Ruins A.G.A. 2nd Novel in the Ruinsaga series

Chapter 4 .

Lily

I ran to Tanner as Hunter and Victory engulfed Grace in a hug. Tears spilled from my eyes and onto my cheeks. I didn't even care how cold that made my cheeks as I jumped into my brother's arms. I sobbed into his shoulder. Everything I had been holding in came spilling out. Our parent's death, Grant and his dad, all the people we tried to save who died along the way, the neighbors I saw as zombies, friends now turned zombie trying to eat me, no cars, no electricity, having to see my ax kill zombies that were once people, Darren getting wrapped up in that RU in? place, learning about dragons and vampires and venefici and knowing there were other creatures in the world we didn't know about.

His strong arms held me close to him and I knew for at least that moment, I didn't have to be strong. He would be strong for me.

"Tanner!" Mackenzie's voice cried out from behind me and then Tanner was holding both of us.

Tanner's shoulders shuddered and only then did I realize he was crying too. I held onto him tighter. Mackenzie was audibly crying beside me as she hugged both me and Tanner.

"Mom?" Richard said. "Mom!" He rushed passed us. I looked over Tanner's shoulder through bleary eyes. Richard crushed Mrs. Anderson in a tight hug. She clung onto him.

I pulled away from Tanner. He quickly wiped the tears off his cheeks. I wiped my own cheeks. Molly barked excitedly between us.

"Molly, come back here," Arthur called to her. She bounced back to his side, but immediately ran back out and circled Richard and his mom.

"Where's mom and dad?" Tanner asked me.

I froze. Fresh tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away. "They didn't make it," I said quietly.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Maybe they are hiding out somewhere. We could go back and check."

I shook my head. "I'm sure. I saw them myself."

Tanner turned his face to the sky as tears sprang to his eyes.

"What about our mom and dad?" Grace asked Hunter.

Hunter swallowed. "They didn't make it either."

"Not even mom?"

Hunter shook his head.

"But . . .," Grace's voice trailed off.

"Hunter thinks she let herself die when she saw dad turn," Victory said quietly.

Grace pulled both Hunter and Victory back into the hug.

"Rich," Mrs. Anderson said, "your dad . . ."

"I know," Richard interrupted her. "I know."

"Nancy," Bev said. She walked passed us calmly to stand by Richard and Mrs. Anderson.

"Bev," Nancy said. She pulled away from Richard and hugged Bev. "Does that mean Darren is here too?" she asked.

"Hi, Mrs. Anderson," Darren said from the doorframe.

"More visitors," Gunnor said from behind me. It startled me. I had no idea he was there.

"Come inside," Jin said. "You don't have to stand out in the cold."

"I'm all for that," a young man said behind Mrs. Anderson. I had been vaguely aware there were others, but I had been so caught up in my brother that I hadn't paid them any attention.

"No," Grace said. "We're leaving. Get your stuff," she said to Hunter and Victory. They both nodded and moved to comply.

"Wait," Maria said, "Jin is teaching me magic. We can't leave yet."