Chapter 1:

I curled up behind a large rock on the dusty ground and pulled my stuffed bear out of my bag.

"Don't worry, Casharinu. We'll be fine," I whispered to it.

Casharinu had been my safety blanket since my family was taken from me. Everything was taken. I found Casharinu sitting in a box, in the corner of our basement when the draculoids raided our house. They took my family, and everything my house contained. I ran into the basement for shelter, and hid in the box. I was small enough that I could fit. I don't know why the box was left, but it was. When I climbed out, everyone was gone- My mother, father, and brother. It's been 9 years since BLi had taken over Battery City, and had taken my family. I was still clothed in the same fabric as I had been that day, except for a vest that I had found on the road. It wasn't much, but it helped me look a little more put together. My clothes were covered in dirt, blood, spit, and possibly other fluids/solids that I wasn't going to get into. My jeans were too short, my shirt now exposed my stomach, and my shoes were 2 sizes too small. I'd have to cut myself out of them by now. I've gotten used to pain, emotional, and physical. I had to. I was alone.

"Don't worry," I repeated as I tucked the bear under my head.
The sun was just setting, and it had already started to get colder. That's the one bad thing about being alone in the desert. No shelter, no warmth, no nothing. I balled up with my arms locked around Casharinu and my knees. It wasn't the most comfortable of positions, but it was the only way I didn't feel so vulnerable. I'd almost been taken away several times, just like my family. I've also played the part of a murderer those times too. It was my only chance at survival. Survival included something I had never even had the slighted thought about doing until it became vital. I had to eat. Go ahead and label me insane, because I am. I've grown to enjoy the taste of blood, and human flesh. It's hard to swallow sometimes, because I think about what I'm actually doing. I have to pretend I'm a zombie before I do anything in the zone of cannibalism.

Thinking about the past, and what events passed the past few days made me shudder. My stomach growled, and I growled back. Another rumble made the ground vibrate, and I doubted that to be my stomach. I stuffed Casharinu back into my bag, felt around in my pocket for my blade and pulled it out, flicking it open.
In the distance, a headlight made my blade shine. I crouched behind the rock, ready to attack if any problems were to occur. Slowly a brightly decorated Trans-Am pulled up, and you could tell it wasn't from the city. It couldn't be. There was only a few people that could be in that car.

The Killjoys.

I'd been avoiding everyone for the past 9 years, and I never would have thought to come across the killjoys. They were rebels, just like me. I didn't know if they could be trusted. They were armed, of course. The car approached, slowing down little by little, and eventually came to a stop.

"Someone's not very good at hide and seek,"

I ducked behind the rock in hopes that they would keep driving on, and forget about me.

I was wrong.