I shook my head again trying to get that memory to keep from coming back. I didn’t want to see it, didn’t want to relive it. I noticed now that the land started to become hillier, and that the sand dunes started getting higher. Maybe this was a sign that I was getting closer to the mountainous region that I so longed for. I realized that unknowingly I was working my way through the sand dunes rather than up and over. Whether this was better or not, I didn’t know, but I trusted my instincts. My stomach growled and heaved angrily. The lack of food was torturous. I hadn’t eaten in at least two days for the night I escaped I had been on a scouting mission the day before. I realized this with despair but I tried to keep in mind the happier facts as a cut around yet another sand dune. I was hopefully almost there, there would be a stream at the foot of the mountains so I could at least get some water, and then I would be able to acquire food and make my way to the refuge. It sounded good, but I knew I still had a long way to go.
The sun was blaring me in the face as I walked on the other side of the dune, I quickly walked into the shadow of the next dune, my wind burnt face feeling even worse with the hot glare from the sun beating down on it. I tried to think, think about everything that’d happened to me, but I didn’t want to, I couldn’t think of anything but the night I left.

*
*
*


I flinched when the door blasted open, but only for a second. I kicked my foot up hard and hit my attacker square under the jaw. I heard a snap, but didn’t turn to look back. I ran towards Jadon and yelled out, “Move now!” He heard me and backed away from the door just as it blasted open, I flew at the Finder with a hard kick in the ribs. I heard the breath leave him as he fell to the ground hard. “Move!” I yelled and motioned my hand out the door, we tried to run before they figured out what happened, but we were too late. They all had their teeth bared at us and their fingernails were extended like claws. They were diseased. An alien disease had come from another planet and landed on earth, wiping out ninety four percent of the world’s population. The six percent left, turned into horrible creatures that reproduced quickly and were now in control of the world. They acted like normal humans, but were quick to punishment even with their own kind, and turned into ugly monsters on whim who reminded me of the coldbloods. And us, you might be asking yourself? We were the only kinds able to withstand the disease. Completely immune we were what was left of the non infected people. Mortal enemies now turned allies, werewolves and vampires were left to survive and fight together. The humans never thought there were such things as vampires or werewolves. But we were there under the surface the whole time, battling it out mortal enemies locked in eternal conflict; until of course a certain turn of events brought us closer together, and the human race turned into infected aliens who on command could turn into beastly creatures with genetics from another planet. I didn’t want to think of how it worked right now as we were surrounded the spotlight bright in my eyes. I just wanted to think about how much I utterly loathed them. They were no longer human, they could pretend all they wanted, but they were no more human than I was.

“Agent Walker is that you?” I heard the familiar voice of my captain from behind me and turned around to see her walking through my back door and into my yard. “Why it sure is.” She said her face a wretched site the alien genes inside of her let loose. “You know I always suspected you as something else. Now I know for sure. You were never as… how do I put it, direct as you’re colleagues.” I could tell even through the horrible face that all of the Finders were looking at me in shock as they realized that I’d been tricking them for years. Unlike my counterparts, I decided hiding in ‘broad daylight’ was the best approach. It was discouraged by Marcus at first, but eventually, they realized that not only was I safe by being on ‘their side’ but I also could bring insider information about what was going on.

“You know I have to hand it to you. That was a pretty slick idea.” She said holding out her clawed hand. “I thought that your species wasn’t very intelligent. I mean I knew that the vampires were somewhat of a threat but truthfully I didn’t think your species could come up with a plan like this. Then again, you’ve always been an out of the box thinker even when you were acting like the norm. How are you so smart I wonder? Oh well, I’ll figure that out soon enough I bet Doc would love to get his claws, I mean hands, on you.” She said with a grin that stretched her face revealing her unhinging jaw. Instead of making her look better, it only made her look worse, scarier. I could feel Jadon’s resentment coming from the other side. ‘It had to be them who found us huh?’ He thought and I could only stare. ‘Run, Run.’ He said through our connection. I knew that he could feel my overwhelming refusal to that statement wash over him. ‘Yes, leave now.’ I could feel the weight of the second in command pushing down on me. Since it was a pack hierarchy, he could actually use his higher influence to get me to do things even though he swore he’d never do so. We were too close in the ranks was always his excuse. ‘What are you doing?’ I asked as I felt myself being pushed away. ‘Saving your life you know where to go.’ He said affirmatively in my head. I felt like a weight was being pressed against me, I didn’t even hear the Finders talking to us as he jumped out at what seemed like slow motion at the Finders in front of us raising his gun. ‘Run, run.’

*
*
*


I shook out of my daydream again and realized just how much I hurt, I hurt from all the deaths, I hurt from walking, being hungry, thirsty, and mainly I hurt from Jadon, because now… he was gone. Marcus was now gone from trying to save us, and now that left me in charge of our small pack. I just hoped they all knew where to go. Maybe they were there already. Those were the thoughts in my head even as I started to realize that the ground had become rocky, and shrubs sprung up over the landscape. My mind was so dull, that I felt like I was floating away from my pain. I could see the river, but I couldn’t reach it, I was out of pain, out of hurt, out of heartache.




I woke up inside of a dirt covered room lying on top of a mattress bed. I jumped up quickly my entire body screaming in protest, but I didn’t know where I was. I looked around in an almost pitch black little…cavern was the only word I could think for it. All except for a somewhat blue light that resided down a corridor in front of me. I slowly got up and felt my way along the wall. I realized I was still exhausted, but not as much as before as I arrived into a hallway. It was bigger and brighter than mine, but I proceeded to following the bigger, brighter light. As the light grew in front of me, so did the space. Suddenly blinding light cascaded down on me, and when my eyes adjusted I saw the inside of a mountain built into it was a great city. I smiled and sighed when I realized where I was. I was there, I had made it, I was home.