Take Back the Night (a MCSM fanfic)

Prologue

The sun set that night, and never rose.  A storm whipped up.  Dark took the world.   And in all the streets, I could hear them-- the screams and cries of the unfortunate, those who had been taken without warning.

The plague came on us like a thief.  None of us were ready.  By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late-- they had arrived.

Infected flooded the streets.  With so many there at once, their disease spread like a wildfire.  The town fell to panic.  And I... I just ran.  I gathered as many as I could, and we ran.  They were everywhere, but somehow we managed to get away.  We dared not look back-- or think of what we'd see if we did.

For weeks, we wandered-- searching for a safehaven.  Every town we stumbled across had been ruined-- infected or raided.  We kept moving, on and on, wondering if we'd ever reach safety again.  And then, one morning, we found it.

The jungle was nestled amidst a ring of hills-- far from any former towns.  And here, the infected were few in number.  There were resources in abundance, untouched by the plague.  We called it our Haven, and together we raised the great strongholds Periton, Onyxhelm, and Belmir-- and in their center, Coverstorm, with its beacon shining bright across the land.  We raised walls the infected could not breach, and drove out the few within our borders.  We built farms and gathered animals, shaping the wild for our survival.  And for many weeks after, we welcomed the refugees that found us.  But as time wore on, their numbers dwindled, until now we have seen none in months.  I can only assume we are all that remain free of the infection...

I fear we have lost hope of ever finding a cure.  There is nothing that can help us within our borders-- we've tried everything, and the outside world and Nether are much too dangerous.  At first we risked allowing survivors to venture out-- but when many disappeared, we closed our gates for good.  In here, we are safe.  The infected cannot reach us.  But neither can we reach them...

I know of no one who has not lost someone dear to them, who would not give everything for the hope of rescuing them.  But we cannot allow it-- we cannot risk losing what remains of our population.  If we had some hope, then perhaps it would be worth it... but with no plan, no path... it's just not worth the risk.  For as long as Haven stands, perhaps there is some chance left.  But should Haven fall, I fear the worlds would stand no chance...

At least we are safe here-- if  not happy.  Here, we have food and shelter from the storm.  But I cannot help remember this world as it once was... for, once, it was my world too...