Humanity Gone: Facade of Order by Derek Deremer Page A

this world. Always put their lives before our own.” Carter looks at me oddly for a moment and then nods.
                  Those two little girls upstairs come to mind. I will go to hell before that happens, and I need to know that someone will follow me to hell to take care of them. Of Jo.
                  “Jon, man. I don't know why you would say this, but I promise. For as long as I am able, I will keep them safe. I will keep Jocelyn safe. I swear. You know she means a lot to me. You too man. We are a family. We will always be family.” I nod in response and walk past him.
                  He better mean all of that because if he forgets it, I will kill him. The girls, my family, come first.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 11: Caitlyn
                  Finally, I got the break I needed.
                  Yesterday, I ran into a man and woman, a pair of wanderers on the road. Occasionally, I would stumble upon these people trying to make a place in broken America. Usually I run from anyone along the path, but the couple looked harmless and did not appear to have any guns as I walked past them along an old road. Still, my eyes continually checked their hands as they got closer. They were both dressed in dirtied clothes and carried bags slung over their shoulder. Both were starved and seemed to be walking blindly. I kept an eye on them and only nodded slightly when the woman gave me a weak smile. Then she stopped and squinted at me.
                  “Hello miss... wait... do we know you from somewhere?” she asked. I did not know them, and I nearly ignored her. Then, my eyes widened, and instantly I ran and sprung upon her with Walt's blade to her throat. She fell to her back, and I squatted over her chest, and brought my eyes close to hers. She screamed to the man. I turned my head just as the bearded man prepared to a throw a fist. I swore at him to back away. He listened.
                  “Where have you seen my face before,” I yelled.
                  “I... I don't know. I think I was mistaken...” she rambled out of her mouth. I didn't believe her.
                  “Shut up and tell me. Or I swear to God...”
                  “I don't remember...”
                  “Then think!”
                  She stared into my face for a second and gathered her thoughts. She glanced quickly at the man and I moved the blade closer. A drop of blood ran down her neck as she gasped.
                  “Around Washington. I thought I saw you there.”
                  Washington was the new capital that had been developed by those military thugs while I lived in the woods. I had heard about it from others who I met in the territory these past few years. I considered going there several times to look for Sara, but I was told few prisoners were sent there. In addition, security there was rumored to be nearly an entire army. You would have to be crazy to try to stand up to that. Maybe, Sara was there.
                  “Where was I?” I yelled again.
                  “I don't remember...”
                  “Was I working - a slave of some kind?”
                  “Um...yes. Yes that must be it.”
                  “Where was I then?”
                  “Workers are moved all over. You are... um here now... but you could have been or be anywhere really. They don't want workers to become too familiar... they want to prevent another rebellion. We escaped from the capital when we learned what they were doing to people. You... could have been sent anywhere since then.”
                  I loosened my grip on her blouse. The off-white collar was stained with a dot of red. I suddenly felt guilty.
                  I needed to keep it together. Those people were