"Dear Citizens, if you are hearing this then the national security of the nation is at stake because the deadly Mara virus has failed to be contained. To those who are still uninfected, we have built a series of underground bunkers that run throughout the numerous areas of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Florida, Montana, Missouri, and in other places all across the globe. These bunkers are filled with a large number of supplies that will last over a decade. We wish good luck to you all and we can only hope that we will be able to create a cure to the awful virus soon." 

A girl who looked to be in her late teens came on to the screen and chirped in with, "Also, to any parentals out there, we here have found that the best way to help keep humanity from extinction is to ask if you would consider sending your kids to an island not too far off from Michigan in Lake Huron. You won't need to worry about infection from the virus because we have concluded that those infected are not in fact able to swim and the children will have all the supplies that they would ever need to build up any kind of civilization themselves there. If you don't want to, that is ok, since there is plenty of space in our numerous underground bunkers."

The original speaker spoke up again, "Yes, thank you for that Aliza. We advise that you make a quick decision because the docks for the island will set out in March on the day of the 15. The bunkers though will always be open to colonization as long as you knock this secret knock *rat, tat, tat tat*. So, take to these bunkers because the life up here that you have all lived so long in will soon perish and living here will become a fate worse than death. We send our best regards and stay safe, good luck to you all." That was the end of the broadcast and the world. 

Hi, the name's Arthur and the day that message was broadcasted to the whole world was the day that everyone's happy little lives turned upside down. 

The world is now split.

People arguing about how we should trust our world leaders, those arguing back in their own ways about how we cannot trust our world leaders, and lastly the people who do not know what the hell they should think or do. 

For the fates of those who have stood by our world leaders, they decided to go underground, and some sent their kids to that island. 

These people of course are the majority of the world's population. We like to call them all, "Dirt Dweller's", since they live down under the ground. 

The fates of those children on the island are really unknown.

There are more questions about them than there are answers. All anybody knows is that in the message they somehow conveniently forgot to mention that they were only letting certain kids onto the boats to the island.

Since they got to go to the island people like to call them "Rats" because they say the island that they are on is like a delicious slice of warm cheese or experiment.

 Ya, I really do not understand the metaphor for it either.

 But, last and not least, people like my kick-ass squad. People like us are a mix of those who did not understand shit and those who flat out do not trust the world leaders. 

I caught wind of how the Dirt Dweller's gave us the name "Edge Surfacers", I actually quite like the name. Makes us sound badass. 

It looks like it is, or more or less, is real rough living up here with all the hard losses and conditions of what is left, but my friends and I have learned that it is not as bad as when you have some family with you.

 So, would you like to be a part of our found family little one? 

I hold out my hand to help this little girl up. She hesitantly took my hand as if the touch from it would kill her instantly. 

I speak to her in a quiet, hushed tone, "My friends would love to meet you and I think you would love them too." 

The girl looks only about six or seven years old and looks almost as pale as a clean white bed sheet. Her clothes are tattered and dirty, along with the rest of her. Her eyes are the color of a beautiful deep green, that goes very well with her messy chocolate brown hair. 

Before I radio in to tell Scott and Reese, who I went out with to get things that could be of use to us, I decide to do a quick check to see if there might be anyone else with her. I highly doubt that she has lived up here like this all alone.

I had found the little girl in the bathroom of a trashed radio shack. 

In the shack, all the shelves have fallen over, and the floor is littered with debris. 

She was originally curled up into a ball, with her face soaked from the tears pooling out of her eyes. I told her that I am going to take a quick look around and to stay put.

I proceed to check the place for another, hopefully alive, survivor. I sadly only find the remains of a more recently looking deceased man. He looked like his death was most likely caused by a scavenger and not a mara. Scavengers are people who will ruthlessly kill other people without care. 

Quickly, I hurried back to her.

 Keeping my voice in a hushed level, I ask, "Hey, sorry if my little speech scared you. I just haven't really encountered anyone else that seemed friendly, well, except for my family," I pause to add, "Do you mind telling me your name?"

 She barely above a whisper says, "M-my name's Thalia," without looking up from her feet. I respond with a small smile, "Well, you have a very pretty name Thalia. Welcome to the family." 

Hand in hand, Thalia and I start the hour-longish journey to the humble abode that my friends and I are crashing at for a few more days before we have to move again. 

After a good ten minutes of silence, I try to think of a good way to pass the time. I take a deep intake of breath, "Soo, Thalia, how has your life been since or before the chaos?" I say, trying to be friendly. 

She looks at me with big eyes and a small sad smile. She takes a minute to answer, but eventually she speaks up, "Not good, not really.", she paused, then spoke again, "You can talk about yours though, if you want."

 "Ok," I say with a small smile, "Is there anything you would like to know about?" 

She stares up at me and without hesitation asks, "How have you survived?" The question kind of caught me off guard because for a long time I always wondered how, but for a while I have known the only reason why I truly have. 

I reply to her with, "I would have to say that I have because of my friends. Without them I would have been gone years ago." I look over to her for a bit hoping that she might also share something similar, but all she does is walk with a solemn expression on her face, looking cautiously at every shadow in case it's a mara. 

"Why the long face?", I asked her. Without even looking up she replies, "You're lucky." Hearing her say that makes me wonder what she had gone through, since the virus was let loose.

 I am betting that the corpse from earlier was a family member of hers or they might have at least known her long enough to be important enough to her. 

I pause in our walking for a moment to engulf her in a big hug. 

"Thank you," she says, reciprocating the hug. 

I feel the tears beginning to start sliding down her cheeks. Even though the moment did not last long, it definitely made an impact on how she was feeling at the moment. 

We continued walking for about what you would say forty-isha minutes before we ultimately arrived at the house. 

Luckily, we only encountered three Mara's on the way. We handled them pretty fast. The pricks of living next to a lake, they hate water. Don't blame them, I secretly can't really swim either. 

Thalia scared me though, she had gotten her hands on a shovel at some point and would not stop repeatedly smashing a Mara's head in when it went in for the kill, chills man. Freakishly strong seven-year-old I'll tell you that.

 As we walked up to the door my chill level just reached an extreme high because I only just now realized that I forgot to radio into the others. Big mistake on my part, I know. 

 I'm one hundred percent sure when I open that I am going to get a major beat down. Can a mara please kill me now because I'm sure I will be dealt with worse once inside.