Through Fire

Everything is different now. The world is not the same. Where streets were once filled with people, living breathing, hard working people..are now empty. Desolate. It’s hard to say what came first, the violence or the catastrophic ending. Well, ending for most. Not me. I’m here alone, fumbling through the now dark streets. The ones that are not burning are the scariest ones. At least by the light of the flames I can see. I’m finally warm. The sound of a soda can as it rumbles across the sidewalk startles me. Though it shouldn’t. I’m perhaps the last woman left alive. I hear it again. This time a sense of dread settles deep in the pit of my stomach. I dart behind a building, becoming one with the darkness. I hear whistling now. It’s sharp and pierces the night. slicing through the black. My heart beats fiercely as I press myself hard into the wall. My coat scratches it, making a rustling sound. I close my eyes in hopes that I wasn’t heard. The whistling stops. I peer around the building, no one Is there. I wait a couple minutes before I release a breath and creep away from the building. I perk my ears up hoping to hear anything alert me to a presence before it’s too late. Being caught unaware could mean life or death. This small Cory has mostly been abandoned by its residence. They fled in hopes that bigger cities would mean survival. I’m scared to find out what happened to them. I walk around the corner of the building and smash into something soft, yet hard. I stumble back, terrified that this is the end. I look up and i am barely able to see the person looking down at me. I don’t speak But take another step back.

“I knew I heard someone.” His voice is deep, calm. It’s like a balm to my ears. How long has it been since I’ve seen a living person? A few months at least. “Do you speak?” His voice is not taunting, simply inquiring.

“I have a knife.” I stutter. I can hear the noise of his coat as he shakes his head. “Yeah? Can you use it?” I’m taken aback by his comment. “Of coarse I can.” Maybe I’m a little offended.

“Good.” he grabs my hand and I have the instinct to pull away. People that are left? They aren’t nice. They aren’t safe. “Run”. He pulls me, then that’s when I hear it. The rumble of a car engine, then yelling. He pulls behind the next building, pressing me up against the wall. Almost like he’s willing to protect me. I start to talk but his hand smashes my lips closed, covers my nose just a little. I reach up and pull his hand down so that I can breathe. “Don’t talk. Don’t move a muscle.” The vehicle is getting closer. His body, pressing harder into me. I hear the breaking of glass. Soon I feel this warm intense heat. I m ow that another fire has been started. On this street. I look up at this stranger, who is risking his life for me. I see the faint Orange glow as it lights one side of his face. Slowly, he walks us back behind the building. his body never leaving mine. I still can’t see the color of his eyes. Though, I now know that his hair is black, too long. I know that his jaw is square. There’s the shape of a tattoo on his neck that I can’t quite make out. I focus on myself for a second and feel that my hands are sweaty, my pulse racing. Time stops as we wait for the vehicle to keep moving further down the street. When the sound of the engine grows so faint he Steps away but doesn’t let go of my hand. He pulls me into a cusp of trees, then releases me. “ Where are you staying? I’ll make sure you get there safely.” I don’t plan on telling him that my safe house is in the direction of that vehicle. So I lie, “ I don’t have one anymore.” The moon is shining through a break in the trees. It was seemed to be oddly missing before. He’s looking down at me Then releases a sigh. “I don’t want to do this.” I know what he means so I start to walk away. The leaves crunching beneath my boots. He reaches out and snags my wrist. “Where are you going?” His voice is low, deep. “ I don’t want to cause you anymore trouble.” I feel the heat from his hand through my coat sleeve. “You’re not. My spot is about two miles south. We should start walking. I’ll come back for my bike later.” Still holding my wrist we start our treck through the woods, right along the tree line. “What’s your name?”

“Luna.” It feels odd to say it aloud. There hasn’t been anyone to say it to in so long.

A couple hours pass before we come upon a dark building. He removes a key from around his neck, unlocks the door. It groans in protest as he pushes it open. He steps inside first, waiting for me to follow him in. When I just remain at the threshold his voice is one of reasoning, “ If I wanted to hurt you, I could have.” Knowing he’s right, but still feeling reluctant I step inside. I didn’t know that his space would soon become my space. I didn’t know how fast people can cling so fast, to the only good left in the world. That’s what happened though. I cling to him with every little bit of life left inside me.

Three Months later....

Rin pulls me closer to him. His hard chest a wall behind me. the body heat that I’ve come to crave from him, seeps into my own body. The hands that are calloused and stained reach around to stroke my stomach. I turn, wrapping my arms around him. A curtain of black hair falls shielding our faces, hot lips meet mine. “I didn’t think hell would ever feel this nice.” I say. He grins down at me ans It’s everything wicked. Rin lifts me, sits me on the counter. My knees are pushed opened gently. We lean into each other, the only sanctuary that either of us have known in a very long time. But there’s a rumble in the distance, the earth quaking. Rin is out of reach before I can get my wits about me. He peers out of the only partially boarded up window. When his shoulders relaxed I know that the danger has passed for now. Is this the way it will always be? Everytime we hear a car, will we always think that Death comes with it? I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist. “Is this place still safe? ” He turns And pulls me into his arms. “ I won’t let anyone hurt you.” We soon discovered that there are a few groups who are looking for survivors. We watched them and listened to them through a crack in the attic floor. Luckily they did not set that building on fire. “We need to move. To revel somewhere more remote. Are you up for that?” I nod. I know that wherever he goes, I will follow. Even if it’s to the end of the world. Or what’s left of it.