Page 1

Chapter 1

Holly fought back a shiver as the constant beeping, quiet murmurs, hacking coughs, and occasional footsteps echoed through the clinic. She pulled the blanket higher and peered through the crack in the curtain, wondering when Dr. Rowan would return.

With every pained breath she took, her anxiety grew. Something was seriously wrong with her. She knew it with every fiber of her being… and that was the reason she’d postponed getting a medical evaluation. Well, that and her inability to afford one.

After weeks of fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heart rate, and a few fainting spells, she’d collapsed in the middle of a crowded farmers’ market. Two good Samaritans had helped her to her feet before insisting she come to this free clinic to get checked out.

Meyersdale. That was the name of this little town. A small community filled with aging Victorian-style houses nestled between farmland that stretched toward the mountains.

Eager to avoid the war-torn areas of the country, she’d been traveling on backroads, camping in remote locations and only venturing into town when she absolutely needed something. That was how she’d ended up here, in a place she’d never even heard of.

As the minutes dragged on, Holly resisted the urge to jump out of bed, rush outside, and make sure her beloved solar RV was still parked in the municipal lot down the street. She didn’t like being away from it for too long. What if someone stole it? It wasn’t just her only mode of transportation, but it had been her home for the last five years and contained all her worldly possessions.

She glanced around the cramped exam room. She wasn’t a medical professional by any means, but even she could tell the equipment looked very outdated. If she had a serious illness, would they be able to treat her?

Her heart ached with loneliness. If she died, would anyone care? Would anyone know? Everyone from her old life was dead or missing.

Regret welled inside her. If only she hadn’t taken off in her RV all those years ago. If she’d stayed in her hometown, she could’ve spent the last few years surrounded by family and friends.

But no. Her restless spirit just wouldn’t let her stay in one place. She’d always craved adventure, new places, and the freedom of the open road. And for the first few years, leaving her hometown of Madison had been one of the best decisions she’d ever made.

She’d traveled all over North America, working odd jobs along the way just to make enough money to continue her journey. She’d met fascinating people, glimpsed beautiful sights, and experienced things she never would have if she’d stayed home.

Of course, she hadn’t known a war was coming.

She hadn’t known that Madison would be wiped off the map during a clash between rebels and government forces. She hadn’t known that her parents would be among the dead, along with far too many friends, neighbors, and old acquaintances.

A shudder ran through her when she recalled the day she’d woken to the news reports.

Her brother’s body was never recovered. He traveled frequently for work, so she clung to the possibility that maybe he hadn’t been there. Maybe he was still alive somewhere. Maybe one day he would finally respond to her emails, texts, and phone calls.

Sometimes she wondered if she’d made the wrong choice by leaving, even though she would’ve probably died alongside her parents if she’d stayed in Madison.

But she couldn’t bring herself to regret the five years she’d spent on the road. Not completely.

Until the fighting began, she’d loved almost everything about her nomadic life. Especially the freedom.

Then the unrest had started to grow, and the world around her had quickly changed.

Now the United States was in the middle of a revolution of sorts, and traveling alone as a woman had become dangerous. Most of the time, she dressed as a man, even when she thought no one was around.

She suppressed another shiver as she recalled all the close calls she’d had over the last few years. If it weren’t for her trusty taser, she would probably be dead already.

The violence was something else entirely. Not just the bloodshed she witnessed on the news, but the gruesome scenes and unhinged people she’d encountered during her travels.

Once, she’d come across a pit filled with bodies.

Another time, she’d found herself held at gunpoint, staring down the barrel of a rifle while she waited for the man holding it to decide whether to kill her.

She still remembered the terror that had seized her when a sudden, vicious crack split the air. A sniper’s bullet had struck the man before he could pull the trigger. She’d never even seen the shooter. Never learned who had saved her. One moment, she’d been certain she was about to die. The next, her attacker had crumpled to the ground, and she’d taken off running for her life.

Those memories haunted her.

Maybe that was why she’d begun to realize she couldn’t keep living this way. What was once fun and adventurous was now frightening and dangerous.

The world had changed.

She had changed.