George and Erik left the mayor’s office and finally secured a place to be called one of theirs. Almost doubling their new population of people.

“You and I make a great team,” George smiled.

“Who knew. If you asked me that half a year ago, I would’ve thought you were insane.”

“Don’t get me wrong, you’re still a pain in the ass, but when we need things to get done that’s what we do!”

They both cracked a smile and started their way south to Menlo.

Forsyth, Georgia

Friday, March 1, 2019

Sunrise - Apocalypse Month 6

Dark, black smoke rose from the city limits of Forsyth. Unlike last time, as they entered the city, no one stopped them or checked to see who they were. The courthouse their town had a meeting in was currently in ruins—charred to a crisp.

"Told you they wouldn't last long," Lincoln stated.

"Who wouldn't last long?" Lau asked, confused. She stared at Ariel’s face, confused on why this place was so important to her, even since the beginning of the mission.

"This stinking town... they decided to follow some old ways and remain silent which ended in their downfall,” Lincoln huffed, kicking rocks around.

“Did they deserve it?” Lau asked.

“No,” Ariel interrupted. "No one deserves for their home to be burned down. Besides, we don't know all that. I mean remember the Archbishop could’ve taken them in," She crouched down to the ground next to the charred building and picked up some rubble. It crumbled in her hand as soon as she picked it up, like a sandcastle when water came in contact with it.

"Right, but I wouldn’t think all of them would have left..." Carlos muttered.

“Carlos is right,” Mikael agreed. “Most people wouldn’t just leave their safety for a false dream. Though, they must’ve been through some horrible altercation. This town looks like it’s seen the worst of days honestly.”

“Who would attack a town for no reason?” Ariel said, struggling to come to terms with another crushing reality check. “Who could even afford to attack a town five months after all that’s happened?”

“What do you mean?” Mikael asked.

“If it were cannibals they would’ve stopped them somehow. They were a fairly sized community. You don’t just take down a community easy.”

“So you think someone had attacked them and it wasn’t some bandits?” Mikael asked, shocked.

“It’s possible, but who? Most communities aren’t that big. We’re one of the biggest we know but some of our people are literal kids.”

“Let’s make our way to the college and see if they’d left any notes there?” Mikael asked. For the most part, the police college had been untouched by the raging fire except for a few burn marks, glass windows being shattered across the ground, and everything inside being trashed. Ariel had made her way back to the room that she slept in the few days after the apocalypse had started. Everything had changed so drastically since then.

“Does this place mean something to you?” Lau asked, standing at the doorway.

“No, not really. Just some memories that I’ve made on my way to you,” Ariel reminisced, touching the pillow and looking around. “It wasn’t much but it was one of the first allies I’ve made from the apocalypse.”

“Yea, I know what you mean,” Lau smiled. “Was it a boy?”

Ariel lightly chuckled, “What makes you think it was a boy?”

“Just a feeling. I don’t see any other reason you’d come back here since you’re from Atlanta.”

“Well, you’re right but it was a short brief moment, nothing special. He was cute… in a golden retriever kind of way.”

“Did you two like each other?”

“No, not really. We didn’t stay here long. We were in a rush to find somewhere safe,” Ariel explained. Lau sighed and searched around the room for anything that could be important and answer what happened here.

‘This would’ve been a great find-my-lost-lover-story but I guess that’s not happening today,’ Lau thought and audibly sighed aloud.

…

“Do you know why Ariel wanted to come here so much?” Lincoln asked, looking around the room for some type of clue.

“What do you mean?” Carlos asked.

“Coming all the way up here really wasn’t the plan. As far as going north Augusta was high enough.”

“Oh, that’s right. You weren’t there when the world went to shit. But the day I’m able to figure out Ariel’s plans, I’ll tell you. No one really knows how she works.”

“I think I still know her, though,” Lincoln stated.

Carlos scoffed, “No one has her figured out. You may know her but she’s a free spirit and no one can tame her. Especially, when she has her mind set to something.”

“Elaborate.”

“Have you ever seen Ariel in action? She’s a leader and that’s even before this apocalypse happened. She led a non-profit group that helped the needy of any and all backgrounds. She was praised for it and her name was a common name back in Atlanta.”

“Oh,” Lincoln paused, stumped, “I didn’t know that… and Mikael?”

“What about him?”

“He’s always around her, and I’m not exaggerating.”

“He loves her, and she’s incredibly oblivious to it. They’ve been friends and well-oiled fighting machines since the beginning or that’s the story Tonya told me at least.”

“That makes sense,”

“What’s with the sudden interest in the two?”

“Just curious, I’m an old man and don’t have much interest in these things and haven’t had a need to be in them. But, if I’m going to keep doing this… I’d like to know everything.”

“I’m not surprised. She doesn’t think much of it and never brags unless she’s joking with Tonya.”

“Hey, I think I found something!” Mikael screamed from the other room. Everyone gathered to where Mikael stood and opened a tattered letter with bloodstains.

To the travelers from Atlanta,

I hope the rumors are true of your adventures and findings. It seems like that’s happening everywhere except for here. We have little to no rations left— hordes of people from Atlanta have tried to take our stuff and failed so far, but our manpower have thinned— The mayor told us of an Archbishop in Savannah, but it’; she’s too late, and they’ve come for us. They said they were taking us to— I can’t believe it. Save yourself while you still can and never come back.

Regards, Logan.

“What,” Ariel stood in disbelief, “No, where’d they take him.”

“We don’t know, Ariel,” Mikael soothed, trying to comfort her, “We can’t make out most of the wording because of the blood and the rips.”

“Is he?” Ariel mumbled off.

“We don’t know for sure,” Mikael said, not trying to sugarcoat it.

“I need a breath of fresh air,” Ariel walked off; she walked off to the outside of the college and took several deep breaths, trying to regain stability. She hadn’t felt helpless like this in a while. It reminded her of the late attacks she would get at night, overwhelming herself over other people and making sure they were okay, and it somehow transferred to this new world. The only thing she could think about now is if Logan was okay and if he was safe. She needs to know only that much.

“Ariel,” Lincoln walked next to her and watched together as the wind blew with the trees.

“Lincoln, please just leave me alone.”

“I know what it’s like, losing people that is, it can be scary and eerie. We’ve seen a lot of that as we left our safety net of Haven, but you can’t forget why we’re out here. Everything we do is so that we have a better future. Now, Logan is probably alive somewhere, okay? He could’ve escaped. I’m not good with this sappy shit, so talk to me, Ari.”

Ariel evened her breath and looked at Lincoln on the verge of tears and chuckled, “Old man, you are a pain in my side, you know that?”

“You are too, shit!” Lincoln laughed, “But I’m glad we met because these next few years are going to get a lot harder.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I just have this gut feeling.”

In the far distance, Ariel and Lincoln saw two dark figures move towards them at cruise speed on bikes. They couldn't make out much but realized that they had weapons and were wearing strange clothing. "Up ahead. Two figures," Lincoln warned, tensing up and placing his hand on the hilt of his makeshift sword. Simultaneously, Ariel put her hand on her bow, walking closer to them.

"Lincoln, go get everyone and make sure Lau is safe," Ariel demanded.

"But-" Lincoln argued.

"Now," Ariel demanded once again, but this time Lincoln conceited and went into the building getting everyone ready for what may come. Getting closer and closer, Ariel finally could make out what they looked like. It was a boy and a girl; they looked as if they were both carrying real battle axes and made quite finely. “Now, why do children have professionally made weapons and kevlar armor?”

Ariel knocked her bow in anticipation and stood there in defiance, “Don’t move any closer and state your business!”