The Survivors (Book 1): Summer (33 page)
Read The Survivors (Book 1): Summer Online
Authors: V. L. Dreyer
Ryan sat on the edge of their bed, cradling something wrapped in the soft pink baby blanket I had intended as a gift for my sister.
As I drew closer, I realised that it was the baby.
It was dead.
The baby’s skin was a terrible shade of blue-purple, and its tiny face was contorted and stiff. Tears ran down Ryan’s cheeks as he looked down at the tiny child in his arms, the terrible litany of loss written clearly across his freckled face.
"
We were going to name her Kylie, after her grandmother," he spoke softly when he saw me, and cuddled his firstborn daughter, dead before he had the chance to know her. "Kylie Sandrine Knowles-McDermott. That was going to be her name. She was going to have beautiful blue eyes like her mama, and my freckles, and we were going to teach her to sing and read and play games with us. We were–" His voice broke, and he trailed off into sobs of terrible grief, the tiny body clutched against his chest.
I didn’t know what to say.
There was nothing I could say that would make this better. The baby was dead, and with her all their hopes and dreams for a family together.
Behind him, my sister lay unconscious, her breathing shallow and uneven.
Her skin was waxy, and so very pale I felt like what little hope I had left would never be enough to save her.
The tears gathered in my eyes and I let them fall unhindered as I knelt beside her bed.
In my mind’s eye, she was still that sweet-faced little girl I adored. She would always be my baby sister.
My one living relative.
My best friend.
I took her cold, clammy hand and pressed it to my cheek, praying that somehow, someway, she might hear my words and fight a little harder.
"Please, Skye, please. Don’t leave me."
***
To be continued, in The Survivors – Book II: Autumn.
***
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C
redits
Concept & Story: | Victoria L. Dreyer |
Editing: | Holly Simmons |
Cover Art: | Alais Legrand |
Graphic Design: | Alyssa Talboys |
| |
Financial Support | |
Prior to the release of this novel, the author ran an online fundraising campaign to help with the costs. Without the generosity of these lovely people, Adrienne Smith Clare Stones Dennis Swanson Rebekah Andrews Sarah Hayward Sonia Rudolph And of course, the anonymous donators who requested not to be named. Thank you. |
This book would never have been finished without the loyalty and dedication of my family. Without your eternal faith in me,
Sandy's adventure would have forever remained untold.
To all of my fans from my early days as a graphic novelist, thank you as well. Your love and endless stream of inquisitive questions gave me the strength to carry on in the darkest hours, and opened my mind to all kinds of new possibilities.
To Holly, my editor, for her incredible patience and high degree of tolerance to my idiosyncrasies.
And most of all, to Alyssa, for being my Skylar. Where would I be without you? You pick me up when I'm feeling down, smack me down when my ego gets too big, and call me out on my grammar at every turn.
Thank you.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Victoria Dreyer began her career in the most peculiar of ways
– as the writer and illustrator of graphic novels. Although her ultimate dream was always to become a novelist, she spent many years exploring other mediums before finally returning to the one she felt most comfortable with – the written word.
Ms Dreyer is a voracious reader, and in addition to the post-apocalyptic genre she also enjoys reading and writing science fiction, modern fantasy, and the paranormal romance genres. Her primary works include the
Immortelle
series under the moniker Abigail Hawk, and numerous short stories.
She currently resides in West Auckland with several flatmates, a large collection of books and two very spoilt cats.