Chapter One- June 30th
The soft sounds of a harmonica traveled down the otherwise silent streets of Valencia, Ohio, rousing Cio Nyota from a rather fitful rest. She groaned softly, trying to remember why she was sleeping outside in the park instead of at her house. A few more notes sounded from the harmonica before it all came rushing back to her. It had started two weeks ago, with all of those people getting sick and the army people barricading the roads. Her parents had been among those who had fallen to "Captain Trips", and it wasn't long after they died that she had been unable to stay in the house. Her search throughout the neighborhood had left her with the conclusion that she was the only person left, until this morning, with her awakening to the instrument's lonely serenade.
"Of course harmonicas don't play themselves." She spoke aloud, as if to assure herself that she hadn't joined the former residents of Valencia in their fates. That out of the way, Cio decided to see if she could find whoever was playing the harmonica. From the sound of it, they were in the direction of the lake in the town park. "Maybe they'll have a house with an extra room." She mused, continuing her one-sided dialogue. "It sure would beat this onion grass."
Quite to her surprise, the musician turned out to be a boy who seemed to me only a few years older than she was. His back was turned to her at the moment, so she could only see that he had brown hair (that blatantly defied gravity in places). He was seated on a rock about six or seven feet out on the water, and with the effects of the sunlight dancing off of the water's surface compounded with her own crushing loneliness, the sight bordered on ethereal in her eyes. Cio opened her mouth to say something, but was struck with the fear that the boy could be a mere hallucination, and anything she said might cause him to disappear like the morning mist. Even when the boy turned around, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of her, she held on to her silence. The boy's surprise soon faded, turned his gasp into a delighted smile. With and unexpected display of athletic ability, he easily jumped from the rock to shore without losing his balance and dashed up the slope leading to the path that Cio was currently standing on. Stopping about four feet in front of her, he paused to catch his breath, grinning like there was no tomorrow. It struck Cio as morbidly amusing that there might be some truth to that idiom these days. "I thought I was the only one left in the whole city." The boy began. "I live near the trailer parks, so that might explain why I've never seen you around. Where do you live?" Cio couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Are you real, or am I just imagining you?" she asked softly, as if to keep from scaring him away. The boy jerked in surprise to the question, then patted himself a couple of times, producing a firm thumping sound. "I'm pretty sure I am. If not, you have a really good imagination. Unable to contain her relief at finding companionship, Cio dashed forwards and embraced him. "What.?" the boy started, then relaxed and hesitantly patted her on the back. Convinced now?" he asked softly. Cio broke away from him and nodded, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not used to being myself. You're the first person I've seen since my parents died."
The two of them stood in silence for a moment, reflecting on the events of the last few weeks. Felling somewhat awkward, Cio spoke up. "Let's try this again." She smoothed out the front of her shirt, then extended a hand. "My name is Cio Nyota. Pleased to meet you."
The boy eyed her hand for a moment, and smiling, reached out with his own and shook it. "Mine's Tairesu Viscarra. Likewise. Now what do you say we get some thing to eat and come up with a way to get out of here?" Cio's smile increased ten-fold at the prospect of real food. "That sounds great. I haven't had anything good since the power when out." "I know how you feel. I got lucky and found a small gasoline generator and hooked it up to a fridge. I haven' got a lot of selection, but there's stuff for a club sandwich. Sound good?" "That's the best thing I've heard in a long time. What are we waiting for?" Tairesu shrugged, then started walking back to the house he'd been staying in. Cio stood where she was for a little longer, glancing out to the rock in the water. "Well, I guess dreams do come true." She mused, then hurried to catch up with Tairesu.
If he thought he was getting that sandwich to himself, he was crazy.
The soft sounds of a harmonica traveled down the otherwise silent streets of Valencia, Ohio, rousing Cio Nyota from a rather fitful rest. She groaned softly, trying to remember why she was sleeping outside in the park instead of at her house. A few more notes sounded from the harmonica before it all came rushing back to her. It had started two weeks ago, with all of those people getting sick and the army people barricading the roads. Her parents had been among those who had fallen to "Captain Trips", and it wasn't long after they died that she had been unable to stay in the house. Her search throughout the neighborhood had left her with the conclusion that she was the only person left, until this morning, with her awakening to the instrument's lonely serenade.
"Of course harmonicas don't play themselves." She spoke aloud, as if to assure herself that she hadn't joined the former residents of Valencia in their fates. That out of the way, Cio decided to see if she could find whoever was playing the harmonica. From the sound of it, they were in the direction of the lake in the town park. "Maybe they'll have a house with an extra room." She mused, continuing her one-sided dialogue. "It sure would beat this onion grass."
Quite to her surprise, the musician turned out to be a boy who seemed to me only a few years older than she was. His back was turned to her at the moment, so she could only see that he had brown hair (that blatantly defied gravity in places). He was seated on a rock about six or seven feet out on the water, and with the effects of the sunlight dancing off of the water's surface compounded with her own crushing loneliness, the sight bordered on ethereal in her eyes. Cio opened her mouth to say something, but was struck with the fear that the boy could be a mere hallucination, and anything she said might cause him to disappear like the morning mist. Even when the boy turned around, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of her, she held on to her silence. The boy's surprise soon faded, turned his gasp into a delighted smile. With and unexpected display of athletic ability, he easily jumped from the rock to shore without losing his balance and dashed up the slope leading to the path that Cio was currently standing on. Stopping about four feet in front of her, he paused to catch his breath, grinning like there was no tomorrow. It struck Cio as morbidly amusing that there might be some truth to that idiom these days. "I thought I was the only one left in the whole city." The boy began. "I live near the trailer parks, so that might explain why I've never seen you around. Where do you live?" Cio couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Are you real, or am I just imagining you?" she asked softly, as if to keep from scaring him away. The boy jerked in surprise to the question, then patted himself a couple of times, producing a firm thumping sound. "I'm pretty sure I am. If not, you have a really good imagination. Unable to contain her relief at finding companionship, Cio dashed forwards and embraced him. "What.?" the boy started, then relaxed and hesitantly patted her on the back. Convinced now?" he asked softly. Cio broke away from him and nodded, slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not used to being myself. You're the first person I've seen since my parents died."
The two of them stood in silence for a moment, reflecting on the events of the last few weeks. Felling somewhat awkward, Cio spoke up. "Let's try this again." She smoothed out the front of her shirt, then extended a hand. "My name is Cio Nyota. Pleased to meet you."
The boy eyed her hand for a moment, and smiling, reached out with his own and shook it. "Mine's Tairesu Viscarra. Likewise. Now what do you say we get some thing to eat and come up with a way to get out of here?" Cio's smile increased ten-fold at the prospect of real food. "That sounds great. I haven't had anything good since the power when out." "I know how you feel. I got lucky and found a small gasoline generator and hooked it up to a fridge. I haven' got a lot of selection, but there's stuff for a club sandwich. Sound good?" "That's the best thing I've heard in a long time. What are we waiting for?" Tairesu shrugged, then started walking back to the house he'd been staying in. Cio stood where she was for a little longer, glancing out to the rock in the water. "Well, I guess dreams do come true." She mused, then hurried to catch up with Tairesu.
If he thought he was getting that sandwich to himself, he was crazy.
