I awake alone the next morning and feel rather sluggish as I pull myself from the bed. My body is heavy but I also feel wrapped up in something. Putting a hand to my neck, I feel a bandage woven around it. Then to my chest, head and arms and my ankle. All had plasters and bandages. I frown while making my way downstairs and spot Anne sitting in a chair downstairs. I make out that it is a living room with a fireplace and an old TV.

I open my mouth but Anne interrupts me without looking up from her book.

“Cody did it.”

But-

“Yes I told him you’ll be angry and he said ‘does it look like I care?’”

Then where-

“He went out.”

“Stop reading my mind.”

“Don’t need to do that. You’re too predictable.”

Grrr. I make my way to the door and see a pair of old sneakers about my size and shove them on. “I’ll go get him.”

“He should be near the edge of the farm by now,” she calls as I shut the door.

As I half limp half walk out towards the overgrown paddocks I could make out a storm brewing in the distance. My stomach gurgling could be the thunder at the volume it was suddenly playing at. Urgh when did I eat last? Yesterday? Eh probably.

A sudden incline through the grass and snow snaps me out of my thoughts towards food as I almost lose my balance, reawakening the throbbing in my ankle.

“Ow…”

Steadying myself, I make my way up to find another rise but this time more balanced and in the distance I see a familiar breed of idiot.

I found him, standing at the top of a cliff. Coming up to him, I saw that he was looking out over at the landscape far below of a ruined city that was once a major metropolis some ten years ago. Now it was just an empty shell of once was. In the very centre is a large white wall circling around the very remnant of the city still alive. A remnant of humanity still alive, sheltered. Still safe. Still deluded into thinking that it was safe for the rest of eternity. The fence supported a huge globe like structure made entirely from this strange blue energy force field which keep everything out, out and everything in, in.

Stopping beside him, I couldn’t help but say, “It’s like they’re living in a bubble.”

“It’s only a matter of time. All it will take is one mistake,” I hear my brother voice absentmindedly as if talking to no one in particular. “One wrong move and their deluded sanctuary will come crashing down around them and then they’ll have to crawl around in the mud and corpses to survive like the rest of us that they’ve so conveniently forgotten.”

I held in the usual sigh, instead look up at the storm coming closer.

“That isn’t going to turn into a Miasma storm is it?” I ask. Better not be. I’m not in the mood for the whole ‘screaming and running for our lives’ at the moment. Normally Miasma takes on the look of blood red and purple clouds but you can never be sure.

“Anne said that there won’t be any for a few weeks at least. We should be alright for a while.”

“Well that’s comforting…” I mutter. Just need to focus on the beasts, Fencers, Suppressors and anything else that wants to kill us. Oh and the lack of food and water, shelter, clothing, winter…yeah the list goes on.

Speaking of which, I’m starving enough that I could eat a hippo. Cody sorta like a hippo. Big mouth, short temper…

“Here.”

I look over to him and see him holding out that goddamn black sword from yesterday at me. I look between him and the blade not exactly sure what’s going on. He pushes it into me until I had no choice but to take it.

“What’s this for?”

“You need it more than I do. Or even Anne or Markus for that matter.”

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to react here. Dumbfounded, irritated and insulted I think is the appropriate mix. “Gee thanks…”

I can see him smirking at my irritation as I put it one hand and take a swing. This black crystal stuff shot up with the Miasma and the Disaster along with everything else that happened nine years ago. It’s strong, light and durable. But it also has a spooky feeling about it and touching it feels like you’re brushing up against electricity. Even the hairs on my arm are standing on end and it’s got nothing to do with the cold.

“Hah it makes you look cool,” I can hear the snickering.

“Feels more like I’m cosplaying,” I mutter back. I glare at him as his amusement continues.

But then just as suddenly the bastard’s tone turns into something completely serious, “There is a group down by the Deadside that I’ll be seeing by the new moon.”

I can feel my brow furrow, “This better not be that rebellion group.” Met them once. Didn’t like em neither.

He meets me with silence.

“Cody!” I exasperate.

“What?”

“What moronic grandeur dreams did they sink into that thick head of yours now? And when did this all happen?” This idiot…

He exhaled deeply, unable to meet my eyes, “Yesterday.”

So that’s why he went out ahead of us yesterday. I point the sword’s tip at him, “You have any idea how much-”

~Cody!

Anne’s voice shot through my head like an ice knife, splitting through my skull that I almost collapse in pain. The sheer magnitude of panic and fear almost bowls me over as Cody stands there frozen.

~Cody!

~Cody!

~Co-

Her telepathic voice cuts off violently, making me shake like someone went into my head and tried to rip my brain out. Cody’s eyes switch over to me. I forget the lecture and the limp as we sprint back to the house.

We come up to the house and Cody barks at me, “Check inside! I’ll go round the front.”

I leap inside the house, frantically looking through the dated kitchen with vinyl floor, racing passed the small table that had breakfast already set up for us. My breath hitches when I see Anne crumbled on the floor. I dash before sliding on my knees towards her, abandoning the sword. Pulling her into my arms, I try to see if she’s alright…still…alive…

Yes, she’s breathing. I pull her in close, nursing her head, seeing a red mark surfacing on her cheek from where she was hit.

“Anne?” I try to rouse her and her eyes flutter open before she jumps from my grasp.

“Markus!” she screeches before running out the front door.

“Wait, Anne!” I stumble after her.

I look out from the doorway to see Markus clinging onto Cody’s legs as Cody had an arm raised with his fingers tightly curled into a tight fist as if he had just hit someone. His face was of pure rage as he was looking to something that wasn’t too far from me. I look down to his line of sight and see someone who I have never seen before in my life.

The man is half crouching over as if catching his breath. He is heavy set and looks to be in his late thirties. His straggly black hair is balding in patches as it combines with a sparse beard and fro the smell and the state of his clothing, he hasn’t seen a shower of a razor in months. His eyes are strange and predatory as they are fully set on Markus. I notice that his complexion is almost ash grey with feint black veins all over his exposed skin. ...Oh don't tell me...

A primal growl was spewing out along with drool that he couldn’t contain, spilling out over lip and into his beard. His delirious eyes suddenly focus on me. Oh Great.

“You...smell so good!” He comes towards me, stumbling forward like a drunk. My eyes bulge as I move from the stairs and make my way over to Cody. His eyes trailing me with his neck bent out at an awkward angle.

A snarl rips through his throat and begins to run full throttle towards me. And I have absolutely no chance of out running him. Just as he is almost on me he begins choking and drops to his knees as grabs at his throat, his tongue lolling out as his mouth opens wide while he makes choking noises. I watch without feeling as branches shoot from his mouth, vines twist around under his skin, bursting through his veins and skin as flowers burst through, tainted with blood. The branches thicken from his mouth, blood spilling and skin tearing, until the trunk spews forward, splitting the meaty cage apart with his bones creaking and cracking with an audible snap until nothing but a tall crab apple tree in full bloom took his place completely. It continues to grow, the roots and branches begin attacking the front of the house, pulling apart the wall as branches flood the windows and the living room with brilliant pink plumage.

I turn and run to Markus, collapsing to my knees as I pull him into a tight hug as if to break his tiny body, “Stop Markus. It’s enough. He’s gone. He’s gone.”

“He hit Anne. He was going to-going to-”He gulps at the air as he begins sobbing, while clutching onto me tightly, the tree’s growth slows down to a crawl, almost stopping completely.

“It’s ok. You did the right thing. It's ok,” I soothe, rubbing his back while rocking him slowly. I needed to calm him down quickly before he goes out of control.

Cody turns to Anne, who had also taken to hiding behind him. She sobs into him as he soothes her as gently as he can while trying to rein in his anger.

“What the fuck was that?” His voice is trembling as he turns to me, holding her head close to his chest.

“Hexer,” I whisper.

I can feel the temperature drop around him as he frowns deeply. “...Since when can a Hexter talk?”

"I dont know."

"Why was it even here?"

Good question. I turn to the tree that has now taken out a good portion of the house. “They seem to be spreading out…”

“You would think by now they’d’ve all died,” he hisses through grit teeth.

I share his irritation, “Not if there is a Keystone near…”

“Just how many are there?”

I shake my head, “How am I supposed to know? If anything I think they keep springing up.” I then look down to see Markus has fallen into an exhausted sleep.

“Fuck!” Cody bites out as he pulls himself up with Anne still in his arms.

He makes his way towards the house, probably to put Anne to bed. I pull Markus up and follow him inside. Luckily the sofa is untouched as he puts Anne down carefully, who is still sobbing quietly. I place Markus beside her and grab a blanket to encircle them while I sit on the floor in front of them. Anne immediately clutches onto Markus and makes for my hand, squeezing it tightly and before long she calms down and exhaustion puts her to sleep.

As soon as he was sure that she was asleep, Cody makes his way for the door,“I’m going to search closely to see if there are any more around,” his voice full of malice. Opening the door he ignores the gaping hole beside him and the flowers and branches filling it. “You.” He points directly to me. “Stay put. I’ll be back, so heel.” Then he shuts the door and heads out to god knows where.

Am I dog now? Does it look like I can even move?

As his footsteps disappear I look up at the tree as petals begin to fall, mixing with the snow that is now coming inside. I’m beginning to worry. A Hexer has never tried to attack in broad daylight before. Something is different…

No.

Something is coming.