Dead.

Chapter One

It was as though the world had imploded upon itself in just a matter of days. There was no warning, it just happened overnight, one second the world was bustling and bright, vibrant and full of life and now it lay in smoky ruins, a ghost of what it once was. Scientists always professed that there would be another mass extinction, another mass cull of a species like it did with the dinosaurs all that time ago but no one took the science seriously. It had gotten them nowhere and now it held no ground; it had happened and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Among the initial chaos, fortresses erected across the countries, not run by military or government but by simple people who had survived the initial outbreak. They were not home to many, a survivable outpost at best for a handful of fortunate wanderers who came across the havens. Fear was what kept people alive, many said it was the love for those around you or the stubbornness at simply refusing to cave but it was fear, it always had been just the sheer idea of dying such a horrible death or the fear of being alone at the end.

Sharp blue eyes surveyed the horizon dotted with silhouetted trees as dawn broke over another cold morning, breath exhaled in clouds of condensation. Not much kept the cold out these days but they managed just fine, a tattered and well-worn coat slung over a thin figure with a smash of dark hair. It was never actually quiet now; she couldn't remember the last time there had been simple silence around her and a sense of serenity. It was gone with the rest of the world and she shifted from the high spot overlooking shoddily made walls to climb down to ground level. This had once been a marvellous little village, hosting farmers markets and nurseries, the sign of a crucifix set against a pale pink sky reminded her that there was no God and if there was, then He had abandoned them to this plague.

"Hey, what's the report?" A man with a gun hung loosely around him approached, dressed in camouflage but there were chunks of clothing missing and it was patched up with something leather by the look of it. He had fair features, almost considered too pretty for something like this outbreak. The woman regarded the man for a brief moment, flexing her cold fingers and shrugging.

"There was a couple, didn't bother with the gun, too much noise." She gestured up where she had left an old hunting bow for him to use if he so desired to at least and he stretched his arms over his head in a theatrical manner with a stupid grin on his face.

"Why have they got you doing this, anyway?" He asked her, she knew him by Jay, what his full name was remained a mystery and whatever it was before didn't really matter anymore in the grand scheme of things. A name was just a name, no one even put them on gravestones anymore.

"Need the numbers I suppose after the last accident." The female responded, cringing at the thought. Jay quietened at that and just gave a sharp nod of understanding.

"Did no one come back, not even one person, Cass?" He asked and Cass just shook her head. A scouting party of about ten sent to the city to try and gain supplies and they had been ripped apart. She hadn't seen it; it was rare she was ever allowed to leave the safe confines of the walls.

"Where're you heading now? Back to the infirmary?" Jay asked and she just nodded, at least it would be warm there and she knew winter would come soon and that would bring about a whole host of new problems. The conversation was done as Jay climbed up to the outpost to keep an eye and Cass moved on. Everyone had to do their share of watches and hers had just so happened to land on the midnight until dawn watch, she never felt the exhaustion nowadays, there wasn't time for it. A slip in judgement, a pause or hesitation could cost anyone their life. That was where Cass came into it.