Days are Gone (Under Massive Editing - Republishing Chapters)

Chapter 1 - Separation

The only good thing,

about the good old days,

is they're gone.

- Dick Gregory

- - -

I exhaled through my nose and slowly pulled the knife out of the man's forehead.

The growls stopped, and his lifeless body dropped on the wooden floor.

"Fuck..."

I still can't believe "it" reached Washington in just a week.

It's been a year since the pathogen appeared in New York. Nothing has changed except for America's decreasing population. Was it a virus that escaped a laboratory? Bioterrorism? No one knows. It doesn't matter anyway.

I backed up, composed myself, and stared at the guy's right hand. A bite mark can be seen.

The disease ended his life and turned him into one of those walking corpses. Just like what those old zombie ass movies encrypted on everyone and their great-great-grandparents' brains.

I checked the man's body and found a 9mm pistol and six bullets in his utility belt.

Won't be enough, but it's better than nothing.

I loaded the magazine with bullets, pulled back the barrel, and turned the safety on.

With my eyes gazing at the corpse, I let out a sigh and then close the door behind me. "Rest in peace."

"Got anything?" she asks as I walk out of the cabin.

I tucked my hair into a bun and ignored her question.

We need to get out of here. The sun is about to set, and this cabin is not a good place to rest. The chances of them finding us are pretty likely if we stay here.

"You're so quiet, Cyra." Isabelle mumbles. I can see her hands pulling the tip of my shirt.

I sighed. "Belle, we need to move before —"

"No," she interrupts. "Let's go back. I'm sure they already forgave us."

"They'll never forgive us, Belle," I said. She stared at the ground and hugged me afterwards.

"They were mad at me. I didn't mean to do that. It was an accident. I don't understand, Cyra."

The current world we're living in isn't suitable for her anymore. She's already seen and experienced a lot of screwed-up things at such a young age.

"It's getting dark. Let's go." I smiled. She wiped her tears and nodded in response.

I placed my bag on the front and carried her on my back. She needs some rest since we've been walking for days, not to mention her badly injured left foot.

After minutes of walking, Belle got my attention with her finger pointing at a unique rock formation. I can see a cave opening below an enormous tree.

Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Luckily, it's empty, and there are no signs of animals living here. The interior is not particularly large, but two people should be able to fit comfortably.

This will do.

I cut down some shrubs nearby with my trusty knife to act as a cover for the entrance. A perfect camouflage for the night.

After arranging them, I went inside and saw Belle looking at me with her hands on top of her belly.

"Hungry?"