Page 4 of Pet: Genesis

I stare at her in horror, immediately shaking my head.

“No. That can’t be our only option,” I say in desperation, rising from my seat.

“We are survivors. I refuse to let us lie down and accept defeat just like that. We’ve been struggling for years, and you want to give up just because it’s gotten tough again?” I hiss.

Margot flinches at my tone, but I ignore her reaction, turning away from her to think of a solution. We can’t just go around the blight stealing food. The desperation among humans for survival has gone as far as being killed on the spot for stealing. A member of our group learned that the hard way back when we were a group of seven.

Think, think, think.

I look beyond Margot, my gaze circling the room. The other girls in our group are sitting quietly. Some are sitting on dirty linens, while others are huddled near the leaking walls. Their faces all share the same gaunt expressions from hunger. I suck in a deep breath standing.

“It’ll be alright,” I say as a plan forms in my head. Margot’s eyes widen, and I know she understands the direction of my thoughts.

“Iris—”

I hold up my hand, silencing her. My gaze shifts to the girls around the room one last time. I take in their sunken faces and tattered clothing. The look of starvation that lingers in their eyeshaunts me even in my sleep. And now, it is the driving force behind my decision.

“If I’m not back within a week, you take over, okay? You guys will have to move on without me. Don’t stay here. There’s nothing left for us here. Stay strong and stay together. Don’t risk your lives stealing from these people. Just go, Margot. Take them and go,” I say.

Tears begin to well up in Margot’s eyes, and I offer her a soft smile, stepping closer to her to pull her into an embrace.

“Hey. Cheer up. Everything will be alright. We’ll make it through this.” I bite my bottom lip to stifle my tears. “We have to.”

Margot offers me a weak smile. I can tell by her expression she doesn’t believe me. She thinks this is it. And I hate myself for the lingering feeling in the back of my mind that she’s right.

The sound of people dying assaults my ears as I make my way to the outskirts of the blight. The constant barrage of coughing, crying, and moans of pain reminds me of the world we now live in.

I make sure to grip my weapons tighter as I make my way past the refugees of Earth. I have a machete, a spear made from an old tree, and a grenade found months ago on our scouting trip. The plan is to go outside of the blight for food. I am the strongest and the smartest when it comes to hunting. We’re never supposed to go hunting alone, but if anyone came with me, they would onlyhinder me, especially since the lack of food makes them much weaker than most.

It’s foolish of me to go into the woods alone. Before we understood how cruel the blight was, one of our girls left alone to hunt. She never returned, and we never got an answer as to why. This time, however, is a matter of life and death. And I refuse to let any of them starve to death. Not while I have the strength to prevent it.

I pass a dusty window, briefly glancing at my reflection. I stopped caring about how I look a long time ago. My dark hair is stringy and matted from years of dirt and neglect, falling barely past my shoulders in a mass of knotted hair. Growing up, I prided myself on inheriting my mother’s green eyes. But now, I hate that I can’t remember how they looked on her face. I only have a faded picture to go by. My skin is sunken just like Margot’s, and my cheeks are hollowed from lack of nutrition over the years.

I’m just like everyone else, struggling to survive, slowly wasting away.

Chapter Two

Iris

I flinch as the rays of sunlight slowly penetrate the trees, waking me from my slumber. I open my eyes to look around, ensuring no one is watching me and my weapons are all still in place. It’s been four days since my departure. The traps I set have managed to catch three rabbits. And I’ve had the displeasure of fighting off two people in the process. I slowly look around at the lush paradise that has bloomed outside of the blight.

Since humanity’s eradication, the world has had plenty of time to heal and grow. Since the departure of cities, planes, cars, and every other toxic element humanity managed to create, forests have overtaken most of the land. It’s beautiful. It makes me wonder what type of creatures the Leviathan are. They leave no trace of their existence other than their Utopian cities.

I shiver as a gust of wind breezes past me. Even though the sun is rising, there’s a chill in the air. I don’t know what month it is or even what year it is. But I know this kind of weather signifies it is nearing autumn. That information means food will be scarcer and disease more prominent. We have everything to fear in the coming months, in addition to the Leviathan.

I make my way through the forest, keeping an eye out for enemies. I have not only wild animals to fear but also humans who could be lurking to steal the food I’ve caught. Out here, they are my worst enemy. My exhaustion, mixed with my hunger, is more than I can bear. The only thing that keeps me going is the idea of heading back empty-handed. They need me. Even chewing on leaves all day does nothing to staunch my hunger.

The day is spent trying to find more food, but I once again come up empty-handed. Once the sun begins to set, I decide to cut my losses and head back to the blight with what I have. It may not be much, but it will give us a little energy and keep us from starving to death until we can make our next move.

The trek back to the blight takes a day and a half. My heart is pounding as I try and force my legs to move faster. It’s crucial that I get back before dark. Being around the border of the blight is dangerous, especially with food.

I’m pulled from my thoughts as I hear something unsettling in the distance.

Screaming.

Suddenly, the scent of flames reaches my nose. I break into a sprint, willing my body to move. My footsteps immediately falteras I gaze up at the place I’ve called home for the past few years. It’s up in flames. My eyes widen as I take in my surroundings. The homes that were once here are burning piles of ash. I quickly scan the area but see nothing out of the ordinary. I tense as more screams flow in my direction. They’re coming from deep within the blight.

I take off, my adrenaline spiking as I make my way deeper into the city, my hunger all but forgotten as I make my way to our hideaway. Tears begin to form in my eyes. The closer I get, the worse the condition of the city is. There are bodies everywhere of people, both dead and dying. Every structure that once stood has diminished into nothing other than rubble and ash.

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