Survivors

Chapter 1

"Open the gates!"

"Open the gates!" The cry went out as metal scraped against metal opening a small window for me to slip through. I quickly walked through and heard the metal scrape again as the makeshift gate closed with a loud thud. My steps quickened as I headed for HQ. I kept my head down as women and young children both male and female roamed the streets sack looking as forlorn and helpless as I felt.

Sixteen years ago a disease called Ubijca Rebenka spread throughout the known world by way of a specially imported flower found in the depths of the Himlaya Mountains. This disease attacked women and children starting with a high fever, coughing up dust, and eventually, dicinergrating from the inside out. The amount of females left was severely shortened raising the quantity of males. Two years later another diseases carried by the common mosquito bit males and raises their testosterone level making them more sadistic, rude, and lustful. This disease is called Carne de Hombre. It has been running rampant for fourteen years forcing females and children to go into hiding like this town did. Those who got caught by the infected males are never seen or heard from again. We fear that they are either dead or forced into a life of prostitution and torture.

I don't know if there are any towns like ours, in fact I don't know who all survived apart from our little community. Our leader, Makisha Donavan, banded us together and created this town in Tularosa, New Mexico. She had previous training in the militia when there was a militia and had watched her father and brother succumb to the disease. What happened to them is unknown nor does she explain further to what happened to the.

As I walk, I look around the town with calculation and precision. There are three women in a garden tending to what appears to be cucumbers laughing and joking with one another. In front of an old ice cream parlor some children played a form of soccer with a tightly wound ball of yarn. I was once one of those children living life as if there was no danger beyond the safety of our four gates. How naïve children can be. How naïve we all can be a times.

I reach the steps of HQ which is an old rundown town hall. I knock on the oak doors and they open showing my partner, Agent Mavis Garcia.

"Agent Burns." She said in a cool voice. She was a tall lean girl with tan skin and bright green eyes. She looked tired and not to mention very dirty from the dust outside.

"Agent Garcia." I greeted stepping through the doors and closing them behind me. I took off a scarf that covered me entire face except my eyes. It used to be black but not it looked more brown from all the dust that was trapped in it. Next the goggles came off and my coat. Dust clinged to it as if the coat was a life raft. Finally the thick rubber boots were taken off and I placed them by the door.

I looked at my reflection through a broken mirror beside the door. My normally pale skin was lightly brown from all the dust clinging to it and my medium length red hair lay tangled about my shoulders. I needed a good when I was done. The dark circles surrounding my eyes said I had a lack of sleep that I sorely needed.

"Agent Burns, this way." Garcia said her brown cowgirl boots clicking against the hardwood floor. I quickly followed her adjusting the strap of my gun holder around my thigh. I am not as tall as I would like to be standing at 5'4" which has resulted in teasing from the other females. I am, however, a hard worker and fast making me the perfect agent.

"Agent Burns, Agent Garcia, I assume you have news of the surroundings." Agent Lucia Nelson, Miss Blonde and Know-It-All, asked before we reached the main doors of the Captain's office. I never liked Nelsom. She is almost as tall as the captain with really long blonde hair as yellow as corn and bright baby blue eyes. She always got what she wanted and I wouldn't be surprised if she was screwing any woman who was willing to screw her.

"Of course, why else would we be here?" I asked stepping close to her my eyes boring into her with hatred. I really wanted to punch her but she was my commanding officer so I was unable to.

"Look who's cocky." Nelson said smirking at me like she knew I wanted to punch her but couldn't.

"Lucia, let us pass." Garcia said clearly annoyed. Wait di Garcia call her Lucia? We never called each other on a first name basis unless we were close friends or . . .I couldn't bare the thought of Garcia and Nelson being a couple. It was revolting to say the least, Nelson let us pass and pecked Garcia on the cheek.

Nelson is such a flirt with anyone she can get her claws into. Obviously her claws we're currently inGarcia.

""Garcia, Burns, please sit." Donavan said. She was about 6'4" with chocolate brown skin and dark hair in one big thick braid. She looked sexy and scary at the same time.

"What news of our surroundings?"

"Nothing to the West and East of us, ma'am." Garcia said in a monotone soldier voice which was a clear sign she was nervous around the captain.

"Nothing to the North of us, ma'am, but I saw activity to the East of us." I reported.

"Show me." Donavan said shoving a map into my hand. I breathed slowly to keep my hands from shaking and pointed to a spot on the map.

"Here in Mescalero, ma'am."

Donavan stared at the map for a few minutes and then called for Nelson to come in. Nelson entered swaying her hips. I'm not sure if it was for Donavan's or Garcia's benefit.

"Tell our lookouts at the East gate that there has been activity site. I don't want an infected man coming through." Donavan said firmly without feeling.

"Yes, ma'am." Nelson said nodding her head and leaving.

"You are both dismissed." Donavan said sitting back. She seemed so nervous. Maybe it was just that she worried for the community. Or was it something else?