The Arising: The New World

Chapter 17

We've been on the road for about four hours. We were now in a small suburban town a little bit past Renmark. We stopped for the night, and we were gonna leave early next morning. All of our horses were hitched in the garage and we were all sitting in the lounge room of the house around a small fire we lit in a metal trash can.

Kane looked over to me a few times but I kept my eyes on the fire. Andrew was completely dazed out and was just looking at the fire for ages without having to blink. Georgia was sitting in a ball. Her knees were at her shoulders and her feet was touching her but. Jonah was sitting on the floor with crossed legs. His hands were in his lap.

Kane looked up at me one last time and said "We have heard a lot about Sam. But we have never heard his stories from someone who actually meet him and knew him. Do you mind telling us about him? How he saved us?"

I looked up at everyone and noticed everyone was looking at me. They were all waiting to hear his story. They really did see Sam as some kind of superhero, or a god. I smiled.

"Sure. I'll tell you his story from the start to the end. It's going to be long though" I said.

"We don't mind" Andrew said interested in me more then the fire.

"Um. Ok. Well it all started at his school in Underdale. He was in year 8 when it all started. Only fourteen. He wasn't the leader. But then he stepped up. He took lead, and he did it well. He got us through many fights against people. He stayed strong for us. I don't know if you knew but he had a wife. Yes it's kinda strange to get married at his age, but if you saw them then you wouldn't mind. They were meant for each other. They never had arguments. They loved each other" I said.

"And they had a kid?" Georgia asked.

"They did. Sam's wife died during childbirth. Hunter named their daughter Samantha because Sam was lost at the time. But anyway. After Hunters death he changed. I could tell he was very depressed. He missed her. But he knew that he couldn't give up. So he kept fighting. He never gave up. He was stronger then any of us. Then we meet the Whisperers. They killed his adopted daughter. He wanted revenge, I know he did. But he didn't want anyone else dying, so he stayed away from them. Sam's last moments alive he told us to run. To live our lives. He directed the horde away from us. Saved his daughter, he saved all of us. That was the last time he was seen. Now we somehow live without him" I said.

Everyone looked at the ground. Their eyes were watery and they all looked shocked. We lost a great man. One of the best.

"You haven't found his body yet right?" Kane asked.

"No. We haven't" I said.

"So he could still be alive?" Andrew said looking excited.

"It's possible, but I doubt he is" I said.

"After this why don't we go look for him? Just us" Kane said.

"Yeah. Let's do that" Andrew said.

"I'm in" Georgia said nodding while her hair went over her face.

Jonah was a quiet person. He didn't really talk, ever. He looked up.

"Hmhmm" Jonah said nodding.

We all looked away from him. I was thinking. I wonder how these people got here.

"Seeing as I told you about Sam. What happened to you guys. What's your stories?" I asked.

Andrew looked up at me.

"I'll go first" He said.

Andrew let out a large deep breath. He scratched his nose and started talking.

"Well it all started when I was at my house. I heard what was happening over the news and I decided to leave my home. I left with my girlfriend and my newly born kid. His name was Steven. Well we found a group of people the next day. We stayed with them. They seemed like good people. But after a week without food or water they all changed. They turned on each other. My girlfriend had food that she was keeping for the baby. But others wanted it. I couldn't save her. They killed her. Ripped her apart. Then it was just Steven and I" Andrew said stopping.

A tear went down his face. Kane put his hand onto his back and comforted him. Andrew wipes the tears away.

"We were hardly surviving. I had to move every day because Steven would cry and that would bring the dead. Then one day I woke up while sleeping in a car for the night, and he was gone. He just disappeared. I looked everywhere for him. I couldn't find him. I haven't seen him till that day. Someone took him while I was asleep. From then on it was hard for me to keep going. Until I meet these guys. They cheered me up. They got me on track" Andrew said.

"I'm sorry for your loss" I said.

He nodded " Thank you" He said wiping more tears away.

"I guess I'll go next" Kane said.

Kane sat up a little and stretched out. He cleared his throat.

"I used to be a nurse. Believe it or not. I was at the hospital when it all happened. All the dead patients turned and I watched all of my friends die. Right in front of me. Even though there was lots of dead bodies in the hospital, I still chose to stay there. If someone were to come to the hospital I needed to be there to help them. I was able to lock all the dead up into a hospital room. I was there for a few months until I ran out of food, and I had to leave the hospital. So I left. I didn't come across a single group or anything. I was alone out there for a long time. Until a year later I found these people. That's my story" Kane said.

"Thank you for sharing" I said.

Kane nodded and looked over at Georgia. She looked up and noticed it was her turn.

"Well my story started off at my house. I skipped school and stayed home. I was on Facebook when I saw people posting videos and pictures of the dead. My parents were at work and they never returned. I waited a whole week. Thy never came back. So I waited. For a long time. Only going out every now and then for food and water. I waited at home for a long time. About a year and a half. Possibly longer. Until one day I decided to go to my parents job, to see if they were there, and they were. But they weren't human anymore. They were dead. Walking around mindlessly. I took them both out buried them and exactly as I was burying them Kane found me" Georgia said.

Georgia is a strong woman. She didn't even show any emotions while she was talking about her past. I had even more respect for her. Georgia looked over at Jonah. He awkwardly stood up.

"Well. My story. Is pretty. Boring" Jonah said pausing a lot as he spoke nervously.

"I don't mind. I want to know. I would like to know" I said.

Jonah nodded.

"Before this. I was nothing. I sat alone. Everyday. No one liked me. So. I was alone since this all started. I never worked well with a group. Never did" Jonah said pausing a lot again.

"Ok. What did you do before the apocalypse?" I asked.

"I looked after pets. I was also a painter" Jonah said with a awkward smile on his face.

"A painter? Were you good at it. You should paint me" I said.

"I was good" Jonah said looking away from me.

Jonah seemed like he had a few problems with him. But I think I could get to know him more and maybe get him talking to me more and trusting me.

"It's late. We should all get some sleep" I said.

Everyone agreed. About one hour later everyone was asleep except for me. I was sitting next to the window looking out. I was thinking about Sam. Will I ever see him again? Because I hope I do. I miss him so much. I loved him like he was my own brother.