Day One

Not a sound.

Elle frowned and walked to the door. She took a deep breath and banged her fist against the metal.

“Sie

Nothing.

“I’m back,” Elle continued. “I brought you something to finish our trade.”

Still nothing.

Elle shrugged.

“I guess this is the part where we force our way in,” Elle said.

Finally. Some fun. Bravo tensed up, snorting. You first.

Elle jiggled the door handle. The handle itself was rusted and loose. Elle pushed on the door and it swung open, slamming against the interior wall. She and Bravo remained unmoving, staring into the dark building. There were only the shadowy shapes of shelves and refrigerator doors. Elle stepped over the threshold, keeping the katana up and ready to swing.

“Sie

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room. She could see the note that she had left on the wall, in the dust, promising to return with a trade. Several of the shelves in the middle of the store had been overturned. Supplies like paper towels and plates had been dumped on the floor. The glass case built into the counter — the one holding cigarettes and lottery tickets — had been shattered. Shards of glass lay on the floor, twinkling as sunlight slid through the open doorway.

Danger, Bravo warned, growling. Be careful.

Elle looked toward the back of the building. The chair in which Bob had been sleeping last time was still there, and someone was sitting in it. Elle walked closer.

“Hey,” she said.

Again, there was no response.

It was a man. A baseball hat was pulled low over his face. Elle tapped his leg with the toe of her shoe. He didn’t move. She kicked the brim of the hat. It flew off the man’s head.

Elle stifled a scream. It was Bob, but his face had begun to decompose. He was dead — it looked like he had been so for a long time. His skin was a dull shade of yellow. His eyes were still open, rotted and lifeless. His hair was mottled with insects and the stench of his body was putrid. Elle doubled back and gagged, horrified.

She had seen many dead bodies in Los Angeles — but she had not been expecting it here. This was a shock. Bravo whined softly.

I tried to warn you, he said. I smelled death.

Elle steadied herself, her eyes falling to the furthest corner of the room. Sie

There was blood everywhere. On the floor, on the chair, on their clothes. The entire corner reeked of the stuff. On the wall, someone had dipped their hands in the blood and smeared a message:

Elle shuddered. This was Omega’s doing. Sie

Elle stumbled out of the general store, falling on her hands and knees in the sunshine, holding her fist against her mouth. She cried quietly. The world was so cruel now. So vicious. There was death everywhere. It was all around her, in the ground, in the sky, in the water.

The invasion had destroyed everything. The days following it had only rebuilt the world on the foundation of destruction. Anarchy, murder, devastation and loss.

There was no one who would escape the days following Day Zero without heartache.

The world was burning, and there weren’t enough people left to put out the flames.

Elle dug two graves. She laid Sie

“People keep dying,” Elle muttered, throwing the rusty shovel aside. “I bet I’ve buried more people in one week than most people ever will in their entire lifetime.”

Just because you’re the one holding the shovel doesn’t mean anything.

“It means that I was the one who dug the graves,” Elle deadpa

Bravo snorted and shook his head, sending droplets of moisture into the air. Elle picked up her backpack and swung it over her shoulder, taking a final look at the graves. They weren’t perfect, but at least it was a place where Bob and Sie

“Sorry I couldn’t save you,” Elle whispered. She backed away, heading toward the highway again. Bravo followed.

All of this work has made me hungry. Bravo looked at Elle with expectant eyes. Do you have anything to share with me or do I have to go hunt something?

“Wow, that’s a pathetic face,” Elle remarked, rolling her eyes. “Fine. I’ll get something for you to eat.”

She rummaged through her backpack, finding pieces of dried jerky. She handed them to Bravo. He ate quickly and efficiently, gnawing through the hard meat.

“Really?” Elle said. “Slow down. You’re eating like a slob.”

I really don’t care. Bravo exhaled in her face.

“Gross!”

He triumphantly resumed his meal while Elle snapped an old protein bar in half. She had been given food and water — basic rations — at Sector 27. Enough to last for two weeks at least. The road to the Sierra Nevada Mountains was straight and there shouldn’t be any trouble.

Shouldn’t, however, was a key word.

“Let’s go, dog,” Elle said, jumping to her feet.

I hate to eat and run.

“Too bad!” Elle gri

Bravo raced to catch up with her, soaring past her in a blur of speed and agility. Elle laughed and they ran down the empty highway lanes. Elle stopped and Bravo trotted up to her, resting his head in her hands.

“You’re a good boy,” Elle said. She kissed the center of his forehead, feeling his soft fur. “I’m glad I’m not alone out here.”

Bravo’s eyes smiled brightly.

Me too.

Epilogue

The shadow of a man moved silently through the night, following the girl and the dog. There was a feverish glint in his eyes, veiled only by the darkness sweeping over the valley floor. The girl moved quickly and the dog was alert. The man couldn’t get close to the girl without making his presence known to the dog, so he hung back, enough so that they were nothing but specks in the distance, but close enough so that he wouldn’t lose their trail.

He burned with hatred, with an obsession.

True, he was on a mission, but there would be a time when he would kill the girl and the dog. It would be soon. Very soon.

All he had to do was wait.

More Titles by Summer Lane

Book One: State of Emergency

Book Two: State of Chaos

Book Three: State of Rebellion

Book Four: State of Pursuit

Book Five: State of Alliance

Book Six: State of Vengeance — Coming June 26th, 2015

Day Zero

Day One

End of Day — Coming October 9th, 2015

Co