The Post-World

Chapter Twelve

"Avon, can you believe it?" William was staring down at the road.

"I... I don't know what to say. I've seen movies of roads but... I honestly never thought they could be intimidating." Avon stood next to him at the side of the road while the rest of us walked around and on it. "We should follow it. Its bound to lead somewhere." Avon took Illia's hand and began to walk down the road. The rest of us followed.

Henry had been giving me evil looks as we traversed down the road. The constant whispering behind me was starting to wear down my patience with every sneer that followed. It took most of my concentration to notice my surroundings. Trees surrounded the road and only faint rays shot out of the leaves. The dust we stirred sparkled in the air.

It was strange to think that my father once walked asfault trails everyday. All this dust blown away from cars and walkers causing holes. Well... Maybe not so much the walkers... My dads generation did have an obesity problem...

But in the middle of my internal rantings, I noticed from the corner of my eye, in an empty scar between trees. I stopped and yelled for the others. "Stop! Everyone stop!"

They all stopped and moved to meet me.

"What is it?" William tried to see what I did and I walked off to get a better view.

As I pushed apart the low laying branches I focused on an off grey in the distance. Grass had taken over blocking my view as the trees trailed behind me. I just kept focusing and tried to avoid dips in the ground.

Then... I saw it.

I gasped and covered my mouth. I could not believe what I was seeing. We were taught so much but nothing we saw was any less shocking. The rest of my group responded in similar fashions at the scene.

"Oh my god..." Avon wiped hair out of his face with mouth agape.

I stood up straight and looked on. It was a house. Tan siding, red roof, tiny windows, and a big wooden door with some remnants of old paint still clinging.

"Lucifer... I can't believe what you've found." Hera clung to William.

William pressed passed me and I followed him. "We should check the house for supplies. Maybe there is still water in the pipes. "

With that everyone joined our approach.

I was first to reach the door with some of the others treading behind and William and Avon standing over me.

I wiped up the spiderwebs over the door using some of the greener leaves on the porch. Luckily there were no spiders. I tried to open the door and after some wiggling and shaking, I pried the door open.

Avon shifted passed me and took a deep breath when he entered the dusty house.

"That is really some old air isn't it?" Avon began to look around. I could tell he was trying not to sneeze but honestly he should have. Him holding it back just looked ridiculous.

I moved around the tiny house, trying to scope out anything remotely useful. I soon found my way into an old bedroom.

It was coated in dust but I could make out interesting objects. I picked up a thick, flimsy book and found it was an old photo album.

Grandchildren and neighborhood kids-Summer 2001

It was a picture of these little kids, smiling and playing in a driveway. One girl and two boys.

I turned the page.

Sadly, the rest of the photos were almost completely destroyed.