The Safe Zone (The Dead Zone Book Two)

Chapter 1

Bryson turns his eyes to the sky, a cool breeze catching the hood of his jacket, threatening to steal away what little warmth he was trying to retain. Winter was approaching quickly as leaves began to fall from trees, leaving behind nothing but bare skeletons reaching for the heavens.

The naked trees and stench of rotting leaves reminded him of death. Over the last year, the circle of life had become a lot more complicated; the undead, (mindless, bloodthirsty zombies which he'd dubbed roamers) still milled through the countryside, spreading from the clogged cities and urban areas in vast numbers, forcing himself and his friends to constantly be on guard.

But despite all the glaring negatives of their situation, some positives had come from this experience. While he'd lost most of his family, what he'd discovered now was a new type of family; the kind of bond he'd never known could exist, especially for someone like him. They all knew how easy it was to lose yourself in a world like this one. Their trio had grown by one, as he looked over at Zach and Evie who lay huddled together in a lean-to near the small fire they'd built.

And Paige. Paige, the dark beauty he'd fallen head over heels for. His favorite personification of midnight. The woman who had saved not only his brother's life, but his own, in more ways than she even knew. The fire glinted off of her dark hair, turning it muted shades of amber in the cold almost-morning sunlight threatening to peak over the horizon.

Her onyx eyes turned to him then, laced with worry, causing his heart to skip a beat. Even after all this time, she still managed to have this effect on him. Brushing herself off, she rose to join him, leaving Zach and Evie alone.

"Something's bothering you." It's not a question. Just as he was aware of her, her senses were in tune with his; she could always detect his mood, which she reflected back at him in this moment.

"Winter is coming fast. If we don't find Lemuria soon, we're going to freeze to death out here. Maybe we should consider finding somewhere else to hole up until spring."

"No, we can't give up yet. We're so close... I can feel it." He saw determination in her eyes. He knew how badly Paige wanted to find Lemuria, the city that was offering safe haven to anyone in need. He wanted that as well. The promise of safety and strength in numbers was an offer not even he could refuse.

But the truth of the matter was, they'd been searching all the nearby cities for weeks, and had come up with nothing. Evie had said that they'd been broadcasting advertisements on the radio, but they'd yet to come across one that works, and they had to keep going forward. What lay behind was nothing but pain and danger.

"I hope you're right. But if we don't find it by the first snow, we're going to have to reconsider our options."

She was silent for a moment, her dark eyes sweeping over the thinning forest. "Okay." She sighs. "But you have to tell them."

Zach and Evie were already staring at them, intrigued by their whispered conversation.

"Fine." He says begrudgingly, going over to warm his hands by the fire. Paige stares at him expectantly.

"Have you guys put any thought into what happens if we don't find Lemuria before winter gets here?" He asks, looking pointedly at his brother, trying to gauge his reaction.

"No... not really." Evie admits, although now that the seed is planted in her mind, he can see the wheels turning. Evie doesn't speak much, only to Zach most of the time, and he can't help but wonder what she'd been through back at Cedarville to make her that way. He could only imagine the horrors she'd been subjected to; unlike his brother, she'd been there for months on end. And while she was resigned, that didn't cloak her sharp mind. She was a very smart girl.