While They Fall

Chapter One: Not So Dead Anymore

Emily awoke to the sounds of leaf enveloped branches in the wind and the sounds of chirping birds in the air. Her once impenetrable frame, was barely mobile. Her caramel, tan skin was no longer thick enough for the slightest slur against her. For, the night before had destroyed any hope she had left on this Earth. Emily mind raced attempting to unfold why she was here.

A truck, she thought, but that's all she could grasp, for all her thoughts were floating around, in vague, intangible parcels.

Her hands were bound to the well-used, timber bed she laid in, and no weapon, nor person was within sight. She attempted with her utmost ability to push and oppress the unimportant thoughts she had battering her mind, yet it was to no avail. Her in vain attempts to recall the obscured hours of the night before, were interrupted by the sounds of voices hitting her ear.

"I'm gonna go check on her, she could be up by now" a woman said,

"She could also be dangerous, why are you treatin' her anyways." a boy said, with a voice that could have only had come from a young teen, "We don't know who she ―.".

"I don't recall knowin' your face or ya character when you came stubblin' out of the woods, with a ten-inch gash bleeding from the back of your leg." the woman snapped back.
"You oughta remember what good can come from strangers. Now, I know the dangers, but I'm sure as hell not gonna leave the poor girl out on the grass with bruises dottin' her body." the woman said as she walked in.

"Well, nice to see you heard that." the woman stated, as she opened the wooden door, and saw Emily's dark, mostly brown, hazel eyes wide open and awake.
"Truly it is," she continued, "Now, I won't have to explain to you that we're not goin' to kill you, or eat ya for supper, and now you know that Todd outside doesn't trust you very much, nor do I. So, let's focus on what you don't know, I'm Vivian, you're at my farm, and you passed out after you cried the volume of the Atlantic. That's why your with us, that's why the Fallen didn't get ya, and that's why your alive. Any questions?" Vivian asked peering into Emily's soul attempting to figure out the answer to her own question.

Emily began to think rationally for the first time in days, for the perpetual worry of survival had submerged her brain during her time with Dan on the road. What did she want to know? The question belittled her, she had no idea what to say, the only dictum she could form was the most obvious one.
"Can you cut me down?" Emily said with her eyes peering into Vivian's.
"Of course, of course, but after you reassure me that, that man in the room with you last night... after you reassure me he was a Fallen."

After Vivian said that, after she said that word again, all the memories from the night before came storming back into Emily's mind. Not that Dan was gone, no, she had recalled that fact perfectly clear. But, now she remembered every unbearable second that she had endured that night in the cabin. Dan had become one of them, the Fallen, the humans infected with the Midison Disease. They lose emotion, empathy, hate and love, and envy and modesty, they simply become catalysts for evil, despite humans already retaining that ability, they can infect anyone, whether nice or full with reprobate. That is what Dan became, it did not matter who he was, it did not matter that he was the reason for her existence. It didn't matter.

"He...he was." Emily muttered,
"Good, I don't empathize with murderers, unless the person is a threat to our society, our community, our way of life."Vivian stated, "The world has already gone to hell, no need for further evil. I don't count the Fallen as humans, no matter who they were before. I apologize for my pry anyway, there's just some things that I need to know, like your name.",

"Emily, I'm Emily Dennon." she said in cracked tone.
"Well Emily," Vivian began, as she unsheathed a short dagger and cut Emily's hands down from the bed's headboard, "Welcome."

Vivian walked to the door, with Emily straggling behind. As she opened the door, Emily spoke, "Are we safe?",
Vivian looked at her with a look of wisdom, "You can never be safe in a world, as this.", she said softly,
"But, I believe me when I say you'll do good on this humble homestead.", Vivian continued,"
"Don't be afraid anymore, fear is the epitome of regret, guilt, and the center of getting me pissed off, it's been two years since the end, if you've made it this long you're a warrior, and a good one at that, never forget that. That's when you're truly gone, when you forget that fear isn't what keeps you alive. You are."