him, "Glen? Glen!"
"What?" he asks, rubbing his eyes. He sounds tired; You can tell he's had no sleep.
"You were out of it."
"How? I felt awake." he says.
He stands staring at the city for a few more minutes before slowly walking toward the building that had the light on.
"Come on, Synthia. There might be people."
"What if it's an Afterlife?" I ask.
"Well, we'll find out."
I have no choice but to follow him. If I stay in the street, I could encounter an Afterlife. Maybe lots of them.
We open the door and bolt up the stairs and run through each hallway, checking for light. We get up to the fourteenth floor when we finally see a light. Glen bangs on the door.
"Hello? Help us! Please!" He yells.
The door opens a crack.
"Please come in." A voice says.
We are not alone.
Escape
"Run!" Glen says. I try to run, but I'm out of breath and the snow pushes against my feet, making me slower.
"Glen! We need to stop! We can't run like this!" I yell back at him. I don't pay any attention to where I step.
"Jump."
"What? Why?" I stutter.
He pulls my hand and jumps into a ditch. It is very wet and smells terrible. He crawls on his hands and knees into a little curve and presses his back to it. I follow.
We are silent. Again.
"Thank you." i say.
"You're welcome. We can't let go of life too quickly," he says, "you still have your gun, right?"
I had forgotten that I had it. I could have shot that Afterlife. I pull it out of the inside pocket of my jacket. The metal feels cold against my fingers.
"Thanks for reminding me."
"You better be good with that. I don't have one; You're the only thing I have right now." he says with a smile. The first one since the break-down.
"I'm counting on myself."
The Afterlife is probably gone, so we should be safe, but I don't take any chances. My luck is bad enough.
I stand up slowly as I look around. Then I turn to the tree behind us and start to climb. I think I found a way.
"Glen, follow me. Shhh." I whisper.
I grab onto the lowest branch that I can find and pull myself up. The pattern continues; Branch, pull, branch, pull.
I go until I reach a sturdy branch, and then I hang and start moving my hands along the branch, going only a few inches at a time.
Glen looks confused.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asks.
"Finding a way to travel," I say, "now follow me."
I reach the tip of the branch and slowly let go with my right hand. I see a branch of the tree next to the one we're on. I reach out and grasp it. Then I let go.
Now that I am on the other tree, I start going in toward the tree. I don't look down.
I reach the tree and look back. Glen is going slow and steady.
When he reaches me, he looks at me and nods; I start again, along the opposite branch.
We should be safer now.
"Glen! We need to stop! We can't run like this!" I yell back at him. I don't pay any attention to where I step.
"Jump."
"What? Why?" I stutter.
He pulls my hand and jumps into a ditch. It is very wet and smells terrible. He crawls on his hands and knees into a little curve and presses his back to it. I follow.
We are silent. Again.
"Thank you." i say.
"You're welcome. We can't let go of life too quickly," he says, "you still have your gun, right?"
I had forgotten that I had it. I could have shot that Afterlife. I pull it out of the inside pocket of my jacket. The metal feels cold against my fingers.
"Thanks for reminding me."
"You better be good with that. I don't have one; You're the only thing I have right now." he says with a smile. The first one since the break-down.
"I'm counting on myself."
The Afterlife is probably gone, so we should be safe, but I don't take any chances. My luck is bad enough.
I stand up slowly as I look around. Then I turn to the tree behind us and start to climb. I think I found a way.
"Glen, follow me. Shhh." I whisper.
I grab onto the lowest branch that I can find and pull myself up. The pattern continues; Branch, pull, branch, pull.
I go until I reach a sturdy branch, and then I hang and start moving my hands along the branch, going only a few inches at a time.
Glen looks confused.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asks.
"Finding a way to travel," I say, "now follow me."
I reach the tip of the branch and slowly let go with my right hand. I see a branch of the tree next to the one we're on. I reach out and grasp it. Then I let go.
Now that I am on the other tree, I start going in toward the tree. I don't look down.
I reach the tree and look back. Glen is going slow and steady.
When he reaches me, he looks at me and nods; I start again, along the opposite branch.
We should be safer now.
Afterlife
I stay up in the tree for a while until I get hungry. I start down slowly, as not to alert where we are. I drop down the last five feet and land in the wet snow.
I stumble over and grab my backpack. Then I sit down on a nearby log and dig through my pack for something to eat. Glen is in the middle of the clearing sharpening a long stick.
"We have to move soon," I say.
"I know. I was going to ask you when." he looks at me.
"Well... We could leave any time. Nighttime would probably be the best option. The Afterlives will most likely be hunting the city."
I take a bite of the bread. It tastes like home.
"Should we leave tomorrow?" he asks.
"Sure."
A few minutes later I'm back up the tree scouting for Afterlives. I maneuver through the branches with ease, but I still rush. When I look up at the ruins of the city where I once lived, it brings tears to my eyes. I can't forget.
I look at the edge of the forest, but don't see any Afterlives. I breath a sigh of relief.
I climb back down the tree.
"Hey Glen, I don't see any outside the city." I say.
"Alright. Let's go."
We wander through the forest, stopping every few minutes to check for any quivers in the air. The one giveaway of the Afterlives. After each check we continue walking. I step in the holes he made in the snow when he walked through it so it would be easier.
I start to wonder what would happen if an Afterlife showed up. What would we do? What if there were tons of them? My mind races.
I try to distract myself by singing. I can barely hear myself, but it's enough to keep my mind from thinking sad thoughts.
We walk in silence. I'm surprised he hasn't said anything yet.
Glen and I have known each other since I was in grade four and he was in grade six. We're practically brother and sister.
He stops so fast that I bump into him.
"Wha-" he clamps a hand over my mouth.
"Sshh"
I stop talking and look around. The air right in front of me quivers.
"1..." he says. I can barely hear him. "2..." I start to get scared. "3!" he pulls my hand and runs as fast as he can through the thick snow. I keep running; I can't look back.
I stumble over and grab my backpack. Then I sit down on a nearby log and dig through my pack for something to eat. Glen is in the middle of the clearing sharpening a long stick.
"We have to move soon," I say.
"I know. I was going to ask you when." he looks at me.
"Well... We could leave any time. Nighttime would probably be the best option. The Afterlives will most likely be hunting the city."
I take a bite of the bread. It tastes like home.
"Should we leave tomorrow?" he asks.
"Sure."
A few minutes later I'm back up the tree scouting for Afterlives. I maneuver through the branches with ease, but I still rush. When I look up at the ruins of the city where I once lived, it brings tears to my eyes. I can't forget.
I look at the edge of the forest, but don't see any Afterlives. I breath a sigh of relief.
I climb back down the tree.
"Hey Glen, I don't see any outside the city." I say.
"Alright. Let's go."
We wander through the forest, stopping every few minutes to check for any quivers in the air. The one giveaway of the Afterlives. After each check we continue walking. I step in the holes he made in the snow when he walked through it so it would be easier.
I start to wonder what would happen if an Afterlife showed up. What would we do? What if there were tons of them? My mind races.
I try to distract myself by singing. I can barely hear myself, but it's enough to keep my mind from thinking sad thoughts.
We walk in silence. I'm surprised he hasn't said anything yet.
Glen and I have known each other since I was in grade four and he was in grade six. We're practically brother and sister.
He stops so fast that I bump into him.
"Wha-" he clamps a hand over my mouth.
"Sshh"
I stop talking and look around. The air right in front of me quivers.
"1..." he says. I can barely hear him. "2..." I start to get scared. "3!" he pulls my hand and runs as fast as he can through the thick snow. I keep running; I can't look back.
The Beginning
I see my breath in the cold winter air. The place seems to me like it could be part of a horror movie. I hold my gun tight against my chest so that I can catch my breath. The snow is knee deep and still falling.
"Hello."
I whip around and aim my gun, but I don't shoot.
"Oh, it's you," I say in a half-whisper, "I didn't know who it was."
"That's okay. Have you seen anything?"
"No." I say.
"Good. We're safe for a while." he says, louder. Glen and I sit down in the snow. We don't talk; we just sit there and think.
"I'm sorry," he says, "I got us into this mess."
"You're wrong. It was my fault. You were just there. You couldn't do anything. I should be the one that's sorry."
What I say is true. After the city broke down I lead the Afterlives into the broken city. The Afterlives are transparent, ghosts, poltergeists, something we don't know about. We had to run; only we were left.
Glen looks at me with sorrow eyes.
"I still don't believe you." he says.
"Well you should." I notice my voice is shaky. I feel like I'm about to cry.
"Synthia, it doesn't matter anymore. We both caused it. I am not going to deny my fault." he says in a serious voice.
I let the tears fall.
"I don't want anything to happen! I wish that everything was back to normal! I just can't take it anymore!" I yell. Too loud. I start to run, but the snow slows me down, allowing him to grab my wrist.
"Can you wait a minute?" he asks.
"I just... I don't want... I just want to get out of here!"
"You can't! If you leave the Afterlives will surely get you. It would just be stupid of you to leave."
"Fine... But, promise me you won't sneak away again. I can't lose you, you're the only thing I have left, Glen."
"I promise." he says. He keeps looking into my eyes long after that. His eyes are beautiful; dark green with brown around the center. Very dark and mysterious.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yes, fine." he says quickly as he looks away. I turn away and climb the tree behind me. If I could be anywhere, I would be away. It takes a while to reach the top. When I do, I look up and see the ruins of the broken city under the cloudy sky.
"Hello."
I whip around and aim my gun, but I don't shoot.
"Oh, it's you," I say in a half-whisper, "I didn't know who it was."
"That's okay. Have you seen anything?"
"No." I say.
"Good. We're safe for a while." he says, louder. Glen and I sit down in the snow. We don't talk; we just sit there and think.
"I'm sorry," he says, "I got us into this mess."
"You're wrong. It was my fault. You were just there. You couldn't do anything. I should be the one that's sorry."
What I say is true. After the city broke down I lead the Afterlives into the broken city. The Afterlives are transparent, ghosts, poltergeists, something we don't know about. We had to run; only we were left.
Glen looks at me with sorrow eyes.
"I still don't believe you." he says.
"Well you should." I notice my voice is shaky. I feel like I'm about to cry.
"Synthia, it doesn't matter anymore. We both caused it. I am not going to deny my fault." he says in a serious voice.
I let the tears fall.
"I don't want anything to happen! I wish that everything was back to normal! I just can't take it anymore!" I yell. Too loud. I start to run, but the snow slows me down, allowing him to grab my wrist.
"Can you wait a minute?" he asks.
"I just... I don't want... I just want to get out of here!"
"You can't! If you leave the Afterlives will surely get you. It would just be stupid of you to leave."
"Fine... But, promise me you won't sneak away again. I can't lose you, you're the only thing I have left, Glen."
"I promise." he says. He keeps looking into my eyes long after that. His eyes are beautiful; dark green with brown around the center. Very dark and mysterious.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
"Yes, fine." he says quickly as he looks away. I turn away and climb the tree behind me. If I could be anywhere, I would be away. It takes a while to reach the top. When I do, I look up and see the ruins of the broken city under the cloudy sky.
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