Those Who Remain (Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

gesture of defeat. “I do believe you, madam. This is not why I am leaving.”
    “I don’t understand. Why then?”
    A more honest man would tell her about my plan to use Redwood as a shield against Red Star, a way to delay him into following me, even if that meant Redwood would be destroyed and ravaged in the process. My intention was always to leave when the opportune moment arrived.
    “I have no choice in the matter. I need to leave.”
    “But that’s a horrible idea. Winter is here. Crossing the forest, the cities, all the way to Canada is going to kill you. What’s so important over there that you would risk your life like this? You’ll die.”
    Someone else would also see this as an opportunity to ask for help, to reveal the briefcase and its importance to the world. Lorraine seems to be a kind woman, without a bad bone in her body, yet the idea of sharing the contents of the briefcase with anyone is impossible. No matter who, humans always succumb to temptation. Trust in this new world is a luxury I do not have.
    So, instead, I clear my throat and say, “Everyone dies eventually.”
    Lorraine stares at me; arms crossed. She shakes her head. “You are a very strange man.”
    “Yes, I am aware of that.”
    She gives me a smile, head tilted. “I suppose nothing will change your mind?”
    “Unless it involves a group of people willing to guide and protect me, no. I am afraid not.”
    Lorraine offers her hand to me. “Safe travels.”
    “Thank you. Stay safe as well.”
    Keep surviving, my dear. Stay alive to see civilisation rising from the ashes again. Perhaps then we can meet again.
    The silence inside my car is unbearable. I place the briefcase next to me. As the sun rises, my hands fumble inside the compartment in front of the passenger’s seat. I find an old dusty CD.
    I leave Redwood behind at the sound of the Love album from the Beatles. If only I had a joint to accompany Strawberry Fields Together and I Am The Walrus .
    If I close my eyes, I can imagine my brother sitting next to me. I can almost hear him drumming his fingers against the car’s panel, accompanying John and Paul’s singing with his god-awful tone-deaf voice. Another night out around town, stopping at dozens of pubs, more drunk by the minute. The puffs of smoke clouding our thoughts and stretching our lazy smiles. How young and foolish we were.
    Back then, we were full of grand theories on how to fix the world. End misery. End war. Give the world a clean slate, and start over. I wanted to teach, to reach people and spread knowledge.
    He wanted to clean the slate a bit too literally.
    “Fix this, Alex. Please, brother. Before it’s too late.”
    I leave Redwood to its doom. Yes, time is running out for all of us.

 
     
     
     
     
     

     
    The Girl in the Forest V
    December 15th, Tuesday, 3 pm
     
     
    After the supermarket and the robbers, there isn’t much left of our supplies. I try to save every little piece of food and every drop of water, but Peter eats too much and spills way too much water on his face. He doesn’t wake up when I tell him to and gets tired every few hours. The slow pace annoys me. Every time we camp I keep watch and the constant vigilance makes me stressed. It’s not that I don’t trust Peter, it’s that I don’t trust him with my life or even his own. He’s too sloppy, too nice.
    We take weeks to even reach the woods, avoiding the main roads. I’m actually glad to be away from the houses, malls and streets. Mostly, I’m relieved to be away from other people. Weeks of tension lift as I smell the trees, hear chirping birds and feel the wind on my face. Here things are the same as ever, with no sign of monsters, people trying to trick you, destroyed cars, broken windows or burnt houses. It’s like nothing ever happened.
    The best thing is Peter knows where he’s going here, taking the lead once we step inside the forest. He finds us a lake with clean, refreshing water and plenty of berries to eat.