Chapter 1

The night was cold and dark; the glowing white breeze blew through the hollow skeleton of a once great city, painting the dark sky gray. The high reaching ribs of the city remained still and lifeless, unmoved by the breath of human life. The eyes of the great architectural beast remained dark. A city broken and killed by the very thing that made it. Now they had brought the same fate on themselves. This was all that remained in the pitiless storm.

The pure white snow wished death to all it surrounded with its cold, soft, and heartless soul. Almost nothing dared granted it otherwise, but at the foot of the metal corpse was a small shivering breath, invisible to the breeze, fading like the light at dusk. Fighting with fading strength, against the chilled whispers of the wind.

The young life huddled under the ever building snow, clinging to the last of herself. Listening to the world slowly eating away at her, unyielding. The hollow whistle of the white wind. The low creaking of the runes, and the cry of it new feral inhabitants. The sounds where a comfort to her, a guardian to her sanity, so she laid there, listening. Listening to the cold, whistling killer. She listened to every sound that was willing to release itself into this dead world, only to fall on dying, or unhearing ears.

The snow let out a pained cry, as it was crushed under weight. Soon it let a second cry, shrinking from it inflictor. The second followed a third, then a four, quickening. The footsteps were coming towards her. She quickly hid any sign of her life, fearing the worst, trying to still her sides, doubting the loyalty of her lungs. She refused to die in the clutches of a creature’s claws, not matter how much it quickened the process.

She heard the footstep drawing closer, the snow protesting loudly, pleading to end the attack, as the footsteps tore through its pure untouched flesh. Soon it fell upon her �" quite literally �" stumbling and tripping over her, giving her a solid kick to the ribs. She joined the white beast, letting out a cry, though softer, nearly lost in the beast ever present howl. The sound of her voice was strange to her. She pushed away from the thing, trying to get up to run away, but she had only strength to move a few feet. Adrenaline in nothing when death weighs your shoulders.

“Hey! Are you okay?” a boy called to her, his face full of snow. He walked over to her, received with a desperate kick. “Hey,” he said talking softer, “Hey, it’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

As the boy talked, the black ink of her subconscious bubbled into her vision, darkening her vision until there was nothing but black.

~~~

“Gavi you’re back! Did you bring any food?”

“Fig. He been gone for ten minutes, he probably brought back another pet.”

Gavin walked into the room, teeth chattering, a girl bundled in his coat lay in his arms. He rushed over to the fireplace laying her down near it. The hurriedly grabbed the only blanket and wrapped her in it.

Fig walked over to the fireplace and sat down next to the girl. Seeing her, Fig exclaimed, “Does this mean I’m not the only girl anymore!”

Gavin, leaning against the warm wall that surrounded the fireplace, smiled in reply.

“Sabian, look it’s a girl. I’m not the only girl!” Fig shouted, jumping around the cellar floor.

“Yeah,” Sabian said bluntly, “If she even last that long.”

Fig’s smile disappeared, “Gavi, she not going to die is she? She not gonna die like Scott did, is she?”

Gavin pursed his lips, “I don’t know Fig, but we’ll try okay?”

Fig’s eyes welled up with tears, “She’s gonna die. She’s gonna �"” She cried running out of the room.

“Did you have to do that?” Gavin turned to Sabian with a look of exasperation.

“I was only being honest.” Sabian shrugged.

“But did you have to?” Gavin repeated.

“This isn’t a fantasy world, where everything is perfect.”

“I know that. She knows that, but why can she hope?” Gavin said; his brows furrowed.

Sabian blinked, “because hope is as useless and hopeless as that corpse.” Sabian said gesturing to the girl.

Gavin looked up to the celling, “I wasn’t going to leave her out there, Sabian. I’m not heartless.”

“You’re not heartless?” Sabian laughed, “You’re going to let Fig watch the girl die. You’re going to let her heart break a second time. Don’t tell me you’re not heartless.”

“Then what am I, Sabian? If I don’t have a heart what am I?” Gavin snapped.

“You’re weak.”

“How am I weak?”

“Or rather a fool.”

“How?”

“You will help a complete stranger, at the cost of you and you friends. You don’t think; you only act on what you feel.”

Gavin stare at Sabian, then replied, “May be I am a fool, but I’m not heartless, I’m foolish.”

“Did you ever think about how were going to feed all of us, we don’t have the means to feed another mouth.”

Gavin smiled, “I have actually. You haven’t been pulling your load, we will both be taking scavenging shifts now.”

“Haven’t been carrying my load? I’ve been watching Fig.”

“And that’s all, and my I add, not that well. I’ve found Fig outside three times now.”

“I knew where she was.”

“You know as well as I do that it’s not safe out there for Fig.”

“Whatever.”

“Grab your supplies then.”

“What. Now.”

“Yes, you’ve been in the cellar forever, some fresh air and sunlight will be good for you.”

Sabian grumbled and walked of.

“Hope is hopeless,” Gavin scoffed. He stood there staring at the girl that lay in on the cellar floor, and frowned, “I use to think that would be contradictory.”