Love and Decay, Kane's Law

By Rachel Higginson

Kane Allen had been one thing for the last two years and one thing only: A soldier.

The Zombie Apocalypse changed the entire landscape of his future, and turned him from a simple small town boy into a fearless warrior. Battling Zombies hordes daily, dealing with the declining morality of civilization and combatting the darkness that haunts his own mind, Kane has been a little lost and more than alone for almost two years. And he expects his world to stay that way.

That is until a routine patrol through the forest brings him face to face with something so lovely he begins to feel hope for the first time in years.

Reagan Willow is more than a well-deserved reward for his hard work, she is the goodness that’s been missing from his black existence, she is a light for his dark world, she is his redemption. And he plans to hold on to her with everything he has.

If only she felt the same way.

Even though Kane claims her as his own in front of the entire Colony, his fight to keep her is not over. Reagan doesn’t want anything to do with him and looks for every opportunity to escape. But he isn’t just planning to lock her away; Kane wants to build something with Reagan. Something real. Something lasting.

In order to do that he must make her trust him first and before it’s too late.

Love and Decay, Kane’s Law, is the first episode in the Love and Decay, Novella Series told from Kane’s point of View; and a Dystopian Romance about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with.

This story takes place over multiple episodes, with a release date every two weeks. Approximately 20,000 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Higginson
• Release date: Dec 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311417701

Book preview

Love & Decay

A Novella Series

Kane’s Law

By Rachel Higginson

Copyright@ Rachel Higginson 2013

This publication is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976 and all other applicable international, federal, state and local laws, and all rights are reserved, including resale rights: you are not allowed to give, copy, scan, distribute or sell this book to anyone else.

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To Zach,

This would not exist without you.

Just like so many other things.

Chapter One

682 days after initial infection

Kane

I’m going with them, I yelled over my shoulder. I’d just finished my shift from last night, but the new patrol was ready to go out and I didn’t want them to leave without me. My father stood behind me, in the middle of the hallway where his sick trophies couldn’t reach him.

Why? he father called back, clearly as perplexed as my mom had been. I’d checked in with her like I did every single morning after a shift. She worried about me even while she knew what we did was a necessity.

My entire body stiffened at his questioning tone. It wasn’t abnormal for me to go out on multiple patrols, but I had already put in a double overnight. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand my dad’s confusion- but I did resent having to explain my actions. He could control the rest of the Colony, but I was almost always left to my own devices. I had been appointed second in command since the beginning and I didn’t need to be babysat or watched as closely as the others. My father could trust me implicitly. Because unlike his other children, I believed in his methodology and his long term goals. I would always stand at his side. I would always fight for the purpose we both held as close as religion. This was who I was now; the soldier that fought for control again, the leader that kept humanity in line… the son that carried out his father’s will because I was an extension of his greater plan.

They’re not alone, I said simply.

The guys that came in with Miller? he asked with cold indifference. My father had one weakness- pride. He thought this place was indestructible- he thought we were flawless. And while I agreed that our tactics worked more often than not, I saw a broader big-picture than he did. Pride would leave us vulnerable and open to failure.

And those were not acceptable options.

And besides that my instincts burned inside me like road flares. Those guys we’d captured weren’t just lucky to still be alive; their good fortune went well beyond luck. They had skill and knowledge I hadn’t seen in outsiders in a long time. That probably meant there were more of them.

And that bothered me.

My father was blinded by pride for a reason. We were practically invincible. We were stronger than the rest… smarter than the rest.

We were the answer to the problem. The solution to the infestation.

Everyone knew that. Whether they risked life and limb to get to us or simply wanted to investigate the rumors of our sanctuary, people flocked here from all over the former US.

Except these guys. And now they wanted to leave?

They hadn’t come right out and said that, but it was clear in their anxious behavior and wandering attention spans that they had no intentions of going through our probationary period.

That meant something, or someone, was out there waiting for them. Someone that would probably come looking for them and expect us to let them go.

And I just couldn’t wait to meet them. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of human being could survive the last two years and still feel that surprising glow of determination and control.

In my experience, the only ones that still felt in control were my father and me. The rest of the population of this dying earth felt far from in control; no, they felt lost, under constant threat and in unrelenting danger. They didn’t feel control because they didn’t see a solution and they’d lost sight of hope years ago.

And if it wasn’t those weak, victimized people looking for protection than it was the other side of the spectrum- men who’d lost any remnants of decency and humanity in an effort to compensate for those things that they couldn’t fix or expect. They forced control and authority because it didn’t come naturally to them anymore- because they were just as much victims of a deadly apocalypse as the rest of us. They were just too stubborn or dumb to admit it. Either way, when they met us and saw firsthand what we could offer, they gladly handed over their free will and loyalty to be a part of our thriving society.

My father’s entire philosophy rested on the fact that we were salvation to a world drowning in the depths of hell. And without that mentality, our power was only as great as our word. People needed to trust us indisputably, they needed to set their hope in us…. they needed to deify us.

Outsiders with their own vision threatened everything we’d worked so hard to build.

And while they couldn’t be allowed to go on like they were, I was still curious to see what kind of potential talent they could bring to the table.

How do you know there’s more? My dad asked with a carefully measured voice. His thoughts had gone in the same direction as mine. He realized the threat now. He wanted to resolve this issue as quickly as I did.

This was why he should never doubt me; I was five steps ahead of him.

Gut feeling. I turned back around, checking my ammo, checking my guns, checking my knives. I blinked to make sure my contacts were in place. It didn’t make sense to be careless in this end of days, not even in our utopia.

You think there’s women with them? he asked in a low voice.

Women were like currency around here- around everywhere. The aftermath of the infection had wiped out a huge percentage of the female population just because of Darwin’s Law- survival of the fittest. We were building a civilization based mostly on men and testosterone and that wouldn’t do in the grand scheme of things. We needed the soft feminine touch to balance us out, keep us cultured, keep us from tearing each other apart with our

Reviews for Love and Decay, Kane's Law

[Julie Stausing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you love Love and Decay, this is a must read! Kane already had so much depth, but this is the story behind the man. Fantastic!

[Juliet Appiah-nyanta · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well written, I couldn't help but feel for Kane even though I felt he was also wrong and unhinged...brain washed as well. I can see why he confused Reagan's instincts so much.