Suburban Island VI

Within and Apart (The Last Days of Golden Plum)

Within and Apart (The Last Days of Golden Plum)

Things are about to end in this place. Somehow, everyone knew it but they didn't want to say anything. After all, where were they going to go? This place was all they knew for the past few years. Only a small handful had a way out. Three of them could go and live with the military. Two could go to Canada. Three could go to Alaska. Maybe somebody could go to Hawaii. The rest were on their own. They were going to have to decide what to do soon. But no one wants to make the first move. It's like they would have to acknowledge that it's over.

Well, Kate was going to have to make that decision for them. It all started with the moment her daughter was stable in the hospital.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" one of the doctors asked in the hallway.

"She is my daughter," Kate said. "I am doing this to save her life." The doctor cocked his head to his side.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said. The sergeant narrowed her eyes.

"Why?" she asked. The doctor shrugged. Kate gave him an odd look.

"Nothing," the doctor said. "No reason." The sergeant said nothing as she rolled her eyes.

"Just make the preparations," she said.

"Yes, miss," the doctor said. He gave her a salute. Kate saluted back. She turned and walked down the hall.

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The forest has been growing lately. There has to be something that needs to happen before more lives are lost. Therein lies the problem. Where are the survivors going to go? Canada was one place. The government where back in talks with Southern America. So far, that wasn't going anywhere. Still, time was running out. Something in the forest changed.

Don was the first one to catch it. He looked at his computer screen. The man narrowed his eyes.

"What is this?" he asked. Don slowly scrolled through the map. He zoomed in closer. The man's eyes widened.

"Oh no..." he said. Don stood up and ran out of the room. He went and sounded the alarm. They needed to study the forest.

The next morning, the soldiers were sent out to cut up samples of the trees. When was the last time anyone took samples? Six years? Ten years? It was time for an update on the information.

Well, things aren't so easy anymore.

When did the forest get thicker? The trees looked so hungry. Most of mainland America was already consumed. That just left the...

The first signs of trouble appeared three months before Annie went underground. A small island in Oregon saw the break in the barrier in April. The island drunk saw it with his own eyes.

"Huh?" he asked. He leaned in for a better look. What was that black thing on the ground? The man reached out to touch the top. But suddenly, he froze. Wait... Was it... moving?

The man's eyes widened as he jumped back.

"What the?!" he shouted. He jumped up and ran toward the neighborhood.

"It's coming! It's coming!" the man shouted. "The roots are breaking in! The roots are breaking in!" Naturally, they didn't listen to him. Why would they? The man was almost always drunk. He could shout that the sky was falling and no one would believe him.

Maybe they should've listened closely.

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The poison in the trees has evolved. The scientists couldn't figure it out.

"What is this?" one of them asked. The cells looked spikey. That wasn't anything special. They had always looked like that.

"What do you see?" one scientist asked. Another one took a look. A puzzled look came over his face.

"Huh?" he asked. His colleague looked up.

"What?" he asked.

"Look at this," he said. The scientist took a look for himself. He looked just as confused.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"Right?" the other scientist asked. "Have you seen them move and change shape like that?"

"No..." his colleague said. He reached forward and turned up the heat.

"What are you doing?" the colleague asked. The other scientist waved him off. The flames jumped up to the bottom of the pan. The cells started to multiply rapidly. Only this time, it was much quicker than before. The men stared in shock. The cells grew and spread faster around the dish. Suddenly, they heard a cracking noise. They didn't get to say a word as the tray popped and shattered. Little pieces of glass and roots flew everywhere. The two scientists jumped back with a start. One of them ran over to hit the panic button.

The lab had to be quarantined for the next seventy-two hours.

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It's already begun. The human race is being forced into a tighter corner. But how long before the plague hits Canada, Mexico, and South America? Where will the human race go? They say there is still Australia and New Zealand. Are they still around? And what happens if the plague hits them? Will humans have to go into space? It seems that way. But not everyone is ready to roll over and give up. First, they are going to move out who are still left in mainland America. From there they are going to have to figure out what to do next. It just takes someone to make the first move.

Kate looks like she's already made the choice forGolden Leaf. But what if I told you that someone already started taking stepsto make the escape plan? It all started with an email.