My hand hovering over the blade I asked in a tense tone, “How do you know my name.”

The old man in front of me looked down at my hands hovering over the blade and raised his hands shaking and asked, “Andrew, this may be a shock but calm down.”

My hand still hovering over the blade I asked more forcefully, “How do you know my name,”

“Just calm down Andrew, Camron told me your name.” He said. Collapsing to the ground as the strings of tension were cut I thought to myself, why? Only for me to hear a soft chuckle coming from the man to whom I didn’t even know the name of.

Looking up at him I asked in bewilderment, “What’s so funny.”

With that same chuckle he answered, “Just trying to figure out, what you thought I was, just imagine I was a spy with these old bones,” only to start laughing at his own joke.

Only for the woman that saved me from Camron to speak up, “I just want you to know what ever your laughing at is probably not funny.”

The old man shaking his head said, “Emma is probably right but anyway my name is Robert and we probably should get some rest,” taking his own suggestion he got up and laid down next to a tree as I moved to the opposite direction and laid down and closed my eyes.

My eyes shot open as I heard a scream close to me, jumping up I ripped my blade out and looked around seeing similar sights from people all around me as the sun started to rise. Another scream echoed out from behind me spinning around I readied my blade and took slow measured steps towards it as Camron appeared behind me and whispered, “I got your back but next time you pull something on Robert I won’t.” Taking his warning I nodded as we advanced towards where the scream had come from. Activating free flow the world lit up in brilliant colours yet where the screams came from was a strange orange colour that seemed off as if I was seeing beyond the limit of a human eye. The orange seemed to wrap around itself as if a rope. Turning free flow off and going back to the colours of this world I slowly used my blade to move the grass to see a rattlesnake. “What the hell,” was what Camron said before the snake used its rattle to make human screams before it lunged at us only to stop half way allowing Camron to appear behind it slicing it up.

“Okay that was weird,” was all I could say to avoid being horrified at what I had heard.

“No that was completely messed up,” Camron got out before more screams echoed out from all around us, joined in by John and many others in the group. The amount that screamed only grew in numbers as people seemed to fall into the grass, activating free flow I saw writhing balls of the off orange surrounded them as they fell into the shifting grass.

“Get back everyone,” was all I needed as I slowly retreated to the centre as what I could only describe as a wave of unsightly orange grew closer. My retreat was stopped by the tree that Robert had slept at, looking around I saw 4 people, one blue, red, purple and yellow. Only for my vision to be sprayed with blue as it washed over everything that directly surrounded us, cleansing everything around us of colour and life only leaving black rock.

I could not focus on that for long as the sound of something hitting the ground was met with Camron’s cries as he shouted, “Emma are you okay.” Stopping free flow I saw Camron cradling Emma telling her, “Wake up.”

For the only response to come from Robert as he shouted, “We told you,” only for him to say, “we told you” this time in a low whimper.

Looking around for anything to help Emma, I momentarily thought I had my ability active as the immediate surroundings was as black as the void from what seemed to be burn marks. Only for my focus to turn back to Emma who still laid lifeless in Camron’s arms as Robert was crouched down looking for a pulse yet my eyes drifted to the feet that stood next them. Looking up I was thankful which was punctuated by a relieved sigh as it was John, however my thoughts did not remain positive as I mentally berated myself for my carelessness to John’s safety as I looked into his empty soul.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

The pressure that was mounting seemed to dissipate as with relieved words Robert said, “She’s got a pulse, She’s got a pulse.” However I felt cold and emotionless as thankful tears streamed from both Robert and Camron as I stood there wishing I could feel anything when it came to all but John or the sparse thoughts of my family. Those guilt’s laid with me as we put Emma on a makeshift stretcher made from a blanket and a few sticks before continuing South. The journey was filled with constant switching to give someone rest and periods of prolonged silence that only filled my head with thoughts on how this was my world and how I could never see anyone from my previous life. Those thoughts weighed heavily ever more so from carrying Emma and how I had felt nothing as if I was swallowed from the void that started this.

Still carrying Emma I asked “Did anyone experience anything weird from the first day.”

Only for Camron to answer in tired tone, as soon he would swap out, “Yeah, my first time seeing someone die in front of me.”

Followed by Roberts response to the question, “Not the first time I saw someone die just the scale.

Just before I could start talking about my experience John started to talk with a distant stare, “She was taken.”

“Who was taken,” I asked as my thoughts became words.

John continued as if in a trance, “I don’t know. but fear turned to tears that became blood. Blood that covered I and, And,” only for him to stop and his posture slump as if his soul had left his body once more.

Those words seemed to lay heavily in the air or everyone was thinking over those words carefully or I thought they were before Camron asked, “What is going on with John?”

My mind flashed through the kindness of John and the events that led up to John’s injury and how that weird purple spark appeared before every bad event that had occurred in this apocalypse before finally speaking up, “I don’t fully know, he,” I took a small pause before continuing as to think what I would say, “I think it’s a brain injury, that’s what the healer said anyway.”

The trip remain silent except for Camron thanking Robert about holding the snake in the air which allowed him to kill it. The trip was long and slow but before it got too late to set up camp we ran into a river that separated us from a lush forest, taking the chance we set up camp. Although the night could have been quite, the racing river wouldn’t allow that yet I could not find it in me to be mad, just thankful for any water, as all the bottled water had been finished the day before. Though I was no longer thirsty, sleep didn’t come easy as my skin burned from the repeated days of being in the sun to the point that I felt I would lose another layer of skin to it pealing off but thankfully the pain numbed as sleep took me.

Waking up I saw no one but the dim moon light shining on the camp yet as my eyes adjusted I saw crimson trails leading to the river, hearing a sound I turned around drawing my blade yet all that stood in front of me was the purple spark slowly falling as gleaming mouths appeared with vindictive smiles. Truly waking up I looked around at the darkness that surrounded all five of us yet it felt as if something was peering through the darkness at me, whispering under my breath I said, “Activate free flow.” The world lit up in dazzling colours but before I could shield my eyes I noticed they didn’t need time to adjust, moving that thought to the back of my mind I searched around for anything that might be considered odder then seeing the world through completely new sight.

As I peered around I noticed nothing to the point I disregarded the nightmare and got the fire going again and just sat there fuelling the fire and occasionally looking over my shoulders to see if everyone was okay. Until I was interrupted by Emma calling out, “Are you okay,” yet still low enough not to wake anyone. Startled I jumped back completely falling on my ass, only for her to tease, “Ha fell on your ass I see.”

In response, “Yeah no thanks to you,” before I quickly asked, “Oh and how are you.”

“Everything but my left pinkie hurts or itches. Wait no scratch that it hurts now,” She said with a pained chuckle. All I could do was chuckle a bit and help her with any food or water yet at the back of my mind the same few thoughts teared at my psyche such as my family, how I would care for John, why I felt I was being watched and why I kept seeing eyes before they quickly kept disappearing.