Dead World (Book 2): Headed North by Jacob Mollohan Page A

the still open front door. Daniel has just reached the top of the stairs with Isaiah and Jason.
    “Is everything OK?” she asks out of breath from the sudden exertion.
    “We took care of them.” Daniel says, he shuts the door behind him. “Don’t go down there.” he says flatly. Valentine nods.
    “Let’s grab Sasha and Chloe. We will stay here overnight and get what food we can. They might have useful stuff in the garage too,” Isaiah says.
    Isaiah nods and walks off to get his wife. In moments they are all settled into the house. They light a healthy little fire and Sasha heats up a few cans of tomato soup over the flames. Jason prepares grilled cheese for everyone, made with stale bread and canned cheese. Not the best, but better than nothing.
    Daniel and Isaiah push a heavy couch in front of the door just in case anyone else shows up and they all sit down to enjoy the rest of the evening.
    Valentine feels better than she has in a long time. They settle down in the living room, blankets spread out.
    “Well this is nice,” says Isaiah around a mouthful of food. “Maybe we will even roast some marshmallows.” he offers up a bag of marshmallows he found in the cupboards. “There was no chocolate or graham crackers but this is better than nothing.”
    Chloe’s eyes light up at the thought.
    Daniel disappears into the kitchen and returns with a bottle of whiskey. “We can have some of this too,” he says smiling.
    “I’m more of a wine person,” Sasha says.
    “They have that as well.” Sasha gives a small clap and heads into the kitchen, returning moments later with a glass of deep red wine in her hand.
    “Can I try some mommy?” Chloe asks.
    “You won’t like it honey.” Sasha says.
    “Oh come on, let her try it,” Isaiah says with a mischievous smile. “It’s not like it will cause any harm.”
    Sasha laughs and gives Chloe a sip. She wrinkles her nose in disgust. “That is horrible.” She says scowling. They all laugh. For a moment everything feels safe. They continue eating passing the bottle around until each of them have a pleasant buzz. They pass the time talking about life before the chaos. About how things used to be. It is the happiest any of them have been for a while.
    Slowly one by one they drift off to sleep. Valentine watches them drift off. She knows they should have set up a shift. Someone should be watching but she lets her guard down for a moment. Isaiah was right. They need the rest more than she thought. She lets herself drift off as well, smiling happily at the rising and falling of Daniel’s chest beside her.
    She considers telling him that she is falling for him. And the last thing she thinks before sleep claims her is that it would be great to kiss him.
    ***
    Daniel feels himself falling. He is falling for so long he loses track of time. He should be afraid but he realizes that his is not. Then just as suddenly as it started he finds himself on the ground. In the middle of a crowd. There are people of all kinds around him in their thousands.
    Everyone is zipping around headed to some important meeting or another. He wanders lost in the crowd for a few moments. The sounds of normal everyday life surround him. People talking on phones. Cars driving in the distance. And what he notices most is that everyone is alive.
    He isn’t sure why this surprises him but it seems like an important thing to note.
    He bumps into a middle aged woman. Her pantsuit is expensive and tailored. He doesn’t catch her face as she rushes off talking on the phone.
    “Sorry,” he calls after her, but she doesn’t even notice. He turns back around and sees a hospital. He is alone now. But even that seems to make perfect sense. Like he never was in a crowd. Like he never was falling.
    He walks across the grass lawn towards the hospitals entrance. The place is lit up but no one is inside. Glass doors part soundlessly to admit him. He walks through the empty halls for a while. It is strange to him