The Decay

Chapter One

The bed creaks every time she moves. She pulls the blankets on, she kicks the blankets off. I can tell she's closing her eyes only to find them open once again. It's hopeless, she can't sleep. Neither can I.

I hear the drunken jeering of the men whose house we've been living in for the passed few months and it makes me ball the covers up in my fists. I hear Miyonah get up so I sit up to greet her. She knows I wasn't asleep either. I slide over so she can sit next to me and we both stare at the light that's shining under the closed door.

"We have to get out of here, Tanner." She says still looking under the door.

"I know. Don't you know I know that?"

We've been here for months and it's the same thing every single day. In the daytime they make us sit in the living room while they crack jokes and sweep their dirty eyes over my sister and Miyonah. And every night they send us away to this room and lock the door with my sister out there with them. She serves them and deals with their poor treatment and groping hands. What comes after... I clench my fists harder, feeling my nails dig into my skin.

Sarah has never complained about it and she never will. She knows that if it isn't her, it'll be Miyonah. It's never been Miyonah. Sarah is twentyone, strong, independent, and beautiful. At least that's how she used to be before everything. After three years of the apocalypse and months of this, she's tired. No matter what she does she can't hide the fact that she's worn out.

"Tanner, we can't stay here anymore. Not another day. Who knows how long until they-"

The light goes off underneath the door and we hear them heading towards the other bedroom. All of them. Miyonah folds into me and starts to weep. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. She seems so much younger than her fifteen years like this. Clenching my shirt with her fists and crying into it. Sobbing so hard but trying to be quiet.

I hear their door close and the bed creak under the weight of two people. Who knows which man. She cries harder.

When it starts, I close my eyes and clench my teeth so hard my ears ring. I keep holding onto Miyonah. Keep trying to keep myself together for her but I can feel it coming. I have to get them out. I may be Sarah's younger brother by five years but I can't obey her anymore. I can't let this happen. All three of us have to get out. The very next time there's a chance.

It's a few hours later and I'm still awake. Miyonah cried herself to sleep in my arms and stirs softly when our door unlocks and opens. My sister walks in with one of the men closing and locking the door behind her. She walks passed without saying a word and goes to the shower. One of the things they used to make this place seem nice, a working shower. The house they took over uses well water.

When she gets out of the shower, she does what she does every other night; she waits back by the door. After a few minutes it unlocks. I've never seen who it is she talks to and I never knew what they talked about because every night she'd step out with him, but not tonight. Tonight the man whispers something to her and she collapses into whoever it is' arms and starts to weep.

"Thank god." She says through her tears, "I couldn't do it anymore, Noah."

He has to step in and close the door so no one will hear her. Miyonah wakes up now and sits up with me, watching it take place.

"Shh," he soothes, "I know. We're leaving, okay? I'm getting you out. We're leaving."

Now I get up and Miyonah stands beside me.

"What's going on, Sarah? Who is he?"

The man looks at me and after making sure she's steady, he lets her go and holds out his hand.

"Noah A. Denzel."

I don't take his hand, I still don't know who he is or what's going on.

"A?" I ask.

"Yes, A. Stands for Antonio."

"Three first names."

He sighs and drops his hand.

"I suppose."

"Tanner, this is Noah." Says Sarah, "I know this is sudden but he's going to get us out. We're leaving."

Noah nods his head and I notice Sarah take his hand.

"We can trust him?" Miyonah asks.

"How could we trust him?" I say getting angry. "He's one of them."

Sarah makes to say something back but he stops her and they whisper about something. He steps forward and I can see him better. He's dark skinned with a look about him that implies he used to be a soldier or maybe an officer. He stands about a foot and a half over my sister and he's built. I stand up straighter.

"Listen, kid. I'm not one of them. They found me about a month back and brought me here saying they had food, weapons, shelter and could use a guy like me on their team. What they didn't tell me was that they had two kids and a woman locked in their house. As soon as I seen what they were doing, I knew it was wasn't right but played it cool. I was waiting for a time to get you out. Every day that I didn't I hated myself but I knew I had to be smart about it. With guys like these, you have to think it through. Now, tonight is the night. Your sister and I had planned for a week from now but something has changed and an opportunity has opened up. But we have to go, now."

Sarah looks nervous when he says it and he squeezes her hand reassuringly which seems to give her strength. I look to Sarah and she nods. I look to Miyonah and her eyes fill with hope. Then, I look to Noah. We share a look and I decide I have to trust him. At least for now.

Everyone grabs what they can and we quickly and quietly make our way outside. It's nearly pitch black with all the trees blocking the moonlight. I feel Miyonah jump when we get outside and I look down to see two guards asleep on the porch. Each one with a tranq dart in their chest. I can't help but smile into the darkness.

Opportunity, huh?

Noah takes the driver's seat and we drive off. All three of us look back and watch as we get away.

****Tell me what you think! As you see, the prologue followed someone else. I haven't decided exactly where but she will be brought into the story as a main character.****