I jolted awake sitting up with jagged breathing from yet another nightmare, at least I hope- I quickly turned my head and let out a sigh of relief, "okay it was just a dream," I mumbled seeing that my little sister Lexi was still sleeping soundly next to me.

I brushed my long matted black hair out of my face. I had to start getting ready for another long day. I scooted away from Lexi to make sure I didn't accidentally wake her while trying to get ready. I moved to the other side of the shelter.

The shelter wasn't all that big at first glance, but it could fit up to six people comfortably. The shelter wasn't tall enough to stand in, but it was tall enough for a person to kneel in it without their head touching the roof. Six people could be laying down and have enough space in between so that they weren't touching the others. Cammy and I had built the shelter this way so that if we ran into any friendly survivors we could help them even if it was just for a little while.

The roof was slanted and the whole shelter looked like a pyramid. This was so the rain slid right off the roof. Most of the structure was made out of wood and cinder blocks. To stop the wood from rotting thrown over the top was a tarpaulin that was attached to the structure. The door was on one of the shorter sides of the structure, and it was just the tarpaulin that was split down the middle with a rope tying the two sides together to make sure the wind and rain couldn't come in. On the other side was a long funneled tube that stuck out of a hole I had cut into the structure to perfectly fit the tube so that the rain couldn't leak in through the hole. The funnels end had a bunch of little holes to make sure that the rain had a harder chance of getting in through them.

I built the funnel shortly after finding a rather large metal pot with its lid intact and with it, I found metal racks. I used this as a way to make a fire inside our shelter so that the rain couldn't put it out and so that our shelter would be at less of a risk to fill up with smoke and or burn down. I had set it up near the corner of our shelter to keep it away from where we slept. I set it up so that the metal racks held the pot above the floor of our shelter and I had cut holes into the lid so that the fire could breathe. The makeshift funnel was positioned over the elevated pot of fire so that the smoke exited our shelter easier. Underneath the pot was several layers of rocks that mostly absorbed the heat that radiated off of the metal pot. 

I combed my fingers through my hair the best I could, I know it was a fruitless task but I just couldn't stop myself from trying to clean up the tangles that riddled my hair. I got a lot of them out, but I gave up on the few stubborn ones that refused to give.

I let out a frustrated sigh before moving over towards the entrance of the shelter. I had started getting ready to head out in search of food. I grabbed the bag that was by the door filled with the supplies I would need. I tugged on the makeshift raincoat that was crafted from a trap, the second makeshift raincoat was made from a shower curtain. I wrapped my shoes in the extra scraps of tarp that we had used for keeping our feet dry. I pulled up my hood and started tucking my hair into the raincoat.

I was about to head out when I heard a slight chattering noise. I looked back behind me to see Lexi shivering and her teeth chattering together. The blankets had slipped off of her. I scooted closer to her and threw the blanket back over her and stayed with her until she warmed up before heading out.

I had built our shelter a little ways away from a small stream, at least it was small at the time. Since the rains had picked up pouring harder than before the stream had turned into a river. Nevertheless, there were still fish in the ever-growing stream.

When I had reached it I had slid off my shoes carefully to make sure that they didn't get drenched. I set them upside down on an old tree stump. I reached into the backpack and pulled out a small makeshift spear before wading into the shallow nerve numbing water. I didn't have much time I had to get a few fish and get back to the camp and get my feet dry before I got sick, or worse.

Such pressure used to make me panic, now I don't have that luxury, there is no time to panic. If you panic you die, you have to keep a calm head at all times and just survive in any way possible.

After a few minutes I had gotten a few fish and I grabbed my shoes and quickly headed back to the shelter grabbing any logs I could find on the way. I made sure to be careful when stepping around the rocks and mud to try and avoid injuring my feet.

I had gotten back to the shelter and I set the new wood by the entrance so it could dry. I stripped all the wet clothing leaving them by the entrance for now. I had taken one of the towels we managed to find a while ago and dried my feet off. My toes were a light shade of blue, but I knew if I warmed them up then I would be fine. I began to start a fire in the pot.

"Ezra?" I heard my name being called. I looked behind me and Lexi had sat up rubbing her eyes. She wasn't fully awake, but the first thing she wanted to know was if her big brother was still here, still living.

"I'm here," I answered her.

She looked up at me and gave me a bright smile, I never understood how she was able to do it. How she was able to keep her smile despite everything that she's been through. I envy her at times, how she is able to remain so optimistic about everything, but then again I always have been a bit of a pessimist so it would make sense that I wouldn't understand her bright personality. Even despite living in this new hell of a world the one thing that will never fail to bring me any joy is Lexi, no matter what she is my life, she is all I have left. I hope that even as she grows up that she never loses her smile. Three more years and she would be a teenager, where has the time gone. Ah, teenage years, that's when my life first started going to hell, but then again I should be grateful for those years because that's what caused us to survive for so long, tons and tons of experience. 

After I got the fire started I stuck my feet by it and watched as the color returned to them and the numb feeling faded. I had Lexi hand me the knife from the backpack along with the fish I had just caught. While she folded up the blankets I proceeded to remove the scaly skin before cooking the fish. After cooking them I handed one to Lexi and then grabbed some for myself and we ate. I put the other fish off to the side for later that night. I left them at the entrance so that they remained cool and fresh longer. I had managed to catch enough for two meals today which was rare usually I caught enough for just the one meal.

The only time we leave the shelter is to get food or wood. The only exception for leaving the shelter is if the rain stopped then we stay outside and stretch our legs until it starts up again, but those days are rare, almost nonexistent. The majority of our days are spent huddled up in the shelter talking about anything we could to get our minds off of the constant patter of the rain or the whistling of the wind. We sit by the fire underneath a mountain of blankets that we have found from our times of scavenging. Lexi always lays her head up against my arm while we talk. She likes to be close to me just as I to her, probably so we can keep a watch over each other just to make sure that we stay alive. She has a habit before bed where she will come and sit in my lap and lean her head against my chest and just listen to my heartbeat. Whenever I ask why she just tells me that it's a comforting sound to hear because it means that I am alive.

After she falls asleep I usually stay up for a while and just watch. I watch as her chest rises and falls meaning that she is still breathing. I watch as the fire starts to die. I watch as the entrance though mostly stable moves slightly in the wind. Then I notice it, Lexi isn't the only one with a  habit. Here I am playing with this ring on my left ring finger once again. The silver metal is cold and no amount of heat seems to be able to warm it. Just another reminder that the old world is gone and in this new one has no mercy for the mourning. How many times have I caught myself twirling this ring? How many times have I done it and not even realized? It doesn't matter. I wear this ring still as a reminder. A reminder of what could have been, but will never be.

I sighed and laid down scooting closer to Lexi. She rolled over in her sleep cuddling up to me. I wrapped my arm around her holding her close to me and I feel as she does the same. One of the reasons we do this is to stay warm through the freezing nights. The main reason we do this is that we are afraid if we let go the other would vanish into the nothing.