Betrayal

PROLOGUE

Suddenly, screams erupted outside. I ran to the window and jumped onto the couch. When I ripped the curtains back, what I saw horrified me.

People running in every direction. Houses on fire. Adults and children using baseball bats, kitchen knives—anything—to defend themselves. Neighbors being ripped apart, limb by limb. I was frozen. On my lawn, a massive dog/human creature pulled my next-door neighbor apart—something that will always be burned into my memory. It stood up like a human but had fur over its entire body and a face of a dog. It looked as if it were a human on too many steroids.

A loud banging noise coming from our front door snapped me back to reality. Dad quickly grabbed Mom and me and shoved us toward the bathroom. I remember being in a haze, following Mom’s tall, slender body. Once we were in the bathroom I was up against the wall. I watched as Mom tried to her hardest to pull away from Dad’s grip. Once she was away she slammed the door on us, and we never saw her again. I hated not knowing what was going on. Why had Mom left us? Was she okay? My older brother, Cory, was in Denver with his girlfriend, who’d convinced him to go Christmas shopping with her. Was he safe there? And when I wasn’t worrying about them, I had the torture of listening to the screams of people I grew up around, not knowing who was still alive.

We waited for an extremely long time, waited for something to happen, someone to come find us. I begged, then screamed at Dad to go after Mom, to do something. He just sat in the bathtub hugging his knees, crying. I leaned up against the door staring at him, disgusted that he could be such a coward. Finally, after what seemed like hours of doing nothing, I realized I couldn’t count on him. I stood up. He just looked at me.

I found the courage to run out of the bathroom and sprinted to the kitchen. I managed to grab all the knives and then ran back to the bathroom. I picked Dad up by the collar of his shirt. It took all my strength to get him out of the house. I knew we couldn’t stay; it was never going to be an option.

When we reached the front door, I took a breath and opened the door. I looked in our driveway, and Mom’s car was gone. I grabbed Dad’s shirt again and pulled him out onto the street. The subdivision exit closest to our house was blocked by a couple of burning cars; we’d have to go through the neighborhood. Once I made up my mind which way we were going, I took a step. Out of the corner of my eye I saw one of the man-like creatures coming from my left. I raised my arm and stabbed it in its shoulder. It didn’t do anything. It turned around, and I managed to stab it in the head. I just stared at it. My knife was sticking out of it. I pulled as hard as I could to get my knife back out.

By the time we were almost out of the neighborhood, I finally got the hang of it.

Amber, what do we do now? I heard behind me.

I turn around and discovered a whole group of people following me.

CHAPTER ONE

Newcomer

Outside each room is a table with a supply of candles, some half-melted onto the table. I grab one of the candles and use the lighter that is lying next to it, glad that the warehouse store we’d raided had boxes full of lighters. I walk past a couple more doors and go into the bathroom. I keep my clothes in here when I have to get up early so I’m not waking everyone else up. The door closes behind me hard enough to make an echo. I set the candle down on the sink.

Avoid the mirrors—that’s what I have learned. I don’t like to look because I remind myself of my mother, but I can’t seem to avoid my reflection. My hair has grown since the last time I looked. It’s down to the middle of my stomach.

I sigh and place my hands on the sink. I look so much like her. My eyes are the same shade of blue. My mom used to say everything about me was petite: my nose, my ears, and my body. That’s not the case anymore; my body has developed into an athletic physique. I can actually run for more than a couple of minutes without feeling like I am going to pass out. I can’t stand to look at myself though. I quickly throw my hair into a ponytail.

I turn to a shelf where the paper towel dispenser used to be. My clothes are nicely folded on top. I take a couple of steps to my right, slip my sweatpants off, and fold them. I quickly grab the pair of black pants on the shelf. Once I pull them on, I take off my T-shirt and grab the other one. I feel around on the shelf for my knife. I grab the candle off the sink and open the door again. I blow it out and put it back on the table. Then I turn and head out to the breakfast hall.

The sounds of boots on the hardwood floor echo through the hall. I hesitate on the first step; my dad is standing at the bottom of the stairs. I stop before he sees me. Is there any other way around? As I spot an open door, he looks right at me.

My dad is wearing a pair of old jeans that have rips in the knees. He is tall and slender and has let his beard grow almost to the point where he is unrecognizable. His eyes are very blue—a blue that reminds me of the sky. His face has gotten thinner; his cheeks are starting to sink in. Maybe I should tell him he needs to start eating more. He always has dark circles under his eyes, like he isn’t getting enough sleep.

Amber. He pauses. How are you? Why is everything so formal between us?

Hey, Dad. I’m fine. What brings you here so early? I say as I get to the bottom step.

He reaches out and tries to wrap one arm around me. It becomes too awkward, so he puts his arm back down. He has lost more weight than I remember.

Before you start your day, you have a new kid, he says.

I turn my entire body toward him now. You know, you could give me more notice. My voice sounds cold.

He runs his hand across his forehead. Suppose I could. I’ve been busy helping everyone out, making sure everything is getting done.

I avoid direct eye contact so he doesn’t start any more conversations. We stand there awkwardly for a few moments. A group of people walks past us; my gaze follows them into the breakfast hall.

Let’s go. I’ve got a lot of stuff to deal with today. I’m not trying to be rude. It just comes out that way. He looks at me as if he wants to say something. I wait a few more seconds before getting annoyed and heading out the door.

It’s not that I don’t like my dad. I’m just frustrated with him and have a lot of built-up emotions. Why couldn’t he protect us? Why did he have to be such a coward? I just hold a lot of resentment toward him, I guess.

Once we got here, he didn’t want anything to do with me. After I gave him my responsibilities, he put all his efforts into this place. It’s as if he forgot that I’m still here. I don’t know. Maybe he just needed time to mourn the death of my mother and brother.

The Safe Zone looks like any other town. What used to be roads are now our walkways. We still have cars, but gas is so rare we only use them if we’re traveling far from the Zone. The cracks now have grass growing in them. Most of the buildings have broken windows and vines growing up them. We have only one small patch of grass in the center. The rest died from everyone walking all over it. Don’t get me wrong—it’s still beautiful here. If you look toward the west gate you can see the mountains, the Fourteeners, just peeking over. Snow is starting to accumulate on them even though it’s still technically summer. Colorado’s climate is amazing, too. Yes, you can have every season in one day, but I love it.

One rule that I put into place the moment the walls were up was that you can come and go as you please. I didn’t think it was right to keep people here against their will. If they want to fend for themselves, then so be it. The only part that is gated off is the children’s section. Children under ten go to school during the day. Those with parents go back to them after school. If they don’t have any parents, then they stay in the children’s section permanently until their tenth birthday. It looks like an ordinary school used to, with a fenced-in playground in the front and a small building that looks like jail.

As we come up to the gate, I see a young boy wearing baggy pants and what I assume used to be a white T-shirt. He is wearing extremely thick glasses and has long, curly brown hair that is starting to cover his eyes. He is tiny, especially compared to the plump, short lady next to him. He’ll barely come up to my shoulders. I take a deep breath in and let it out. It’s going to take a miracle for me to keep him alive.

You’re kidding, right? He tested into our section? I whisper just loud enough so my dad can hear.

He looks down at me but doesn’t answer. The sound of the rocks crunching under my feet is all I hear. I hate how I get so nervous when a younger kid tests into our group. Once they join our group, I feel as if it is my responsibility to protect them. I feel as if I have to protect their childhood.

We finally reach the gate.

Barbra, it’s so good to see you, my dad says.

Although Barbra has to be in her late thirties or early forties, her short hair is completely gray. It suits her, though. Barbra is possibly the sweetest person I’ve ever met. She’s the one person everyone looks to as a mother figure here. I figure if you’re able to have that much of an impact on everyone, you must be doing something right.

It’s good to see you too, Barbra says to my father. She turns to me. Hello, Amber. She gives me a smile.

Hey, Barbra! Who do we have here? I look down at him.

Barbra places her arm around his shoulders and squeezes. This is Benjamin. She pauses and turns to him. Ben, you’re going to do great. Amber is amazing. You’ll be safe with her.

He looks at me, and my body shifts unintentionally. She gives him a quick hug and nudges him through the gate.

As Benjamin walks, he trips over his own feet and lands right in front of me. I glare at my dad, who just smiles at me. I bend down and grab Benjamin by his arms. I can pick him up without any effort.

You okay? I ask him. I manage to stand him up and start brushing the dirt off his clothes.

Sorry. I tripped, he squeaks as he pushes his glasses back up his nose. We all stand here a few more minutes just smiling at each other.

Alright, we have to get you ready. I grab Ben’s shoulder. See you later, Barbra. Later, Dad. We turn, and I start leading him to our supply tent.

Well, that was awkward, Ben says. I look down at him and realize that he is practically sprinting to keep up with me. I slow down.

Yeah, just a little bit, I say. We pass a crowd of people. As we keep walking, I feel Benjamin staring at me. I stop. What?

Can you show me around?

What do you mean?

Show me where each section is and what they do.

I look around and see an empty park bench in the middle of the grass. I walk over there and sit down. Benjamin does the same. He sits down with the biggest smile on his face.

Fine. I turn around and point to an open area that used to be a soccer field. That’s where the Warriors practice. The building to the right of us is the library. That’s where we plan our outings. Most of the houses belong to the Elders. The Elders try to keep this place running with rules and letting us know when we are low on supplies. I watch him nod. The first tent by the Medics’ building to our left is where we keep our supplies.

The streets are starting fill with people heading to their jobs. A few random people say Hi to me as they walk past us. I just nod.

I tap Benjamin on the shoulder. Come on. Let’s get going.

We walk through the front of the tent. Clothes are stacked on each table according to which job you have.

Look, I am not being mean. I start going through the shirts. But your clothes are huge.

Why are all our clothes black? He lifts one of the shirts.

It’s important that we wear dark colors. When we are out there, there’s nothing to protect us. We need to blend in. Dark colors help us hide in the shadows sometime. Now, you understand how the virus is spread. right?

Yeah. Don’t get bit or scratched.

I hand him the smallest black shirt and pants that we have. Below the shirts are boots lined up in rows. After crawling on the ground, going through the shoes, we finally find a pair of boots that fit him. Of course, they were in the very back. I need to get out of this tent. I hand him a knife from the chest on the side of the tent.

Thanks.

Once we exit the tent, we head toward the courthouse. Most of the windows were still intact when we came across the building. We found boards and placed them over the ones that were broken. There are about twenty stairs leading up to the doors. Sometimes these stairs kill me after a long day on the road. We both start climbing them. He makes it to the door first and holds it open for me.

Thanks, I say.

You’re welcome. When I step inside the door, people are walking around. I can hear that most of the chatter is coming from the breakfast hall. I turn to him.

Go in the bathroom and change, Benjamin. I’ll wait for you.

He pauses. Amber, call me Ben. I hate Benjamin.

Of course, I say. I watch him make his way into the bathroom.

I don’t know if he has any parents. I probably should have asked Barbra. I lean up against the wall. People walk past not noticing me. I look back at the door. It is solid oak with beautiful patterns engraved in the wood. Light shines into my eyes from the half-circle window above the door. Ben comes out a few minutes later looking like one of us.

I smile at him. You look good, Ben. Now let’s go meet everyone. I frown a little. Even our smallest clothes still look baggy on him.

I don’t know if they can handle all this sexiness. He waves his hands all over his body.

I start laughing. I don’t think anyone can handle that. We walk past the staircase and head to the two French doors. So, you’re coming in on a boring day. I’m going to introduce you to some kids that are around your age. They’ll show you the ropes, and then tomorrow I will meet up with you. Okay? He nods.

This room was once the biggest courtroom in the building. We ripped everything out and brought in tables and chairs. It reminds me of a high school cafeteria. We head toward the table my section is sitting at. We’re normally awake before everyone else, but since we are staying in today, we’re getting a late start. I stand at the head of the table, and a couple of people look at me.

Everyone, I say calmly. No one looks at me. Pay attention! I yell. Everyone stops what they’re doing and looks at me. There are about forty people looking at me now. We are one of the largest sections.

This is Benjamin—Ben. He’s in our section now. I squeeze his shoulder. I can see the looks on everyone’s faces, and I know what’s going through their minds. How did he test into our section?

Alright, well, everyone, help Ben adjust today. See if any of the other sections need help. We’ll all have a meeting down at the Warriors’ training field first thing tomorrow morning. We head over to two seats at the end of the table as people resume their conversations.

Every section has two leaders. Kiler and I are the leaders of the Searchers though we’re not the oldest in our group. The only reason Kiler and I became the leaders is that we’ve been here the longest. At first, I thought we’d have an issue with the older people not wanting to listen to two twenty-year-olds, but fortunately no one has ever questioned our judgment. I’m sure it helps that we’ve never led the group into a situation we couldn’t handle.

The only people we report to are the Elders. We give them a detailed summary of where we’re going and who we’re taking along. Other than that, I don’t have to report to anyone or ask for anyone’s permission.

About time you showed up.

Sorry, I had a family reunion this morning. I lift my leg up over the seat and give Kiler a dirty look. He is such a beautiful person, possibly the most attractive person I have ever seen. He has such bold features. Kiler has a strong jaw line, bright blue eyes, and dark eyelashes that most girls would kill for. Most of the girls fall all over him, but to me he is my best friend. We’ve been through so much together I couldn’t be with him romantically. Besides, I know him too well to actually be attracted to him.

He shoves a half slice of toast into his mouth. A couple of pieces fall out. Why does he have to be so nasty?

Eat much? I ask him.

What? I’m hungry.

I let out a breath and look at Ben. His mouth is open, and he has a disgusted look on his face.

Dude, I understand it’s the end of the world, but how are you going to get a chick when you eat like a pig? Ben asks him.

What are you, ten? What do you know about girls? Kiler swallows whatever’s in his mouth.

Obviously more than you. Ben pushes his glasses up his nose again.

I cough to try to cover up my laugh. Ben is going to fit right in. I look around; I don’t remember the breakfast hall being this loud. People are everywhere. A couple of kids run past the table.

Alright, I think it’s time we go, Kiler says through another mouthful.

I look down the table.

Steven, come here, please. Steven is eleven years old, so he’s close to Ben’s age. He’s grown about a foot since last year and has put on some muscle. Don’t get me wrong—he’s still tall and scrawny.

Hey, he says.

Morning! I need you to show Ben around today. Show him the ropes.

He gives me a surprised look and then smiles at Ben. Alright, come on. This is going to be fun.

I shake my head as I watch them head out. I get up from the table and follow Kiler outside.

Let’s go.

The library is where all the building blueprints and maps are. I’m not sure how Kiler came across the prints, but I’m glad he did.

I hear footsteps coming up the road. I turn and see the two leaders of the Warriors we’re meeting, John and Korreen. John is the same height as Kiler—a little over six feet tall.—His hair is jet black, and his eyes are a bright green that I’ve never seen on anyone else. His eyelashes are what every girl dreams of.

What can I say? He’s gorgeous! Have I told this to him? No. The thing is, we don’t really talk too much. Now that I think about it, it is kind of weird. I mean, we are with each other literally every day of the year, and all that ever seems to happen is me just staring at him. I remember the first time we fought together. We were out at this old warehouse, checking each room, and suddenly three werewolves came out of nowhere. I remember being mesmerized by how his sword became a part of his movements, almost as if he and the sword were one.

Korreen has the same jet-black hair and a rocking hot body. She has the perfect hourglass figure. I have a love-hate relationship with Korreen. Most of the time we get along great; other times I just want to punch her in the face, to be honest. She likes to speak her mind and has no filter, so she doesn’t really ever consider anyone’s feelings, though I will admit I sometimes admire her for that. I remember the first time she ever spoke to one of the Elders: she told him he was the stupidest person she’d ever met.

John is wearing blue jeans and a sweatshirt that has a couple of rips in the front pocket. I watch him place his hands in his jeans pockets. Our eyes meet. I instantly feel sick to my stomach.

Korreen looks pretty as always. She is wearing skin-tight black pants and a long-sleeved shirt. She is staring at Kiler while dangling a set of keys in front of her for him to grab. Here.

Kiler gently takes the keys so he purposely touches her whole hand.

When he reaches the door to the library and unlocks the deadbolt, I hear Korreen whisper, Just do it, John.

Shut up, Korreen.

You’re so annoying. She storms up past me.

Korreen leads us into the library. I grab a candle from the table on my left. Most of the books have been burned as a heat source, though we kept the books that we thought would benefit the school. It’s a pity; I used to love to read all the time.

This library is beautiful. From the outside, it looks simple and small. Once you go inside it opens into a huge room. It used to have books on every