Silver Lillies

chapter 1

Chapter 1.

Feet pounding heavily on the soft underbrush. Hand in hand. His tight grip reassuring me that we'd be fine, that we would lose the men that were tailing us. My head spun from the explosion, the green zooming past wasn't helping. I could die today. Years of survival wasted.

I first heard about the war through the internet. It started from the east coast and spread quickly , too quickly. My family wasn't prepared for it hit, it hit us so soon. The first bomb fell on a nearby town. I wanted to dismiss it as some crazy dream. But truth is, the world just couldn't get along.

Large factions like The Red Legion and The Desert Grind fought each other to overpower smaller clans instead of working together to help the people. My dad was a soldier for Red Legion, he was a brave man, the provider for the family. Killed in action. My sister and I stopped going to school and a few months after the third bomb fell my brother went to join Desert Grind, which unfortunately is our enemy since were under protection of The Red Legion. It's a shame, we all looked up to him. My family -well, what's left if it- became isolated. That was two years ago. I've been running and sneaking around to do everything I can for my mum and sister.

They're all I have left.

After the power when out for good I've had to sneak into an abandoned neighbor's back yard to steal their wood and sneak into abandoned shops for food. Luckily the scarecrows haven't noticed yet.

My mum has called the soldiers from the Red Legion scarecrows ever since she realised that all we are to the Red Legion is a flock of pesky crows stealing their crops instead of actual people. She hasn't been her usual, cheerful self since dad died, she's been almost delusional. I walk down the hallway and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the broken oval mirror,God I'm a mess, I have heavy bags from long sleepless nights, multiple cuts on my arms and legs, my dark hair is in a messy bun and strands fall in my eyes. I quickly turn the corner into the living room where my mother sits staring at a nearby scarecrow patrolling the street.

"I'm going down to the river" I whisper kissing her on the cheek.

"Be careful". She warns me every time I leave. I make my way to the door as my seven year old sister comes and blocks my path

"Lil's, move I need to go get some water."
"No! I don't want you to go! You might not come back!" I can see the fear in her crystal blue eyes.
"Lily I have to. I'll bring you back something special okay?" Bribery always worked on her. She gives me a tight hug.

I give her back a quick pat before grabbing an old battered bucket and walking to the door. I peer out through a hole in the rotting wood, seeing every suspicious detail in sight, then quietly step outside. I jump the back fence and head to several fields between my house and the river. A skinny deer rushes past, its ribs showing through it's skin. After people weren't allowed to roam freely the wild animals came out from the forest in search of food, sadly they haven't found much. I'm glad that the grass is long, not so glad that it's nearly dead. Dry grass is noisy. I'm about halfway through one of the fields when I see a purple flower out of the corner of my eye. Its soft petals a bright magenta. I quickly pick it for Lily and place it gently at the bottom of my bucket. Suddenly I hear screams erupt from just north of where I crouch . I freeze on the spot, heart racing. I'm torn between pushing forward or retreating. If I continue on I could risk getting caught up in whatever commotion is going down. But then again we've been running dangerously low on fresh water I decide that we need the water too badly and that the screams weren't that close, hopefully.

I push on twice as quietly as before. As I near the trees that line the river bank I duck into a dying evergreen bush and scan the river. Not a person in sight, normally there are a few people bathing or drinking. Definitely strange. A few miles away a stream flows away from the main river and old apartment buildings stand casting dark shadows that could hide anyone. I quickly make my way towards the river, hoping that no one is nearby. I creep closer to the rushing water and fill my bucket just over half way and head back towards the trees. Luckily I didn't get into any trouble. The sneak home was very awkward with the heavy bucket, I'm so glad I liked P.E at school.