Chapter 1
Clementine steadied her breath as she crouched down behind a withered bush that had seen better days.
She listened to the group of men whistle and call out for her.
“Come here, little bitch,” one sang with a cackle.
Another clicked his tongue a few times before switching to smooching noises.
The disgusting sound made her stomach lurch.
Slapping a hand over her mouth, Clementine squeezed her eyes closed.
“Where the fuck did she go?” The ring leader, Clint, grumbled loudly.
Compressing herself into a smaller ball, she continued to wait out their search, their sounds becoming fainter the longer she stayed in her hiding spot.
Rushed footsteps suddenly broke the slow growing silence, making Clemetine’s ears perk up.
“Sir!” The one who had been rushing towards them called out to his leader.
“Did you find her?” Clint asked.
“No, sir. But…” The man’s words died in the wind the further he moved away from Clementine.
Even though she was dying to know what was happening, Clementine stayed still.
She had no intention of being caught after everything she’d been through.
An angry grunt and a Thump had her flinching.
“Fuck. Let’s go,” she heard Clint speak angrily as the sounds of several boots hurriedly walked past her.
“What about the girl?” One of his men asked.
She heard Clint spit.
“We’ll eventually come across her, that cunt has no where else to go.”
It took everything in her to not stand up and throw something at him for his harsh words. Instead, she grit her teeth and endured the name calling.
Clementine listened to their retreating footsteps and angry voices, not daring to move even when she could hear nothing but the leaves rustling in the wind.
It nearly took her an hour of silence before she could even think about lifting up her head.
Timidly, she unfurled herself while her eyes darted around, making sure she was truly safe.
The action made her feel like a scared little bunny.
Be as it may, she preferred being an animal that was cautious and got away fast rather than one that was oblivious and trusting.
As she looked around, she noticed how dark and dreary the forest was.
Which served as a positive because it drove away her pursuers.
But what could be so bad that they immediately left?
Deciding not to dwell on the thought until later, Clementine started to walk in the opposite direction.
The humidity within the forest was unnatural.
It made Clementine sweat profusely, her torn clothes sticking to her like a second skin. Her fiery orange hair, which was covered in mud to hide the noticeable color in order to hide, had become tangled during the chase and was now damn near unmanageable with the frizziness from the humidity.
But there was no time to try and groom properly.
All that was on her mind was to escape.
Escape the clutches of the Toxic Ring Gang and their leader Clint, to avoid their sex trafficking and drug deals.
To break away from the rusted chain of being collateral for her dumb father’s addictions and terrible decisions.
Not that appearing clean would actually help her.
In all honesty, it would only draw more attention to her.
Being covered in soot and filth was something that was not looked at twice anymore. Living in grime had turned into a common thing, especially when clean water became scarce and people were pushed out of their homes to be left to fend for themselves in the unyielding weather and decaying civilization.
The lands had become desolate due to wars and famine, causing the deaths of millions of people around the world.
The final straw for the whole world to be turned upside down, was when the wildfire spread.
It was thought that the army higher ups could somehow control the wildfire and use it to their advantage.
It worked… at first.
Then the world’s atmosphere became unpredictable. Those highly trained in such could no longer figure out the patterns that would help predict the weather and help control the fire.
Thus, it ended up burning those who thought their command could keep it tamed. And those who were innocent.
Those who went underground and survived had to form a new society to limit crimes and help people adjust to the new of things, thus put into effect the buttons, can tabs system, equivalent exchange and things that were brought with them without a second thought since the money system was one of the things that collapsed due to the wildfire and failing government.
But even those became scarce as the need for them grew.
Hence, trafficking people became the newest norm.
Though Clementine was born into such, she refused to partake when there could be another way.
There had to be.
Tree branches scratched her exposed legs and arms while sweat beaded on her skin as she continued her escape.
I’m free…
The thought slammed into her without warning, making her stop in her tracks.
A tear sprouted from her eye and trickled down her cheek, tickling her in a pleasant way.
I…I’m free…
She thought again, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face.
A small, panicked laugh escaped her throat, making her clasp her mouth with both hands in shock.
No… do not celebrate yet, she thought bitterly to herself.
I just barely left their claws, but that does not mean there aren’t others out there.
Biting her lip, Clementine crouched down and took cautious, yet hurried, steps.
The sun was beginning to set, making it clear that if she did not find some kind of shelter soon she would have to deal with the Night Stalkers.
Just thinking of them sent fear-laced shivers down her spine.
Night Stalkers were created during the wars, basically mutated spliced wolf DNA put into their most promising soldiers.
In the simplest terms, they were werewolves.
The idea worked, super soldiers that were fast, strong, and obedient, wiping out entire armies with only a few of them sent out… Until an electrical storm took place and the lightning targeted each altered soldier, striking them with such a force that the chemistry of their brain shifted to that of a feral creature that could not stand the sunlight.
And with the electrical storm, came the wildfire that spread throughout the country.
Clementine looked up from the ground, watching to make sure she did not trip over something and draw unwanted attention, only to see a nearly collapsed cabin in the distance.
Heart racing, Clementine looked around again.
Does someone live there?
As she drew closer, she could see that the roof had collapsed, and the wood that made up the cabin was dark, moldy, and splintered.
Perfect, she thought as her eyes lit up with the possibility of a place to sleep.
Anything is better than what the Toxic Ring Gang had for me.
Straw covering the concrete floor, barely enough to even call it anything.
Even though it was literally a prison, she was begrudgingly grateful for growing up with a roof over her head.
Looking back on her memories, her time with the gang was not completely unpleasant.
They fed her, clothed her, gave her a separate room from all the men that came and went.
In reality, it was better than how most people lived in this desolate world.
But when she learned the actual truth behind their kindness, and remembering the memories to back up said truth, Clementine knew she had to get away.
Shaking her head at the awful recollection of the night that forever changed her life, Clementine snuck closer to the cabin, painfully aware that the sun was nearly set and she could hear the night animals and Night Stalkers beginning to stir.
Peering over her shoulder one last time to make sure the coast was clear, Clementine opened the front door that was surprisingly still intact.
She released a baited breath when it was big enough for her to slip through, thanking whatever higher power there was for the small amount of noise it gave out.
Carefully, she walked into the small cabin, noting how small and cozy it must have been back in its prime.
The room she stepped into was the main living area with an open kitchen to the right. Old decaying furniture was scattered about the room, a couch and an armchair surrounding a fireplace while a chest of drawers and a desk were opposite the kitchen.
Clementine looked around with slight confusion.
Something feels…off.
She quietly walked over to the desk.
There was nothing on it besides a tipped over candle holder, so she opened one of the top drawers.
The sight of a charcoal pencil and a very thin slice of wood had her eyebrows drawing together.
There were scribbles on the wood, making her reach out and touch it.
The charcoal smudged beneath her fingertips, causing Clemetine to pull back and examine her fingers.
She realized the charcoal had stained her skin.
This could be beneficial, she thought as an idea formed in her head while pocketing it.
Before she could look for more things, a large noise from below had Clementine jumping and her eyes widening as she looked down at her feet.
What was that?
Bringing her attention to the window, she realized the sun was nearly gone.
In a panic, Clementine frantically searched for a place to hide, her head whipping back and forth so fast she nearly stumbled from the wave of dizziness that took over.
Trying to calm herself, she began to hear thuds coming from under her.
And they seem to be getting closer with each thud.
Clementine scrambled as quietly as she could into the kitchen and opened one of the cabinet doors that was not hanging off its hinge.
She squeezed herself in before gently closing the door, leaving it open an inch so she could see outside.
It was cramped, but not so bad she could not breathe. With her knees up to her chest, her back against the side, and her neck angled slightly down, she knew she was going to be stiff and sore in the morning.
But that did not matter.
The only thing that mattered, was her life and her freedom.
The sounds of thuds walking up the stairs brought Clementine back to the present.
She could hear that they were below, but how could they have gotten under the cabin in the first place was beyond her.
Her arms squeezed her legs together as her eyes strained to see what was going on in the growing darkness.
Fear had her rooted to her spot, but curiosity had her eyes wide open.
The thuds stopped, causing the silence to echo in Clementine’s ears. The sound almost too painful and having her wish for the noise again.
Until a hidden door in the floor, right where she had stood moments before, opened and slammed onto the floor loudly, causing dust and debris to fly into the air and distort her view.
The loud sound had her flinching and covering her ears, but her eyes stayed trained on the dust, her curiosity knowing no bounds.
Afterall, that was what got her into this mess in the first place.
As the dust settled, she could see a dark figure standing there with a long coat that reached their ankles, a wide scarf wrapped around their neck and a broad-brimmed cowboy hat.
The figure cracked their neck and rolled their shoulders, sending shivers down Clementine’s spine.
Whether it was from excitement or fear, she did not know.
Are they a Night Stalker?
The way it stood had her wanting to say no, but she could not be so sure.
She had only seen them when Clint and his gang went out to hunt them for fun, bringing back the carcasses so they could show off how capable they were.
And even then she didn’t actually look at their bodies.
She really had no idea what they looked like.
The being tilted its head back and inhaled deeply, bringing Clementine back to her current situation.
“Mmmm,” it moaned out in a deep, gravely voice that sounded like it hadn’t been used in years.
“What little mouse has entered my territory?”
