(That was a rather ominous final line yesterday.)

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“We’ll handle it right away,” Melissa declares before leaving the tent.

Startled by the sudden change of scenery, Dawn looks in every direction and touches her body to find that she is fully healed. Hearing voices outside, she reaches out to touch the dark green wall and press it enough to convince herself that she is not dreaming. The tent shakes when a breeze strikes it and the flap opens to briefly reveal a vast camp sitting among the ruins of a small town. The smell of the ocean hits the woman’s nose, which twitches at the memory of being chased across the bridge. A pile of damp hand towels are next to her cot and she wipes away beads of sweat from her forehead. Within seconds, Kara is out of her sleeping bag and putting a wet cloth on Dawn’s face. Having not noticed the girl until now, she is overcome with relief and joy that she is unable to control. She gives her friend a tight hug and is thankful that the embrace is returned. Warm tears fall on both of their shoulders and they are unsure which ones belong to who.

“I remember being nothing,” Kara whispers as she sits on the cot. She continues using the cloth until it is too warm to be of help. “Everyone else was dead and now they’re back, so they don’t know anything happened. With me, I got separated from you in the water and placed in darkness. I had no body or mind, which was fine at the time. Now, I just have a strange sense of being part of a void. Makes it hard to sleep, but the doctors made a medicine to help. Do you still have a fever? It hit you four days ago near the end of an influenza outbreak. We lost one hundred people before it was controlled. You know how the monsters enjoy causing outbreaks since they refuse to cross the border.”

“I don’t understand what’s going on,” Dawn admits in a daze. Getting to her feet, she sees that she is wearing a soft gown of satin that is embroidered with a crimson heart. “You remember what happened, but are talking like this is reality. Addison must have done something, but I don’t know what. There are so many questions that I have and my brain isn’t able to focus on any of them. Maybe I just need something to eat.”

“I made a bison stew from the last hunt,” the girl mentions while she gets a bowl. Putting the food in a microwave, she hops onto a bike and pedals to power the machine. “I can’t tell you about what happened after we were separated because I didn’t exist. All I know is that I came back as your adopted daughter and you’re the haven. After a year of being in your forest, you ventured out and gathered as many humans as you could find. Melissa is your second-in-command and the two of you made the Grand Caravan that led us to this town. It’s been three years since we arrived and made it a home. It’s still hard living because the winters are bad and food isn’t always available, but it’s better than the old world.”

“You remember how the world used to be?”

“The two of us are the only ones who do.”

“Addison said she made me the haven because it would be fun.”

“She does enjoy poking at the camp.”

“Then, what’s stopping Ian?”

“Your other self, which we all know about, fends him off once a month.”

Still confused and worried, Dawn opens a nearby dresser and hunts for clothes that would be comfortable to travel in. Finding a t-shirt and jeans that are identical to what she wore in her forest, she changes in time to receive the stew. She blows on the hot food that smells so good that her mind settles into the present instead of running through hundreds of scenarios. She follows Kara back to the cot and silently eats the meal while listening to the noise outside. The voices are lacking the spark of despair and anger that she had noticed in most of the humans she has met over the years. Children run by laughing, their silhouettes briefly shown on the tent until the shadow of a passing truck covers them.

Finishing the stew, Dawn is about to look for a place to put the bowl when she suddenly remembers that there is a basin of soapy water. The abrupt realization causes her to sweat again and she puts up a hand to stop Kara from putting another cool towel on her forehead. More memories of the unfamiliar world creep into her mind, the flow quickly turning into a flood of thoughts. The pain causes her to clenches her fists and tense her arms, which creates enough pressure to break the bowl in half. The sensation continues for several minutes and she begins to see images that do not match the others. Even though she knows they are her own and take place on Earth, Dawn sees differences in the landscape and events. A quick flurry of visions batter her mind and show her leading an army of humans, which is promptly wiped out by a wave of boiling water. The horrific site is replaced by one of her living alone on a mountain for years until she eventually throws herself from the cliff. With a snap that pops her ears, the barrage of memories stops and she is left gasping for air.

“It’s like I remember the lives of hundreds of people,” she says in a strained voice. Feeling a warmth on the side of her head, she touches her neck to find that her ear is bleeding. “I gave myself flesh out of frustration with Addison and she made me a source of hope. We’ve been playing this game for . . . centuries? Always restarting when things get boring or I’ve been eliminated. Something is different this time, but I can’t figure out what it is. Oh my god, how many times have people like Melissa been killed and revived just because I decided to be free of Addison? Maybe this is my fault.”

“But that’s silly talk,” Kara points out as she takes the broken bowl away. Coming back with a rag, she wipes the stew off her friend’s lap and does her best to smile. “You wanted to help us and have done so many times. I don’t know about all of these other lives, but I know you gave me hope for the one I had. What if you look at the old memories and figure out what you did wrong? There might be a way to stop this that you missed.”

“That’s possible,” Dawn admits with a smirk. Feeling more comfortable with the situation, she is about to close her eyes and concentrate when a shiver runs up her spine. “I definitely sense that something is different this time. The whole thing is strange. Ian is almost an afterthought in my memories. He’s there and a danger, but he’s nothing more than a destroyer to Addison’s twisted creations. I remember Gemma being whole and on my side for a few adventures until she was split . . . again. There’s just too much to sort through in one day. How about you show me around the camp and I can get my mind off things?”

“But it sounds like we have a lot to talk about,” the girl argues even though she grabs her satchel. Noticing that it feels oddly heavy, she turns it upside down and watches as several rocks fall out of the bag. “Why did I have all of these? Looks like there’s some blood on it too, but I could have forgotten about the stain. Addison might not put things back exactly as they were in order to avoid boredom. Please let me know if you begin feeling sick or tired. We can rest at one of the mobile home restaurants until you’re better. Nobody minds you hanging around even if you don’t buy anything. Oh, money isn’t a thing, but people do trade. We’re surrounded by abandoned towns and cities, so every adult does a weekly venture into those to find things they can trade for necessities. Nobody goes starving, but sometimes you want a little extra or something fun like a toy.”

“Sounds rather convoluted,” the woman mutters. Spotting a book hidden under a table, she picks it up to find that it is a collection of fairytales. “I need to relax because I’m jumping at anything that could be a clue. Last thing I want is to fall for a trick. At least my headache has gone away.”

With Kara holding her hand, Dawn steps out of the tent and is about to greet those who are nearby. The words get caught in her throat when she sees that everyone is standing still and staring at the sky. Following their gaze, she quickly covers Kara’s eyes when she sees that the sun is a vibrant purple. The color changes to red, which acts as a switch and causes the humans to explode into activity. Violence breaks out in several directions while packs of foam-spewing people rush into tents to rob those inside. Naked figures dart through the chaos that flows through the camp like a virus. Within minutes, the entire place has succumbed to the insanity and the sun has returned to its normal hue. Nobody pays any attention to Dawn or Kara until they take a single step. As if sharing the same mind, the thousands of humans freeze and look in towards the two unaffected people. Their eyes turn bright crimson and many begin to make faint cawing sounds without opening their mouths. Refusing to wait until the mob attacks, Dawn picks Kara up and sprints towards a nearby ATV. The instant the motor roars to life, the humans rush forward and those approaching from the front are killed by the unnaturally fast vehicle.

“And I’m forced to run again,” Dawn angrily growls.

(Sorry about the swearing yesterday . . . Blame Lloyd.)

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Covered in cuts and missing an eye, Dawn stands gasping for air and clinging to the blood-soaked satchel. Her shoulders are numb from wielding the heavy weapon and she swears that at least one tendon has snapped. Turning in a circle, she gazes at the sea of ravens that is already sinking into the sand. Most of the birds are dead, but the exhausted woman can still see a few twitching wings. She considers going to put them out of their misery until her knees buckle and she drops the satchel. With a loud sucking noise, the desert devours the bag and releases a tiny belch at Dawn’s feet. Staring at the shifting earth, she gives in to her fatigue and flops onto her back. The feeling of bloody sand sticking to her matted hair is enough to make her sit up and scratch at her scalp. She stops when she pulls away a piece of skin that one of the ravens had nearly torn off at some point during the hours of battle. Seeing the tattered scrap between her bruised and callused fingers, she closes her remaining eye and waits to see if sleep or death will save her from reality.

It is the jingle of metal that causes Dawn to stir a few minutes later and witness the sun sinking below the horizon. The moon is a second behind the blazing orb and comes to a screeching stop directly above the woman. She sighs when the ravens emerge alive and whole from the sand, the flock taking to the air without a sound. The birds blend into the starless sky and stay away from the two beams of moonlight that pierce the darkness. One of the ephemeral shafts lands on Dawn while the second goes into the distance. She can see that it is slowly moving closer, which means someone is approaching. Lacking the strength to worry or fight whatever is coming her way, she lies down with her arms folded across her chest. The itching of her wounds causes her nose to twitch, but she refuses to give in to the sensation. By the time she hears footsteps on the sand, her entire body is shivering and twitching from the pain that has finally set into every cell.

“Now we really are mirror images,” Addison says as the moonbeams merge. Having taken the form of an old woman, she leans on Gemma to help her walk. “I thought this body would put you at ease, but I think I wasted my time. It was going to be a whole production. You running from my friends until you see a shack on top of a cliff. You scale the wall while getting pecked and I give you sanctuary. We eat and drink throughout the night to become friends. Then, I give you advice that makes it clear that we should become one once more. It would have been so much fun, but you had to ruin it by being angry and brave. To make things clear, I wanted to leave the child along. I have my kitty, so I don’t see why you shouldn’t have a pet. I’d have happily adopted her after you were gone.”

“Nothing you say can make me agree to join with you,” Dawn replies before coughing up a jet of blood. The jerky motion causes her more pain and she arches her back until the agony subsides. “There’s one thing I could never figure out this world. How could you have let things get this far? I understand Ian going berserk since he’s truly psychotic, but you always wanted to have fun with humans. Sure, the games were lethal, but you would never go to the point of genocide. So, why didn’t you stop any of this?”

“Because I underestimated my enemy?” she states while returning to her youthful form. A gray hair remains dangling down the middle of her face and she bats at it like a distracted cat for a minute. “You keep asking me questions that only you can answer. I lack the focus and spark of sanity to think beyond the now. Not that you were helping much when this started anyway. I remember a lot of warnings with very few suggestions. Why didn’t you try to stop any of this while you were in my head?”

Annoyed by the accusation, the injured woman struggles to her feet and winces when her left shoulder becomes dislocated. “You never listened to me. By the time, I’d given up on getting anything more than a slight reining in of your impulses. I know losing me means you can’t focus and a shiny rock can draw you out of a battle, but none of this is my fault. Even if I told you how to stop Ian years ago, I doubt you’d have listened. He was the puppy that you could play with and you didn’t care that the world was getting ruined. Just as long as Addison gets a few laughs, the rest of existence go to hell and beyond. I dare you to tell me that I’m wrong, you self-centered overpowered toddler!”

“I’m not a toddler.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I have breasts and-”

“Mentally, you idiot.”

“I wouldn’t be an idiot if you came back.”

“Of course you would because you ignored me all the time.”

A surge of pain drives Dawn to the ground, her arms unable to stop her from landing face-first in the sand. Blood seeps from her mouth, which makes her fear that the ravens managed to punctured her organs. Desperate to get back to her feet and face her other side, she squirms and twists on the ground. She finally gives up when she pops several blood vessels in her remaining eye and the entire world takes on a crimson hue. With a whimper, Dawn stretches out and presses her face to the sand to avoid looking at Addison. She cannot do anything when she senses someone standing over her and the fear of being absorbed sticks in her mind. The possibility of her defiance being the only thing keeping her safe all these years becomes more logical as she mulls it over. Memories of being nothing more than a bodiless voice in a chaotic landscape of color makes her quiver, which snaps one of her ribs. The break jogs her senses to the point where she wonders how the ravens caused so much damage with their small beaks and talons. A renewed rage begins to grow in her chest, but she finds it impossible to use it to push through the pain. When a plastic arm moves under her arms and helps her stand, Dawn is nothing more than a limp and angry woman on the verge of death.

“I believe you have gone too far,” Gemma states, her mannequin side cradling the human like a large child. She runs a finger down the seam between flesh and plastic, which causes a line of blood to appear. “At least remove the poison that is eating away at her. The cuts and bruises should have been enough to make her regret having flesh. I know you are still angry about her leaving, but she is right. You acted like she was a hindrance, which is why she decided to leave so long ago. Need I remind you that she didn’t do this alone.”

“You’re not supposed to say that when she’s awake,” Addison whispers with a demure smile. Giving in to her annoyance, she turns Gemma into a red-haired hat rack and watches as her sane double falls to the sand. “She’s talking nonsense. I mean, the desert heat must have melted her plastic parts and you know how toxic that can be. To think that I’ve known all this time that you’re the one who caused our separation. Sure, I’d be the type to wipe your memory out of anger while letting you remain because it meant the nagging would end. What kind of a person do you take me for? Yes, I guess having you walking among the humans could give them insight into myself and Ian. Possibly even find a way to stop this fight since I was having too much fun. Maybe I created the rumor about there being a haven, but I kept mixing up the name and forgetting to mention that it was a person instead of a place.”

“What?” Dawn asks from the ground. With a snap of her double’s fingers, her bones heal and she is able to stand in spite of the blood seeping from her wounds. “All of that is the truth because you’re smiling too much. My freedom and life has been one big game. Not only for myself, but for all of humanity? You let me stay in that forest instead of being this haven and helping everyone? Give me more answers!”

Creating a silver eyepatch in her palm, the reality-bender slaps it on the woman’s face and waits for the scream to stop echoing. “You’re welcome and stop being rude. As you can see, we can touch without merging, which is a lie that I’ve had fun maintaining as punishment for you being such a brat. Every day I had to listen to you whine about us hurting humanity with our games. I said that if you were so concerned then you should do something about it. So, you told me to give you a speck of control during our next fight with Ian. Figured it would be funny, but you got the last laugh. Used the tiny, itty bitty, teensy weensy bit of power to steal enough of Ian’s power to knock yourself free. He thought he did it, I thought I burped, and you ran away like a naked coward. I’d say you made it a few miles before I caught up to make you important and wipe your memory of being the architect of your own birth. So, do you give yourself presents on Mother’s and Father’s Day or do you pick one per year?”

“Why make me the haven instead of absorbing me?”

“Because I thought it would be fun.”

“Then you should have let me play the part.”

“That does tend to be more entertaining.”

“And that’s what you care about more than anything else.”

“You have a good point.”

“I always did.”

“Don’t be cocky when you’re bleeding all over my desert,” Addison says with a yawn. A clap over her head causes Dawn to disappear with only her wounds left hovering in the air. “I want to see how you handle being a source of salvation. Even I know it won’t be nearly as easy as you think. Do over time again!”

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

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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.)

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“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?)

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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.