(Can you believe I started the Raven Series 4 years ago?  Still doubt myself with horror writing.)

Yahoo Image Search

Bubbles rise from Dawn’s mouth as she clings to Kara and tries to see in the darkness of the ocean. Stinging salt forces her to blink and the sensation of water around her body abruptly disappears. It is replaced by cold sand that continues to move like an undersea current and gradually carry her to the surface. Stretching an arm through the coarse grains, she desperately tries to get her fingers into the open air while her sore legs propel her with what little strength she has left. Feeling a breeze on her knuckles, Dawn gives one more kick and she bursts out of the earth with a gasp. She is barely aware of being in the middle of a vast desert as she scrambles to free herself and Kara. The sun quickly rises and batters the pair with a heat that forces the woman to crawl towards a nearby rocky outcropping. Bloated bodies gradually appear in the sand and bob in place as if they are still in the ocean. A few quivering hands punch through the desert, but they never make it further than the elbow before they fall limp. Focused on getting into the shade, Dawn pushes herself to stand and mindlessly walks over the corpses that are in her way. The squish of flesh is combined with the snap of brittle bones and the shards pierce her bare feet. The shocks of pain give her enough of a jolt to help her avoid passing out and succumbing to the heat.

The moment Dawn gets to the outcropping, she collapses to her knees and stares at a thin stream that is coming down the wall. Caring more about Kara than herself, she turns the girl around and tries to put her head close to the water. She freezes when she sees that her friend has been replaced by a wooden doll that is cracked down the middle of the face. Struggling to her knees, she holds the toy out and shakes it in the hopes of it coming to life like the marionettes at the store. Instead, the head falls of and rolls out of the shadows where it bursts into flames. The body crumbles to dust, which is taken away by a breeze that feels like sharp claws against Dawn’s skin. Flopping onto her side, she sticks out her tongue to drink from the stream and shudders at the eggy taste. Refusing to die, she ignores the flavor and continues lapping at the wet stones until she no longer feels thirsty. Still too weak to sit up, she stays on her back and stares at the fat moths that are flying around the ceiling.

“Give her back,” Dawn mutters, her voice cracking with every word. A violent coughing fit gets a clump of sand caught in her throat, so she rolls over to throw up. “I never wanted to be involved in your fight. All I did for years was stay in my forest. Now, there’s someone I swore to protect. Both of you could have given me that and left me alone. Instead, you make me suffer and treat me like a threat. I have no power, so you never had anything to fear from me. One of you say something!”

“Do you think they are listening?” asks a nearby corpse. The dead woman’s head twists until it is backwards and a tiny octopus waves from her empty eye socket. “You can yell all you want, but you’re in a time out. Neither of them are sure what to do about you or the girl. She’s in a time out too. Why don’t you go for a walk, Dawn?”

“I’m not talking to a corpse,” she answers before turning her back on the woman. Driven by an intense hunger, she swings her arm to catch a moth and pops the insect into her mouth. “This place is definitely set up for me to regain my strength. So, what are you planning, Ian? I know you enjoy killing and destroying, but this was extreme. Don’t keep me in suspense because I’m not in the mood.”

Minutes pass and she continues munching on the moths, the wriggling in her throat nearly setting off her gag reflex. After taking a long drink, she forces herself to stand and grips the stone wall to avoid falling back down. The solid rock feels sharp against her palm, but the tiny points never break her flesh. Loosening her hold, Dawn’s eyes fall on a strap of fabric that is sticking out of the sand. She takes a deep breath before putting her back against the wall and sliding down to her knees. Her shirt catches on jagged edges and tears along with her skin, but she is too focused on reaching for the buried object to react. Gripping the coarse strap, Dawn pulls a familiar satchel into the air and lets it dangle in front of her eyes. Hearing laughter, she looks out to the desert and watches the corpses become fully exposed to the sun. The stench of rotting meat fills the air and makes her head swim until she tears off a sleeve to use as a mask.

Patchy shadows appear in every direction and Dawn waits to see what is coming instead of walking into the open. Knowing that she will have to run soon, she adjusts the satchel until it is comfortable against her hip. Taking a flask out of the pocket, she blindly fills it from the stream while the sound of wings is carried on the wind. The noise grows to a deafening symphony as the enormous flock of ravens descends from the clouds and feasts on the bloated corpses. They divide themselves into smaller groups to avoid fighting over the ample food and their crimson eyes reflecting the sun. Dawn walks to the edge of the shade and sticks a finger into the light, which gains the attention of the nearest gathering of birds. They go back to eating as soon as she pulls back, but she can tell that they are waiting for her to emerge. Taking a loose rock out of the wall, she throws it at the ravens and frowns when one catches it in its beak. With a small caw, the animal tosses the projectile away and goes back to digging into an open wound on its meal’s side.

“Guess I don’t have a choice,” Dawn says with a sigh.

Looking around for a weapon, she considers rushing out to claim a discarded leg and strip it down to the bone. The first step she makes is met with a chorus of excited caws and the birds watch for her to be in the open. Knowing that she could never make it to the limb and clean it before getting attacked, Dawn searches for another idea. Seeing a pile of rocks, she takes the satchel off and fills it until it feels heavy enough to work as a flail. Gripping the strap in both hands, she licks her lips and plans her route through the vast flock. With a smirk, she moves to the side of the shade and stretches her legs, which are still stiff from running along the bridge and escaping the sand. After taking a slow breath, she rushes into the sun and darts around the rocky outcropping.

Struggling to get up the dune, Dawn refuses to turn around at the sound of the ravens taking flight. The land is plunged into darkness by the time she reaches the crest and slides down the other side. As soon as she hits the bottom, the woman whirls around to swing the satchel and knocks several birds out of the air. More come at her from the sides and peck at her body, but she manages to keep her head down to avoid getting blinded. Spinning her weapon over her head, she charges across the sand and feels her shoulders get jarred every time she hits the shrieking animals. A chill runs up her spine as their voices become oddly human and seem to chant her name. For a terrifying moment, Dawn feels like standing still and letting the flock wash over her, but a sharp beak to the leg snaps her out of the mild trance. Barely able to see ahead, she trips over a bulbous cactus and curses at the feeling of needles stabbing into her shin. She rolls down another dune with the ravens diving at her and repeatedly coming away with blood on their tiny talons. Injured and dazed, the woman refuses to give up and screams loud enough to send the entire flock soaring towards the clouds. They remain far out of reach for a few seconds before going back on the attack with a renewed aggression.

“I’ve had it with these games!” Dawn shouts as she swings and takes out six of the birds. A primal roar rips from her throat and she stomps on the injured animals to make sure they are out of the fight. “I’m not running and I’m not playing. Let’s see which of us breaks first. Try and eat me to the bone! I fucking dare you!”

(Fun fact: The hardest part of this whole project was finding images. So much blood was seen.)

Yahoo Image Search

“Join us and you shall be saved! The Order of the Emerald Robes has been chosen to survive the coming Apocalypse! See how our numbers have grown since we departed. There is no reason to fear the coming wave if you join us. In fact, I assure you that if everyone becomes a member, the danger will pass. For this is a sign from the true God of our world that we must unite under one banner. Our divisions have brought this threat upon us and it can only be met by an unbreakable bond of faith. You with the broken leg! Swear your allegiance to the Order and we will carry you the rest of the way. Parents that wish to save their children can give them to us if they do not feel worthy to join our ranks. Many of our female members are able to feed the infants and our men are strong enough to carry three kids each. Please calm down and accept that we are the only way to salvation!”

Standing atop a truck in the middle of her people, the robed woman keeps her arms raised while everyone else rushes across the bridge. She hears a strange metallic echo that is followed by a series of snaps that buckles the ground. A taut cord swings low enough to catch nearly every member of the Order of the Emerald Robes and the car that their leader is standing on. Many are sliced in half while the rest are sent flying into the churning ocean below, their bodies dragged screaming into the depths by an unforgiving riptide. Having landed on her head, the woman gets to her feet and struggles to see through the blood seeping down her face. She reaches towards a tall figure who is passing by and slows down as if it is about to help. A circular crack appears around her and the road falls away to plunge the woman into the eddies that surround the bridge supports. Due to the blind stampede, several people slip and tumble into the hole before the chunk rises back into place.

“That’s why you don’t stop,” Kara says from her friend’s shoulders. Holding on tight with one hand, she uses her binoculars to check ahead for danger. “The right-hand side is blocked because two cars collided. I see a lot of fire, but two lanes are clear. People are charging right through the flames too. The smoke is stopping me from seeing anything beyond that. Is that a plane to our left?”

Gripping the girl’s legs, Dawn sprints ahead with all of her strength and listens to the sound of shrieking engines. She risks a glance to the side to see that there is an enormous jet airliner falling from the sky. Large gashes are in the wings that shake as if they are on the verge of snapping off. The cockpit windows are shattered and three people can be seen hanging from the frames, each one impaled by a long shard of glass. People are jumping out of the open doors even if they are sucked into the engines or lack a parachute. Many on the bridge try to run in the opposite direction while others stop and stare at the approaching plane. Not wanting to get trapped on the wrong side of the destruction, Dawn continues running and knocks stunned travelers our of her way. Those she hits shake their heads and follow her, their instincts telling them that they have to keep moving. Leaping over the flames instead of going around, she finds herself leading a growing band of survivors that is inspiring those far behind to join. Screams drive them forward, the voices cut off abruptly and making them fear that the ravenous wave is on their heels.

For many, the effort to escape is too late and they are directly in the path of the approaching plane. The nose strikes the side of the bridge and crumples while the steel supports tear like thin paper. Breaking off at the main body, the wings fly over the barrier and snap the cables without losing their momentum. People are sucked into the groaning engines and smashed by the pieces before they tumble over the far side. With the screech of stressed metal and cracking of asphalt, the entire section of the bridge slumps. Dawn is about to yell for everyone to continue running when the ground tilts and she barely manages to grab the railing. Others slide across the road until there is a tangle mass of people trying not to fall over the edge. Panic quickly sets in and those who are desperate to survive throw those in their path into the ocean. Within minutes, a brawl has broken out while the plane explodes with enough force to pulverize a large swath of the bridge.

Fearing that they are going to fall at any moment, Dawn whistles for Kara to get on her back before climbing onto the railing. Using her arms to pull herself along and her legs to remain on the narrow path, she moves as quickly as she can. Small dings from behind cause her to look back to find that a few people are doing the same. One look at their eyes tells her that they are prepared to knock her out of the way, which drives her to hang from the rough railing. Praying that her luck and strength hold out, Dawn swings like a monkey. The risky advance includes a terrifying moment of her letting go of the handhold and sailing along for a few feet before regaining her grip. Once she has gained a comfortable lead on the slower travelers, she stops with the acrobatics and makes sure to always have on hand on the railing. A violent tremor runs through the bridge as she reaches the edge of the stable section. Dawn leaps for a piece of rebar that is sticking out of the jagged stone and catches it as everything behind her crashes into the ocean. With it being too high for Kara to climb up alone, she pushes her aching muscles to their limit and eventually drags them onto solid ground. Looking back, she can see that that tidal wave has slowed down and is struggling to erase the wreckage from existence. The wall of glimmering water pulses and briefly becomes a shadowy void, the sight of which paralyzes all of the people who are trying to swim below.

“Let me down and-” Kara begins to say. She stops when Dawn gets up and starts running again. “You can barely breathe. Put me down and give yourself a little rest. I might have shorter legs, but I can keep up for a few minutes. We don’t know how long the bridge is, so you shouldn’t make yourself so tired. I can’t carry or drag you if you collapse and I refuse to leave you behind.”

“You’re going to if you have to,” the woman growls before coughing. Seeing the rest of the crowd far ahead, she grits her teeth and ignores the full body ache that threatens to consume her energy. “I won’t put you down because I don’t know if the ground will turn you into a panicking maniac. Besides, the safest place is with me and you can’t get any closer than on my body or shoulders. Just hold onto your satchel and trust me. I can get us to the end of the bridge and I’m sure that’s when the tidal wave will disappear.”

“You don’t know that.”

“If I’m wrong then I’ll keep running.”

“What if it doesn’t stop?”

“Then that means one of those monsters is ready to erase the entire world to kill me.”

“Would they do that?”

“I don’t know, but that’s not something I can really stop.”

The air is filled with the smell of saltwater and the ocean becomes an enormous whirlpool that steadily eats at the bridge supports. With the ground quivering, Dawn tries to keep up her muscle-straining pace. She nearly falls to her knees when a massive quake shifts the entire structure a few feet to the left. The distant survivors scream and appear to collapse in unison before a small piece falls into the swirling water. Waves rise out of the eddies and fall forward like slow-moving tentacles that explode against the bridge. The rain pelts the travelers with enough force to leave welts and the ground becomes so slick that Dawn comes close to twisting both of her ankles. An oily shine spreads across the asphalt and mesmerizes Kara, who starts to let go of her friend. She is snapped out of the trance by a sharp pinch and twist to the back of her thigh. The girl clenches her eyes shut to avoid falling into the trap again and tightens her grip out of fear.

A crack of lightning runs across the cloudless sky, but Dawn refuses to look up to see what is coming. It is only when she hears a familiar chuckle that she dares to stop running. Shifting Kara to her front and hugging the child to her chest, she glares at Ian as he hovers above the bridge. With a droning sigh, the reality-bender waves a hand to dissipate the tidal wave and restore the land without reviving those who have been killed. He descends to the ground and lands between Dawn and the crowd that is trying to run away. Ian has the far end of the bridge pivot up until it is vertical, which causes the terrified humans to tumble into a large pile of groaning bodies. Ignoring their complaints, he turns on his heels and is about to stretch his arm towards Dawn.

“Whatever you do, leave Kara alone,” she demands, which stops Ian in his tracks.

“What is so special about this child?” he asks while scratching his head. He takes a step forward and grins when the woman backs away. “She is one human on a dying planet. You have no relation to her, so why does she matter? As someone who has lost a relative, I can tell you that caring about others leads to pain. Are you ready to suffer?”

“I swear, she will survive this.”

“As you said before, there are some things that you cannot stop.”

With a snap of his fingers, Ian causes the bridge to turn bright red and begin to blink like a faulty light. A beeping is emitted from every cable, which gradually become intertwined wires of blue and green. Popping out of the ground at the reality-bender’s feet, a timer rises into the air and continues its countdown. Some in the crowd try to get off the bridge, but most remain in place and watch the second click away. Filled with rage and unable to think of a way to escape, Dawn steps forward to deliver a kick to Ian’s groin. Not expecting the blow, he doubles over and loses his concentration. Instead of a single explosion taking out the entire bridge, the cables erupt one at a time to destroy the edges and plunge the middle into the ocean. Within seconds, the debris and those standing on it have been swallowed by the water.

(Wasn’t yesterday sweet and heartwarming?)

Yahoo Image Search

Coming around a bend in the narrow path, Dawn and Kara stop at the sight of hundreds of people walking along a wide road. Vehicles roll slowly along in the midst of the bodies, the drivers honking the horn in the hopes of getting more space. The black asphalt is cracked and covered in potholes that threaten to snap the ankles of those who stumble into them. Gulls sing like wrens as they fly above the crowd, the opportunistic birds diving at any food that catches their eyes. Children scream and cry as they lose their snacks to the animals, which causes small fights to break out within the tense herd. Gunshots ring out from time to time, but there is no way to locate the source of the noise. For five minutes, a large pack of people wearing matching robes walks along with outsiders forced to stay on the edges. A tall woman with short hair screams scripture that speaks of Addison and Ian being born from humanity’s sins and acting as divine punishments for the species. Her voice gets louder and deeper as those on the fringe shout their disagreements. Eventually, a brawl breaks out with the outsiders being either dragged into the robed pack or shoved off the road. Those captured reemerge minutes later chanting along with their new leader while their exiled friends remain curled in balls in the dirt. Nobody tries to help the fallen, who begin wailing and cursing humanity in general.

A sign saying that the people are almost there sits on the other side of the road from where Dawn and Kara have emerged. They are not sure what it is referring to, but they cautiously get closer to the mob in the hopes of asking someone for an explanation. Getting near a man who had been cast aside, they jump away when he suddenly shrieks and goes running away from the front of the crowd. His departure causes the others to follow, the children forced to run on their own as the adults focus entirely on their own fate. Dawn catches Kara by the arm before they go any further, her hand slowly rising to point at a large structure up ahead. Running into the distance is a massive bridge, which is polished to a shine and decorated with flower beds along the sides. The roar of the ocean sends a chill down their spines since they do not remember seeing it when they were on top of the nearby hills. Taking out their matching binoculars, they can barely see the spray of waves hitting the sides of the ground that abruptly cuts off to meet the bridge.

“This is the direction that we wanted to go in,” Dawn points out as they walk alongside the road. After ten feet, she hits an invisible wall and earns the angry glares of those passing by. “I guess we have to be on the path to continue. That might explain why those people froze up and freaked out when they were knocked off. There must be a starting point that you have to be on in order to use the bridge. I really hope we don’t have to travel for miles in the opposite direction to get across the ocean.”

“What if we wait for the end of the mob to come by?” Kara suggests while she looks around with her binoculars. For a second, she thinks she sees a puff of smoke in the distance, but the glare of the sun prevents her from being sure. “This could be a no cutting rule. Besides, my feet hurt, I’m thirsty, and both of us could use a nap. We should be fine since they can’t leave the road without going back to the beginning.”

“Guess we can rest for a few minutes,” the woman begrudgingly agrees. A tickle in the back of her head makes it difficult to relax, so she sits on a rock and nervously taps her foot. “This is a massive migration, which reminds me of the Grand Caravan. Only there seems to be a lot more people and there are strange rules to the path. They’re obviously being manipulated, so I’m not sure we should go this way. Last thing I want is to stumble into a trap after making it a week without incident. Have you ever heard of something like this?”

Finishing a bottle of water, Kara takes off her cap and scratches her head in thought. “I don’t remember anything like this. How would anybody know? Those on the road aren’t allowed to leave without going back to the start. If a person saw them and tried to join then they’d be stuck in the trap too. There are plenty of groups out there that don’t want to be discovered. I think because you wouldn’t know about them if they were keeping themselves hidden. Still, this is a lot of people for nobody to know anything. Hey! Where are all of you going? How long have you been traveling? My friend and I are going to the haven. If you’re doing the same then maybe we can join you for a bit.”

One man stops at the edge of the crowd and stares at the two travelers, his vivid eyes gradually glazing over. He is bumped into and shoved by those passing by, but he takes out a pitchfork to slam into asphalt. Puffs of steam burst from the holes as he wiggles the tool into the solid road. Once it is in enough to help him avoid getting knocked into the dirt, he squints and cocks his head to the side. He strokes his knotted beard while taking in the sight of the unfamiliar women. His attention repeatedly falls on Dawn, who meets his stare with a smile that she hopes is charming. A rumble in the ground breaks his concentration and he leaves the pitchfork behind to return to the herd. A few minutes later, a young woman tries to claim the abandoned tool, but stops to look at the travelers. Her expression is identical to the man, but there is a sparkle in her eyes that grows stronger as she leans forward.

“We are traveling to the haven,” she answers even though she never heard the questions. She reaches out for Kara, but her arm violently shakes until it flops to her side. “This is the promised path that tests our dedication. Travel it and be among the chosen ones. With all other roads being closed, this is the only path to salvation. Children such as yourself should not be left behind, so please come with me. Otherwise, the end may claim you. For you see, the end is not very far away. That is why we must move quickly.”

“What about me?” Dawn asks after noticing that she is being ignored. The instant they make eye contact, the woman falls back into a trance and stumbles into the crowd. “Guess I’m not invited to this party. Well, I saw a forest a few miles back. It isn’t the safest plan, but we can make a raft and get into the ocean away from this place. Then again, there’s a good chance that the water isn’t as widespread as we think. I vote that we find the coastline and make camp there before we decide on a final plan.”

“I really wonder what she meant by the other roads being closed and the end not being far away,” Kara says as they start climbing up the nearest hill. A shout erupts from the herd, but neither of them bother to look back and risk getting drawn into the trap. “What if the Grand Caravan wasn’t the only traveling group that was attacked? You said that things have changed with the monsters now that you’re wandering. Maybe they’re pushing the world closer to the end because you can stop them. There wouldn’t be any reason for you to fight if all of the humans were wiped out.”

Stopping on top of the blocky hill, the brown-haired woman considers the possibility, but quickly shakes her head. “Ian might go on a killing spree, but Addison would never give up all of her toys. She’d create a breeding program first because she fears being alone. They might be trying to eliminate our options to draw me to a specific spot. For all I know, it’s this road and bridge that I’m supposed to travel on. It would mean sacrificing you though, so this isn’t an option at all.”

“What if it was the only way out of danger?”

“Then, I’d leave it up to you and fight to get you back.”

“Maybe I can ride on your shoulders.”

“That is a strong poss . . . Why do you want to go on the road?”

“Because I don’t want to drown.”

Dawn takes out her own binoculars and follows Kara’s gaze, which is in the opposite direction of the bridge. She can barely make out what she thinks is a line of puffy cloud, which is gradually getting closer. With a shock to her senses, she realizes that it is really the white crest of an enormous tidal wave that spans the entire horizon. Looking at its base, Dawn sees that the land itself is being devoured by the water that shimmers in the sun. She takes a step away from the road with the intention of leading Kara through the wilderness, but knows that they are as good as dead if there really is an ocean in their path. Muttering a curse and a prayer under her breath, she puts the girl on her shoulders and runs down the hill. At the same time that she gets to the bottom, the migrating herd erupts into screams and the tidal wave appear no more than two miles away. Dawn feels a small push against her body as she rushes onto the road, but the invisible force shatters when she screams in rage. As if another control has been severed, the other humans charge forward and the crowd descends into fear-fueled madness.

(More questions abound thanks to the last scene.)

Yahoo Image Search

Not finding Dawn in the shed, Kara takes her time getting off the creaky cot and packing up her belongings. She stops at the sight of folded fabric on a shelf that has a note with her name on it taped to the side. Still groggy from a restless night, it takes the girl a minute to realize that she has been given clean clothes. Curious and excited, she strips off her dirt-covered garments and uses a bucket of water in the corner to wash herself. Haphazardly drying herself off, Kara puts on the jeans, green t-shirt, and sandals. She stops when she gets to the bottom of the pile and finds a pair of underwear, which she considers stuffing into her bag. Feeling foolish for the thought, she finishes getting dressed and grabs her baseball cap off a box. After a final check of the shed, the girl hurries into the canvas tunnel, which is shaking due to a mild breeze. Spots of light are all over the pathway and she can hear the faint jingling of the charms, which are tiny shadows against the colorful walls.

The smell of food urges Kara forward, but she stops at the door when she remembers that Dawn may already be inside. She remembers how she stormed off and how the marionettes tried to explain that it was a misunderstanding. The fact that the woman never came back into the store fills her with worry and anger. It is a painful mix of emotions that nearly drive her back into the shed where she knows she can be alone. The rumble of her stomach is too much for her to ignore, so she stares at the ground before pushing the door open. A chorus of clacking limbs greets her and she glances up long enough to see that the aisles have been moved around to make room for a table. Pancakes and bacon have been put on a platter with a bottle of maple syrup on each side. There are no drinks, but Kara knows that she can take something from the coolers. It is a simple feast with a delicious smell that coaxes her into the room. Not seeing Dawn, she moves a little faster in the hopes of getting a few bites before having to face her friend. The girl is halfway to the table when someone coughs behind her and she freezes. Slowly turning around, she sees that the woman has been leaning on the wall next to the door, her hand gripping the knob and a red bump on her forehead.

“So, I owe you an apology,” Dawn says, ignoring the fact that she was hit in the head by the girl’s excited entrance. Sticking a piece of bacon in her mouth, she walks to the table and takes a seat. “It was wrong of me to get upset with you. With everything you have gone through, it makes sense to shrug off death so quickly. I have trouble understanding that because I haven’t been in existence for that long. While I have the body and mind of an adult, you have much more experience with this world. So, I’m sorry for what happened.”

“Well, I shouldn’t have gotten upset either,” Kara admits as she sits down. Not wanting to ruin her new clothes, she puts her satchel in her lap and tucks a cloth napkin into her shirt. “I have seen a lot of people cry even these days. So, there are those who grieve and mourn like you want them to. I always thought they were wasting their time. You never know if the thing that killed a loved one is going to come back for you. I’ve seen beasts attack funerals and corpses explode. Maybe I let it get to me too much, but I’m still alive. If being cold and not mourning has given me an edge then I’ll stick to it.”

“You aren’t nearly as cold as you think,” the woman points out. Watching the marionettes move about the store, she picks her words carefully to avoid another fight. “I mean, you were willing to fight for me. You could have let me fend for myself when we were escaping Ian with the Grand Caravan. Instead, you got the door open and fought those doctors, who were fine with leaving me outside. That was a sacrifice, which cold people don’t make. Again, I thank you for doing that.”

Neatly cutting a pancake, the girl eyes the maple syrup that she has only seen used as bait for humans in the wild. “You would have done the same for me, but that’s what you’re like. I hope you don’t change. Being a caring person is why I like traveling with you. You make me feel warm and comfy like my parents. Everyone else is like me where they’ll save themselves before helping another. You help others, so I want to return the favor. Do you think you’ll always be like this?”

“That’s a difficult question,” Dawn nervously replies. Seeing the cashier marionette reflected in a cooler’s glass door, she takes a sip of water and tries to relax. “You see, I can’t even be certain how long I will exist. Contrary to how I move and look, I’m not really a human being. I’m not that different than the giant beasts that prowled my forest. All of us were created from the mind of monsters and released into the world. That also means I’m technically younger than you, which is why I still have so much naivety. Never leaving my forest meant that I didn’t know what was going on out here. So, I think I have to follow your lead when it comes to choosing our path and how I react to death. The last thing I want to do is let my emotions get you killed. Where should we go?”

“There’s a camouflaged hatch in the shed’s roof that opens to the ground.”

“I was told nobody has ever found it.”

“There was a ball in there and I was throwing it around.”

“That’s it?”

“It made a different sound when it hit that part . . . and I may have broken a window.”

“So, shall we eat, pack, and head out?”

“There’s no rush.”

(Totally forgot what I was going to write here. Dang phone.)

Yahoo Image Search

The front door creaks open and a marionette is launched out to land in the mud a few feet away from Dawn. Standing near the edge of the clean area, she crosses her arms and turns towards the puppet. As the door slams shut, the limp figure’s joints creak even though it remains motionless. Leaning closer, she sees that it is the cashier, but there is a small hole in the back of its head. With its grinning face turning to the sky, the marionette shudders in the muck as its strings worm through the grass. Dawn moves away and draws her knife, but is unsure of where she can effectively stab the animated puppet. Moving faster than expected, an awkward swing of its hand knocks the weapon into the gas-filled area. It cocks its head to the side and stares at the blade, which is tuck in the seat of a rusty bike. The strings erupt from the mud and connect to a small cloud that is in the shape of a slender hand. With a bow to Dawn, the marionette hurries to get her knife and kneels to present it to her like it is a sword.

“Why do you travel with the girl?” the puppet asks in a mechanical voice. It dances away to prevent its strings from being cut, but gets one of its legs tangled. “I mean you no harm, but I am curious. Our job is to help those who come to our store. That includes talking to travelers who are fighting. Your friend did not mean to offend you. She is sad and crying on a cot in the guest shed. Are you angry at her?”

“I can’t believe I’m about to talk to a marionette,” Dawn replies with a nervous laugh. She puts her knife away and rubs her neck, which is feeling stiff from days of exertion. “I’m not angry at Kara. She caught me by surprise with her cold reaction to so many people dying. I didn’t know what to say. For the first time in years, I wondered if the human race was too damaged to continue. Even if the monsters are destroyed and Earth returns to normal, nothing can heal the type of wounds that she’s carrying.”

“Perhaps you do not understand her because you are not a true human,” the marionette suggests. Sensing danger, it gives a sharp tug to its strings and is yanked into the cloud to avoid getting tackled. “That was not to offend, but to point out a difference. You were a part of Dawn Addison and then appeared as an adult. It is something you have admitted to being a problem in terms of understanding others. You are also her sanity and have a more positive view of humanity than either monster. The cold words make you fear that the actions of your other self has erased the defiance and hope that you love about humans.”

Walking over to a folding chair, she takes a seat and sighs when a mojito rises from the plastic arm. “That’s part of it, but I can understand them. I know how horrible this world has become and that death is a daily occurrence. I can’t remember many people mourning while I was with the Grand Caravan. There was rage in the moment and crying from some people, especially very small children and the elderly. Yet, they would move on within hours. At first, I thought it was because it was rare that we’d have a body to bury. Funerals had more emotion and tended to take a day, which made me forget the numbness I witnessed every day. Maybe I ignored what I was seeing in other people until Kara showed the same callousness. Hate to call it that, but I can’t think of a better word.”

“Humans are fragile things.”

“I’ve never known them to break this much.”

“That is your lack of experience talking.”

“But I-”

Dawn stops herself from arguing with the marionette, which sways in the breeze that carries the faint smell of roses. She eyes the puppet and watches for signs of it being more than an animated toy. The mouth changes from a straight line to a smile, which lets its tongue slowly slip out of the splintery lips. Sipping at her drink, the woman leans back for a moment, but rocks forward when she fears that the straps are about to break. With her feet feeling comfortable for the first time in days, she remains in the flimsy chair and stares ahead. Dawn chuckles at how there is a dark tint to the area to mark the boundary between clean and toxic air. She reaches down to grab some pebbles and casually flicks them over the border. After a few minutes of mindless activity, she relaxes enough to talk again, which draws the marionette closer. It hangs a few feet away like a limp body, except for its head rhythmically bobbing from one side to the other.

“You’re right,” Dawn bluntly states. Finishing her drink, she puts the glass down and watches it sink back into the chair. “I don’t have enough experience with this world to understand what Kara has gone through. All I know is what I saw while in Addison’s head and the few encounters I had in my forest. What I’m dealing with now is denial. She’s right about everything. With death being everywhere, you can’t let it grind you into dust. The only way to survive is to harden yourself, which I never had to do. Maybe I can’t become so cold since I’m the opposite of a monster.”

“That is a possibility, but one that is difficult to prove,” the puppet mentions with a nod. It opens its chest to reveal a wooden heart, which beats every few seconds. “We only have a little flesh left to us, but we still feel things. More so than the humans we help because we see them at their lowest. Dying and in search of comfort, it is impossible for us to ignore the suffering and let them die. Yet, my family and I know that we have very little effect on humanity. Those who leave our shop never return. I believe many of them die in the gas since they never find the underground tunnel. Since you are her, I feel comfortable telling you this secret and not fearing reprisals.”

“Not sure I like getting special treatment because of her,” the tired traveler admits. She yawns wide enough for her jaw to pop and slumps in her chair, which is feeling more comfortable by the minute. “I’m sure some of the people you helped have made it out of town and are still alive. Addison can be playfully cruel, but she would have found a few that caught her interest. If Ian was involved then this place wouldn’t be here. Do you mind if we stock up on supplies before we leave?”

The marionette scratches its head, which sends a few splinters falling to the mud. “That is what we are here for. We can prepare packages for both of you while you sleep. In spite of us being restricted to our store, we have been able to learn about the surrounding ten miles. My wife and daughters have already picked out clothes that will fit you perfectly. My sons are salting some meat we recently received to make sure you have the freshest supplies. Please let us help you before we disappear.”

“Why would that happen?” Dawn asks, surprised by the revelation. For a moment, she thinks the wooden face has real eyes, but the change is too fleeting for her to be sure. “I think I get it. Ian and Addison want to end their game because I’m roaming around. Once there is only one left, the entire world will be changed or destroyed. That gives me another reason to avoid the whole mess.”

“Thank you, but the end is inevitable,” the puppet declares with a wave of its hand. Spores float off its skin and drift into Dawn’s, who gradually falls asleep. “The three pieces need to meet and put an end to this insanity. You know this to be true. It is the nightmare that has been waiting for you since your birth. Reserve your strength for you are the weakest of the monsters, but also the one we all wish to win.”