Forever Winter Box Set (Books 1 - 4): A Future Dystopian Survival Series Adventure

by KM Fortune

  BLAZE SAW THE DUST cloud rising up on the horizon before he heard the sound of the trucks. He held up his fist to signal a halt to the men and women with him. The hand signal was repeated down the line. Everyone knelt in the tall grass and waited. In a moment, Willow had crawled up beside him. “What do you see?” she asked. Blaze pointed. The speck was now taking shape. Definitely the Patrols and in more than one truck, he thought. Willow looked at where he motioned.

  "Patrols," he said. "Multiple vehicles." He heard Willow curse under her breath, and he could not blame her. This was a horrible sign. The Patrols only came out in force when they were on the hunt for human nomads. His heart started to beat fast as he thought of the possible consequences to his clan. They needed to get back in the shelter and hide immediately. Willow seemed to read his thoughts.

  “I’ll send Twig back. He’s the youngest and fastest of us and can alert the others. The best we can do is get everyone hidden away and hope the Patrols keep going,” she said. “Let’s go.” Blaze nodded and was about to turn to follow her when he spotted movement. Looking, he saw a group of five deer emerge from hiding in the tall grass. Startled by the truck rumble, they were on the move.

  “Wait,” Blaze said, grabbing Willow by the arm. “There’s a small herd of deer. We can’t miss this chance.”

  Willow paused. It was an almost impossible decision. If they let the deer get away without taking one down for food, her clan might starve while they hid waiting for the threat of the Patrols to pass. The risk of staying out in the open though while the Patrols were on the move was incredibly dangerous too. Finally, she nodded. "You go, and I'll spread the word to Twig and the others to go back. Then I'll follow after you," she said. Blaze started to go when she grabbed his shoulder. "Only if you can take one without risking being seen. Do you understand?"

  Blaze nodded. "I will," he answered, and she turned to crawl back to the next man to pass the word down the line.

  THE TRUCKS BLEW PAST Raven’s hiding spot only braking enough to making a turn to the right at the intersection. She followed their progress as they drove away from her and once they were out of sight, she sighed with relief. Maybe this has nothing to do with me after all, she thought and sat up out of the pile of rubble she had burrowed into. After dusting herself off with her hands, she took another long drink from the canteen and sighed. I don’t know who left this here, but may the heavens bless you. I wonder if the person is still around? Raven stood up and scanned the land around her. In the distance, she saw movement and stared hard. It was a small herd of deer trotting in her direction, parallel to the highway. In Raven's hungry eyes, it was food. I must find a way to get close enough to shoot one of those down. Taking another long drink, she picked up her rifle and checked the load. Confident the gun was ready to fire, she slipped out of the remains of the building and moved at a crouch in the direction of the deer. After a few feet, she stopped and took a knee before wetting her finger to test the direction of the wind, just like she remembered her father teaching her long ago. It was in her favor. She was downwind. If she were lucky, the animals would maintain their direction and pass in the field across the road from her.

  CHAPTER 11

  THE FIVE DEER MOVED across the flat prairie. No longer in a panic from the passing trucks, they grazed on sagebrush or desert shrubs which grew out of the snow, occasionally lifting their heads to smell the air and scan the horizon for predators. Their grayish brown fur coats blended smoothly with the desert landscape with only their telltale white rumps giving them away.

  Raven lay flat in the dirt and snow and watched from atop a small rise. She had moved slowly off the highway hoping to not spook the group. Luckily the wind blew right into her face, meaning the naturally skittish animals had no scent of her yet. She had slowly dropped down onto the ground to watch and hope the band of animals would continue wandering along their present course. It would take them nearer to her and she could possibly take a shot. For a moment she considered if the sound would be loud enough for the Patrols driving away in the trucks to hear. The vehicles were deafening, and the distance would be miles by now. And I need food, or I won't survive, she thought. It was worth the risk in her mind.

  She had no idea if the rifle taken from the horrible cat monster’s jeep would function, but this was a great time to find out. It was true that when she checked the magazine, there were not many bullets, but spending one on the possibility of enough meat for days was a fine price in her estimate. Raven pulled the rifle up and began to sight down the barrel to line up a possible shot. She wanted to be ready if the deer did come her way.

  MOVING IN A GRACEFUL crouch, Blaze circled quickly around in front of the small herd and dropped to his knees. The scattered bushes hid him while he pulled an arrow and strung his bow. The deer were still unaware they were being hunted. The brisk and steady wind helped cover his movements. Now Blaze was in place to make a shot. A male, marked by a large set of horns, had pulled ahead of the rest of the group and now stood with his head up, scanning the horizon. The buck was distracted by something over beside The Old Road, and his nose twitched quickly as he tried to pick up a trace of possible danger. Blaze knew this was the best opportunity he would have to put an arrow into the noble beast. He pulled back on the string and aimed.

  A GUNSHOT CRACKED THROUGH the air and broke the silence. The herd of deer bolted at the sound of it and ran frantically back in the direction they had come. Willow, after giving instructions to her team to return home, flanked the herd to help Blaze if the group bolted. They were definitely on the run now. Hidden in the brush exactly where they were headed, she braced herself as a small female deer raced straight at her. Gripping her spear with both hands, she thrust forward and into the doe the moment just before the frightened animal realized she was in danger. The deer squealed and tried to run, but Willow pressed forward and used her body weight to push the spear in deeper and leverage the struggling animal to the ground. With a quick movement, Willow used her knife to slit the throat of the doe. After a moment the struggle was over. She yanked the spear from the dead animal and scanned the horizon, not for other prey, but with fear. None of her group of hunters carried firearms today and if they had, none would have been so foolish as to use one when the Patrols were so active and had so recently passed by. Someone else is out hunting today, she thought with dread in her heart. She knew it could only spell trouble for her clan.

  THE RIFLE HAD BUCKED hard against Raven's shoulder, but she hardly noticed in her delight to see the deer drop in its tracks as her bullet hit true. The rest of the group broke into a run at the sound of her shot, but it did not matter to her. She had made her kill, and with a whoop of excitement, she jumped to her feet and raced toward her prize. Raven crouched down beside the animal she killed and laid her hand on his warm side. "Thank you," she whispered, sincerely grateful to have plenty of food again. My luck is improving, she thought. First, the mysterious return of her pack of possessions while she slept, then the blessed gift of a canteen of water, and now a fresh supply of meat. Raven knew when to count her blessings, and made a quick promise to the universe to give better acknowledgment later, but for the moment there was a lot of work to be done. If she wanted to butcher the animal and find some sort of shelter before dusk, she needed to move quickly. She rummaged in her pack for her makeshift knife and after a few swipes on a smooth rock to hone the edge, she set down to dress her prize. She had only started her first cut when a voice behind her nearly made her jump out of her skin.

  “DON’T MOVE,” BLAZE said pointing his arrow at the stranger. He did not know what to make of this situation. When the gunshot had cracked, and his buck had fallen to the ground, his first thought was the Patrols were attacking and he instinctively dropped to cover. When no other shots were fired though, Blaze popped back up and watched dumbstruck as a stranger appeared from virtually nowhere and ran to the side of the dead deer. His surprise quickly turned to fury as he realized not only had this person killed the
very animal Blaze himself wanted to kill, but he had fired a gun and possibly alerted every soldier in a mile radius of their presence.

  Now he had the drop on the crouching stranger and watched as the person slowly turned his face toward Blaze. The wind whistled around them and pushed back the stranger’s coat hood revealing a head of short black hair and a face of smooth fair skin. For the second time in less than two minutes, Blaze was caught by surprise as he realized the stranger was not a man at all but instead was a beautiful young woman. Astonished, he lowered his bow and stared. Their eyes met, and Blaze was momentarily mesmerized by the woman’s long black eyelashes and intense green eyes. After growing up in a world of hardships, death, hunger, and struggle, it was awe inspiring to see an adult face which seemed so fresh. No scars marred it. The hollowness of famine was nowhere to be seen in the full cheeks pinked by the chill wind and exercise. Warm red lips were parted over white teeth. A whole mouthful, he thought. Blaze was nearly convinced he was seeing a vision. The stranger kneeling on the ground before him could not possibly be real.

  Then she charged. In a flash, the woman was up and attacking him. Completely caught off guard, he did not have time to raise his bow before she bowled into him and sent him sprawling. Blaze landed hard on the ground trapping his bow beneath him. He heard the wood snap under his weight, and his awe turned back to fury. Left with only arrows to defend himself, he snatched one up from the pile which was flung on the ground and jumped to his feet to face his attacker. The woman glared at him, her knife, smeared with deer blood, held out in front of her. It was a standoff.

  RAVEN FACED THE MAN who had snuck up on her. He looked young and yet he did not. His face carried only a hint of facial hair across a strong chin, and he was not quite as tall as she was, but his eyes did not fit his age. They were as cold as smooth gray stones and looked not only serious, but deadly. The afternoon sunlight glinted off his coppery hair which hung in thick waves past his shoulders. Is this the mysterious person who brought me back my things and gave me water? If so, why is he pointing a sharp looking arrow at me now? Perhaps he just wants the deer meat, Raven thought, but there was enough to share, and she would have been glad to give him plenty as thanks for his kindness in bringing back her stuff. Not anymore though. She did not like to be threatened, and now she was angry.

  Raven glanced over at the rifle which lay off to her right, too far away to get to before the man could reach her. It would have to be a hand-to-hand fight then. So be it, she thought. “Well come on then,” she said. “What are you waiting for?”

  BLAZE SAW HER LOOK over at the gun and wondered if this woman would be foolish enough to try for it. It was about the same distance from both of them and, even though she appeared to be very quick, there was no way she could pick it up and get off a shot before he tackled her. When she called him out, he knew she was willing to abandon trying to get to the gun and take him on with just the makeshift knife. He was impressed by her courage and wished there was a way to subdue her without getting himself gutted. With a frown, he braced for a fight.

  AS RAVEN WAITED, ANOTHER woman with a small deer dropped across her shoulders, stepped into the small clearing. Letting the dead animal slip to the ground, she picked up the rifle and charged the bolt before Raven even had time to blink. The gray haired stranger with a distinct scar running from hairline to chin had moved with a swift silence, and now Raven was outnumbered and at a huge disadvantage. Not to mention this one appears to have no qualms about shooting me either from the look on her face, Raven thought. She dropped the knife and showed her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Okay,” Raven said. “I give up. Take the meat but don’t shoot me.” The other woman blinked, the merest shadow of surprise crossing her face before she composed herself again and slung the rifle over her shoulder. She nodded to the young man.

  “Get the buck,” she said coldly while picking up her own smaller prize, never taking her eyes off Raven. “We can’t stay out here.”

  The man hesitated for a moment before going to the carcass and lifting what had to be a hundred pounds of dead weight easily to his shoulders. He looked from the woman to Raven, apparently not sure what the older woman intended to do with this loner they had encountered. “We’ll be keeping the gun too,” the woman said as she started to back up and leave. The man frowned, but obliged and left the clearing back the way his partner had come. "Don't follow us hoping to catch us off guard, you won't," the woman warned.

  “Well that’s not fair,” Raven said dropping her hands. “At least leave me some meat. After all, I shot it.”

  The woman froze in mid-step and gave Raven a glare that would melt ice. "And probably brought the Patrols down on our heads," she snapped. "That gunshot will have echoed for miles. Thanks to you, what matters to me is now in jeopardy. I suggest you hide, stranger.” Without another look, the woman with the scar on her face turned and left, quickly jogging away.

  KIT WATCHED, UNSEEN, as the stranger, Blaze and then Willow had met and parted. She was saddened that Willow dismissed contact with the new person so quickly. The exchange had not gone as she hoped and now the woman was standing alone and looking lost beside the bloody stain left by the deer. Of course, she shouldn’t have fired the gun and made such an announcement to the world people were here, she thought. But then this woman does all sorts of bizarre things, she thought. Perplexed as to what to do next, Kit stayed where she was and waited to see what the stranger would do next.

  CHAPTER 12

  THE PATROLS DID NOT hear the gunshot, or at least Matthew, who was still riding in the back of the truck, did not. The sound of the engine and the wind whipping past him made it nearly impossible even to breathe, let alone hear anything. Not that it would have mattered if he did. No one would have listened to him. He was a lowly recruit turned soldier overnight, which meant he had no say in anything. It was all right with him. He was only trying to go along to get along and right now all he could focus on was how cold and uncomfortable he felt. It was hard just keeping his eyes open with the freezing wind pounding him in the head at sixty miles an hour. Thankfully the convoy slowed and made a sudden turn off of the road. The truck Matthew was in roughly rumbled to a stop. Sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with the nineteen other men, he looked around and saw they were in some sort of large cleared lot. Rubble and the shells of buildings edged the vast perimeter of the space. A bunch of rusted out cars and even a few bodies of what Matthew guessed were once upon a time airplanes littered the area. All useless relics of a forgotten age.

  The squad leader climbed out of the passenger side of the truck Matthew was in and jogged up to the jeep in front of them. He leaned over to confer with the men inside. Matthew was not sure what the plan was, but from what little rumors he had been able to overhear, the Patrols were now on a crusade both to find the witch and to spread The Creator's message across the land. The idea of it made Matthew's stomach hurt, especially because the plan sounded simple but effective. The platoon was going to set up a few posts out on the high desert plain. The previous two-man roaming strategy the Patrols initially employed had come up empty, actually incurred losses, and, worst of all, had spooked the soldiers. Now the new idea was to set up multiple squads of men in camps at different locations to send out on hunting forays. The consensus was the escaped female had to have met up with a party of human nomads if she had survived coming down from the mountains. Since the nomads were dirty, stupid, and disorganized creatures, it would be easy to just flush them out of wherever they were squatting and find the witch. Matthew knew at that point the nomads captured would be sorted and the females taken back to the research laboratory in the underground colony of Eden for experimentation and harvesting. The males would all be terminated. None of it sounded good to Matthew, but before he could dwell on it, he heard the squad leader yell for the driver of the truck to shut it down.

  "This will be base camp for Alpha squad," Matthew heard him say once the engine stopped and then he watched as the man moved on t
o the next truck. After a short discussion, the second and third vehicles turned around and left the lot, going back onto the highway and continued south. The squad leader walked back to where Matthew and the others were sitting. He dropped the tailgate and stood back with his hands on his hips. "Well maggots, what are you waiting for?" he yelled. "Get out and set up camp. Now move!" Matthew stood up with the others and jumped off the back of the truck. Looking around once he was on the ground and out of the way, he was unable to help but wonder what was in store for him next.

  RAVEN CARRIED HER GEAR and her walking stick and slowly followed drops of blood from the deer the man was carrying. She kept her distance, being cautious of the warning the scarred woman had given her. So far the trail was easy enough, almost as if the others were not even being careful to hide it. Of course, why should they be careful, she thought. They have the gun. Still, it seemed almost as if the drips were left for her to follow on purpose.