2041 A.V. (After Virus)

They say there's no hotter sun than the one in the Texas sky and right now I have to agree. I sat there, sweat in my face staring at my older brother as he unpacked our supplies. Looking back I am thankful for him. I would have never survived without him.

Twenty years have passed since we were taken away. Twenty years since our world was turned upside down, but now, so many years later we’re able to try and make our way back; back to the place we once called home.

“Josephine, come help me. “

My brothers voice brought me back to the here and now. I quickly jumped up to help set up camp for the night.

We had been traveling for days, like nomads, making only the necessary stops getting closer to a home I could no longer remember. Derek could still recall some times from before this all came to pass. I was only four years old, but he was only three weeks shy of his 17th birthday, so he remembers them, my parents… Every night for as long as I can remember, he would tell me stories. Stories about them, stories of how things used to be pre virus, and how we ended up here now.

“We thought things were getting back to normal,” I remember him saying. “After people started getting vaccinated, things were supposed to go back to normal.” With sadness in his eyes he would turn away but I knew tears would fall, they did often when he thought I wasn’t looking. Then there were some happy stories where he tells me about me getting excited for dance class and my parents and everyone would call me a little diva. He says I made my parents so happy. I was a blessing to them that came when they least expected it… “When they found out I was having a sister they were overjoyed,” he would say. “You were your father's daughter, sweet and with a heart of gold, but with an attitude and everything else that comes with it. You would dance around pretending to be a ballerina and always wanted to be the center of attention.” I loved hearing those stories. They're the ones that made him smile and it would warm my heart knowing how loved we were. I know how hard this has all been for him; having to raise me and take care of me all these years, but he's kept the promise he made my parents that fateful night to never leave my side and always do his best to take care of me.

I don't remember too much from that night; I was too young, but what I do remember is men in masks barging into our home after shooting our outdoor dogs and feeling so scared as my dad lunged at them before they shot him too. Derek says the last words he said were to take care of me while mom sat beside him as he took his last breath and she made him make her the same promise before we were hauled away. That's the last time we saw them…

“Hey, you’ve been in a daze today! Haven’t had much to say. Are you OK?” I look up at my brother and give a faint smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just thinking about everything we’ve been through just to be here now. It all seems so surreal, you know? In a few days we should be arriving to a house we once knew as ours and we have no idea what to expect! What if we made a mistake trying to go back? What if after all this time there is no home to go to? I’m scared, Derek!”

“I know little sister, but we can’t let the fear of the unknown keep us from getting to where I know in my heart we’re meant to be. We’ve been through so much already but I just know we have to get back there.”

“OK brother, I trust you. You’ve always done what’s best. I am glad you have been there for me since this all happened.”

Day had turned to dusk and I helped Derek start a fire. We were having fish we had caught earlier in the day. One of the life lessons our parents had taught us. Every Sunday we would go to the lake to barbecue and fish. Derek says it was something we looked forward to doing as a family; Sunday fun day he would say. Who would have thought something we did as a hobby or pastime would be key in surviving all these years?

We ate sitting around the fire as had become our new custom, and talked about the days that led to our decision to leave the camp they had taken us to so many years ago…

The night was calm, the moon was bright and the stars twinkled…

Derek spoke, “I remember being scared but I knew I had to do whatever to keep you safe. You were so small, only four years old and your eyes were swollen from all the crying by the time we reached camp. We drove for hours and barely made any stops before we got to the place that we would call home for years to come…”

He looked up at the sky with a blank look on his face. I know he didn’t like to talk about it, but he continued.

“Someone was prepared. While the world thought things were getting better somebody somewhere was preparing for the unimaginable.”

Derek got up and made his way to our tent to rest up for the night while I sat there remembering all too well the story of our first time in our new home.

From what Derek had told me before, we approached a hidden entrance to the Rocky Mountains and we were led in. People were gathered in a group waiting for further instructions. For days people were being let in a little at a time. We were told that we had been taken there as a precaution and that it wouldn’t be long before we’d be on our way back home.

Little did we know…

I grabbed a blanket and laid it out. It was a beautiful night, and I decided to lay on my back and gaze at the stars. For a moment, I thought about my parents. Were they watching over us? I liked to believe that they were.

Back at camp, days and nights, it made no difference. We were locked in, unable to leave, and we had no idea when night would come. My brother and I shared a room with a few other people. People like us, who had not been vaccinated. People, who sooner than later became more like family. Reasons that led them to the same fate were because you weren't of age to get vaccinated, you had an underlying illness, which is why my brother had been sent here with me and not left behind, or you simply didn't want to get it.

We were safe there. It had all been planned out. Among the people there were doctors, scientists, teachers and farmers, anyone who they thought was needed to make sure the human population would be saved, but we had no idea what organization had put it all together. We did what we were told and just hoped for the best.

We didn't bring up the past too much. It was too painful. We focused on getting through one day at a time. Days turned to months. Months turned in to years. Before we knew it, close to twenty years had passed and things were starting to change. People were talking and it wasn't long before word got out about how things outside the camp were improving. We got confirmation from Derek's girlfriend, Elizabeth, who's father was in charge of sending out missions outside the camp on a yearly basis. It was then we decided to leave and make our way back home. She along with another group of friends would meet up with us later when we'd settle.

After figuring out what day the next mission would be deployed made things easy for us . We signed up to take part, but when it was time to go back Derek and I headed South and never looked back.

We each had backpacks full of food and supplies and only stopped at any abandoned homes or stores along the way if we were running low on anything. So far our trip down had been easy , sure I was scared of what we were getting home to, but so far it looked like everything was calm.

We had heard stories of how the vaccines had changed people. A breakout had started which is why we were taken away in the first place, but after all these years seems everyone affected had been killed off. The few people we had come across confirm that the world was no longer affected by all the pollutants the human race once knew and that they had done what was necessary to survive.

Getting sleepy, I turned in for the night, expecting to get an early start on our journey the following morning.

I was getting more anxious the closer we got. It wouldn't be long now. “Do you recognize anything?” I asked.

“The town should be coming in to view soon. We should be able to see the old high school as we come in.”

Sure enough the old building came to view. Derek stood there remembering the last time he stood in those hallways. It was a lifetime ago.

“I used to hate coming to school,” he smirks. “Now, I just wish we could go back.”

There was no memory of this town for me. I was far too young. We continued our journey and finally, we stood in front of what had once been our happy place. The old wooden fence was almost completely torn down and we stood there contemplating what to do next.

We saw a wooden cross under the big tree in the front yard. Kneeling together beside it, we knew it was my dad that was buried there. Time stood still. The house looked weathered and some of the windows were broken but with tears in our eyes we made our way in.

Old family photos still hung on the wall. “Wow! How did this all manage to stay up all these years?” Derek asked surprised.

We were both perplexed with emotions. What we came to find next we were not prepared for. Laying on my parent’s bed were skeletal remains, an old gun and a bible; in the bible contained a heart shaped locket necklace, photos of our family and an old letter.

The letter read:

Derek and Josephine,

I pray this letter finds you one day. I've held on as much as I could but time has run out. 18 years since I last saw you. I've managed to survive this long in hopes to see you again. What I've been through are things I will not disclose to you. There’s no reason to cause more grief. Just know that I fought tooth and nail to wait for you. It won't be much longer. There's not many left but one got me today. I fought unsuccessful but made it back to ensure you got this. Derek, carry this bible. It will help guide you. Josephine please wear this beautiful necklace with pride. It will be a constant reminder of how much your father, bless his soul, and I love you.

Everyone needs to know. We were not all condemned. Not all people vaccinated had to die…….

Love always,

Your Mother