The Survivor Chronicles (Book 2): The Divide Read Online Free

still alive, she was going to do everything she could to find her, no matter how improbable that idea was.
    Mary Ellen's hands flew to her ears as the speakers squelched and a new voice came over the airwaves. "Give me that! Hello." Mary Ellen lowered her hands as an older, gruffer voice sounded through the speakers. "Hello, if anyone can hear this, we are looking for any kind of assistance. We're trapped and we need help."
    "Xander," Bobby said.
    "We don't know where they are."
    "They have to be close."
    "We don't even know if they're safe to be around Bobby!" Xander snapped. He bowed his head as his hands clenched the steering wheel. He took a deep breath before turning his attention back to his friend. "You saw what happened at that stadium, you saw what some people are like now. Are we going to put our trust in them even if we can find them?"
    "If we stop putting our trust in people Xander, we stop being human," Bobby said. "This may very well be what the rest of our lives are like. Are you going to spend it scared and distrustful of everyone? Are you going to let people die because you don't know if we can trust them?"
    "We may have to Bobby, in order to survive."
    "I'd rather die than give up my humanity."
    Xander cursed loudly, he pulled the car to the side of the road as he sat back in his seat. He turned to the window and leaned his forehead against it. She watched his reflection in the glass as he closed his jade green and gold flecked hazel eyes and took a deep breath. The muscles in his shoulders and arms flexed as he twisted his hands on the wheel. His dark, sandy blonde hair clung to the sweat beading along his brow.
    She wanted to tell him he was right and to keep going. To find his girlfriend and retreat to whatever semblance of normalcy the two of them could find in this disaster surrounding them, but the words froze in her throat.
    Xander was right, he was so unbelievably right. If they were going to survive, they had to put themselves first; they had to be the priority. Survival of the fittest, only the strong survive, natural selection and all that stuff, yet she knew that if they somehow found out where those people were, Xander wouldn't drive past them if they were able to help. It wasn't in him, just as walking out of that house hadn't been in him.
    She was amazed to discover that it wasn't in her either. She'd spent a good portion of her life frightened of people and hiding in the shadows. She didn't want to hide anymore, and though the world around them was falling apart, she didn't want to be afraid anymore either.
    "You're killing me Bobby," Xander muttered.
    "I know you mean well Xander, and I know you're just looking out for us. That's what you do, but what's the point of living if you can't live with yourself anymore?"
    "Easy there Jiminy Cricket, you've made your point. I got it, ok? If we somehow figure out where they are, we'll try to help them. But we cut ties and run if anything goes wrong, agreed?"
    Bobby gave a small nod. "Agreed."
    Xander pushed himself away from the window and sat back in his seat. He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. Mary Ellen stared silently back at him, terrified that they would never be able to find these people, that they would listen to their silent pleas, but never know where they actually were.
    She focused on her folded hands as static flickered over the airwaves and Xander resumed driving. "I'm not Jiminy Cricket you know," Bobby muttered.
    "A little cane and a top hat and you could be."
    "I know where I'd like to shove that cane."
    Xander grinned at him. "That's not very Jiminy Cricket like."
    Mary Ellen couldn't help but laugh as Bobby shoved Xander's shoulder and started to chuckle. The tension within her eased and she felt almost human again. "Hello." The radio taunted near her ear. "Hello. If there are any emergency personal in the area we need assistance." The radio squawked as someone in the background said something. It seemed as if the microphone