THREE

Before life turned to hell overnight, kid three had a name, a family, and most of all, a past.

Raised in a warehouse with twenty-one other orphans, all were numbered instead of named. The Elders as they called themselves, were rough taskmasters who forced their charges to perform backbreaking tasks to earn their keep. Too traumatized to remember her parents or past, three did her best to survive in a world where a seven-year-old was beaten daily by the older children for a bite of food.

Three reached the age where the Elders told her it was time for her to join the colony. She was thirteen. She had heard too many terrifying stories of what happened to young girls and boys, such as slavery, sexual predation, and more. Instead, three waited until everyone was asleep and snuck quietly into the Nearby storage room and took anything that she could use as a weapon. She then crawled under the high Steele walls and out into the darkness. Sadly, no one would care that she had gone.

The small amount of food she brought with her did not last, water was also a scarcity in the blackened forest. No animals survived here, no streams or creeks existed after the firebombs had exploded. The worst danger was not nature but something inhuman. The war had begun with unmanned drones flying overhead and dropping bombs over the forests and fields. Three had heard many of the tales of people and livestock alike dying horribly. The Elders said it was due to Russia or Korea, but three also heard it was our own government that wanted to stop a plague from spreading. Whatever it was, none of the Elders had found out the truth. Those in the colony had any facts either. After the Covid 2020 crisis, they said the radio had stated that only drastic measures would stop another serious health crisis. All she knew for certain, was that colonies had been developed to prevent the healthy from getting exposed to the sick.

On the fourth day of her freedom, three was feeling sick and contemplating turning back. She fell often, getting back up, hoping for something she could not name to help her. With the last fall, she lay on the ground, crying in despair. Eyes closed, she felt something wet licking her tears away. Opening her eyes, she saw a dog! The first real animal she had seen since the fire day. It had kind brown and slightly clouded eyes, he looked old and matted. She reached slowly and began running her hands through the soft fur. She noticed that something was around his neck. Carefully removing it, she noted that it was a silver necklace with a heart-shaped locket on it. Slipping it off, she rubbed the somehow familiar heart, cleaning off the dirt, finding the clasp, and popping it open. Gasping, she realized she knew the people inside. A memory began to form of a brown-haired man and blonde woman. Mom, dad, yes it was her locket from the past. How did the dog get it? Were they alive somewhere? Turning to the back, she found the word barely legible, “Abigail”. She had a name and parents now.

“I can’t stop now” she said. Gaining her feet, she motioned to the dog to go. Following him through the blackened landscape, she noticed that some life had returned. Small saplings had risen from the ruins of once beautiful lands. A sudden clap of thunder was soon followed by heavy rainfall. Abigail placed a tarp over branches to catch the liquid and funneled it into jugs and bottles she had in her pack. Even though she was drenched, she kept on, fingers stroking the locket around her neck, hoping to find someone who could help her soon.

After another day and a half, the dog stopped at the edge of the black land. Abigail caught up to him and saw green grass for the first time. Scattered in patches, with small trees here and there, it was like a paradise of life. She saw fruit on one of the trees and took a bite after picking a red one. It was the most delicious thing she’d ever eaten. Dog barked, running ahead as she tried to catch up. He led her to a small cabin made of stone. Smoke came out of the top. Dog barked and a woman opened the door. She had a bandana tied around her hair but a few blonde pieces cam out. She saw Abigail and then looked at the locket around her neck. She ran her hands to her own neck where an identical locket sat.

Abigail ran to her mother, sobbing and babbling happily as strong arms crushed her, hugging tightly. When both were calm, her mother gave her food and began telling her story. She said that when the bombs began, Abigail was on a school field trip. Her parents had been tested for diseases and forced into a colony of healthy individuals. After sneaking out, they had made every possible effort to find her whereabouts. They had gone to every colony but been turned away. Finally, they had built the cabin and planted seeds stolen from the original colony storage. They had crops which they traded at the colony gates. Dog had shown up about 6 years ago and the locket was put around his neck as a way of trying to find their lost child. Abigail asked about her dad who her mother said was on a trading trip. She was so excited to meet him that she could hardly sleep. She held tightly to her mother all night, afraid to let go.

The next morning, dog was barking, and Abigail ran to the door. A tall thin man was leading two sheep and carrying some chickens. Abigail woke her mother, grabbed her hand and they ran to greet him. “Dad” she yelled. He was so shocked that he let go of the chickens and threw his arms around his daughter. After many happy tears, the reunited family put the new animals with the ones already on the farm. Over a meal, news from the colonies was shared. It seemed that a new vaccine was available. It would be distributed using criteria. It would still be years before anyone could leave the colonies.

For now, the family of three was safe and together.