CHAPTER 2: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

Days became months, and months became years. We wander and ventured to places where we thought we could reside at night or much longer. There were no government left. The world economy has fallen. No enemies. No allies. Just a sea of desperate and sick people chasing and running away from one another. We run to survive regardless of the death waiting for us on the road. There is no assurance of what could be waiting for us in the future, but what I can say is that humanity, if there is no cure, all will be gone. No life, but flesh-eating monsters would remain and scavenge after the dead.

A pair of chocolate brown orbs glaze over as those words spilt from the pen she holds. The piece she wrote felt like it could almost be relished on her mind. The memory right before her eyes unfolded. The screams misheard she turned deaf unconcealed. It was a bloodbath. The ground fed on the drops of blood that pool same with those beasts unbeknownst to her.

Her eyes wander.

The compartment serving as her solace became the only thing that keep Samantha alive, to live the life far from the worst scene behold by the outside world. It was far from how it used to be before, ever since Aly and her made a mistake resulting in the chaos that they wouldn t be able to undo. Lives whereas redemption have been stolen. Taken years and months, killed loved ones, if not perished, they became monsters incomparable to what the world had seen. The sight is horrifying. It was both terrifying, horrid and beyond what Sam couldn t stomach.

Hunted, Samantha could still taste the remnants of guilt that became her nightmare. Every sleepless night where she lay wide awake, pondering, wondering unto unfathomable thoughts in deception that the blame she put, the regrets she thought—Sam, she didn t ask for all the things to turn this way.

A knock coming from the metal door to where she was resounded, pushing the past which lingered for a moment at the back of her head. Composed, Sam masked the lament and waited with such anticipation for Anna. She might not have seen who it is, but she knew it was Anna. After all, they are the only survivor who had managed to escape before they could end up the same fate to those who remain and get devoured until no flesh was left.

"Sam?" She softly calls.

"I am here." Samantha hides the diary she has inside her drawer before facing the newly arrive Anna.

She smiled at her.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

Unlike before, Anna looks much older. She was so much mature for her age, or perhaps because she had been forced to by the phenomenon which took place. Her short hair became much longer. Her face was sharp, and it resembles the firm expression that was far itched on their father s visage. The thought saddened Samantha. They had not seen them. It s been years, and they had no idea whether they are still alive, dead or what. There is no communication, and they daren t make a bold move to venture outside.

It was dangerous, risky as they haven t had the slightest knowledge of how the monsters mutated. The last thing they heard before they ended up in this abandoned sanctuary was the fact that the phase is now in 6 stages, meaning, they are evolving, the pathogen keeps on getting more grievous and threatening.

"We have a problem." Anna sounded serious.

She have a deep frown on her forehead that Samantha did not fail to notice.

"What could be the problem?" She asked.

"I think it would be better for you to see, Sam."

With that said, Samantha fell behind Anna.

Soft footfalls echoed. The entire place was dark, it was only dimly lighted by some bulbs, two or three pieces of them, which is coming from the solar they found. It was actually a lucky incident that Samantha and Anna drove all the way and end up there. It was abandoned, perhaps, people scuttled deserted the place due to fear. But those who are unfortunate left trail of blood into the fence surrounding the area. It has everything they need. Water, and rations that could last them for months, except for radios which could let them communicate, attest and test the water spilt of how much the city had gone worst.

Anna brought her towards the inside garden, which provided them food most of the time.

She instantly recognize the problem she had been speaking of.

"Here it is." Anna knelt down. "The leaves are getting dry, and it seems that we are running out of fertilizer, they couldn t get enough nutrients and I noticed that there are changes mostly on their leaves. What do you think?"

"I think the colour or the changes of its colour is its natural way of responding towards the pathogen." Sam take a much closer look at it.

"So, what do you think?"

"It s leaf wilting." She meets her eyes. "Leaf wilting is a typical symptom of verticilium wilt, caused by the fungal plant pathogens Verticillium albo-atrum and V. Dahliae. "

"I told you not to speak to me with those laboratory names, you know I haven t had the chance to study them." Anna pursed her lips.

Samantha chuckled at her reaction.

She reached out and ruffled her hair.

"Don t worry, you ll be able to learn then from me." She chucked.

"Oh god, I think I wouldn t want to, now that it was making my head hurt already." Anna s face contorted as if showing her older sister what would happen if she did that.

This only makes Sam laughs loudly.

"You silly." She grins. "But that doesn t mean you are safe from my lesson."

"Well, I knew it." Anna blows some air.

She stood up and gestured at the withering garden.

"So, what are we going to do with it?" Anna asked.

She knew what she wanted to say. The suggestion her eyes were trying to speak of with meaning, but Sam won t give her what she was asking for. She knew how much Anna longs to see the outside world far from the sanctuary that became their home.

"We can t let them leave that way." Said she, and she could have sworn to saw the sudden spark on her younger sister s orbs. "But that doesn t mean I ll let you come with me again."

Her lips parted.

"B—but it won t happen again! Promise, I won t wander off and—"

But Samantha is firm on her decision.

"No means no, Anna."

What happened last time was a mistake. When they run out of things, it was Samantha who garnered courage and have her detour outside the perimeter, and of course, Anna being Anna, she wouldn t let herself be alone in that place. She said she was scared, and due to Samantha s concern and in fear that something might happen, she let her accompany her, but things turn the way she least expect to given the fact that Anna is stubborn.

Her helpless cries and the blood-smeared hand flashed before Samantha s eyes. On that day, all the innocence she has faltered, unwavered scenarios, and the voices which keep relaying inside her head...that she killed somebody, although they are already mutated.

She was no more than different from those who murdered people, but it s either she kill or get killed. She learnt through it as it means survival.

Disappointed, Anna had an adamant expression on her face. Her lips upturned as if she wanted to speak of her mind, but she chose not.

They stared at each other before she was the one who tore her gaze off, leaving Samantha outside.

She sighs.

"I am doing this for your safety, Anna." Sam gnawed her bottom lips.

It was until dusk, and Samantha had not yet seen her shadow. It was as if Anna wanted to tell her how much she opposed her decision. The clouds hovered in an ethereal black coloured hue. It covered the once vibrant blue sky and was replaced by a vast ebony canvas that she could see affront.

She was prepared to leave. Samantha had on her back an old and worn out bag that she could have placed those things she had listed earlier. Clad on a baggy cloth, and pants that could let her remove freely if some situation calls for it. On her waist, a large and sharp dagger was dangling, tightly held to her belt to keep it in place.

"Anna?" She calls, and she s no fool that she can hear her. "I ll be off now, and I wanted you to behave yourself while I was gone. Keep your eyes, and observe the perimeter from any movement."

She glance at her shoulder when she heard a movement from the corner.

"I know you can hear me, and please do those favours I have told you, Anna," Samantha said before she was long gone, in hope that she wouldn t need to use the dagger to reap and sow life once again.

The cold air, the chilly night breeze was the one that envelope Samantha. It feels odd. She felt exposed although she remain in the shadows. The woods lie ahead, the river streams and the cuckoos is what filled her ears. Her senses were sharp, she stood alert as she walk. The damp ground left mud clinging on her soles, but it doesn t matter. She pay no heed unless it was something that really concerns her.

And it didn t take long for Samantha to reach the nearby town the moment she finally made it out of those trees.

She was breathless, sweating horribly and she could feel how her clothes are already damp with sweat.

She surveyed the area.

She couldn t see a thing, no souls and shadows, no sound nor growls, but she isn t reassured yet. Careful, she undo her bag and pulled the dagger from her belt. It was held tightly, right exactly that her life depended on it.

She takes one step, but her heart could have exploded when something sharp bites off her legs. Sam felt a white-hot pain writ infiltrate her core. Her bones, the anguish of her flesh was nerve-wracking, her lips quivered, she wanted to cry and scream her outburst, but she couldn t. With trembling hands, Sam slowly lowered her eyes.

H—how could she not notice a bear trap?!

"F—fuck." She gritted her teeth.

It was rusty, ruined but its teeth are still sharp.

Samantha felt like dying. Her heart was racing horribly, and it feels like luck isn t on her side as of the moment when she get accustomed to a low growl that resounded, much closer as if it was nearby.

She knew whom it belongs to.

Panic seizes her. How could she have almost forgotten that those things could smell blood?!

She gnawed her bottom lips and unleashed the dagger. She was waiting, the continuous thump she could hear, the warning bells she could almost taste the horrors drives in the adrenaline she was bottled. Every second felt like ages, and the wait didn t take long.

There is a sudden shriek.

Samantha quickly bring the dagger as it lunched itself on her.

"Aargh!" Blood sprawled.

They splattered on her face making her stomach churn. It howled, its claw hand flail, but Samantha isn t done yet. She twisted the dagger before she slices its neck.

She was panting as it fall. Grunting as it fell on top of her. Its skin was slicked, its smell reeks, between a lump of rotten meat and flesh left for ages. She wanted to throw up, but her misery doesn t end there. Another growl, it was another mutated beast. She gulps. If she moves now, she would only get herself killed, but if she didn t, that only left her on the same dead end, unless the scent emitted by the one she killed could mask her own smell, the blood, which dried on the wounds of her legs.

Left with no choice, that s what Samantha settled on.

The growl became louder, it keeps getting closer and as it does, she hold her breath as she keep her orbs on it.

It was large. Its appearance was more grotesque than the last time they encountered it. Long limbs and claw hands, burnt flesh and orbs gauge from its sockets leaving to where it is supposed to be before—empty. It has holes, some skin left that was hanging across, and it reeks. It made her nauseous. The smell was so horrible and all she can do was endure.

It looks to be soughing after something. And as she notices, the monster is unable to see. Perhaps, the new mutation had taken its sight, but she couldn t underestimate it. It might have been blind, but its senses were sharp.

She gulps down the lump on her throat when it inched closer and takes a long whip.

Samantha clutched the dagger as if her life depended on it.

The moment it growled ferociously, she prepared to strike only to get stunned at what happened next.

Long before she could slice its neck, something swift slipped past her. It muffled the monstrous being cries, and let alone take its head, leaving the body it once have—beheaded at stake. It happened so fast. Same with the other one, it falls dead.

It was hard to imagine that they had been human once.

"You should go for the head." A voice coming from the direction she couldn t point out said aloud.

It was of a male. It belongs to a man obviously as it was baritone, and deep unlike women.

"W—who s there?" But that doesn t mean, she would just let her guard down by the discovery of another human being.

"Well, I was kind of expecting to get a small thanks, I presumed?" The words sprouted from his mouth were filled with mischief.

"I can kill them without any of your help." Samantha clenched her jaw. "I don t need you."

"But as of your state?" A sudden movement from the trees is where she focused her eyes. She could see a silhouette, but the shadows won t still let her have a clear view. "I don t think so, Miss."

Out of that corner step a man. He was grinning. On his hand, he was holding an old school gun, which instead of bullets, what he had were knives. He is handsome, Samantha wouldn t deny that fact. A scar was running on his face, it was trailing from his eyes down to his cheeks, but that does not even lessen the appeal he have. Clad on an almost dirty-looking polo shirt, and brown pants, with leathery booths, he walked closer.

"So, are you done ogling at me?" He chuckled.

Samantha was left abashed, but she wouldn t admit it. 'stead of, her embarrassment had been replaced by glare she could muster.

"I know I am handsome, darling." It only made his grin wider.

Samantha s inside was fuming at how full of himself the man was. But he is somewhat right, if it wasn t for him, she could have died, facing the doom she wouldn t want to. She owe her life to him, but she couldn t bring herself to be grateful now that she was seeing how boastful he appeared.

"You are not." She clicked her tongue.

But the bickering between them did not prolong. They could hear thuds and another growl coming to their way.

The playful look on the man s guise visage vanished. His eyes landed on her. It was no longer cheeky, he deems to be far from that man she saw earlier.

"So?" He looks expectant.

Samantha frowns.

"What?" She looks confounded as if what he meant.

"Do you want to live?" He asked.

Samantha looked at him as if he had grown two heads.

"Are you stupid? Of course, I am."

"Then, I ll get you out of—"

She cut him off.

"I didn t tell you yet that I was coming with you." She was reluctant.

"Then, I can leave you to die here. Is that what you want?"

That made her shut her mouth sealed.

"So? There s no time, darling." The man isn t impatient, but she knew that they are running out of time.

She gnawed her lips. She barely knew him, but with the bear trap and her current state, she knew that her last hope would be him.

Making up her mind, Sam meets his orbs.

"I am coming with you, as long as you promise not to kill me." She said.

"Well, I guess that goes for another way around." He shook his head off before he knelt beside her.

He inspected the bear trap and her wounds.

"Shit, I needed to clean it as quick as I can, you can have tetanus."

"I am vaccinated," Samantha said.

"How long?" But her face told him already the answer he seek. "Just like what I thought, so bear with it for a moment."

"What do you—" But she didn t have the time to finish her sentence. Without warning, he had freed her legs but the pain was much unbearable, fresh blood streams on her wounds. She gasps, aloud. Her eyes widened, but the man covered her mouth before she could scream.

"Take it easy, shh."

But it was harder than to say it was!

Tears streamed into her eyes. Long before he carried her on his back and off the two go, Samantha bearing the pain on an escapade she eloped with him that night. The witching hour and promising death that could have taken her.

@cycy