Chapter 1- Breathing Smoke

Some things are better left unsaid,some memories left untread...

Ch 1-Breathing Smoke

 

It had been a fortnight since their encounter with the man on the road. Since then they had barely spoke. Si had started to believe it had affected his brother. He knew Dan had killed before to protect him but that had been the closest he'd ever come to seeing him kill someone. He found it hard to see his brother in the same way. He was no longer the paragon of virtue he had been to Si. To him he was another Chaser waiting to happen. Dan of course knew his brother had changed his outlook. In all truth if Si's view hadn't changed he'd have been disappointed in his younger brother.

 They sat in silence in the clearing they had found. They'd kept off the roads and stuck to the forests. It was odd. In the dense trees it was almost possible to believe that the world hadn't caused it's own destruction. The only thing stopping it was the ash covering the floor. The dead trees. It was everywhere. Even the air. And the tension. Every noise made Dan stand alert. There wasn't any wildlife so any noise or movement could be another human. It terrified Dan. He sat back down and looked at Si. He had grown so much. He was starting to look like an adult. His face had started to thin slightly. His clothes had become rags long ago and he had outgrown them. The only thing in good condition were his shoes. Dan had made sure Si had good shoes even if he didn't. Here cold feet could be the difference between life and death. He couldn't remember what Si's natural hair colour had been but the dirt had turned it dark. Almost black. It needed a cut and a wash. He wondered what he looked like. It had been so long since he'd looked in a mirror. He knew he had black hair. He'd managed to keep it fairly short but still it must've looked a mess. He didn't even bother thinking about his frame or clothes. He knew his shoes were in an acceptable condition. Either way next time they reached a town he'd make sure they found some new clothes and shoes.

 He realised he had been staring at Si and looked away. He lit a cigarette and leant back. One of the few comforts Dan had left. It wasn't like he had to worry about them killing him anymore.

"Dan?" Si asked almost tentatively. Dan looked up at him and nodded for him to continue.

"Is...is it actually neccessary to kill Chasers? Can't we talk them to be good guys?" Dan smiled at his brother. Throughout all this Si had always been his conscience. It was only recently though that this had become obvious.

"I wish we could. I really do Si." Dan breathed the smoke out watching the wisps in the air.

"But...they don't think like we do. They see a small child or even an adult and see them as food." He inhaled again letting the smoke flood his lungs and looked at Si's shocked expression.

"Does that make them evil?" His brother whispered.

"I guess." Came the answer almost nonchalently. Dan saw the confusion on Si's face and elaborated.

"What I mean is,to them they're keeping their families and themselves alive by killing right? To us the fact they could eat another human is beyond evil. To me it's unforgivable. To you? Maybe not so. But to them? It's just a means to an end. Understand?" Si nodded and Dan pushed himself up. He started to set Si's tent up before he heard his brother ask another question.

"What do you see other people as Dan?"

"Me? I see them in a few ways. Sometimes they're a danger. To me and to you. Others, I pity. I see them as prey for the Chasers. But every single person with the exception of you. Every person is a hinderence." He turned his back to Si and finished putting the tent up. Si kept quiet and gathered some wood for Dan. He placed them near the tent before clambering into the warmth of the tent. Dan leant over the wood and pulled out a zippo. It had been his father's. All he had left of him. He wouldn't let anything happen to it. The flame sparked into light and slowly burnt the dried leaves under the wood. Before long the leaves had started to burn the wood and Dan sat next to it. The fire warmed him up. It was going to be a long night. It had been a week since he had slept last. There was too much danger someone could come when he was asleep and take Si.

"Want to know what I see people as?" Came Si's voice. Dan leant into the tent and nodded. His brother was curled under some makeshift blankets made from plastic lining and scraps of duvets Dan had found.

"I see them as people waiting to be saved. Some are more scary than others but...that's just because everyone's scared now. None of them are beyond us helping them." With that he rest his head on the floor and closed his eyes. Dan withdrew from the tent with a slight smile. The first heartfelt one he'd had in a while.

 

*

 

 The bus was late. Again. Not that Dan cared,he had SAT's to take and any excuse to get out of them would do. He hated the fact that soon he'd be faced with responsibilities,after his exams he'd have to choose which subjects to take for G.C.S.E's, it all seemed a bore to him. The atmosphere at the bus stop was stifling as usual. Kids running around,most causing some kind of havoc. He looked around and saw the group he called his friends. Dan discarded the wooly black jumper his school made him wear into his bag and set off to greet them.

 First to see him was Sophie,he'd known her since primary,his partner in crime. She beamed at him and Dan ruffled the red locks that fell on her face.

"Hey!" She giggled before hugging him close. Rumours had recently befallen the school that Dan and Sophie were an item,all untrue of course but still, the evidence was hard to ignore. Inseperatable,always hugging or holding hands,closer than anyone else had ever been to Dan,it seemed the only thing missing was an actual relationship.

 She smiled at him again and Dan noticed her eyes, they always sparkled. Blue like the sea,he always lost focus when he looked in them to Sophie's amusement.

 "Stop daydreaming Romeo," came her voice cutting Dan's lack of concentration. "If you keep that up during your test you'll fail for sure." She gave him a wink before heading for the bus that had pulled up. She turned and smiled again.

"Come on Dan! Don't make me drag you to school..." She laughed,smiling that innocent smile again. Always smiling.

 

*

 

S**t. He'd been dreaming again. Always of the past. He hated himself for it. Dan cursed to himself for falling asleep again. Stupid.

 The forest had gone quiet although the sun hadn't quite come up yet. It made no difference. It didn't provide warmth anymore. He noticed just how quiet it had gone and got up to check on Si. It was surprising he couldn't hear his little brother. Even whilst sleeping he was loud. Usually snoring. Dan stuck his head inside. No Si. F**k! He crawled back out the tent. He couldn't have lost Si. Not again. Then he felt the barrel pressing against the back of his neck. S**t.

Reviews

[Perfect Mistake]

I liked this a lot. Loved how you ended and started this chapter. The dialouge within this it is strong and makes sense, most often people who write books their dialouge doesnt make any sense whatsoever. The chacters you create were good and have intersting characteristics. Good work on this :3

[The Winter Grey]

Hoy there, Tom. As the first full-fledged chapter of your book I liked it a lot. You pulled it off well, from the brothers' respective philosphies on death, to the memory of Dan and Sophie - which, by the way, I didn't expect to see... given that post-apocalyptic pieces generally shy away from showing what it was like before.
An important element I feel you nailed was that you were able to explain Dan and Si's appearances in a way that made it relevant to the story, not just telling for the sake of telling. Had Dan simply seen his reflection in a piece of glass and then proceeded to have a two-page inner monologue about his features, it would have been a major distraction. Thankfully, you fully avoided that.
One short note... there was a place or two where you could have taken the last line or two from a paragraph and made it its own, it adds a bit more to the intensity. But, it's possible that doesn't suit your voice as a writer... just something to think about.
Overall, I enjoyed this chapter. In particular, the ending hits you with how abrupt it is, making you want to plunge right into the next. Commendable work, my friend.