When the video is posted on YouTube it's an instant hit. Within days everyone's talking about it, 'Have you seen the 'Scared Bird-Kid' video? It's really freaky At first I thought it was a joke, but it looks so real.' 'It's defiantly fake, but still scary.' "who is she? Do you know who she is?" "Who is the scared Bird-Kid?"

"No One Knows..." Maybe it's a weird/clever trailer for a new horror film? Maybe it's a viral add for something. A new company or a product line? Or maybe, just maybe it's real. There's something about it. Something about the kid. No 6-year-old is that good of an actor. And if somone's playing a trick on her, their really sick and they've done a way too good of a job. Who would deliberately scare a young kid that much? Even after every thing that happens, when the whole world changes forever. when people realize the video was'nt a hoax, but the beginning of the end. People will remember the Scared-Bird-Kid. Her terrified, poor face. It's like the last thing everyone saw before the lights went out.

She sat on an old mattress, a video camera in hand. It's clear she's been crying for ages, her eye are red and raw. Her face streaked with tears. She's shaking uncontrollably and her teeth are actually chattering. You could hear them. It would be funny if it was'nt so weird to be honest. She can hardly get her words out. Fear. "They're coming. You might not believe me, b-but swarms of infected!" The girl cries, her free hand slams itself hard onto her mouth. Green eyes dart to the left as she held her breath before letting out a small whisper.

"Oh, no..." Then as if a gun was shot the door behind her groaned under a heavy force. Snarling echoed through out the small space. This is where people viewing the video would scratch their heads. The girl who discarded the camera on the bed...had dark orange/red wings. Small, yet fluttering attachments that were ruffled in fright. A scream erupts the small girl, the barrier splintered and hands emerge. Hands, fingers missing and blood stained.

Oozing liquid streamed down pooling onto the carpeted floor. Surrounding objects were either ruined by the liquidizing properties, or engulfed in a matter of seconds. Choking back a strained sob, the girl turned to the audiences view. Lips trembling. "Please, save us."

And that's the end of it. People watch it over and over, trying to understand. Within a very short time, 'Scared Bird-Kid' becomes the most watched YouTube Clip ever. over 6 million in one month. Then, for some reason if you try clicking on the video link a window will pull up saying. (ERROR 6.78 Authorized Government Personal only)

So, they took down the video. That's got to stand for something. The day after; the whole YouTube site itself is shut off without any explanation. And the following hours, The internet stops working. Not a connection problem, I mean the whole world is out. It just disappears. That's when humanity finally realizes something really bad was happening.

But by then, we were to late.

Two Years Later= Star sang out from the hallway, "Goodmorning!" Her ear ringing soprano was pretty, but obnoxiously loud and altogether too happy sounding. My eyes slowly blinked open, covering my eyelids were this yellow crap Ashes likes to call, "Eye Snot.'

Lovely title right?

Rubbing it away I pushed myself to a sitting position. The air felt muggy, and I doubt anyone opened a window yet. Nope, still to early. I pulled the cover back and dropped my feet onto the wooden floor. A sharp feeling shot up from the ground and into my leg. Breathing sharply I stated through gritted teeth;

''Good God that's cold." I muttered suddenly.

Then on tiptoes I bounced to the small closet and opened the sliding panel. Inside were various things from old radio's to boxes of canned water. Yes, we did over excess on collecting items but hey, better safe than sorry. Back to what i was planning to get, socks. Not the broken novelty lamp I held in my hands. Wait, when did we find this? Oh well, placing it aside I crouched down. Rummaging through waste baskets and the occasional spider that decide to pop up. Mini heart attack why would yah? Till I found a lovely pair of foot warmers! (You have to enjoy the little things in life, good thing I watched, ZombieLand TM before this all happened) Leaning forward I slipped the cloth onto my feet, toes wiggling at the warm sensation. Oh, a hole. Bringing my left foot up I could barely see the outline of a 4 by 2 inch wide cut. "Could be worse" I sighed dejectedly .

Leaning back on both hands I brought myself up-ward, my toes shifting in their confined space. Letting out a small breath, with quick pace I walked over to the window. It's brown curtains created a ghostly glow surrounding it on the white wallpaper. Which was peeling down too the floor if I may add.

Reaching out with a gentle hand, I slowly undid the latch. Slipping in both hands till the wood broke free. Dust sputtered in and I waved my fingers back n' forth to rid the particles. Outside, well much like everything else. The world is in flames, the city we took shelter in. The video, the warning...Lost, we failed them. Today, it's the seventeenth of February. It's been a while since we've been outside I mean. looking out on this old window for It may be the last.

Side glancing behind me, my bedroom dark; the creatures have knocked down the electricity lines long ago. And no one brave enough would even go to the lobby and start up the generators, shoot I would'nt blame them. I scoffed.

"Nope, not me." Staring down towards the empty city right outside this complex, I tensed. A memory decide to peak it's in tress into my self conscious.

Droves of creatures, crawling over the mud and gunk ruined by their dreadful approach. The origin story is long and tiring. I wish not to re tell that tale, anytime soon that is. Basically these things are like nothing I've ever seen before. And trust me when I say that; I've seen some crazy crap. Disgusting, Abhorrent creatures. From afar, they appear to be wounded soldiers returning to the city. To live again in harmony with their own families. Perhaps with news of victory, of course no one but a fool would believe that sickening facade.

The sluggish, blood thirsty advance is easily mistaken by those with a trickle of optimism left in their minds. A wish for the triumphant march of home bound soldiers, like the scenes from old movies. Reality will soon hit the believes, leaving some mad or mentally fathomed that THIS was really real. Not some hormone inflicted nightmare.

These creatures are indeed soldiers, oh yes. But their valiant souls were stolen from them as they fell in battle. Creatures of whom were once what I would of called, friends. Slain and risen again as the enemy. Dead, and yet some how very much alive. From where I'm standing I could see a few dark outlines in the park, bodies slugging around aimlessly in search for food. None there bone heads. Or so I would hope.

I arched my back a small yawn spurt through my lips as I turned around to face the bed. My eyes squinted through the darkness, wait. Was that. Movement? Slowly my feet slid across the floor, hands resting on the wooden end of the large bed. Sizing up the sheets I could barely make-out a indention underneath the covers. Following the trail to the base wood where the blanket panned out and pillows where laid. Seemingly covering 'Someone's head'. Taking that thought in I narrowed my gaze, lips quirking upwards in a level banded smirk.

Crouching low for a split second I soundlessly leaped onto the sleeping form. Arms spread out as I tackled the body. Underneath my stomach I could feel the vibrations from the poor person as it let out a startled yell. Reeling back I braced my head as a fist came down onto my arm. Biting my lip, I wrapped my limbs around the upright form. 'Great, nice one Rue.' I spat at myself mentally. A large hand pulled upward into view; roughly removing the pillow from the person's face. A man, my man. Sappy line but true. His brown eyes shot around the room until the rested onto my small frame that was currently on his lap.

"What. The. Hell. Ruby!" He warned through grim features, brows pointed low. DANGER! My mind told me once again.

I gulped.

He frowned, lines creased through his forehead. I looked downcast, selfish of my actions. With a silent reassurance I mumbled; "good morning." I silently waited my hands clenching for his response. The air around us seemed to bump up two degrees; well to the point a slight blush dusted my cheeks.

A deep baritone chuckle startled me; frantically I peered upward with a slow gaining smile. Laughter then was shared between us, through the hysteria I could barely make out his reply,

"morni-ng' ." Lightly tan arms snaked their way around my waist as he pulled me closer, his chin rested firmly onto my head. Nestling back comfortably, my neck fitting into his chest. Rhythmically I felt his pattered heartbeat, strong and caring. My eyes shot up when a piercing gaze interrupted my thoughts. His fingers raised, grazing nails across my cheek.

"Should I even ask why must you do that?" White teeth grinned, eyes crinkling with amusement at his question.

"Ask what, Shade?" With a shy giggle, i shifted my backside forward; my body turned to him before resting on the crooks on my knees.

The sheets rumpled into a semi circle around my bare legs.. Shade made himself comfortable, crossing his own legs with arms outstretched before me. With an amused smirk; the man grabbed my shoulders with soft assurance.

"Nothing, never mind my heart."

Getting what he meant, I obliged. My brow furrowed, forming well-worn wrinkles as I settled heavily against his lightly muscle toned skin. The first time I'd hear him utter a specific question had been two nights ago, Shade was'nt one for small talk. Well, at least with me he is. The man was a 'retired' Scientist for goodness sake's, most all of his conversations withheld long explanations. Strong relations, reply's and announcements. Inspecting him for a few moments as we sat in silence I let out a muffled sigh. In my opinion he processes things TOO much.

Shade...he should try to tone down things a little. I won't say anything about it; sometimes he's too on point. But, i choose to stick with him, and I will never regret that decision. Never.

I felt soft bow like lips plant themselves onto my own and I leaned into the gesture whole heartedly. After several minutes of our well desired; 'Facebattle' Another pun curtsy to Rick, like living things we had to breath. Gasping in warm air, my neck flushed. The tips of my ears heated to the touch. Twirling an index finger through my hair he sent a small chuckle my way. "Your face is red my dear, platelets flow forces itself through your blood stream in four fifths of a second-" I placed both hands across his mouth to silence his observation.

"Methinks thou dost think too much." The man removed one of the lip coverings and chuckled. Chest leaning out, his noes inches from mine.

"Hamlet Rue? You remember Reading Shakespeare?" Breathing in deeply I buried down my face in his large ribs.

"Yes," Responding with a muffled reply, I kissed his skin. "Making fun of me?"

Feet tapped on the back of mine sending a ticklish sensation up my spine which I hid quite well. "Never, just appreciative that you remember me reading that to you." Bringing my hands over our laps, he encased his around my smaller appendages. "Your welcome." Sitting there once more in a developed, comfortable silence. Our heads pressed together, flexing my fingers I whispered.

"We have to get up." I simply told him, my eye lids closing as my left hand gently caressed his blond hair. I felt a light pressure on my noes, when I looked down I could see his lips leave a trail of small kisses down the peak of my face.

"Why must we?" Shade paused, chin raised up to the ceiling looking at something I could'nt see. "Could we not 'sleep in' as one may say?" He continued, eye brows creased with a pleading look in his features. I huffed, my arms crossing across my chest.

"No." After several minutes of persuasion and self promises he gave in.

He pulled me to him once more, my cheek against his mouth while he leaned back into the sheets. "If we are to get up now; we would have to put on clothes I conclude?" Another question, yet this one he was right. I glanced down at my large t-shirt covered body and sent him a small fit of laughter.

"Ok, five more minutes." (Oh, you guys thought they were...no. LOL I would of too. X3 )

14 minutes went by before I had properly crossed the room, got dressed and now heading out the door. I was presenting a red tank top with a faded anchor printed on the front, and brown baggy jeans to support. Still kept the socks on, I don't want to freeze. My hand reached for the door handle before I turned half way to give Shade a once over.

The man had plopped himself back into bed, and that means; He's asleep. For sure. Smirking I pushed out the wooden frame and stepped out into the dark hallway. Closing the door behind be with a dull 'click'. It was dark. My feet slapped against the wood flooring, eyes squinting against the ominous surroundings of our 'Home' made the setting even more creepier. We had taken refuge in this hotel of the course of 2 months ago.

The thought still startles me on how long we've been here. Here, everything was practically falling apart. No house keepers, sweepers, or the sort. Just us that we know of so far, not counting the man we saw four rooms over. We had a bad run in with the guy; basically he's dead to us. Harsh as it sounds it's true.

The walls of our dwelling all are a dirty cream, and red-wood flooring held everything together. Fingers grazed the chipped wall paper, focusing on faded picture frames that passed by me while I walked. Faces of people I did'nt know, kids tumbling mid-flight from a swing set. Probably a family lived here once from the looks of it. But, with the odds of everything their probably long dead. I paused, my fingers ringing around a band that was wrapped around my wrist. Bringing the elastic to my teeth as I pushed all of my curly hair into a single section. Wrapped it with the hair band and pulled the ends till the hold was nice and tight. Swishing my head back and forth to secure it back. Continuing on, my feet sunk into a nice plush material. Suddenly, I felt pressure surrounding my toes and the spot where the sock was torn I could make out a scratchy like fabric. Red carpet. My head held upwards to take in the area. Small candles littered the living room, shadows protruding around the objects creating a ghostly like effect. Like that's what we need, Supernatural beings along with the Dead? "Call the Winchesters if that's the case." I muttered out that last bit.

The room smelled weird, like moldy pizza. If I could even remembered what that aroma was like. Anyways, beside's my odd connection with that memory and the stench of the living space. I'm warning you I'm mental. The past years, my life has been rough. Just as an added bonus the things we're meant to kill, come back. Woohoo, one for the team!

Crossing the stiff carpet I let my hands drag across the leather couch. The material itself on the seat was peeling off here and there. I guess because it's old. To my left a large indention in the wall drew my thoughts. A shape pressed into the wood, litters of cracks lining the mark. Dragging upwards for several inches before stopping. Someone or something was thrown here. Sighing a bit, forgeting the adnormalty as quickly as the thoughts came to mind. My arms wrapped around themselves and rested against my chest.

Before me a barricaded object, it's box shape stood out against the walls flat surface. Nails littered the covering, peering close enough I could see a reflection on the other side. Of what once was a window. This reminded me of a question brought up by Ashes about a week ago.

/"Closing off the window will keep the meanies out?" She had asked, her green doe eyes glimmering with curiosity. I had looked down at the small girl, he wavy red hair framed around her face in a sort of halo. I could'nt lie to her; the child knew about our situation better than the rest of us. She was smack dab in the middle of this problem just like me. Opening my mouth to speak I then was curtly interrupted, a woman around my height walked in. He shoulder length blondish brown hair bounced with each step. Green eyes bright in the sun's setting act. The lights around us dimming their performance from the days end. "

Yes, it will, Ash' ." Replying with a light tone of voice, the woman leaned down to pat the girl's head.

"You did'nt have to tell her that you know." I whispered harshly, a loose curl unraveled it self into my view; watching the strand a split second before blowing it away. The brown haired avian American sutured back into where I was sitting, in her hands two glasses of water one in which she handed to me. Saying my thanks she sat down at my side. The leather couch dipped low, jaw clenched from the sharp 'twang' the broken springs produced.

We both winced.

"Do you really think telling her is the best thing?," Pausing to compose herself, she shifted her hips to face my direction. Both my gaze and her's staring at each other. Her back slouched, the ball of the cup rested wobbly in her hands.\

"I-I don't want this to trigger anything, with just settling down an' all." I nodded slowly, tipping the drink to my lips I sipped the cool liquid down. 'Just like me.' I had repeated, yes of course. With the experiments and all. To be used as a simple lab rat for their conclusions, then only to be set free a world of chaos? Opening my mouth to speak again, an audible 'Crack' echoed through the apartment. A sharp intake into my lungs brought me back to reality,

Then i had noticed a tall figure securing the boards. Hands gripping the wrench as muscles did their work to tighten the screw.

Red hair tied in a pony tail, messy but upright. Tired purple eye's barely seen from our way as the man turned to us. His figure; yellow muscle shirt, tan knee shorts, and brown flip flops. He'd been twirling the wrench in his hands for several minutes.

"So, 'miss princess' here told my sister anyways?" Frown lines creased across his forehead. Angry. Star sighed, clenching her cup tighter. "Look, she did'nt say anything. Alright?" Firmly a clank was heard as she placed down the drink on the table. I peered between the two, unable to decide whether of not to intervene. "Right, like I'm supposed to believe that when I saw Ash's face." His noes uplifted in my directing, staring me down with a small burst of rage. I could feel the emissions deep in my bones.

Giving him a blank expression, I took another gradual drink from the beverage. I could see his jaw close.

"She. Was. Crying." He said through clenched teeth, legs locked. I took another slow sip, lowering it from my mouth to look down at the empty bottom. "How do you think I felt when she brought up that she knew. She knew, the real reason why we're locking ourselves up like this."

You could cut the air with a dull knife because the tension was so thick. Beside me I could sense rather than see Star's aggravation. Her hand's clenching around the tails of her cargo pants.

"Rick," She paused, her actions to stare up at him. "Ash came in questioning the build, Ruby was jus-"

"oh, so that's going to convince me." He dared, leaning down to eye-level with us. "Trying to persuade a small girl that we were quote, 'Keeping the meanies out' when likewise Ashes thinks that were going to be trapped again!" Ricky's voice rose to a loud whisper, his tone laced with venom. "

It makes me sick that you actually could convince a small child, even. That we could be safe, when all of her life she's had to live in a cage. Back at the labs, Ash never saw light." Bending down on both knee's his eyes squinted in my direction, an index finger pointing at us in turn.

"Star, you got to have a year's leave when you were eight years old, and where did you escape to?"

The woman looked to her bare feet, her toes clenching several times.

"England."

He just stared at her, crossing his hands between his legs. "Just because you were good, does'nt mean that you can have the upper hand." Ricky hissed, a semi growl escaped his lips. "And you," This time I jumped at the sudden rise in his voice, almost barking at me. My back had pressed hard into the couch, my cup shaking.

"To think I trusted you. When all along you were with that, White Coat." Taking in this information, my neck closed up. 'Shade' I thought simply, eyeing down the hall way. "He was-no IS one of those bastards that experimented on us remember!" Rick half shouted, his face growing nearer. "I just, can't seem to get it through your thick scull how wrong this is." Taking both sets of hands, Rick brought them up and held by head. Patterned thumbs worn with callouses pressed hard into my head, a sickening crash echoed the room.

I dropped my cup.

Tears pooled their way into the corner of my eyes. Closing each eyelid to halt their advance, salt burned to the ridge of my nose when one escaped. I was'nt scared of him, not one bit. It was just the thought of his feelings toward shade and myself. My stomach did somersaults. I could feel his breath as the 18 year old man leaned in to say something. Only to be cut off.

"You. Son of. A bitch." Just as I turned to Star, her fist whirled through the air and connected with Rick's face. With a resounding 'Crash' my attention whirled to the right just in time to see the red haired mutant hit the wall. Cracks broke apart, surrounding him in a circle. Paper littering the floor around him as pieces fell. I blinked several times to register what had happened. So, Ricky just had his butt-er face whooped. Flew across the room, and BAM K.O? Assuming as such with a minor childlike reaction, I brought the consideration back to my friend.

"Star, are you alright?' Pressing down the couch, I readied myself to stand. The woman pushed me down, my gaze following her as she passed me.

Her hand shaking, fingers bouncing on each other as a blast of air seeped through her teeth. She winced silently, only so that I could hear. "

Why did you do that!" I could make out between the cursing that the over turned man gave off, I behold-ed Ricky's slumped form. Dependent on the wall behind him for support. Star's frown deepened, advancing on him. "Because," Hair sprawled out between her shoulder blades, and with both arms she reached out to grab him again. But was grid locked in place.

Her gaze stared past us both to a point her eye's could travel on forever. I double took the room before I too leaned over the couch. Arms stretched to inspect whatever it she was watching. 'Oh no.' I gulped rather loudly, and who ever close enough could plainly hear it as I swallowed. There, standing with the authority of a whole task force. A 17 year old woman with long, very long jet black hair. Reaching two inches past the middle of her spine. Tan short-shorts and a lightly black Hugo tank top, her feet bare as well. Both arms set at the crook of her waist, fingers tapping at the situation. Icy baby blue eyes took in with a blank expression.

My face dead panned.

It was Kori.

(Hey everyone. Sorry this took so long, basically this is like the Pilot to the first book out of the Trilogy, So. With every aspect of problems going on the outside, tensions have been rising far beyond the breaking point. The question is, will it get resolved. Thanks for the support and patience. Oh, and that song I added is what I could picture being the opening to this book per-say, you'll find out why in the next up coming chapters. Anyways, BYE My feathery friends!

-RW)