Sister

The year 2500

Emma stood up from the flattened grass. Even after the end of

World War Z or, as some liked to call it, The Apocalypse, clans were still fighting. The wars were still happening, over land, supplies, and even the smallest things seemed to matter. This particular war was about a supply crate from a fallen ship. It was time to end this.

Emma blew her brass horn.

The battle had begun.

Her golden hair braided tightly, she raced into the midst of the other clan. Desperate shouts and pained yells filled the once empty field. Blood spattered all around as wounds were hastily bandaged. Scanning the mob, she searched out a familiar figure. "Alysha," she muttered. Dodging sword blows and precisely shot arrows, she made her way over to the other clan's leader. "I want her to be kept prisoner", she yelled over to a burly man standing watch to the side of the main fight, and shoving off anybody who dared attack "I want to see her face when the zombies come".

***

Alysha sat in the corner of her cell, awaiting her punishment. Her trial had taken place, the verdict was in, and they had decided to give her to the zombies. They thought she wouldn't know what they meant. They thought she would fight back, but they didn't know what she had been through so far, that to her, the end seemed inviting. Her long brown hair hung loose around her shoulders, as she scratched symbols into the cold hard concrete. She should have been angry at having lost the war. She should have fought harder, but she felt strangely at peace. That her family had been lost, and that she had once had a twin sister was all she knew for sure. It happened 8 years ago, she had been taken from her side, and raised to live on the other side of the river.

Emma frowned at the amount of people here to watch the execution, it seemed wrong, but knowing that it would be a welcome sight, she continued her bargain with the zombies. There were three of them, with hollowed out eyes and gruesome purple scars running across their faces. People called them the walking dead, and now she understood why. She gave them the coins and muttered instructions to them. Her exchange completed, the leader strode over to the jail cell where Alysha was standing in the middle of the room, her shoulders shaking. Two guards trooped in. Emma looked away from the other leader. Emotion didn't give you power in a place like this. Emotion reduced you to self pity.

In a gruff voice, a guard spoke, "Should we take her out now?" he asked. Distracted, Emma looked back. "Yes, yes of course. Go on ahead, I'll be right there". Taking Alysha, the guards left the small cell. Emma fell to her knees.

Memories flooded the room. Had her sister been executed like this? The twins were only seven years old when- "Stop it Emma" she told herself, "You'll only make it worse". The men from the other side of the river had barged into her house, taking everything, including her sister. Now that her parents were gone too, the loss stung even worse.

For years she had told herself that Aliyah was still alive, had found some way to live, but now, that kind of thinking was desperate.

Emma stood up and looked at the floor, seeing the symbols that Aliyah had drawn. They were symbols her parents had taught her, before that night, meaning love and protection. Suddenly, something clicked, the resemblance between Alysha and Aliyah, the symbols on the floor. Was it just fanciful thinking, or was Alysha not really Alysha?

Emma leapt up and ran to catch up with the guard. Panting she called, "Wait!".

"Is there something wrong?"A guard implored.

"NO" yelled Emma, "I mean, no there isn't, I was just wondering if you had searched her for jewelry, as it could be valuable". "Oh" the guard said, "Well there was something, but I was going to keep it, as it looked cheap and not at all important". Emma smiled, knowing that this was the final clue to figure out where her sister really went."Can I see it?" she asked. The guard reluctantly pulled a small necklace shaped like a heart out of his pocket and gave it to her.

Aliyah turned around and gasped, as Emma slid an identical necklace off her slim neck. The girls looked at each other in realization. "Aliyah?" Emma's eyes widened. "Guards, let her go and tell the zombies that the deal is off, in fact, we are having a party. I have found my sister". The guards rushed off, leaving the sisters alone together. " I-I don't know what to say", tears rolled out of Emma's eyes, her blonde hair waving in the wind. "Well I do," said Aliyah, sliding the twin necklaces together, her eyes shining. "Our world may be in ruins, but now, at least we have each other."