GARBAGE

"Sam, please I'm tired." I whined, hugging Mr. Bear tightly like he was my life line. His arm fell off from the stitching giving away but I placed it in my pocket, just in case I could ever sew it back together.

Sam wasn't paying attention to me, he was looking at the tracks in the dirt like he was some expert animal hunter. I frowned and played with Mr. Bears other arm, wiping some dirt off the patchwork. Sam crumbled some dead leaves between his fingers then let them go as the breeeze picked them up and carried them with the wind.

"What kind of animal would have made these?" he whispered to himself in disbelief.

His brow furrowed as if the very existence baffled him. We were just west of small town that we used to vacation at when we were younger. Sam said we could would never go there, that it was too dangerous. Those demons were still tracking humans.

My clothing smelled of smoke even if the fire was a little bit more than a week ago. My shoes were black on the bottom and becoming torn from the constant moving. We were running low on water too, my canister almost empty now.

"Sketch, it will be just a little bit longer, I promise." Sam confirmed but I was starting to doubt him.

I just nodded my head slightly looking down at my bear as I picked off the dirt around his face. I was tired, really tired. We only really stopped a few times this week and that was for a few hours of rest.

Sam pulled me along, down the colorful woods that seemed so inviting but in reality one wrong move was a death trap. I wanted to stop and enjoy the nature but Sam kept tugging me along. I was scared, mainly for my brother but myself as well. He seemed so stressed, so lost, And I just wanted to be able to help him. But I didn't know how.

By the time the sun started to set we started to slow down. And once we found a shelter, we settled in, giving my feet the rest they had been begging for. Sam made a fire out of sticks and stones, he was talented with his hands.

I curled up on the ground, rested my head on my bear and fell into my deepest and darkest sleep yet.

-

"Sketch, come on, wake up!"

My head hurt.

It ached painfully just behind my eyes as the sun just started its routine dance with the sky. Not yet light out and yet just bright enough to make out Sam's face under the light.

"Okay, okay I'm up!" I grumbled, turning over to look at him.

"Come on, get dressed and meet me by the stairs."

"Why? It's like six am!"

"Just come on! Hurry up or we'll miss it."

My scowl was known but agreed and pulled on the makeshift clothing that had lasted me so many years. Upon joining Sam at the steps I realized two things.

No one was in bed but rather joined around in a little circle as Riley stood at the front. It looked as if he were about to lead a church service but with morning biscuits.

Riley and Gracie stood at the podium and when everyone was finally here, Riley started talking. Conner wasn't here, he must be patrolling still with his buddies.

"Remmy was attacked by a Demon." Riley stated coldly and immediately whispers started to fill the room.

What did he mean by "attacked by a demon"? Did he mean a Vampire tried to take him, or did the it try to eat him? And why would a Vampire be around here? Was this Demon passing through, or what?

"Conner told me he's alright, just scratched and no you can't turn from a scratch. We have concern to believe that something is going on with the demons. Something big, but we can't be sure. They will be passing in and out for some reason unknown. This means that every must stay away from the border."Riley's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Did they kill the vampire who attacked Remmy?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Remmy is in the infirmary resting up." Riley said, grabbing Gracie's' hand, holding it tightly. "So no kids under the age eighteen are allowed to roam outside, unless given instruction."

I frowned at that part. Why must I always be so young? I mean I turn eighteen in a couple days. This was totally unfair!

"Me too?"

"Yes Sketch, that means you." Sam whispered.

"Where is Conner and the rest of them now?"

"Still guarding the borders." Riley answered. "But Sam and I are making a trip to the dome. We need to know what's happening and we have a theory but we need to confirm it. We'll be gone for a few days. Rules are still set and please no disobeying them."

Wait a couple days without Sam? No why was he even leaving? He was going to miss my birthday which was in five days! I turned around to glare at my brother who did not tell me about this.

"Wait you're leaving? What about my birthday?"

"Sketch, we need to know what's happening. I asked some of the boys to look out for you until then, I'll return in three days; I won't miss your birthday."

"When do you leave?" I asked.

"Tonight." he whispered.

Maybe this is for the better. We'll get to see what's going on and another chance to see inside the dome. It's a win win, hopefully nothing goes wrong on their trip. Or I hope nothing goes wrong here.

That would be a bust.

Once the meeting was over many people took off to start their routine day but I slumbered back to bed.

"I love you, Sketch. I'll be back before your birthday, I promise. Remember the rules." Sams' voice whispered as I started to slip.

"I-I love you too." I said sleepily. "Good luck."

Hopefully he wouldn't need it.

.

"Sketch, hurry!" Sam yelled over the darkening forest that clawed at my feet trying to drag me back. I wanted to run faster but I was already so tired for running so much. Sam woke me up, telling me that the Demons were near and we had to get away fast. I didn't know what these Demons were at the time, I only knew that the name didn't sound too nice.

I did hear voices but it wasn't creepy or scary like you would think a demons voice would sound. Actually the voices were yelling for us to run faster surprisingly. It wasn't Sams' voice, and I know I wasn't talking, my teeth were chattering too much. My lungs hurt and my legs throbbed, I couldn't take much more.

Suddenly a boy, older than Sam jumped out from the darkness and was running with us like he was there the whole time.

"The clearing is up there!" The boy yelled over the sound of wind flapping in my ears.

We started to run toward the direction he was running, and I was relieved that he knew the way out. When he said clearing, he meant a large run down city. But as soon as we made it out of the dark forest, there were more boys and t seemed they were everywhere. Maybe five and one girl just staring at us. She stood by the boy who told us to run, looking us over.

The Demons didn't follow us, but it didn't matter to me. As long as we were safe from those blood suckers. I didn't know what a blood sucker was either, I just heard Sam say it all the time. I wanted to sleep again my drowsiness was taking over.

Sam grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him, confronting the strangers. I hid behind him, sometimes looking over my brothers shoulder. I was really shy and I didn't like to meet new people. I only liked my family; and some kids at school. I wonder where they are right now?

"We aren't going to hurt you." The same boy commented holding his hands up to us. The girl was maybe about fifteen and the boy talking to us sixteen.

Sam didn't make any acknowledgement that he heard them, he just stood protectively in front of me. I took this chance to look at the city around us. Some of the buildings were collapsed as others were burned to the ground like a empty battle ground but the battle was in the past.

"My name is Riley."

"Sam." My brother muttered.

The girl walked forward but Sam didn't back up, he just stood taller.

"I'm Gracie," she moved behind Sam before me, where she was crouching down and looking up at me. "I can fix your bear if you want."

She smiled, it was a very pretty smile. I nodded and smiled back and took her extended hand. Sam didn't stop me though, maybe he knew to trust them. Riley moved over to Sam, they started to talk. But I didn't care, I wanted to spend time with this girl. She would fix Mr. Bear!

The other boys started to make a fire as Riley and Sam started to discuss some things. I wonder if they had food? I was hungry. But once I saw Mr. Bear, all food was forgotten.

Gracie had this really pretty strawberry blonde hair the was pulled back into a low ponytail, she had orange freckles that made her brown eyes look so friendly. I handed her Mr. Bear and his arm. She went over to her bag and got out a little kit. A sewing kit; Mom used to have one.

"We came from the Northern coast, we saw you running. We've been camping here for a little while, maybe a week or so. The Vampires attacked my town, but we ran away. Gracie and I, I mean. The other boys we found on the way traveling about."

He offered it to Sam and he was quick to take it knowing we had ran out of water. I jumped up from the rock, noticing how dry my throat felt all of a sudden. Sam handed it to me first, so I took a few sips. This water felt so refreshing running down my dry throat. I handed it back to Sam,and he took a few sips before giving it back.

"We are looking for a place to settle down, all of us. Feel safe, gain control again. Free from those monsters." Riley said.

"Sketch and I have been running for about maybe two weeks. It hasn't been fun, but it's a long story." Sam said.

I huddled back over to Gracie whom just at the right time handed me my bear with the arm sewed on again. I smiled down at it, rising it in the air happily, running my thumb on the stitching. I got up and hugged the older girl, my arms tight around her so she could tell how excited I was.

"Well I guess we can find our safe haven together then." Gracie said as she brushed her fingers through my white hair. She smiled at me again making me feel so content. Is this what safe felt like? If it was I wanted to feel it all the time! I only knew this girl for five minutes and I already loved her. Gracie sat in Riley's lap as my brother continued to talk, they must be lovers.

Sam patted his lap so I laid my head down on his knee, hugging my bear tightly. I looked up and noticed the stars dancing lively in the night sky, as if shining just for us. I closed my eyes imaging the stars and falling into one of my happiest dreams.