The Chasers

1

I woke up in a soft meadow. Wild flowers as far as the eye could see. Grass enveloping me in a blanket like dream.

"Willow, wake up!" Wait, aren't I awake?
Long eyelashes flutter open to reveal that once again, that meadow was a dream and there was my friend sitting over me telling me it was time to go. Everyday the same thing, walk across the ocean that was now a desert, the war destroyed this half of the earth and here we were, smack dab in the middle of it. You met lots of people going in the same direction looking for the same thing. A better life.

The war happened before I was born, I wasn't even a thought until we won. I was a accident. My parents always wanted a child but not after this war, they wanted to find a better life before I came. My mother died when I was 3. I don't remember her well, I remember long red curls and a smile. Maybe it's a dream that I just want to believe, maybe she didn't smile, I like to think she did though. I was too young to really remember or miss her. The day she died my dad lost his love, he loved my mom, they made it through the war together. I think he loves me, he just doesn't know how to show love for me.

I get up and look around an the surroundings I've seen my whole life. Sand, a couple lizards that managed to survive, they aren't that great, radiation has made the beautiful things awful. It's been three days since a sickness has started to spread through camp. My dad is sick, 4 of the people in our 10 person group are sick. It's been repetitive blood vomiting and coughing and everyone is scared. I'm scared.

I look up at my best friend Aurelia (ah-reel-ya). She has black hair long enough to put into a small ponytail, petite facial features apart from her eyes. Beautiful curious blue eyes. She has a cover over her mouth and her eyebrows are creased and worried. That's how I know something is wrong. She's an optimist, always happy and positive.
"He's entered the final stage."

Tears pool into my eyes as I process this. Only one in our group has died so far. This disease spreads and ends so quickly. We have no medicine and no idea what caused it.

I run to my fathers side and he's crying too. It's blood. It's all blood. The tears, his mouth is stained that sickening red color, his nose is bleeding and he's crying. I want him to stop crying.

I'm choked up and my words are strained, "Hey dad."

His lips form into a gentle smile and he struggles to take my hands in his. How do you focus when the one person you've known your whole life is slipping from your fingers so quickly. He may not have shown his love much but I know he loves me and I don't know what I'm going to do. All these thoughts are flitting through my brain, so many questions.

He squeezes my hands, "I love you, Willow."
I can't speak, I can't breathe as his grip loosens and his smile fades. The raspy breathing stops and I'm not ready.
"Dad?"
Nothing.
I can't think as its all happening, I'm blinking hard, I'm screaming and now I'm curled up on his chest as everyone stares. No one knows what to say.
I don't know how long it's been. Minutes, hours, but I finally get up with strength I didn't think I had in me and I start walking to my better future. Everyone gets up and follows.