THE NEW WORLD: CHAPTER IV

Oh Brother

Greenwood, Delaware. May, Month of the outbreak.

Harrison Cramer, Tobias' older brother 3 years older than him, a fire-fighter. A more rational and calmer thinker when compared to his brother who allows his emotion to sway and cloud his judgement and action.

Everyone in their family has been involved in Emergency Response Agency, except for Tobias. Their father was a police officer who was strict on the brothers and would always teach them the value of hardwork above all else. Their mother was a Transport nurse, a woman capable of doing much mroe incredible things for herself but chose to help others that need it. Like her husband, she was also strict with her sons and would often ask them to compete in sports. They expected it to create a strong bond of camaraderie between the 2, but it only caused them to be much more competetive and jelos of eachother; and tucked away are there love for one another.

Was, as their parents passed away on a tragic incident 5 years ago, Tobias was in service during that time and was not able to attend their parents' burial, Harry was the only member of their family to attended.

Upon Tobias' arrival, a full year after the burial, the 2 brothers met at the cemetery and beat each other up to the point of death. Their family had to stop them but the brothers were too much for them too handle and caused more harm to their uncles, aunts, and cousins.

"Get the fuck out of here" A stern voice echoes around Harry's head as he wakes up with a painful ache. He wakes up to a news of an estrange virus that hascaused people to go 'mad'. The mayors of cities all around America respectively reponded with military forces combined with militia men in order to weaken the threat of the 'madness'. The news cited as the 'mad cow disease' to have the same affect on livestock to humans as well.

"Mad cow disease, it now makes humans act like cows? Interesting but terrifying" Harry reads out the headline.

"It is not, some scientist say its a new virus, more closely related to rabies actually rather than mad cow"

"hmmm, even more terrifying" Harry eats his breakfast and finally heads out to his work. He gives his wife a gentle kiss on her forehead, Elizabeth Hall who is 6 months pregnant with their daughter. He bents down to the level of her abdomen and feels the warmth of their skin.

"See you in 3 months baby"

"See you later then, happy birthday" Elizabeth soft spoke. They share a gentle kiss and left for work. Harry, unlike his little brother, stayed loyal to the town that they were born in. He followed the path of his father and eventually became a fire-fighter and works in the city of Milford. 20 minutes due north-east of their town of Greenwood. He gets into his late father's truck and drives.

"Radio, radio... something good please" He turns on the radio and surfs across different channel finding that perfect song that fits his mood. "Ah there we go" A Beatles song plays and he taps to the beats and hums the lyrics. As he makes his way towards his office he cannot help but admire the view that he has never grew tired of seeing for the all of his life, he sees children playing in front of their perches, people walking their dogs.

"La la, life goes on" He sung. A he makes his way to Milford, he passes the unincorporated area of Staytonville. He notices a small gathering around a plume of smoke and immdiately knew what to do. He drives through the lawn and into the street on the other side of the block, he honks the horn of his car and told people to get away. Just as he gets out he hears his radio buzz and dispatch tells of the fire that he is in fornt of.

"Copy that, I am already here... I'll try to control the area as much as possible" He hops off the truck and started to do his duty. He asks everyone to step away and they easily complied as he is the expert. He also asked the 3 police officers on duty to help him with the crowd control and an explanation that started the fire.

"Thank you boys, what happened here?" He ask one of the officers.

"Apparently the family was baking and left the oven open and easily caught on fire, most of the house are made out of lighter materials"

"Anything else?"

"MY DOG!" A little girl called out. Amongst the roaring flames they hear the barking of a dog. Harry quickly looks for where the barking comes from and just as he was about to rush in on of the officers came through and gave him a fire extinguisher.

"Thank you, if you boys can, grab a hose and try to contain the fire yes?" The 3 men were clearly new on the line of work and were nervous with the task at hand, but with the help of the people in the community they pushed through to put out the fire. Harry moves forward and puts out the fire that he can put out as he takes on the scorching heat. He stands on the front door and easily breaks the weakened material. The dog runs through crying and was treated using some of the water.

One of the onlookers helped the dog by bathing it in cool water, and the others work on dampening the house, and throwing digging up dirt onto the grass to at least slow it down from spreading. But it was not enough, the fire was engulf in flames and within minutes the ceiling starts to crumble and creates a bigger inferno.

"Here they are! MAKE WAY!" The bystanders called out as the firemen arrived. They rushed through traffic and came as fast as they can. The fighters slowly but surely put out the fire. Everyone shared a huge sigh of relief and celebrated, the family whose house burned down were greateful for their safety rather than their house.

"Are you okay?" Harry kneels down to their level as other fire-men gave them space blankets for the shock.

"Better now, thank you Mr. Cramer"

"Do you guys have, insurance because this is a massive loss"

"Of course.. thank you for being here, how could we ever repay you?"

"You don't have to, part of the job"

An ambulance comes through as well and takes the family with them as they also suffered degree burns. Harry talks to some of his men and thanked them for their hard work as well.

"You 3 come here" The 3 police officers who are still shocked appraoched him. He offered his hand and they nervously shook his.

"I really appreciate your help, I needed it... well, they needed it, have you talked to them?"

"No not yet, but can we?"

"Of course, go" The family calms down and are driven off to hospitals. Harry gets back into his vehicle as he waved to some of the men and the fire now small is slowly being extinguished. He smiles at the help that he managed to give and looks up to the sky, a habit that him and his brother share. As he stare up into the sky, flock of birds go unnoticed. The density of the birds were enough to darken the sky above them, and they start to feel nervous.

An announcement came through any sort of mass communication medium and everyone increased the volumes of their device. The news anchors said sternly through the radio, "The President of the United States Martial Law to most of the surroundings states around New Jersey"

"What is it?" One of Harry's subordinates approaches him as he also read the news outlet online.

"This serves as a response to the recent events happening in the state, several aggressive movements coming from its people had led to a number of deaths and damages all throughout the state"

"Aggressive Movements?" Harry asked his suboridnate. "Apparently, sir, a bunch of sudden rallies, mostly on populated areas about the virus"

"Virus? What does it cause?"

"You know that one thats been on the news lately?"

"Of course, Mad Men disease" He mockingly described the virus.

"That's one way of putting, but thats pretty much all we know from this"

"Uh huh, hopefully we will find out more.... Thank you Charlie"

"You're welcome sir, see you at the station"

"Of course" Harry enters his car and increased the volume up to maximum. The anchor then proceeds to desrcibe the symptom of the virus. ""The information on this new virus, mainly its symptoms are as follows, sudden high fever, ins-" The radio went silent, not even that familiar buzz when a signal is not coming through. The signal comes in and out for most of the drive and eventually comes back, and when it did the portion of describing the symptoms have already been went through. "That is all" The phrase marks the end of the report and a transition follows, he lowers the volume down to almost zero. He tries to play music but cannot bring himself to it. So he looks up to the sky to entertain himself.

"What the fuck is happening?"

He arrives at the fire department in Milford and notices everyone is crowding around the television and are in serious shock. They can only witness live in their television as New Jersey falls into whatever the the military is going up against. The Reporter speaks and runs as chaos insued behind them. The Media struggles as they try to report everything they can.

"WE ARE NOW RUN- Fuck! Run get to the van! THE VAN!"

People run out from one of the buildings behind them and the media crew fell into the stampede of people running. The report falls down to the ground and covers himself up in a fetal position protecting his neck and head as people step over or on him. The camera falls down and the lenses break as it is aimed towards him. As the people continue to run, everyone in the news studio cannot help themselves but also be frozen in shock as they see the reported get completely stomped to death.

Everyone that is witnessing this is stunned, even Elizabeth back at their house. She covers her mouth and tear up.

After the stampede the corpse of the stomped man lay there as another wave of people come through. The camera starts to move and was picked up by the camera man who addressed the viewers. "Save yourselv-" His final words as he attacked by an unseen entity and he is dragged off-screen. The live feed was quickly cut off.

The camera goes back to the anchorman and he can only express his shock. He sits there fixing his tie, and shaking.

"Ne-New York also exprienced the same events" Once more, everyone who witnessed it are in pure shock as they all saw a horrific event but was easily ignored by the anchor; and everyone understands him. "The caused of this riots are unknown, but it seems like everyone will be attacked, the Martial Law will continue until this issue is resolved"

"Stay in your homes" Everyone panics as the mothers call on their children, the fathers protect their families, and everyone held firm.

"Take care of your family" Elizabeth rubs her belly and rushes to call Harry.

"Good Luck, and G-" The television gets cut off then the SMPTE color bars abruptly appears. Everyone was already gone in the station and are driving back to their homes. When Harry left for his work the day seemed brighter, but after the fire accident, and the brutal riots in New Jersey, everything felt suddenly darker. His hands shake uncontrobally making his driving unstable and almost crashing into different cars. It was hectic. He checks his phone to call Elizabeth but it was not there.

*Hello?* Another voice goes through Elizabeth's phone but she knows who it is.

"Chief?"

*Elizabeth? Well, Harry seems to have dropped his phone, everyone left the station so suddenly*

"Yes have you seen the news?"

*Yeah, buts its just humans being stupid, don't worry, tell Harry I'll be coming over to give his phone*

"Thank you so much" She puts her phone down and calls on more of her relatives and asking them if they saw what is happening in the television. She has to keep calm or else the baby will be affected, but she knows her facade will not last. After calling some of her relatives Harry finally arrives. He did not even park properly and just drove through their lawn.

"Harry?" He gives Elizabeth a big hug and grabs her by the head gently.

"Are you okay, Harry talk to me"

"I'm fine, the news... that was.... th-" He was sweating profusely. "We need to get out of here" Harry quickly dictated as he starts to panic and rush up to their rooms. Elizabeth was calm and she managed to keep a clear head and follows up on what her husband is doings. Harry puts down their big bags and Elizabeth neatly puts the clothes in.

"That news was terrifying, we need to keep you and her safe"

"Where are we heading?"

"Denton, to my Uncle"

"Don't... don't they hate you?" Harry slowed down his movement and eventually halted in packing their things. He sighed and starts to whimper, Elizabeth goes down to her husband and gave him a hug.

"Why does it have to be like this" Harry said. "But we're family, they won't leave us" He added further. It was enough to give Elizabeth hope to have refuge at her in-laws home. No matter how messed up the world can get, they are still family and their Uncle will not go back on this.

"We'll go through this" Elizabeth said.

"We have to" Harry kept his promise. The couple shared a gentle kiss then a warm hug. The 2 tear up as they hear a jetplanes fly across their heads and an explosion follows up.

Greenwood, Delaware, August, 4 months after the outbreak.

Elizabeth has given to their daughter, Louanne, after Harry and Tobias' mother. The mother softly hums to her sleeping babe as she rocks the cradle. She is bewitched in the sight of her baby despite holding a rifle. She puts her face closer to her baby and lay a kiss on her forehead. "I'll protect you" She said. She looks over to husband who keeps a lookout through each window, he paces around and peeps through their peephole. Bad weather comes through and made the sky gray, the ravaged streets, ruined and abandoned houses, and the roaming dead.

"How is she?" Harry asked as she walks up to them.

"Asleep, look at her"

"Her lashes ang long, just like mine" Harry brought up. "Are you tired?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, still have bit in me.."

For most of the month, after their daughter's birth, they are now much more desperate to find a way out of the town. Harry stays up too late with little to no sleep to find an opportunity to escape, but nothing has presented itself. He as only seen what little hope he had die right in front of him. There are some that managed to get out before everything got worse. Military men also arrived in the town and tried to evacuate them as their area was deemed dangerous after it. But for Harry and his family they were too late, as the army were not able to respond quickly and send out the right amount of troops.

What resulted is them being trapped in their own town. Another thing before the military intervetion was that the local authorities of the state tried to recover some of the bodies and debris which only sealed their fate. One of the passengers had the virus and it incubated in them long enough and was resitant to the explosion. For Milford, dissimilar to the one in Connecticut had the worse cards handed to them. People misunderstood the area where the military was setting up a place for evacuation; it was the nearest to New Jersey. Everyone rushed down to Delaware and caused a mess, by the time they were too late there were already to many people there and so they were deserted, ran away, or were forced to be evacuated with the military. As for those who stayed and remained hopeful, 'refugees' from New Jersey succumbed to the virus and everyone was infected.

It was too fast and within a week after the reported infection in Milford everyone was already dead. They had no 'food' and thus dispersed outwards of the city. All of the surrounding towns were quickly swept away by the infected. Riots occured all throughout the state and the death toll skyrocketed as the violence increased and people were distraugth and resulted to killing each other to survive and go the the 'Proper' Milford Base.

After his rounds, Harry sits by Elizabeth who is noticebly thinner, but she still have a strong physique that she needs to keep up.

"The radio?" Harry asked.

"Still buzzing" Harry finishes his lookout and sits beside his wife. Looking over to their daughter he said, "She looks a lot like you", the 2 smile with this interaction but eventually shifted to a sadder expression. They have now have a bigger responsibility to not only make sure she survives but grows up better in this new world.

"My mother would've killed just to see one of us have a daughter"

"A daughter?"

"Yeah, she wanted to spoil whoever had one and just... take her to malls, doll her up... and she gets angry at us if we scold her"

"Things grandmothers would do for their grand-kids"

"Yeah, I remember when we were kids, he swore our mom that he will have a wife and daughter first"

"I guess you beat him to it?"

"I did" Elizabeth smiled as she heard of a story that he husband never shared her. Despite being on-laws, she has little to no idea who Tobias is. Ever since their separation, Harry would describe his little brother pessimistically as that was how he was towards them; but he still loved him. It was one thing that their Father always taught them, as their late Father was not close with her own siblings. They never got to express anything openly and would rather keep it in, a bad habit. Only when they got old they managed to properly have a conversation and develop a proper relationship. Something Him and Tobias would go through but in a much more harder pace.

"Do you mind, telling me what happened between you and your brother?"

"I..." Harry choked on his words, Elizabeth understood that her question was intrusive. "Sorry, you do not have to answer it"

"Its fine, I don't want to keep anything from you, I can take my time but this one... well I just have to tell you"

He then recounted what his dream was all those months ago. Something that he never really thought of and instead supressed it for himself. When they were in the prime of their youth, Harry was 23 and Tobias was 20, his younger brother purposely flunked college by acting out. He was smart but his attitude that he made worse caused him enough to be kicked out of college. It was a sudden shock to everyone who knew Tobias, they saw him as a model student of sorts. Someone who can balance their wants and needs effortlessly, they can have the time of their lives whilst maintaing great marks.

"I wnated to be in the army, he said" Harry chuckled, "Stupidly, just out of the blue during one of out dinners"

"To be like your grandfater?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah, dad's DAD, I guess, he was the only one Tobias respected... becuase" He stopped speaking and let out a sigh, dissapointed in hisself. "He was the only one that never mocked him of 'failing' college"

"Hmm"

"Yeah, grandpa was proud of him, but for me during that, it was so stupid of him just to drop everything he had for the sake, what dying?" He almost went to a rant but his sad emotions came out instead and he chocked on his words.

"I was insulting him... mocking him, I MOCKED HIM, all the time while I ride this high horse of mine"

Elizabeth remains quiet as he lets her husband reflect and vent.

"I saw him as a joke, my parents were dissapointed, but they did not hate him, that's what he thought so he worked himself through the bone just to live up to that... fucking expectation"

"A soldier it was?"

"Yeah" His tears ran uncontrollable and all Elizabeth see is the purest of emotions for someone, love.

"And then, when our grandpa died... it took as a whole fucking year just to tell him" He sniffed his noise and wipes his tears. "I was 26, he was 23, by this time he was already in the army, no contact with us until he was 28, he returned and we forgot to tell him"

Harry looked at Elizabeth directly in the eye and she sees how much he dispised himself for all of the things that he has done. Tobias was enraged, for they withheld such devastating information for him over the last 5 years, they had chances to say it but they never did. Tobias saw this as them not loving his grandfather as much as he did, as most grandparents for him are easily forgotten. He insulted his father directly, then his mother, then Tobias.

"He walked out of the house, just... that scream of him is what I remember, not even his face"

The 2 never got together once more. Tobias left his house and the 3 of them never went after him; or so Tobias did. Noticing he left his jacket he goes back only to be met by Harry's infuriated fist. He did not take lightly how Tobias easily insulted their parents and threw him to fight, but Tobias who has a more combat experience easily overpower his big brother and for the first time he was beating him in something. For the first time He was looking down on Harry.

"For the first time, I was in his shadow"

"I'M SICK OF ALL OF YOU! THE 3 OF YOU FUCKS! YOU NEVER LOVED HIM!"

"DON'T BE SO DRAMATIC TOBY, HE WAS ALSO MY GRAND-" Tobias covers his mouth. "Just shut up, SHUT HARRISION" He mockingly said, "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!".

The brothers has always addressed each other through nicknames as a bond of their closeness.

"So when he called me by my name, for the first time ever, I now see how distant we have become"

For the next month Tobias stayed in a hotel, and eventually going back to duty. 4 months after, on October 15, their Mother's birthday, they were involved in a car accident. A drunk driver crash into the side of their car, killing them upon impact.

Harry was the only family to attend their funeral, as for his father's family, where Toby's beloved grandfather belong, they arrived a week later as they cannot face Harry; who was angry. And as for their mother's side all of them are deceased. Upon receiving this news, Tobias was devastated. He insulted them at their final moments, and when they tried to contact him he shunned them.

"Are you okay man?" One of his co-workers asked, but he did not have a reply or the thought of even noticing them. He sat there quietly and aimless, not knowing what to do. It took him a year to go back home and at age 30. He finally visited their grave, on their birthday, the same birthday as his.

"I am, so… sorry… I am…"

He was accompanied by his father's family, who loved his grandfather as much as he did. They did not feel any resentment towards Tobias, as they know he lost the most out of everyone. Before he shouted and insulted their parents, deep inside loved them more than he could hate them. He wanted them to pull him back to their arms, but what met him was Harry's fist.

As he asked for their forgiveness, Harry walks from behind, angry.

"Shut the fuck up"

Toby continues to whimper as their cousins, aunts, and uncle watch.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, you do not get to be sorry…. you do not get to cry over them, so stop and get out of or I'll drag you out myself!"

"Harry, calm down" His uncle told him, but he did not listen as he marched over to his little brother ready to fight him once more. His cousins came to stop him to let Toby mourn properly -as it is the only thing that he can do, but Harry did not respect it and goes up against anyone that goes in his way. He easily pushed the cousins and threw a punch to Tobias.

"FUCK YOU!"

"harry" He said as he cried there pathetically, not even raising an arm to fend for himself, nor the spirit to fight.

"YOU DO NOT GET TO FUCKING CRY!"

He pushed his cousins off and he threw more punches to his brother.

"FIGHT BACK! YOU'RE A FUCKING SOLDIER!"

Harry pushed Toby down to the ground and he allowed him to throw more punches, the others finally pulls Harry off Tobias. Tobias slowly gets up and they are intimidated by him, they know how much damage he can deal to Harry.

"Get off me… plea… please… let m- me kill that fucker!"

Tobias then pulls his cousins off him and walked up to Tobias. He kneels down to his brother's level.

"The… Last time… our parents saw us… we were fighting"

He spoke as he continued to console his brother, but he slowed down and cried. His sweat, tears, and blood mix up the 2 brothers are covered in their own blood, their mother and father's blood as much as it is theirs.

"I'm sorry… Harry, ple-"

"get out" Harry replied strongly with a vindictive voice, with every word his brother he spoke, "get out", is what he only replies and he does not want to respond to him. Not even a tear.

"I'-"

"Didn't you fucking hear me! GET OUT OF HERE!"

Tobias looks at his fallen brother, wounded, but still strong enough to fight. He cries. He now looks more messy than when he arrived her. His uncle walked up to him and held his shoulder.

"You gotta leave kid… heard you live in New Hampshire"

"New Mexico, that's where I'm stationed"

"Come with me, we'll show you something"

Tobias looks at his brother him who fixed their parents ruined grave, he wanted to help but he stepped backed instead. He followed his uncle by car and they both travel to Denton, Maryland. Tobias enters the house and his uncle asked him to clean the blood off his person. He had a fresh change of clothes and headed to his uncle's study room.

"A colt 1911" Tobias said. He picked it up and examined it thoroughly. It has golden etchings on it which added to his curiosity, and an etched 'Cramer' on barrel of the gun .

"This was our father's, then your father's and now its yours, your grandpa had 2 guns remember?"

"This and the HDM, I'm guessing Harrison has it?"

"He does, I gave it to him… last year, and as for, you keep it"

"No, Uncle Sean, you keep it, I… I'll just be upset if I have that…"

He returned the gun and thanked his uncle for the kind gesture. Sean can only smile as this is the calmest he might ever see Tobias can be. He gave him food for the road and the 2 steps outside, his cousins just arrives after helping Harry with the grave.

"Hey Toby" One of his cousins called and he felt ashamed and looked away. He walked up to his car and wipes the blood off window. "I'll give this back tomorrow" He said as he stained with his blood, "Keep it". Sean taps his back and opens the door for him.

"I.. assumed they hated me, for beating my brother up" Harry said. He looks down onto the gun that his grandfather passed down to him, not rusting as he never bothered to maintain it. He taps on his hand and bows his head down to the palm of his hands. "Are you ashamed?" Elizabeth asked as she has also teared up.

"Of course, I wanted to reunite with him but… I just made worse, I made everything worse" He starts to chuckle.

"No no, both of you have flaws, and deep within him… Toby really loves you, I know that, so do you"

"What makes you think that?"

"I know he does… I just know"

Harry stands there with tears and snot. Emotional, too emotional, it was the first time Elizabeth has seen him, more emotional than they got married. He gave her dear husband a hug, to calm him down. He moves the cradle, it sways left to right, and their child quietly sleeps.

"You hear them right?"

"Yeah… I love you"

"I love you too, we're going to get out of here"

They can hear the horde moving outside, their footsteps dragging, the growls coming from their necks as they breathe can be heard. The density of their population makes it a terrible ambience. And with that, Harry knows that they have to get out and they've been there for far too long. They are low on food, water, formula. Getting out of their beloved town is the only option, and they must act quick.