It’s the aftermath of an apocalypse of life on earth as we know it. The planet has suffered a devastating alteration to its surface composition. Although the earth has been resilient in the face of catastrophe over the millenniums and has already begun to rejuvenate in some way or another, there is speculation that it might never completely recover from the nuclear war that raged as a last resort for the powers that be to hang onto the control of the planet and not lose it to the few humans who were assisting with the invasion of a dominant alien race. There are only a select few areas that aren’t affected. These areas were quickly seized by the invading aliens and the humans who’d worked with them during the takeover for habitation, leaving the rest of mankind to struggle for survival in a damaged world.
With many of the natural resources impaired, most of the conveniences that society enjoyed have been lost or deliberately removed by the new world order. The aliens brought in their own technology, but it isn’t made available to the humans who they strive to keep suppressed. Transportation for man consists of walking or riding a domestic beast that he might be lucky enough to own and has the ability to maintain.
All power is solar generated.
Communication is limited to solar operated cell phones for the select few who the aliens find useful and who have a skill to provide as a means to purchase them. Their use is monitored by the reigning government. There is no such thing as private communication.
For the very few who are lucky enough to own a television or a radio, the world information and entertainment is censored by the ruling regime.
Most of the human population that manages to survive untainted by nuclear contamination or the man made zombie virus that was unwittingly released upon the brink of the war leads an isolated life. Their only contact with the regime is an occasional, undesired, visit by the cyborgs who patrol the area to enforce the new laws.
Drones routinely scan the earth’s surface by air, searching for animals and humans who have had the misfortune of having their genetics forever altered by nuclear contamination or who have contracted the zombie virus. The drones are programmed to track and report to the Cyborgs the whereabouts of all creatures with the disease or altered genetics in an effort to eliminate the possibility of the earth’s population being permanently changed through breeding or infection.
It was never the alien’s intention to destroy earth’s inhabitants, just dominate them and maintain them as a food and labor source. Disappointed in the fact that their food source was compromised, the leaders are eager to bring back the purity of both man and beast.
There exists a secret society amongst the wealthy who were able to foresee the loss of the planet to these cannibalistic aliens. They spread the word amongst the rest of their kind and the wealthier humans who weren’t involved in conquering and running earth alongside the aliens escaped to inner earth. The cost of such a venture is considerable, leaving it an option for the wealthy, only. The remaining humans are left to struggle for survival under the thumb of an oligarchy regime.
Because it was never the intention of the aliens to completely destroy the human race since it is coveted for multiple purposes that range from slave labor to food sources, they are furious over the unnecessary nuclear damage that was done to the planet and its inhabitants and even more so over the man made zombie virus that they are diligently seeking a cure for. They set an example as to what would happen to anyone who considered such an act again by capturing those who were involved in the detonation of the nuclear warfare that caused so much destruction and damage by publicly executing them in an extremely primitive manner. A search was put in place to find the scientists who created the zombie virus, but to no avail.
With mankind frightened and scattered over an unfamiliar and often non-supporting terrain, the regime does its best to do an inventory of who is left and untainted by radiation or the zombie disease. All births are recorded.
In an effort to assume control of the quality of the regenerating population, the regime has passed a law. Those born of perfect genetics are to be located and carefully monitored. All males and females, aged fourteen and older, are to be sought out and taken from their homes to a breeding facility. There, they will be analyzed and paired with a mate whose combined genetics promise to produce the best offspring. Those who are found damaged or mutated are to be immediately disposed of to prevent polluting the future human race.
Humans living in isolated areas have yet to suffer from the new breeding law due to lack of communication with the rest of the world. With the exception of an occasional drone passing overhead, they aren’t as closely monitored as those who live near the more populated and habitable areas since the regime assumes that no one of notable and desirable genetics would remain in such an uninhabitable land.
To complicate matters. Unbeknownst to the world leaders who set the nuclear warfare upon the planet, scientist involved in germ warfare had released a virus in concentrated enemy territory. It was the intention of the powers that be to subdue the enemy with a disease that ate at their brain to the point they were literally walking corpses and then destroy the virus so that it didn’t spread. Unfortunately, they were taken by surprise when nuclear devastation simultaneously consumed the planet and the scientists were either killed, or scattered for survival and the records containing the formula for the cure were lost.
Now, along with having to hide their existence from the new world regime while struggling to survive in a world that is barely equipped to support them, the people of earth who have managed to go undetected by the ever present drones and cyborgs must also protect themselves for becoming a zombie or being eaten by the invading aliens who considered human meat a delicacy.
The sun beat down on the scorched and barren land with such intensity that its rays glistened off the tiny particles of soil that was so dark that it almost looked black. Thick heat waves hovered in between Kendra and her target, making it difficult to focus for a clear shot. She knelt on one knee in hopes that the mountain’s shadow would dull the sun’s rays enough to improve her vision. She silently cursed as her stomach announced its need for sustenance with a loud rumble that softly echoed off the boulders on either side of her. Holding her breath, she hoped that it wasn’t loud enough to alert the big cat of her presence as it languidly stretched its long body across the surface of a flat boulder while it bathed in the sun’s intense rays. Beads of sweat trickled down her torso as she slowly pulled the bow string and released the arrow. The cat’s wail of surprise echoed off the boulders that lined the barren valley
Where there was one mountain lion, there was generally a mate. This was her thinking as Kendra headed back out the following day with her bow slung over her shoulder. She wanted to take advantage of the possibility of the cat’s mate still being in the area. It wasn’t easy to come across big game that had escaped genetic mutation enough to be edible; never mind an original. Most of what she brought home was of the aviary family. Since her kill was a genetic original, she was fairly certain that its mate would be too. She just couldn’t pass up the chance to build their stores of protein with quality meat.She was so lost in thought about the soups and stews that her aunt would produce with the abundance of meat that she planned on supplying with this second kill that, when she came to the kill spot from the day before, she was surprised to have arrived so soon.She heaved a sigh of disappointment when she
“Another cat?” Olga said with a smirk of delighted surprise as she stood in the cave’s opening with her hands on her hips.“I’m going to be sick from the smell of sweat and sunbaked blood,” Kendra groaned as she wiggled out from beneath the bulk of the cat and heaved it onto the hook that was driven into the rock specifically for such purposes. Her mood had only slightly improved during the journey home. “It was a long walk.”“You’re limping,” Olga observed.Kendra pulled off her blood crusted shirt and tossed it to the ground. Then, she limped to the nearest stump so that she could sit and remove her boots. “The cat was heavy and I bruised my foot on a boulder cluster.”Olga disappeared into the cave and returned with a fresh shirt. Tossing it at her niece, she barked, “Cover yourself before the boys come out.”“Why are the
Ari held tight to her mare’s reins as she carefully maneuvered through the thick grove of trees that bordered Center Land Village. She wore an expression of concern and disappointment. She’d been searching for the Schiele family for almost five years. The girl that she met hunting on the edge of zombie territory, Kendra, fit the description, but she couldn’t be sure without knowing her family name. Was she the daughter of the two scientists who’d unleashed the zombie virus?It was well known that the child of the scientists was but an infant when they were executed and the reversal of the zombie virus was lost with the lives of the scientists, but they were banking on the fact that she was present during their discussions about it as well as during their daily routines enough for things to have been absorbed in her subconscious. It was hoped that, with the technology available to them, there was a strong possibility that either
Felix practically fell onto the small patch of grass that the hillside offered when Olga finally gave the order to stop and rest. Walking wasn’t easy for him under the best of circumstances. The ache of having been the recipient of Rupert’s angry fists the night before and having a good amount of their belongings strapped to his back only hindered him more. Even so, he had no intention of complaining. He knew that his aunt and Kendra were toting the bulk of their belongings on their back as they took turns pulling the overloaded wagon. He was also well aware that Kendra had an injured foot. Not to mention the fact that he knew that she’d experienced a fitful night with minimal sleep; which was understandable after Rupert’s almost rape.“Where will this lead us?” he asked as he wiped the sweat from his brow and the back of his neck.“It’s awfully close to zombie land,” Kendra said.&ldq
With their bodies exhausted and their nerves frayed from the drama and tension of the last few days, they ate a cold, light meal of jerky and raw carrots that they washed down with pine needle tea before they called it a day alongside the setting sun.Since the only protection they had was their make-shift lean-to, it was decided that they would take turns keeping watch for predators or zombies during the night. The fire was reduced to glowing embers to prevent attracting attention, should there be someone or something in the vicinity, but it was warm enough in the season for them not to need a fire for comfort.Because Kendra was rejuvenated by her extended nap, she offered to take the first watch. Her aunt and cousin were asleep before she’d managed to settle into position for her task. She watched their chests move up and down to the rhythm of their steady breathing and sighed. Regret for not dealing with Rupert in a different way consumed her. She&rsquo
Kendra thought that she’d slept very little that night. So, she was surprised to discover her aunt and Rex sitting by a roaring campfire while enjoying fresh, hot pine tea and some good conversation. How did she miss her aunt getting to know him enough to trust that it was safe to release him? She’d kept one ear on the alert, hadn’t she?“You look like a frightened rabbit,” Olga teased as Kendra slowly approached them.“More like a frightened squirrel come down from the tree,” Rex knowingly chuckled.“You saw me?” Kendra gasped.“I did,” he nodded.A scowl consumed the smooth, sun kissed flesh of her oval face, but it in no way diminished Rex’s appreciation of her beauty. “Why didn’t you say something?” Before he could answer, she raced away from the camp while informing them that she had to pee, but she’d be back in a jiffy and expected an explanation.
Felix proved to be a greater help than even he could imagine. More than once, Rex praised him for his show of strength and stamina as they battled their way up the steep hillside with the heavily laden wagon.Olga worriedly monitored their progress, but said nothing. She’d overprotected her nephew because of his deformity for his entire life. She could see now that it wasn’t a necessary thing to have done.Felix was born while they were huddled together like eggs in an egg carton in the bomb shelter. The birth was a long and complicated one. It resulted in a damaged foot for him and death for his mother. Having assisted with the birthing, Olga carried a heavy guilt over what had happened. It didn’t matter that none of them were trained for such an event and that they’d managed to save Felix even if they couldn’t save his mother. She kept wondering if someone else in the group might have done it bet
Kendra moved amongst the fallen zombies and men, salvaging what arrows that she could from their corpses. When she came upon Baelil’s lifeless body, she was amazed at how accurate her aim had been in such poor lighting. It just showed what a driving force hate could be. Determining that the arrow was too damaged by the bone that it had shattered on its way to his heart to be of any further use, she moved away from him without a backward glance.The movement of a zombie that was felled but not killed caught her eye. She walked over to it, pulled out her knife, and drove it deep into the creature’s skull. Memories of looking into the human-like eyes of the zombies that had surrounded the tree that she’d used for safety floated through her mind as she wiped her knife clean and returned it to its holder.Making her way back to the house, she could see Rex and Olga casually leaning against the railing on the porch. Had t
An eerie silence greeted Felix as he rushed into the house. “Auntie, he’s invisible. Get Eugene! Hurry! He’s after Eugene!”As he raced across the great room with his eyes focused on the nursery door, he tripped over something and tumbled to the floor. Picking himself up with an urgency, he scowled as he looked in the direction of the object that had caused such havoc. The words of frustration and anger toward the object that were on the tip of his tongue were quickly replaced by gasps of shock and worry when he realized that it was Olga’s arm that he’d tripped over.He lifted his torso from the floor and was just getting to his knees when he saw Eugene being carried out of the back door. Baelil was still invisible, so it looked like the baby was floating, but he knew better.Blood oozed out of Olga’s temple as she groaned out the words, “Go after him.”“I’ll be back,” he
Denai cocked her head and scowled. “They have someone who is psychic with them.”“Truly?” Baelil said in an off-handed manner. He’d allowed Kendra’s taunting to get under his skin and was struggling to keep from charging the house and putting her in her place.“I think it’s a male, but I can’t be sure,” Denai continued with a worried whisper. “Whoever it is has strong energy. My magic is being blocked too.”Denai considered herself an average psychic with a few magical tricks up her sleeve. She’d let them believe that she was far more powerful than she was. She didn’t actually say it in so many words, but she also didn’t deny it when they praised her for her powers and skills. It had been good fortune that since she joined the populous of Center Land Village there had been no one to challenge or put her abilities to a serious test. Everyt
The days that followed saw a significant improvement in both Felix and Kendra’s physical and emotional health. Since Kendra looked upon Felix as a brother and she trusted him explicitly, she asked him to help her with the baby so that she could resume the duties that she’d performed for the family over the years, which included hunting. He was nervous and hesitant at first, but quickly took to the new role to the extent that Kendra was hard pressed to have time with her son. She’d often joke that if it wasn’t for the fact that she was the one with the breast milk, she’d never get to hold him.Seeing how much the new role of pseudo father perked up Felix’s spirits, she gave him the honor of naming the baby. It took several days of extreme consideration on Felix’s part before he settled on the name Eugene. Although, not a name that would have made it onto her baby naming list, Kendra smiled and thanked him
Other than the fact that pulling the cart was physically demanding and taxing, the journey home was uneventful. Although still weak, Felix was feeling more like himself and was able to get out and walk short distances, as did Kendra; giving Rex and Olga brief intervals of reprieve. By the time they reached the compound, they were ready for a hot bath, a good meal, and a long sleep. In that order.Olga insisted that Felix meet her in her special room so that she could better tend to his wound with herbs and sutures that she just didn’t have with her on the trip. He resisted, but was glad that he eventually gave in to her insistence when he almost immediately felt a reprieve from the throbbing pain that he’d experienced in his groin since Baelil and his men had attacked it with what he was certain was a dull knife. He smiled his thanks and promised to just do a sink wash before heading to bed so that he didn’t jeopardize the stability of the soothing her
“I can’t believe you let me sleep through it all,” Rex grumbled as he ran his powerful fingers through his long dark hair before pulling its thick strands up into a man bun. “I could have helped you.”“You were exhausted,” Kendra said in a soft voice as she cuddled her newborn son close to her breast while it nursed. Since she had nothing to swaddle the baby in, she’d removed her tee shirt and was using that. This left her hoodie to cover herself with, but, at the moment, both of her breasts were bare, with her long, silken hair covering the breast that the baby wasn’t feeding on. “We need to head back and one of you had to be rested to pull the cart.”“So, I’m the family workhorse, eh?” he said in a mildly teasing tone that made it difficult to tell if he was serious or truly teasing.“I shouldn’t have sent that horse back to Ari,” Kendra lamented.&ldqu
Rex said nothing to Kendra about the fact that Olga had shared her story with him. He thought it best to wait and see how much she wanted to tell him and at what intervals. He knew that she dreaded telling him anything, but he trusted that she would eventually share all. He held her close through the night and whispered his undying love to her, but made no move to touch her intimately. It wasn’t because he didn’t want her. After all of those months of searching, to finally be behind closed doors with her was extremely tempting. His need to touch every inch of her loveliness and assure himself that she was still his was almost overwhelming. But, the last thing that he wanted to do was to make her feel like she was forced into making love. She’d had enough of being forced into doing things; both sexually and non-sexually. When she was ready, she’d make the initiative. Until then, he’d do his best to be patie
Rex paced the porch as he processed the story that Olga had just shared with him. A myriad of emotions surged through him like angry ocean waves slamming against a rocky shore. The thought of that snake, Baelil, forcing himself on his poor Kendra ripped him up inside. Thinking of her being forced to parade around the room naked for his months of pleasure was torturous. He slammed his powerful fist into the palm of his hand as he visualized punching Baelil’s head right off of his body.He could understand why Kendra would agree to the marriage in order to avoid being placed into a breeding rotation. Even though it was a made up reality for those in Center Land Village, such a set up was very, very real within the alien governed part of the world. It made sense that Kendra would believe it without question.He closed his eyes as he struggled to maintain control of his faculties. In the months that he’d been a member of this
The trip back to the compound took longer than they would have liked, but neither Rex nor Olga wanted to push the very pregnant Kendra. Realizing how close she was to the end of her gestation time, Olga feared that excessive stress could bring on an early birth. She actually expressed her concern to her niece about the fact that she’d run away from her captors so close to the delivery date, but Kendra was adamant that she had to seize the opportunity when it arose. Olga couldn’t argue with that logic. Not one bit.They encountered a few stray zombies on the two day walk home, but Rex handled things quickly and without mishap. It was as if dealing with walking corpses had become second nature to him. Kendra thought about mentioning the look in the eyes of the zombies who had surrounded the tree that she’d climbed into for safety, but then thought better of it. That conversation could wait for another day.The compound had