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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
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"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
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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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Ben, of course, wasn’t buying it. "How do we know you’re not just another group of raiders?” he asked, his voice sharp. "how do we know Eagle’s Nest isn’t a trap?" Harlan chuckled, the sound low and dark. "If we were raiders you'd already be dead," he said simply. "But if you want proof, why don’t you come with us? Spend a night at Eagle’s Nest. If you don’t like what you see, you’re free to leave." I glanced at Ben again, my mind spinning. I could tell he didn’t trust this guy, and to be honest, neither did I. But we were out of options. We couldn’t keep running forever. And the promise of safety, even temporary, was too tempting to ignore. "We’ll go," I said before I could stop myself.Maybe I should've just kept my mouth shut.... Ben shot me a look, but I held up my hand. "Just for the night," I added quickly. "We’ll see what it’s like. Then we'll make a decision." Harlan grinned, clearly pleased with my answer. "Smart girl," he said, nodding to his men. "Let's move." E
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The morning light filtered through the cracked windows of the cabin, casting a pale, golden glow across the room. I woke with a jolt, my pulse still racing from the memory of Harlan’s voice echoing in my head. His words from the night before haunted me. (We’ll take them by force if we have to.) I sat up slowly, my muscles stiff from sleeping on the lumpy cot. Ben was already awake, standing by the door with his rifle slung over his shoulder, his expression grim. He didn’t need to say anything. We both knew what we had to do. "We’re leaving, today." Ben said, his voice quiet but firm. "Before they realize we overheard anything." I nodded, my mind spinning. But as much as I wanted to get out of Eagle’s Nest, something held me back. Maybe it was the hunger that gnawed at my insides or the exhaustion that weighed on my limbs. Or maybe it was the people. The faces I’d seen last night as we were led through the camp—tired, worn, but somehow... hopeful. Despite everything, there was
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Marcus’s gaze swept over us, lingering on Ben for a moment before moving on. "Newcomers," he said, his voice gravelly and rough. "Stick to the rules, and you'll do fine." He didn’t wait for a response before turning on his heel and walking away, his heavy boots crunching on the gravel path. Sarah let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing just a fraction. "He's... intense," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But he's loyal to Harlan. They all are." I frowned, my mind racing. "And what about you? Are you loyal to Harlan?" Sarah’s eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite read, but before she could answer, a group of children ran past, laughing and shouting as they played some kind of game with sticks and rocks. The sight of them—so carefree, so oblivious to the danger around them—made my chest tighten. "I have to go," Sarah said abruptly, her voice tight. "But if you want to talk more, meet me by the water tower at sunset. There are things you need to know." Sh
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The morning air had a bite to it, the kind that cuts through layers of clothing and settles into your bones. I stood among the crowd gathered in Eagle's Nest's main square, the dirt beneath my boots frozen solid from the night’s chill. People were pressed in on all sides, faces drawn and tense, eyes fixed ahead. I could feel the weight of their collective dread, the suffocating sense of inevitability that hung over the crowd like a storm cloud. At the center of it all was Harlan. He stood on a platform made of stacked crates, his broad shoulders and commanding presence impossible to ignore. His voice boomed across the square, authoritative and unyielding, as he addressed the crowd. But it wasn’t Harlan that held my attention. It was the young man kneeling in front of him, hands bound behind his back, his face streaked with dirt and sweat. His name was Caleb, one of the newer arrivals we’d seen just a few days ago. He couldn't have been more than nineteen, with shaggy brown hair an
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Harlan holstered his gun, his expression unchanging. "This is what happens when you betray Eagle’s Nest,” he said, his voice cold and final. "Let this be a lesson to all of you." The crowd dispersed slowly after that, people moving away in silence, their faces pale and drawn. I stood there for a moment longer, staring at Caleb’s body, my mind racing. I didn’t know him, not really. But he didn’t deserve this. No one did. "Maya," Ben's voice was strained as he grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the platform. "We need to go. Now." I let him lead me away, my feet moving mechanically, but my mind was still stuck on that platform, stuck on the sight of Caleb’s body lying in the dirt. The weight of it pressed down on me, suffocating me. I had wanted to believe that Eagle’s Nest could be a sanctuary, that maybe we could find some semblance of peace here. But there was no peace in a place like this. Back in the cabin, I collapsed onto the cot, my head in my hands. Ben paced the roo
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
