Raven stood next to the tank, shifting her feet nervously as she watched her brother and his men approach the truck. His black boots kicked out pebbles along the road as he walked, his weapon swung up over his shoulder. She was annoyed at his insistence she stay back. She could handle anything that came their way, he knew that, but he still feared for her safety all the time. She was all he had left, except for Mary, but the nurse showed no interest in him. She would be safe here for now. They had a caravan of military grade vehicles, and he’d left a few of the soldiers behind with her. They’d taken 50 people with them, leaving many more at their large compound.
She would be fine without him though, and she certainly didn’t need his people protecting her. She’d never cared for his cruel ways of handling things; he’d rather beat a dog to death than offer it a scrap of food, or shoot a man just because he looked at him wrong. Draven had always been that way though. Cruel to everyone, even her sometimes, but she stayed because at least she could hold him back some.
It was her persuasion that convinced him to stop for the truck, her and Mary. She’d asked and Mary had backed her up. If there was anyone he’d listen to besides her, it was the nurse. She was the only other person she’d ever known her brother to love, but he’d never gotten up the courage to ask her out. He’d do anything to make the other woman happy though, that Raven knew for sure. He was even more protective of her, if that was even possible, and the only reason the nurse was on the trip with them was because her brother didn’t want to chance something happening to her while he was gone. He’d rather her be with him, under his close eye.
When they’d found the truck, she’d screamed for him to stop, but it was Mary’s gentle prompting that led to the final stop. Raven hadn’t told him she recognized it, but knew whoever was inside was in danger. It belonged to the NHC, or New Haven Confederacy. She knew the truck anywhere, having spent many hours inside of it with her fiancé. Draven didn’t know that though. He had no idea she was dating one of the NHC’s, let alone engaged to them. They planned to marry and go far away from the DA, Deciliation Alliance.
Ever since the world fell apart, various alliances had formed across the world. Or at least she assumed the rest of the world was the same, but for sure within the United States. These alliances were small groups of people who banded together to try to survive. Some of them joined with other alliances, like the New Haven Confederacy, to increase the number of people they had to fight, work and get supplies with. Others, like Draven’s Deciliation Alliance had one goal; rule over everyone. If others would come and work for them, they tolerated them. If not, they were either taken into slavery and forced to work for them, or killed on the spot.
It wasn’t how it should be. Raven preferred the ways of the NHC so much more than the alliance, but it was hard to leave. Her brother made sure of it, and she knew they were going to have to be very careful when she finally made her move. Even if she was his sister, punishment was severe for those who tried to escape. She would likely escape death, but some things were far worse than death. Mary was her one hope. If she could convince the other woman to be apart of her brother’s life, he just might let her go willingly.
Her brother reached the truck, and his feet stopped by the door. She heard him yell at the men he was with, but couldn’t catch what he said. They quickly moved some of the bodies of the biters away from the truck, then opened the passenger door all the way. One of the men leaned in and hauled out a man who appeared to be in his late 30’s or early 40’s. His skin was a bronze color, standing in contrast to the white t-shirt he wore. He had a dark colored beard, and stood taller than her brother. Draven was 5’7, so the man must be pretty tall. Her brother’s men were rough with him, and she cringed when they tossed him to the ground and handcuffed him.
They went around the truck, and pulled out the driver. She walked along the edge of the road to get a better view of the vehicle, then made sure her brother’s back was turned as she crossed the road and moved a little closer. She wanted to know what he was saying, and what they planned to do with the people they’d found.
The man they pulled out had red hair, but she couldn’t tell how tall he was. He didn’t stand on his own, and she watched as they lifted him out, and set him on the ground. As they moved him, she caught a glimpse of his face and put her hand over her mouth to fight back a scream. She knew him. She loved him. She couldn’t hold back anymore as the men tossed his lifeless body on the ground. As she sprinted towards him, only one word left her mouth. “Brody!”
My A-muse-ing Life 