On Earth's Edge

Chapter 1

We were somewhere in Nossville by now, my feet were aching, my legs, nothing more than the gelatinous pudding my grandmother used to make. I've normally had given up by now but the burning that raged behind my tired eyes kept me pushing forward. The night was quiet. I listened to the crunching of gravel beneath our feet. I smelled the cooling embers in the space above me, making their way into an eternal dance. I started to think about my family, and my friends. I thought about the trains that used to come up and down this railway. I thought about the conductors who probably delighted in blasting the horn for the beaming children.

I don't know if anyone believed a war like this would happen besides the old man, but no one would listen to him. Ironic, since they want to know what he knows now. The last time I saw him was when he was taken. My eyes still stiff and puffed from the pain. I wonder if he is dead or alive now, but I shake the thoughts. My mind focuses on my surroundings. I look around and see their blank faces. Only a few are familiar to me.

A woman I recognized maybe from some school function, I couldn't quite place where I had seen her before, spoke.

“We should probably find somewhere to camp for the night, does anyone have tents? If not we better find shelter in one of the warehouses.”

Another woman I didn't know let out a long sigh, and kneeled near the edge of the tracks. A few others mumbled inharmonious no’s. More voices than I thought, I looked around and counted. There are 14 of us. Mostly women, but a few men which I was surprised at. I had nothing with me, except the sleek metallic phone in my pocket which was useless now. They wanted to silent us and I can’t help but wonder if we truly are silenced now or not.

Terri looked around helplessly and defeated, her hair in a dirty nest bun. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find the words to escape my tongue.

One of the men spoke

“I know a place we could go. It has survival supplies, food and water. It's about a half day's walk from here.” He readjusted the glasses slipping from his nose.

“One of my buddies set it all up for his family before his property was seized. The shelter is hidden and I was there 3 weeks ago, no one was there.” I looked at his small frame, and felt a deep sadness. I thought of the shelter we had set up for our own family, nothing but ash now. My eyes stung from the tears I couldn't get to escape their ducts.

The other men in the group, four altogether, gathered flashlights and began gathering abandoned logs up. I watched the broken branches make their paths towards the nearest warehouse grooving into the dirt, like a thirsty snake in the desert. It would be gone by the time the wind kicks back up, I thought. We all began making our way to the warehouse, the men had set up a fire near the entrance.

As I approached the hypnotic flames, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Startled, I looked behind me. A tall woman, I had to bend back my neck just to see her face. Her eyes wide with anxiety and fear. Is she the same woman who knelt beside the tracks? She seems much bigger now. Her anxiety felt contagious as I swallowed the ball of nerves tight in my chest. Unconsciously, and maybe slightly consciously I tried to puff myself up.

“Can I help you?” My voice cracked and croaked.

“I'm Izzy Raymond, I heard from the others that you are from the school. Did you know a little boy named Ian? He has curly hair, he was in 2nd grade.” Her eyes filled with tears. Her face twisted into something not human, she quickly wiped it away and regained her composure. Only a mother’s love can feel that daunting. My hand reached to her arm unconsciously, my thumb began rubbing comforting clockwise circles.

“I'm Sheryl, I know Ian. He was in my class. He's a very sweet little boy. I didn't see what happened to him. I am so sorry.” We shared beaten glances, and made our way to the new life of fire the men had conjured.

Clear plastic tarps cut through the sounds of crackles erratically, they hung tattered along the entrance, unwilling to fully surrender to the wind even in their shreds. I sat next to Izzy, now hypnotized but the fires breathing. Everyone was seated now just inside the lip of the warehouse We all must be hungry by now, my last meal was 2 days ago but no one determined it necessary to mention.

I found myself thinking about my desk in front of the classroom. Warmed coffee in my left hand, chalk in my right. Covering the fear in myself with smiles and nods. I wish I had done more to protect my class, I knew the synths were coming, Atlas had warned me. His voice careful and stern, with his graying long hair tied back. I didn’t see him that morning. I wonder now what preparations he had in order for himself. He always knew everything, but so disorderly.

My mind wandered back to the children twenty total. I remembered the shy and meek Ian in the back with his beautiful curls and freckled covered face. Becka Harrison up front always prim with golden curls tied in bows.

The ghostly ash clouds loomed in the distance through the windows. I had tried to make the room bright and cheery. I had chosen warm yellow for the walls. Jared had tried to talk me out of the color.

“Reminds me of stomach bile.” He'd said after the hardware store associate opened the paint can. I crossed my arms.

“Well, it reminds me of dandelions in late May.” He rolled his eyes.

“Dandelions are weeds. Besides do you think those kids have ever even seen dandelions? Maybe you should try blue instead.” I pursed my lips. They probably hadn’t seen dandelions, but it was quite a fond memory when I was a child. Running around the play ground, weaving dandelion crowns so we could be princesses. They deserved to have a childhood. Within a few seconds I dug the money from my purse and handed it to the associate.

“It’s perfect, thank you." I held the can close to me smiling to myself, as we walked back to the parking lot.

The fire was still burning, a few had fallen asleep. Most were whispering in groups. My eyes fixed on the men a few yards away. They were huddled around drawing in the sand. I was nosey. I glanced to my right and Izzy was curled up beside me asleep. I carefully got up and walked towards the men.

“…they patrol that area.” A man with sleek hair and furrowed brows said.

“What's up?” I said awkwardly. I knelt down and tried to make out the sand scribbles. The four men looked up. Half annoyed, half startled.

The small man from earlier with glasses stammered.

“Oh, we uh, we are uh, trying to find safe routes, for the uh, safe house.” The sleek man rolled his eyes.

“I know the patrols better than anyone, I worked for them. Now, before you get all bent out of shape, I carved out my tracker a few weeks ago.” He lifted his sleeve, on his inner brawny bicep was a healing deep wound, surrounded in various hues of purple and red. I nodded slowly. I didn’t think any man could escape their duties. I wondered how he got away.

“Looks like you needed stitches.” I shifted my feet underneath my bottom. I ended up bumped shoulders with the older man beside me. I mouthed a discreet sorry. He didn’t seem to notice. They carried on as if I hadn't joined.

“Safest way is just north of Bentworth, and shorter too.” He looked sleek, but his voice was quite rough. Probably cigars I thought. The man with glasses pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes closed for a second. His composure regained with confidence.

He nodded. “Alright then that's the way we will go.”

The fire popped and crackled. The older man beside me began to stand up, and grunted.

“Guess-a-we better go get some wood. Ya gonna help Brad?” A well built young man stood quite eagerly. They walked toward the tracks, looking down for fallen branches, I assumed. Brad stopped at the tracks and unzipped his zipper. I diverted my eyes to pebbles of concrete beneath me.

“I'm Sheryl, by the way.” The man with glasses looked at me sympathetically and gave a half smirk.

“I'm Auden.” He held out his hand. I shook it once.

“McCarthy. That’s Clyde and Brad over there.” The sleek man said not as warmly. He tugged down his sleeve and stretched. “Well listen I'm gonna go knock out. You got first watch Auden?”

Auden rubbed his tired eyes. “Yep. Got it.” McCarthy already had his back turned and waved his hand behind him lazily. Auden scoffed lowly, and turned to me. “Yeah you should get some sleep too. Here, you can use this.” He shrugged off his jacket. “Use it as a pillow or blanket.” I reached for it reluctantly.

“Thank you.” I smiled at him. I made my way back to Izzy and balled up the jacket. I rested my head, and closed my eyes. There were rocks stabbing my hip. I inhaled, the jacket smelled like gasoline, tobacco and some kind of aftershave. I scrunched my nose for a moment. I listened to the cackling fire, and let myself drift.