I ran. With blobs of water forming in my eyes and torn clothes, I ran. My muddy black combat boots slammed into the ground with each step, twisting the soil beneath me. Gunshots rang behind me as they had just frantically realized I escaped. After I was within a safe distance, I collapsed onto a dark and mossy oak tree, dumping my pack on the leafy ground. Pulling it out of my pocket, I stared down the piece of silver and red metal in my hand. I had just taken the most valuable thing in the world without knowing it and it had almost cost me my life. I hated the thing with all my heart, for it had gotten my best friend, Lauren, killed. Everything happened so fast I didn’t know what was going on. Tearing her necklace out of my worn pocket, I compared the two. That’s when I bursted into tears.
     The world turned into mayhem after the war. Most people don’t even know how the war started or what it really was about. It was just war. It’s been 10 years since the blackout. The two groups that the United States separated into, the Patriots and the Renegades, have very different motives. The Patriots are dedicated to piecing the world back to together while the Renegades want to dictate the world. Then there is everyone else that falls between, like Lauren and I. We were smart enough not to take a side in this chaos. We’ve traveled together all of our lives and now she’s gone. Just like that. That’s how this upside down world works.
     I tossed and turned in my sleep as my brain accounted what happened. We were just walking through the forest and saw a band of Renegades; Lauren made me promise not to steal anything from them even though we were low on supplies. Once she had gone back to the cabin we had been living in for the past year, I snuck into their camp and took some food and a couple of batteries for my flashlight. I heard voices outside the bright yellow tent I was in and quickly grabbed what I could and tried to get out. Before I left I noticed a small silver and red cylinder shaped object hidden under a white cloth. Snatching it up, I tiptoed back to our cabin. Little did I know that what I took was a thumb drive that could tell you anything you desired when hooked up to a computer. Unfortunately, there were hardly any computers left in the world that still worked. The downside of the thumb drive, besides giving the ability to destroy the world, was that it interacts with the person who has it. If that person dies with the thumb drive in her pocket or hand, it dies with them.
     As one can gather, we were caught later that week, and in a desperate attempt to get the thumb drive back, they shot Lauren. Her dark brown hair flew back as her icy blue eyes widened. I gasped as I tried to process what had just happened. Screams came from the other side of the camp, drawing the soldiers away from us. Rushing to where she fell, I became frantic. Yelling at me to run, she pushed me away. I couldn’t just leave her there. Lauren finally torn off her necklace and gave it to me before telling me one last time to go.
     My eyes snapped open to the blinding sunlight. Was it all just a nightmare!? Trying to quickly drag my worn body up, I turned and saw the same oak tree I collapsed on. I had to keep going. The sound of a rushing river drew me towards the water I needed badly. Carefully lowering myself into the shivering dark water, the scrapes on my knees and hands stung from tripping over sharp rocks as my whole body ached. What was I suppose to do now? Maybe I could get to a Patriot camp or join a group of travelers. I’m not as friendly or people oriented like Lauren, in fact I don’t think I would be able to just move on. I started to hate myself for even considering joining new people a day after Lauren died. What kind of a friend was I? But I quickly reminded myself of the thumb drive. I had to get it to the Patriots before anyone else decided they might want it for themselves. Finally concluding that I was going to give the thumb drive to the Patriots as soon as possible, I turned around and started back to the bank. Someone was there. Jumping back as my emerald eyes widened, I grasped for my knife. “Who are you?” I spat.
     “Hi my name is Aaliyah. What’s your name?” she giggled. My mind was racing. What was a little girl doing out alone acquainting herself to total strangers? “Um my name is Krista…what are you doing here all by yourself?” I questioned unsteadily. “Your blond hair is pretty. I’m exploring.” Aaliyah yelled. I quickly went to the shore and asked her a few more questions before I packed up and went on my way. As I stuffed berries and sticks into my pack the little black-haired girl, around seven or eight years old, ran up to me. Smiling, she squeaked, “Can I come with you, please, please, please!?” Considering her question, I drew my head back in surprise. I had not been the least friendly toward her and she still wanted to come with me? Her eyes were icy blue like Lauren’s. I just couldn’t take a child with me on the dangerous trip I was about to take. Even if I wasn’t walking across the state to reach a Patriot headquarter, I was not fit to take care of a seven year old child. Slinging my evergreen pack over my shoulder, I grumbled “No. Go home and find your parents, kid.” And off I walked.
     It’s been two days since I left the river and for every minute I walked, Aaliyah trailed behind me. I’ve told her to go away, to home, and to get away from me, but nothing has worked. She talks to me in her high voice all day and all night. She won’t be quiet! I fear that she has grown attached to me even though I find her very annoying and defiant. I’ve tried to ditch her five times now and none of my attempts have worked. In about another couple of weeks, I will be at one of the major Patriot’s headquarters. If Aaliyah is with me the whole entire time, I’m pretty sure I will become insane. I have to admit, she is a lot like Lauren. That thought makes me tingle as I try to push it out of my mind. I’ve found out that her full name is Aaliyah Megan O’Connor, she’s 4’6”, she had two older brothers, and she talks A LOT. Tuning her out, I pace towards the rising sun. Lauren and I used to watch sun rises together; she would make this funny face when the sun hit her face. My bloodshot eyes started to tear up.
    Aaliyah stopped talking and asked me why I was crying. Quickly wiping away my tears I said nothing. As each minute dragged on, she kept pestering me. In a sudden rage I wheeled around and screamed everything that happened then stormed away. Slouching against a tree, I sobbed. Sitting there for hours on end, I craved sleep and water. A quiet rustle of leaves began to move in my direction but I was not alarmed. A small figure wearing a blue shirt and baggy jeans slumped down beside me. And there I sat, being hugged to death for the rest of the day.
     The flaming orange sun rose once again, reminding me of my pain. I’ve wasted yet another day on my stupid problems. I slowly got up to avoid aches and shook Aaliyah to wake up. Grumbling, she turned her head away and fought for another hour of sleep. I chuckled as I carefully put her on my back and began walking east yet again. *Click click* “Who are you and why are you here?” an anonymous voice whistled.
     I gradually turned around and set Aaliyah on the ground. A man in a green and brown uniform with an American flag patch shoved his gun in my face. “ANSWER MY QUESTION!” he yelled. “My name is Krista Ashtons and this is Aaliyah. You don’t know how long I’ve been traveling to see one of you guys. I have an important item that I accidently took from some Renegades. I need to speak with your commanding officer immediately.” I quickly chattered. Still suspicious, the Patriot soldier rushed me to his campsite.
    Upon arrival, everyone was staring at me and Aaliyah. They were camped on a hillside with several tents pitched, a few cabins, and a garden. It was quite a set up for a military base.  There were at least 50 people there including medics, soldiers, survivors, and trainees. Each section had their color or type of clothes to identify them. Stripping me of all of my weapons, they pushed me into the biggest tent where the captain sat. I explained what had happened in the past week or so and showed her the thumb drive. Captain Hollan absorbed everything I told her and explained more to me about the thumb drive and how it worked. She spoke to me as if I was already dead and the thumb drive was the only thing that mattered. “The thumb drive is made up of tiny nanites that interact with human’s DNA. That’s why if the person who has the thumb drive dies, the thumb drives dies as well. The thumb drive collects information from the brain of its hosts and saves it. Anyways, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot. I’d like you to keep the thumb drive for the time being since we do not have a safe place to keep it. I’ll have someone check in on you every hour or two. Private Scott here will show you to your tent where clothes, food, and fresh water are waiting for you” she assured.
     Scrambling out of my seat, I jogged to my tent on the other side of the camp. I heard soldiers whispering about how Hollans doesn’t quite want the thumb drive yet because she didn’t want to expose her memories to future hosts or just anyone with a computer. Great, one day everyone will know my entire life. Finding a new pair of jeans, a red t-shirt, bread, and water in my tent, I feasted and rested for what felt like days. I’ve haven’t felt this good for weeks. And finally my eyes closed.
     Waking up to the sound of a bugle, I sprang out of bed and stretched, yawning with delight about how much sleep I had gotten. And that’s when it hit me, as hard as a boulder. Where was Aaliyah? Racing out of my tent, I asked around if anyone had seen her. Most answered me in puzzled looks until Private Scott told me he last saw her running toward the lake below the hill. Thanking him, I rushed down the path to the lake, gazing at the light green grass that swayed ever so slowly. “Aaliyah!” I screamed, throwing my head in different directions to try to catch a glimpse of her. My panic was put to an end when I was met by a squealing voice from the middle of the lake. In a hurry, Aaliyah cut through the water with such grace and speed. Giving me a big wet hug, my new clothes started to stick to my body. Laughing, I hugged her back.
     *Pewww pewww* Bullets rang through the air. What was going on!? I looked off in the distance at the trees. My panic returned but even stronger this time. A man I recognized only as Lauren’s murderer from the Renegade camp led a group of people each loaded with rifles towards me. I grabbed Aaliyah’s hand and spirited toward the path up back to camp. Confused, Aaliyah trudged behind me asking silly questions about what was going on. I tried to drag her with me but she was defiant and stood her place. My heart raced as fast as a rabbit’s as the men approached us. “ON THE GROUND!” He screamed, knocking Aaliyah with the butt of his rifle. Going down with her, I tried to hide my face so that he wouldn’t recognize me. His cruel bulky men took my knife, backpack, and anything else that looked like a weapon. “Okay now stand up slowly!”He echoed. As I reluctantly got up, he viciously smiled at me. His teeth were a nasty yellow shade and his un-groomed face added to the whole hobo look. “Look at what we have here boys, the same girl who stole our stuff. I think you have something we own, so give it back and I’ll make your death quick.” He snarled.
     I wanted to run. I wanted to run away from here as far as I could and never look back. But I just couldn’t bring myself to. I ran away once before, but I will stand my ground with Aaliyah this time. Glaring into his harsh brown eyes, I stood still. “Okay, if you want to play it that way, I’ll give you five seconds to give me the thumb drive or I’ll do something that’ll make you wish you did. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…” he seethed as he raised his gun towards Aaliyah. That savage was doing the same thing that he did to Lauren but I didn’t try to save her. *BAM* the gun went as he shot at Aaliyah. I will not let the same thing happen again. And as if everything went into slow motion, I leaped in front of Aaliyah, blocking the bullet from her. A horrific pain shot through my side as the bullet drilled through my body. Landing on the ground with a sickening thud, I moaned loudly. Screams and more gunshots pierced the air as I slowly turned my head. The last thing I saw was Aaliyah kneeling over me yelling something over and over again. Then the world turned pitch black.
     Voices swirled around me as I tried to open my eyes. I wanted to just sleep forever and not worry about what was going on. Was this a dream? Am I dead? What happened? I didn’t understand what was going on until I slowly cracked open my eyes. A nurse stood over me obviously filled with delight. “You’re up!” she exclaimed. I hastily tried to get up. A pain shot through my stomach as I did. “Whoa easy there, you shouldn’t get up so fast. You got shot…remember?”The nurse questioned. Oh right… I thought to myself. How dumb was I? After what seemed like an interrogation, I finally pieced together that the army shot the Renegades down and Aaliyah was perfectly alright, but the nurse had to kick her out of the cabin because she was causing so much of a ruckus. As the nurse told me I had been unconscious for a week and a half, I slowly inched my way out of the cabin.
     The crisp morning air crept up arm as I looked for Aaliyah. Tens of soldiers and survivors said hello to me and tried to talk to me, but I trudged along. Catching a glance of a little black haired girl on the hillside, I paced as fast as I could over to her. “Boo!” I exclaimed, scaring her with delight. Grinning ear to ear she became absolutely nuts as she tried to tackle me. Blocking her back, I quickly reminded her that I had been shot. She laid her head in my lap as she chattered away at what happened while I was unconscious. I just sat there and smiled as I watched the sun inch up from the dark and gigantic trees. Digging into my pocket, I could feel the thumb drive and the necklace and pulled both of them out. I gradually slipped the necklace over Aaliyah’s head and when I did, she stopped talking. In a voice that could barely be heard, she whispered “Isn’t this Lauren’s necklace?” I nodded and looked back at the beautiful orange, red, and yellow sun. “I LOVE IT!” she suddenly cried. Chuckling, I looked down at the thumb drive and pondered what I should do with it. Clutching it with great strength in my hand, I threw it into the lake without a second thought. Aaliyah gasped with surprise. If everyone was killing each other for something so easily lost or destroyed, the world will always be in chaos. I guess that not everyone was willing to kill for the thumb drive. Perhaps everyone had something they would die for. Slowly running my fingers through her hair, I watched the sunrise with Aaliyah. Not Lauren, or Lauren’s replacement, just plain old Aaliyah. I did not run.