by Cage, Zion
She heard footsteps and she paused. Listening closely, she noted that the footsteps were from more than one person. The footsteps were coming from the other side of a building. She wondered at it. As far as she knew, her group was the only one still around that area at that time. The footsteps were getting closer. She noticed an abandoned car just ahead, close to the turn, and she ran to it. Finding it open, she slipped in and peered through the rear glass.
Three men came around the turn. Behind them were eight children and two teen girls, all bound by the hand to one another with thick ropes. Their mouths were gagged. Aaliyah gasped. They were kidnappers. Aaliyah didn’t get it: why had kidnapping become the order of the day? Why were people so desperate? What did they get from kidnapping little kids and ladies?
Then she remembered the words of the woman she found back at Vermont. She gasped again. It had to be an organized activity. Something else was going on.
The people who are being kidnapped are the lucky ones.
What was going on?
She knew the men were probably armed. She wanted to help out but she didn’t know what to do. She decided to getaway. Then another thought crossed her mind: the day of her abuse. She remembered how it felt to be used and her heart went out to the children and girls who were being captured. She had to do something. She looked around her for anything that would help. There was nothing She got out of the car since the men had gone quite a distance. She looked in the boot. She smiled.
“We’re already late, Bruce. We’re one day behind schedule. I think we should let these people go and return to base. That was the instruction,” Andy said. He was an average-sized red-headed man.
Bruce, the tall and blonde man turned and shot Andy a glare.
“Do you know how much we would lose if we returned to base without a catch? Besides, the list says some descriptions are yet to be turned in. It must have been due to the technical black out on the first day. Don’t worry, Andy. We’re well within schedule.”
“But you know it was all your fault, Bruce. You just had to get the teens, didn’t you? You made us have to hide for a whole day so as not to be noticed by the migrants,” Samuel said. He was the third man in their company. Black haired and short, he was the most muscular of the three.
They had barely passed by a white wooden building when one of the girls stumbled and the three men turned.
“What’s your problem, girl? Keep up, would you?” Samuel said.
“Keep up with this, short stuff,” Aaliyah said as she ran out from around the corner of the building and slammed the face of the metal skateboard into Samuel’s face. Turning swiftly, she kicked Bruce’s hand, sending his gun flying out of his hand. She swung the skateboard and it struck Andy on the head. Andy fell to the ground, rolling and groaning in pain. She poised herself, ready for another round of the fight. The men stood up, full of anger. They folded their fists. Aaliyah turned quickly to the children and the teenagers who were behind her.
“Go now. Run!”
“Oh no, you don’t,” Samuel said as he pulled out his gun and shot at the girls, Aaliyah used the skateboard to block the bullets. The three men, enraged by the escape of their prey, ran towards Aaliyah. She knew she wouldn’t be able to take them all on but she decided she would have to try. She had to give the girls and children a chance to escape. She wondered why she was pawning her own life but it was too late to turn back.
She flung the skateboard at Samuel. He dodged it easily, returning with a punch. Aaliyah managed to dodge the punch but Bruce’s kick on her stomach sent her stumbling backward. She ran towards the wall and, using it as a spring, she brought her right knee hard against Andy’s face. She bent quickly, missing Bruce’s kick. Using the opening, she kicked his thigh, sending him to the ground. Samuel’s large palms went hard against her throat, lifting her up and slamming her to the ground. The pain was unbearable for her. She rolled on the ground. Samuel and Andy kicked her repeatedly, while Bruce picked up his gun and came towards her. He pointed in at her.
Aaliyah’s eyes widened in fear… the same fear she had fought all year long.
“Don’t kill me, please. My grandma would be devastated if I died before she did,” she cried.
Brian spat out blood.
“You should have thought about that before pulling this stupid stunt, don’t you think? Say bye-bye,” he said as his finger curled around the trigger.
“Bye-bye.” The words were followed by three gunshots. The next second, all three of the men fell dead to the ground. Aaliyah’s eyes that had been closed shot open as the muscular one fell over her. She pushed him off hurriedly, surprised that she was still alive. She got up slowly to see the dark woman standing with an outstretched pistol.
“It’s you again,” Aaliyah said.
“I must say, girl, I’m not sure what to think of you. It was stupid fighting three armed men alone still I admire your bravery. Then you ruined it all when you began to beg.”
Aaliyah got up, grimacing as pain danced all over her body. She gave the lady a smile.
“Thanks for saving me.”
The lady returned her smile.
“Well, considering you have a knack for being alone and you have the skills to sustain yourself, I think I might have need of you. What do you say you join me? You’d be saving the whole of America, you know,” the lady said as she walked up to where the men's bodies lay. She reached into their pockets and pulled out a white mini-tab from each.
“I don’t even know your name,” Aaliyah said, wondering at the lady.
“Call me Suzanne.”
The woman used each of the men's fingerprints to unlock their devices and she began operating them.
“Well, Suzanne, I’m sorry but I can’t go with you. My grandma is sick. I need to be with her.”
“Well, then I’m really sorry. Take care of her,” Suzanne said as she walked off.
“Wait,” Aaliyah called out and Suzanne turned.
“Tell me what all this is about, please. Why these kidnappings? What’s going on?”
“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it because of your grandma. However, if you change your mind, text me with this,” Suzanne said as she handed one of the tabs over to Aaliyah. “It’s switched off. Don’t turn it on yet unless you want to attract the attention of some very dangerous people. Also, don’t show anyone. I’ve installed my contact ID on it. By the way, the girls you saved are waiting for you just around the block. They got away while you fought off the men. The way they were bound, I’m surprised they didn’t fall over themselves.”
With that, Suzanne ran off. In a couple of seconds, Aaliyah heard the sound of a bike. She looked at the phone in her hand. She had thought all devices had been destroyed. What was happening?
“Thanks for saving us, ma'am.”
Aaliyah turned back to see the ten people she had saved.
“It’s no big deal. How would you like to join my group to travel to New York?” she asked as she bent to set them loose.
21st November 2021
7:50 am
Cabot, Vermont. USA
From dust, we all came. To dust, we will all return.
Aaliyah sat on the snow watching people prepare to move. move Marcia had died the previous day. She had also been buried the same day. Aaliyah's eyes had dried up. There were no more tears left to cry. There was nothing left for her in the world. No family. No one. She liked Ted but he deserved someone a lot better than her. She didn’t want to hold him back.
She got up and walked away, far enough to be alone. She pulled out the tab and turned it on. On the home screen, there was a contact icon with Suzanne’s name beneath it. Everything other thing was in a language she didn’t understand. She clicked on the icon and typed. The keyboard was also in a strange language but it had English alphabet superscripts.
Hey, Zu. I think I’m willing.
Five seconds later a reply came:
Great. Cuz I’ve got a miss
ion for you. I’ll send you instructions now. Once you get them, write them down, delete them and switch of the device. You have just ten minutes.
Epilogue
19th November, 2021
2:53pm
Cincinnati, Indiana. USA
Stephen Wallace threw a stone and watched Tanner, his German Shepherd, run after it. He was in front of a smoldering fire place. Survival was his thing. He wasn’t always a civilian. His mind drifted back to his days in the military. It had been a fun ride till his mouth ruined it all.
And gained him some dangerous enemies.
He’d have to take journey to New York alone if he hoped to get there alive.
He heard footsteps. As if in confirmation, Tanner’s head perked up and it began to bark. Stephen got up and used his feet to scatter the fire mixing the ash with the snow.
“Shhhh, boy. Come on, let’s go,” he said to the dog.
About The Author
Zion Cage is the author of more than a dozen science fiction novels and the winner of the prize for the best adaptation of the new generation Apocalypse in 2018 still being at College. he wrote for the newspaper group and delivered podcasts on the apocalypse being at Georgia State University. today he lives with his charming wife in Valdosta in the south of Georgia and is passionate about all the possible directions that the world could take if the apocalypse really happened. His favorite stories to read and write are mostly for characters who become stronger by overcoming the challenges and fears. Zion Cage love Basketball and he often plays in the Gym with his friends on Sundays. He also loves soccer and his favorite team is Atlanta United.
Zion Cage loves to hear from his readers so you can find his books and connect with him via any of the channels listed below:
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Email at ZionCage97@gmail.
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Books In This Series
The End
Something Sinister is brewing in the United States…
The United States is hit by an EMP from an unknown source and its citizens are asked to move to New York. Without basic survival skills and being in the middle of winter, it’s more of a journey to the death for most. And then there is the increasing number of kidnap cases everywhere.
4 Unlikely Heroes…
Xander, Aaliyah, Stephen and Suzanne are individuals from worlds apart and with different conflict. However, with suspicions of foul play in the country spreading, fate must bring them together to clear the air and set things right.
Or at least die trying…
The End: Genesis
Alexander Michael’s life is thrown into tumult in the wake of the EMP. He had been warned but he never listened to rumors. He sister, Grayson is now nowhere to be found and he is separated from the rest of his family. He sets out on a quest to find his sister despite the negative odds and, soon, he finds out that something dark is at work in the United States- something bigger than he could imagine.
The End: Fight for Survival
Aaliyah isn’t ready to face the truth of what has happened to their world because she isn’t ready to let go of the ones that she loves. Now, with her grandmother, Marcia, by her side, she has no choice but to continue further to the unknown, where only a small amount of the population are surviving. As Marcia’s health continues to deteriorate, Aaliyah is forced to make decisions that will impact her life, forever.
The End: Captives
It’s the Eve to the massive EMP plan and the Ray of Hope terrorist group has gathered the orders of various black market buyers for the children that will be kidnapped after the EMP attack. The leaders of Ray of hope inform their agents of the progress, warning them to be alert so that every displaced child be carried off at the first opportunity. Connor and Morgan are part of these agents and they are sent off.
The End: Warzone
As a veteran, Stephen is used to undesirable climates. From his days in the military, he has taught himself not to be so dependent on man-made appliances. He’d always been a bit suspicious of the activities of the government, and when the EMP did occur, he was more prepared than most. With survival skills that surpass basic, he is easily able to adapt to this new world as he begins on his trip to New York, where his only companionship is his German shepherd, Tanner.
The End: Rogue
Vivien Dmitri is at the top of the terrorist organization, the Ray of Hope.
For some reason, though, she decides to bring it down. It’s not an easy task,
and she’s forced to recruit people to join her on her mission. Still, it’s a race to the death, and she is determined to finish it.
THE RAY OF HOPE MUST FALL!
