50 Miles

Chapter 3

My brother used to say that fear is the coffee of emotions. It keeps you alert and sharp. A little fear is effective but too much is dangerous. I didn't understand what he meant at the time, but I do now.

I'm fully aware.

Because at that moment when I ran away, I was experiencing that same alertness and sharpness that my brother described. He said, 'You'll know it when the time comes. It'll hit you like a stampede of rhinos.'

Let's just say it hit me all right.

I became more stealthy then I've ever been in my life, faster than a cheetah, stronger than a dung beetle, smarter than a chimpanzee. I ran and evaded, and problem solved for what seemed like days but was really about an hour give or take. Until I knew for certain that I was not being followed.

Then I curled up in a ball and began to cry.

I stayed that way for about 30 minutes. Why did he let me leave him? We could have left together if I tried. How am I going to survive without him? This world is a lot scarier when you're alone. I take a moment to gather all the items in my backpack to find what I'm looking for. Good thing he gave me the map to look over. I try to study it but can't. My vision is too blurred from the tears.He can't be dead. He's not dead. I won't allow him to be dead. There's no way he's dead.

Over my dead body, he's dead.

Maybe I can go back for him. That way I won't be alone. Normally I would never admit to him that I'm scared but right now, I don't care. I just want to see my brother again. My loving, caring, overprotective, happy, smart brother. I miss him. A lot.

Instead of reading over the map like he would want me to, I begin to cry some more. Another half hour goes by and I finally decide it's time to do something. All the crying I did made me hungry and thirsty. Too bad, we didn't have the time to skin that animal and cook it. We could have eaten well for almost two weeks. The last thing I want to do is go hunting but he would want me to.

And it's about time I listen to him. I wait until all the tears stop streaming down my face and pick myself up. I load up my bow and look for a victim. No deer around here. When grabbing my bag, I look up and spot a small white animal.

Rabbit.

I crouch as low as humanly possible and slowly approach the majestic animal. It's almost impossible to see because of the season.

Winter's the worst.

It was probably great at one period of time. A time where there were no experiments. No fear for your life.

No worries.

I'd imagine it to be something like this.

That place looks like heaven compared to this current state of the world.