Transcendental

Prologue

Natalie sat in complete silence as the rest of the group talked about their lives before the world ended. She hasn't really been paying attention to anyone. She was too busy remembering her own life, with her now deceased husband, and how they came to be to begin with.

10 years ago

Natalie whined quietly as her brother loudly knocked on her bedroom door, he was relentless now after several days of her not making a sound or answering the door, "Come on, its New Years Eve, you can't just lay in your bed all day." He sighed and pressed his forehead against the door, "It's been almost two weeks Nat. He's gone. You gotta move on" She rolled her eyes and grabbed the picture frame she had next to her bed, a photo of her and her Ex, Evan Buckley, and threw it at the door, laying back down as she heard it completely shatter against her door. Shane shook his head and shrugged, "Fine, I'm still going to the party tonight, I'll grab ya some food"

Natalie sighed, "He broke my heart" it had been the first time she spoke in a week, her voice had become hoarse, "He took everything and just left" She sniffled and wiped her tears on her blanket.

Her brother shook his head and sighed, he hated seeing his baby sister so heartbroken. He hated even more that this guy had fallen off the face of the earth so he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't even get to beat the living crap out of this guy, "Nat you have to move on, it hurts, but you have more fight than this. You're a Walsh." He opened the door slowly and stepped over the freshly broken glass. He bent down to pick up the picture, "Rick isn't going to go either. Maybe you can hang out with him and Lori." He placed the photo on his sisters mirror so it was at least safe, "You could Steal Carl for a couple hours, you love the little one." Natalie shook her head, she was in no shape or state of mind to go to a party or go hang out with a baby, as much as she loved Ricks little boy she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

Shane gave up and left the room. Nat had always liked her brothers best friend and loved to be around him but she had been in a serious relationship with Evan. She was going to completely uproot her life for him, he wanted to move to Los Angeles, and she was fulling willing to go with him but on Christmas eve she had woken up to an empty house, Everything that meant anything to Evan was gone, except for her and she didn't know why. She tried calling him several times only to be sent to voicemail every single time. It was her senior year and the boy she had been dating since she was a freshman had ghosted her. She had no idea what to do, what about Prom? She was going to go alone? She wouldn't get to ride in a firetruck to and from graduation. It was over.

She laid in her bed until she heard a soft knock on her bedroom door, her brother was long gone at this point and had undoubtedly taken his girlfriend, her best friend Katherine, with him but she was curious who was there, whether it be a serial killer of friend, "Come in" she called quietly from her bed. She must not have been loud enough as there was another knock, causing her to stand up and walk over to the door, opening it angrily, "What do you want Shane" She looked up to see not her brother, but his best friend Rick. She frowned, "I told Shane I didn't want to hang out with you and Lori tonight." She went to shut the door again but Rick put his hand on it and stepped in the way of the door, If Natalie had not been in such a bad mood she would have blushed, but she just raised an eyebrow, "What?" she asked quietly.

He frowned at her initial reaction, he knew she was going through a rough time but he never knew it was like this. He hated to admit it, but she looked like she had completely given up hope, that she wasn't trying to take care of herself and deep down inside he hated it. He hated seeing her so broken, like her brother did. But he hated it for a different reason. "She is at home probably asleep." he held out his hand hoping Natalie would take it without giving a second thought, "You can't stay inside all alone like this. Let's go do something"