July 2019, Millerton, New York.
Carrie's hands continued to rummage through the drawers in the bathroom. Her palms covered in blood as specks of crimson surrounded Carrie's nostrils. In other words she's infected.
Three years Carrie avoided becoming part of the infected and now.. this was too much to handle. She'll be dead in possibly a few days since her weight has already dropped harmfully, the stomach pain has gotten worse and now she's stuck with the constant bleeding. The community in her home is going to noticed eventually and they won't hesitate one second to pull the trigger on her.
Carrie found what she needed and began to frantically scrub off her blood soaked hands with paper towels that were left in the abandoned house. A loud pounding on the door startled the woman as she snapped her head towards the sound.
"Carrie? We gotta wrap up this supply run and head back."
It was just Tanner. Carrie pressed her eyes shut tightly at the thought of leaving both Tanner and his little sister, Miriam behind.. especially George.
"Y... Yeah-I'll be out in a minute." In response she heard his faint footsteps disappear behind the closed door. Carrie pressed the back of her head against the wall and slid down to sit on the stained tile. Thinking of what to do next when they head back to Millerton.
Leaving all of a sudden would cause everyone in a panic, but what other choice is there? Carrie wants to find a quiet place to rest and let the life slip away from her and not become the victim of a gunshot. Feeling the tears burn in her eyes she let them flow down her dirt stained cheeks.
The woman's soil brown gaze shifted back to the door and bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood. They can't know, no one can know of what's wrong with her. Just a quiet place outside of the town will be nice. A bed of soft grass or flowers is the comfort Carrie will want even though she'll crave to be wrapped in George's arms and let herself slip away in a endless sleep.
Her heart is pounding to where she could feel the beats. It was fear. Carrie finally stood up and briefly paused at the door, but finally twisted the knob. Turning to the side and saw Tanner at the end of the hall as he shoved away the canned food they found earlier along with very little medical supplies. She swallowed hard when Tanner glanced at her and in response the woman nodded. Saying that it was time to go.
In the far east from Millerton a father and daughter stand at the edge of a lake. Just across was a small herd of elk that managed their way through the harsh mountain terrain in the frontier.
"Alright now just support the rifle like this 'cuz it's gonna give one hell of a kick."
The young girl responded with a stern nod as she supported the weapon in the crook of her shoulder. Most girl's her age might have been going to the movies or ecstatic about going anything. No. Instead here she is, learning how to shoot a rifle that can kill someone instantly.
But hey... survival of the fittest.
"Wait-daddy I would never have to shoot anyone... right?"
George looked down at his daughter. Only been three years since the start of the Outbreak and already both Miriam and Tanner have gone through so much. First losing their mother, now this. Learning how to defend themselves in a world that is a wasteland. At the same time this world is still crawling with survivors that tend to turn on each other. The apes were the least of their worries and the Simian Flu.
"No-no of course not baby girl" he acknowledged. Lowering himself to Miriam's height and placing his hands on her shoulders, "You won't ever need to kill anyone... because we're safe here. So the weapon that's in your hands right now is to hunt down any game."
Miriam believed her father's words to be true as she shifted her gaze back to the young doe in the herd that grazed upon the frontier's scenery. Ever since dawn Miriam and her father have been practicing to hunt in Tom's frontier. A man who immediately took in the family of three due to the persuasion of another survivor.
Carrie.
Practically took a year to make it back to the eastern part of the United States from the west in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah. Every minute was worth making the journey to Miriam. Now ten years-old and learning how to use a gun she.. did believe that the weapon would only be used for game. Another side of the young girl told her to use it against any threat either way. Maybe on other survivors or.. apes.
The hunt didn't go as planned due to Miriam missing the same doe a few times much to her disappointment. She honestly couldn't focus on anything else other than Carrie. Only knowing Carrie for a year and thinking of the woman as a mother she knew something was up. The faint blood stains that Miriam would spot on the floor every time the older woman rushed out suddenly coughing. The decreased weight and constant stomach pains that Carrie clearly had as well. Miriam has seen it all before. Carrie's part of the infected.
Miriam herself was quite surprised that she hasn't blurted out anything to the community of Millerton. Even to George and Tanner. Truthfully the little girl couldn't bear to lose someone close to her again due to the virus. She knew from experience of what happens to those whose infected from the Simian Flu. It's what took her mother away in the first wave of 2016.
A faint voice brought Miriam brought to reality as she suddenly looked at George with a questioning gaze. Responded by him chuckling at her, "Didn't you hear a word I said kiddo?"
She sheepishly smiled in return. "Sorry daddy just.. just thinking that's all."
"Well what I was trying to tell you was that would you like to go on a supply run with Carrie later? Jess told me she got stuck with a night shift and that Carrie could use the company."
Should she?
Miriam was never hesitant before of going anywhere with Carrie. The words were stuck in her throat. No, this was silly, maybe Carrie wasn't infected at all and maybe had some other sickness.. maybe. That's what Miriam tried to tell herself.
"Sure."
George arched an eyebrow at Miriam's sudden demeanor. Just a simple 'sure'. He shook his head briefly. Maybe the poor kid was tired and needed to rest before going on the supply run with Carrie. The older man helped Miriam hitch up on the nearby horse that was tied to one of the tree's. Kicking the animal into a slight action to gallop towards Millerton.
Miriam's father did think right. She was indeed tired from most of the day of crafting snares for smaller animals, horse riding lessons and then hunting lessons. Maybe a few hours sleep would do her good before going anywhere with Carrie. Perhaps then Miriam could possibly question Carrie of her current.. condition?
Instead she couldn't sleep. Not with that thought in her head.
To keep herself busy Miriam traced her fingertips over the carved letters gently of her gun. 'GT'. Maybe another survivor just like her who misplaced their gun and forgot about it.
Time passed by quickly for Miriam. The sun was beginning to set and her brother along with Carrie weren't back yet. Right on queue they did finally show up. Carrie was automatically greeted by George and Tanner headed inside with the two backpacks him and Carrie filled up from the supply run.
The young girl replaced her gloomy state and forced on a smile.
Maybe things will be alright.
But things weren't, things that Miriam won't be expecting in the short few hours that she'll have with Carrie. The woman's final hours at that.
She turned her head slightly at the sight of Carrie. How in hell could they not notice her current state? Perhaps they do and they're just waiting to put her down like a damned animal.
"Ready to go Miri?" Carrie says as she motions for Miriam. The young girl shifts from the old mattress and clutches the woman's hand.
To know of the many possibilities that might happen to Carrie. Miriam already feels alone again. Motherless. All because of the Outbreak that was caused by apes. Why did things have to end up so devastating and..
Hopeless.
What Miriam didn't know was that Carrie's death might be the parallel to her own downfall. Just have to remain as a little soldier who is battling against this black death that took away the lives of many. Even if her own blood may spill, but it will be Carrie's first.
(A/N: Special thanks to Wolveria who helped me with where this chapter should be set in! Along with a video she sent me called 'Story of a Gun' from the MotherBoard on Youtube ;) Also sorry guys for it being short, but the reason for it being short is because it's a two part flashback of Carrie's death. I would also like to thank BeetZel for helping me with the antagonist for Anarchy as well. Then of course the fellow readers and reviewers who have been reading for quite awhile. Heck I'm surprised that I had the motivation to finish up this chapter haha. Stay tuned for Chapter 3! Though on another note it will be quite awhile before we get to the apes. So stay tuned for our lovable apes as well!)