Danger

Chapter Two

All around, the sky was dark. Zane drove the fire truck with Yara and Talia, who stared out the window. They had been getting more food from Talia, who grew crops in small gardens, but it still wasn't enough. She grew them mainly for the fire department staff, which she had been keeping a secret from those around.

They decided to travel the east-side roads, looking for any sign of food. There were houses around, or even an old shack deserted in the middle of a field.

"I think I see a house," Talia called from the back.

On the right side of a gravel road, a small house was located. It was barely visible from both the darkness and what no longer seemed like storm clouds.

Turning off the fire truck, all three of them walked toward an old house. It had been small, with brown siding falling off and overgrown weeds. Yara went to open the door handle, but it had been locked. It caused her to repeatedly slam her hand on the door, which Zane had to pull her away from doing.

The door opened to a girl older than him. Confusion rested on her face as she looked between them. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"We're the fire department!" Talia cheered, sticking up a thumb with a smile.

"We were searching for people," Zane explained.

She opened the door wider to let them into the house. Inside, it had a small kitchen with newspapers covering the windows. It had been dimly lit as Zane spotted a boy in the small living room, staring at them.

"I'm Hanna Bevan, and that's my twin brother, Conner," she said as Conner stood, approaching them. "We've been living here since our mom disappeared."

"You haven't gone to town once?" Zane asked.

"It's a long walk, and our mom has the car because she's a nurse," Hanna explained with a sigh.

"Do you know about some of the things nurses do? Like medicine and diagnoses?" Zane asked. Hanna stared at him, then looked toward Conner, who had his arms crossed over his chest.

"Does it matter?" Conner snapped sourly.

"See, our town nurse got shot, and now it's just Emma and Cindy. Emma doesn't know a thing about medicine, but she heals with her hand. Cindy is the sister of the girl who died. Now we don't have a nurse or doctor," Yara rambled, waving her hands around while speaking.

"She got shot?" Hanna gasped.

"We aren't forcing you to come to town, but it'd be a huge help," Zane implied.

"Why did she get shot?" Conner asked, still seeming against the idea of them being here.

"Some crazy dude. He shouldn't attack, or Greyson will probably kill him," Yara remarked, putting a hand in her pocket.

Luke may have stolen from Foodland and beat some kids up, but that wouldn't stop him. Zane knew Luke would still find a way to fulfill his violent tendencies.

"Emma will probably start crying," Talia implied.

"She'll cry?"

"Emma stresses easily," Yara clarified, shrugging her shoulders.

"And she heals with her hand?" Conner questioned.

"Gashes and even broken bones, all with the touch of her hand," Talia said.

"Something freaky happened to Conner. Show them," Hanna explained.

Zane watched as Conner put his hand on the white floor. In a few seconds, one part of the flooring started sinking, causing a small hole.