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2024-11-24 19:10:49"Come on, man," he said, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Ain’t no need to make this harder than it has to be. Just hand over whatever you got, and we might let you walk away."
The father didn’t move. His hands were shaking, but he stood his ground. "Please," the mother begged, clutching her daughter tighter. "We don’t have much. Just… just let us go." The raider leader’s smirk widened. "See, now that’s where you’re wrong. You got everything we need." I couldn’t wait any longer. I moved quickly, darting out from behind a pile of rubble and swinging the pipe at the closest raider’s head. The impact was sickening, a dull thunk as his skull cracked. He dropped to the ground, unconscious or dead, I didn’t care which. I grabbed his knife before it hit the ground, spinning to face the others. For a moment, there was stunned silence. The raiders hadn’t expected anyone to fight back. "Who the hell—" the leader started, but I didn’t give him a chance to finish. I lunged at him, swinging the pipe with everything I had. He blocked it with his gun, the metal clashing with a sharp ring, but I kept pushing, kept driving him back. "Run!" I screamed at the family. "Now!" The father hesitated, but the mother didn’t. She grabbed her daughter and bolted, pulling her husband with her. The raiders, caught off guard, didn’t react fast enough to stop them. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. The leader shoved me back, his gun aimed squarely at my chest. “You’re dead, bitch,” he snarled, pulling the trigger. The gun clicked. Nothing. I didn’t wait for him to fix his mistake. I drove the knife into his side, twisting it hard. He let out a choked gasp, his eyes wide with shock, before collapsing to the ground. Two more raiders ran at me, but I was quicker. I swung the pipe, catching one in the throat, sending him to the ground gasping for air. The other hesitated for just a second too long, and I kicked him hard in the knee, sending him stumbling back. I didn’t stop to finish them off. Maybe I should have. But I ran. I found the family about a mile outside of town, hiding in the remnants of an old barn. The mother was holding the little girl, rocking her back and forth, whispering soothing words. The father looked up when he saw me, his face a mixture of relief and guilt. "Thank you," he said, his voice shaky. "You saved us." I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I wasn’t used to gratitude. Not anymore. "We… we don’t have much," the father continued, "but if there’s anything we can do to repay you—" "There’s nothing," I interrupted, my voice harsher than I intended. I didn’t want anything from them. I didn’t want to be thanked. I just wanted to be alone again. But before I could leave, the sound of engines roared in the distance. My heart sank. I turned just in time to see the raiders’ truck barreling down the road toward us. "Get down!" I yelled, grabbing the mother and pulling her behind the barn. The father tried to follow, but it was too late. The truck screeched to a halt, and the raiders were on him in an instant. I watched, helpless, as they shot him down. The mother screamed, covering her daughter’s eyes, but the girl had already seen. She had already seen everything. I grabbed the mother’s arm, forcing her to run with me through the back of the barn, through the woods. We ran until my lungs burned, until I couldn’t hear the engines anymore. When we finally stopped, I turned to her, but the look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know. Her husband was dead. And we were next. The raiders found us in the morning. I fought as hard as I could, but it wasn’t enough. They killed the mother, took the girl. I barely escaped with my life. As I lay in the dirt, bleeding and gasping for breath, I caught a glimpse of something on one of the raiders—a military dog tag hanging around his neck. I crawled toward it, my vision blurring, and yanked it off his body. The name on the tag stopped my heart. Ben Cross.Related chapters
The Burning 4
I don’t know how long I lay there, staring at that dog tag. Long enough for the blood on my face to dry and my muscles to start aching with exhaustion. Long enough for the numbness to set in, pushing the pain down into some deep place I couldn't reach. Ben Cross. The name was burned into my brain now, seared into my thoughts like the image of Chloe’s face the last time I saw her. Ben. The man I had heard about on the radio, the one who was supposedly dead. The one I hadn’t seen since The Burning. I wanted to throw the dog tag into the dirt, to forget I had ever seen it, but my fingers clutched it tightly, as if it was the last solid thing left in the world. I didn’t know what it meant—whether Ben was alive, dead, or something worse—but I knew one thing for certain: I had to find out. The next few days were a blur of walking and survival. The road south stretched out before me, an endless ribbon of cracked asphalt and choking dust. I had no real destination, just a vague rumor
The Burning 5
I gripped the knife at my side, my mind racing. What were my options? I could run, try to lose them in the ruins, but I wasn’t sure I had the energy for that. And if they had a vehicle stashed somewhere, running would just get me killed faster. I could hide, wait for them to pass, but that didn’t feel right either. No, if they were after me, they wouldn’t just pass by. They’d find me eventually. Which left one option. I could confront them. probably.... I waited a little longer, watching as the figure grew closer. They weren’t in a hurry, moving at a steady, measured pace. I didn’t see any weapons, but that didn’t mean much. Anyone who had survived this long had something up their sleeve. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood up, gripping the knife tightly in my hand. I stepped out from behind the wall and started walking back toward them, each step deliberate, my senses on high alert. The distance between us closed slowly, painfully slowly, and every second felt like an ete
The Burning 6
Suddenly, I heard it—a faint sound, like the scuffle of feet on concrete. I froze, my hand going to the knife at my belt. Ben heard it too. He straightened, his body tensed, his eyes scanning the store. "Someone’s here," I whispered, my voice barely audible. Ben didn’t respond, but his eyes flicked toward the back of the store, where the sound had come from. He motioned for me to follow, and we moved together, silently, our backs pressed against the shelves as we crept down the aisle. We reached the end of the aisle, and Ben peered around the corner, his rifle raised. I held my breath, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure whoeverr was there would hear it. Then, without warning, Ben lunged forward, grabbing someone by the collar and slamming them into the wall. A man—a scrawny, wild-eyed survivor—gasped in surprise, his hands going up in surrender. "Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!" he begged, his voice trembling. Ben didn’t lower his rifle. "Were you following us?" he growled,
The Burning 7
Fire was a living thing. I had learned that a long time ago. It breathed, it consumed, and it destroyed everything in its path. But this fire—this wildfire—was different. It wasn’t just alive. It was hungry. The flames roared behind us, devouring the dry forest in seconds, the sky above turning black with smoke. Every gust of wind sent embers spiraling into the air, carried on the back of a storm that seemed hell-bent on chasing us down. The heat was unbearable, like standing too close to an open furnace, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of burning wood and ash. We ran. My legs burned with exhaustion, my lungs screamed from the smoke, but I couldn’t stop. If I stopped, the fire would take me. And I couldn’t let that happen. Not again. Ben was ahead of me, his silhouette barely visible through the haze. He moved with purpose, his steps sure and steady despite the chaos around us, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his head kept turning like he was
The Burning 8
Ben led the way up the steep incline, his movements quick but careful. I followed, my legs aching, my lungs burning with every breath. We had to get higher, away from the fire, away from the heat. But the higher we climbed, the thinner the air became, and every step felt like I was dragging a thousand pounds behind me. Finally, we reached a small ledge, sheltered by a rocky outcropping. Ben stopped, his chest heaving as he caught his breath, and I collapsed beside him, my body shaking with exhaustion. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. We just sat there, listening to the distant crackle of the fire as it continued its deadly march across the forest below. The heat was still oppressive, but at least we weren’t in immediate danger of being engulfed in flames. After a while, I turned to Ben, my voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think it’s over?" He shook his head, wiping the ash from his face with the back of his hand. "No... fires like this don’t just stop. It’ll keep
The Burning 9
The cabin was a relic from a time before the world had turned to ash and chaos. It sat nestled in the crook of the mountains, half-hidden by overgrown pines and brush, its wooden walls weathered and cracked but still standing. The roof sagged in places, and most of the windows were shattered, but it was shelter—more than we’d had in days. I leaned against the doorframe, watching as Ben moved through the small room, checking the corners like he always did, his rifle slung over his shoulder. He was methodical, precise. It was like he couldn’t turn off the soldier part of him, even when it was just the two of us and the only threat was the cold. I looked past him, through the broken window, where the last embers of the wildfire still glowed faintly in the distance. The fire was dying now, smothered by the rocky terrain and the lack of fuel, but its damage was already done. The landscape below was charred and blackened, a wasteland that stretched for miles in every direction. We were
The Burning 10
"I lost my unit in the first few days after The Burning, " Ben said, his voice barely above a whisper. I looked up at him, surprised. He never talked about his past. Not ever. "We were stationed near the coast when the first fires hit. Everything went to hell so fast. One minute we were evacuating civilians, the next..." He trailed off, his eyes distant, like he was seeing it all again. "We were overrun. Civilians, soldiers—it didn’t matter. Most of them didn’t make it out. I lost... I lost good people that day. People I should have protected. People who trusted me to lead them." His eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw something raw, something vulnerable in his gaze. "I know what it’s like to carry that weight, Maya. To feel like it was your fault. Like you should have done more. But the truth is, sometimes there’s nothing we can do. Sometimes the world just... burns." I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. I had never seen this side of Ben before, never heard
The Burning 11
I was starting to think that the night would never end. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the forest, and the fire we’d fled from was now a distant memory, just a faint orange glow on the horizon. But the weariness clung to me like the smoke still tangled in my hair, every step a reminder that we were far from safe. Ben and I had been walking for what felt like hours, the silence between us heavy and uncomfortable after everything that had come to light. His confession about knowing something was coming—the apocalypse, The Burning—still gnawed at me, twisting my thoughts until I couldn't tell where my anger ended and my exhaustion began. But then, we found them. Or rather, they found us. It started with a rustle in the trees. At first, I thought it was just the wind—the kind of sound you could ignore in a forest full of shadows. But Ben stopped dead in his tracks, his whole body going rigid, and I knew instinctively that it wasn’t the wind. Something
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The Burning 64
I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. "Chloe, you can't—" "I can." she cut me off, her voice cold. "And I will. You’re either with me or you’re against me." The silence that followed was deafening. I felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff, staring down into a void. Chloe had backed me into a corner, forced me to choose between my loyalty to her and my own moral compass. But how could I stand by her side when I knew what she was doing? How could I betray everything I believed in? Before I could respond, Ben stepped forward, his voice steady but urgent. “Wait.” Chloe’s eyes flicked to him, her expression impatient. “What?” Ben shifted slightly, his bound hands clenching behind his back. “There’s something you don’t know.” Chloe raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Oh? And what’s that?” Ben glanced at me, his eyes full of unspoken words. Then he turned back to Chloe. “I’ve been in contact with another group. A military unit. They’ve been tracking you
The Burning 63
The moment Logan lunged, time seemed to slow. His meaty hand reached for me, and instinct kicked in. I dodged to the side, just narrowly avoiding his grasp. Ben and Daniel weren’t so lucky. Logan’s men were on them in seconds, rough hands pinning their arms behind their backs, muffling their protests with swift, brutal efficiency. Samantha’s eyes wouldn’t meet mine as I backed away, my heart hammering in my chest. I could still hear her voice, that soft, apologetic tone she’d used when she betrayed us. I wanted to scream, to demand an explanation, but I knew it was useless. Whatever loyalty she’d once had to the settlement—or to us—was gone, replaced by her blind faith in Chloe. “Maya,” Logan growled, his voice low and menacing, “don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Chloe’s waiting.” I glanced at Ben. His face was set in a grim mask, but his eyes flickered with something else—something I couldn’t quite place. He held my gaze for a moment, then gave the tiniest nod, as
The Burning 62
She’d been a schoolteacher before everything went to hell, and even now, she still had that calming presence, that way of making you feel like things could be okay, even when they weren’t. She was exactly the kind of person we needed on our side—someone people trusted. “Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked, her eyes darting between Ben and me. I nodded, handing her one of the papers. “It’s worse than we thought. Chloe’s been orchestrating everything. The raids, the attacks—it’s all her.” Samantha’s eyes widened as she read the document, her face pale. “We have to stop her.” “That’s the plan,” Ben said, his voice steady. “But we need to be smart about this. Chloe’s got Logan and the rest of her loyalists watching every move. If we mess this up, we’re dead.” Samantha nodded, her expression resolute. “I’ll talk to a few people I trust. Quietly. We’ll need to move fast, though. Word’s already spreading that something’s off.” Daniel appeared in the doorway, his fa
The Burning 61
The moment Chloe’s cold, steely gaze locked on me, I knew I was in deep shit. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I could feel the weight of the papers tucked beneath my jacket, the incriminating evidence I’d found only moments ago. I had seconds to act, seconds to figure out how to explain why I was rifling through her things like some common thief.Damn, should've picked a better time. But there was no use lying. Chloe had always been good at sniffing out deception, especially when it came from me. “Maya,” she said again, her voice low and dangerous, a predator toying with its prey. “What are you doing?” I straightened, clutching the edge of her desk to steady my shaking hands. “Looking for the truth, Chloe. You can’t keep hiding it!” Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—guilt? Fear? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, buried under the ice-cold mask she wore so well. “You’ve been listening to the wrong people,” she said, stepping in
The Burning 60
Daniel looked at me, his eyes full of quiet determination. “Because you’re her sister. And because I don’t think you’re like her. People are starting to lose faith in Chloe, Maya. The settlement’s on the verge of fracturing. If you don’t do something soon…” He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. The thrreat was clear. If Chloe kept pushing, if the people kept living in fear, it would only be a matter of time before everything collapsed. I stood slowly, my mind racing. “I need proof,” I said, my voice wavering. “If I’m going to confront her, I need more than just rumors.” Daniel nodded. “I know. But be careful. Chloe’s not one to take kindly to being challenged. And if she thinks you’re a threat…” He didn’t need to finish that sentence either. I already knew what Chloe was capable of. I returned to the clinic, my head spinning with Daniel’s words. Ben was awake when I walked in, sitting up on his cot, his eyes sharp.. “You were gone a while,” he said, his voice low
The Burning 59
I couldn’t sleep. The weight of everything pressed down on me—Chloe’s cold words echoing in my mind, the tension in the settlement, the gnawing feeling that something deeper was wrong. I tossed and turned on the small cot in the corner of the clinic, listening to the soft rustle of the wind outside. The fires had died down, leaving the night dark and eerily quiet. Too quiet, especially for a place like this. Ben lay a few feet away, his chest rising and falling steadily now that he was mostly recovered. He was still pale, but the strength was coming back to him, slowly but surely. Part of me wanted to wake him up, to talk through everything that was swirling in my head. But I knew his answer already: We needed to leave. But I... I wasn’t ready for that yet. I couldn’t just leave Chloe behind, no matter what she had become. She was still my sister, and some small, stubborn part of me believed I could reach her. That I could help her see what she was doing. But the more I tried to co
The Burning 58
Dr. Shaw glanced around, making sure no one was listening, before leaning in slightly. “We’re out of almost everything vital—antibiotics, painkillers, clean bandages. I’ve been asking Chloe for weeks to send out a team to scavenge for medical supplies, but she refuses. Says the security of the settlement comes first. She’s been hoarding resources for the guards, for the walls. Meanwhile, people in here are dying from infections and wounds that could be treated if we just had the right supplies.” I felt a surge of anger rise in my chest. “That can’t be right. Chloe wouldn’t—” Dr. Shaw gave me a sharp look. “Wouldn’t what? Put her own survival above others? Use people as pawns to keep her control? You’ve seen how she runs this place, Maya. She’s not the girl you remember anymore. whoever she was.“ I bit my lip, my mind racing. I didn’t want to believe it, but deep down, I knew Dr. Shaw was right. Chloe had changed. Drastically. Maybe more than I was willing to admit. “She’s hidi
The Burning 57
Thhe smell of antiseptic and sweat hit me the moment I stepped into the clinic. It wasn’t much more than a hastily erected tent with a few cots and a couple of shelves lined with ragged bandages and half-empty bottles of medication. The moans of the injured filled the air, mixing with the low hum of voices and the occasional clatter of metal. It took me back—back to long nights in the ER, back to the controlled chaos of saving lives on the fly. But this wasn’t the ER. This was New Haven, and we were ALL hanging on by a thread. I forced myself to swallow the knot in my throat and stepped deeper into the tent. One of the settlement’s guards, a young woman no older than twenty, sat on the edge of a cot, clutching her arm. Blood seeped through the makeshift bandage wrapped around her forearm, and her face was pale, her lips trembling. “Hey,” I said gently, kneeling beside her. “Let me take a look at that.” She flinched at first, like she wasn’t used to someone offering help.
The Burning 56
I stared at him, my chest tightening. “You think she’s.... dangerous?” “I think she’s hiding something,” Ben said, his voice lowering. “And I think whatever it is… it’s not good Maya.” I opened my mouth to argue, to defend Chloe, but the words stuck in my throat. Because deep down, I knew Ben was right. There was something off about Chloe, something she wasn’t telling me. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was, it was connected to The Burning. “I found something out while I was out there,” Ben continued, his voice barely above a whisper now. “Something I didn’t want to believe at first.” I frowned. “What do you mean?” Ben looked around, making sure no one was listening, and then leaned in closer. “One of the soldiers in my unit—his name was Carter—he died in the first wave of attacks during The Burning. But before that, he told me something… something strange.” “What?” Ben’s eyes were intense, his voice low and urgent. “Carter said he’d been in contact wi
