Believe in Me

By Beth D. Carter

The world has been devastated by a virus, leaving only the strong to survive...

All of her life, Kerigan LaRoux has had visions of the immediate future. Her dreams are of one man, Hyde Galloway, and a vision that draws her to San Francisco. She finds him wounded, in the middle of a gang war. She hides him and treats his wound.

Although he is suspicious of her, he tells her he’s trying to catch a boat to Canada where the world is starting over. Much to his annoyance, she tags along. At first he doesn’t believe in her visions but little by little she wins him over.

They race against time, trying to save a colony of survivors from the gangs who want slaves. But can Kerigan save the man she loves, the innocent lives waiting for salvation, as well as herself?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight Publishing
• Release date: Jun 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9780369501820

Beth D. Carter

I like writing about the very ordinary girl thrust into extrordinary circumstances, so my heroines will probably never be lawyers, doctors or corporate highrollers. I try to write characters who aren't cookie cutters and push myself to write complicated situations that I have no idea how to resolve, forcing me to think outside the box. I love to hear from readers so I’ve made it really easy to find me on Facebook or Twitter. To subscribe to my newsletter, please visit my website: www.writtenbutterfly.com

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Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2020 Beth D. Carter

ISBN: 978-0-3695-0182-0

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Devin Govaere

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

Thanks to my editor, Devin, to Stacey at Evernight, and everyone there who helped me bring this story to life.

BELIEVE IN ME

Those Who Survived, 2

Beth D. Carter

Copyright © 2020

Prologue

The dream must have started right after she fell asleep, because, one minute, Kerigan was listening to crickets singing and the next she had materialized in front of a man. A soldier. Big, with a menacing arch to his brow. Yet she wasn’t scared. She knew him because she had dreamed about him her whole life. She saw his name—Galloway— stitched on his crisp military uniform, and he had dark hair and forest-green eyes.

However, this dream seemed a little different. As she walked toward him, Galloway held out his hand, and without thought, she took it. He brought her in close, enfolding her, so big and tall that he practically wrapped her in the cocoon of his muscular arms.

Save me, he whispered into her ear.

It took a few minutes to realize what he’d said since she was still trying to get her bearings on the unusual dream. But once the words registered, despair filled Kerigan’s heart. Save him? She didn’t even know where he was.

Where are you? Please, tell me where.

She pulled back to look up at him, but his arms fell away. The heat he generated dissipated, leaving her with patches of coldness rushing over her skin. He stared at her with such sadness her heart skipped a beat.

I’ll die unless you reach me in time.

Those words chilled her to the bone. Kerigan reached out again, intent on keeping him with her and finding out more. Fire burned around them. A wall of it closing in. But that wasn’t what scared her. His eyes turned white, and he slowly spun around. That was when she saw he was missing the back of his head. Blood poured down his body. She screamed so long and so loud that her throat turned raw. She was helpless as she watched him fall into a black void.

Only when he was gone did she realize that she stood in the center of some city. Her screams died off, and she turned in a circle, trying to find something that would give her a clue as to where she was. Street signs showed a Lincoln Way and Third, not exactly pinpoint locations. Taking a chance, she ran north, realizing that her clothes had changed into a flowing white gown, leading her to wonder what part of her psyche was so damaged that it put her in a damsel-in-distress dress.

Yet no sooner had that little thought zoomed into her brain than she spotted something big, red, and unmistakable. It was the Golden Gate Bridge, still intact and spanning across San Francisco Bay. A lone figure watched her from the high railing, and when he turned slightly, she recognized the military uniform. Galloway. How could he be alive? She shouldn’t have been able to see him, but dreams were weird that way, and in the next instant, she stood in front of him. He pointed down into the bay, at two figures. A man and woman, she thought, but their distance made them too blurry to identify.

Save them.

Who are they? she asked. And what about you? Am I saving all of you?

He didn’t answer.

Was she supposed to save him from the water? Would he jump into it? Before her brain could process that disturbing thought, the ground beneath her feet began to shake. Violently she was thrown off the bridge, falling down. Down. Down, into the dark depths of the water.

Kerigan fell out of bed. Ouch!

The taste of salt water lingered in her mouth, making her want to throw up. Rising from the floor, she limped to the bathroom and quickly brushed her teeth. Looking in the mirror, all she saw was a young woman staring back. The dream, she knew, was something meant to happen in the future, and it scared her. It was something she didn’t want to face. Turning away from her reflection, Kerigan tried to push the dream aside, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw him.

Always … him

****

To the average person, Bonne Nuit, Louisiana, would seem like a tiny hick town in the middle of a swamp. Humidity so thick it was almost like breathing water. Most everyone was related to each other, and Kerigan never had to go far to run into a relative. That evening a big fish fry was planned so she went out with a few of her cousins on the bayou to catch some fish and crabs.

Keri, check your trap, her cousin Ritchie said, pointing. I think I saw it move.

She looked over the side of the boat and pulled up the line. Two crabs dangled, so she disposed of them quickly, putting them into her cooler before resetting the trap and throwing it back in. Settling back in the boat, she waited for the next round of decapod crustaceans to fall victim to her baited cage.

Next to her in the boat, Ritchie yanked his fishing line and reeled it in. It took him a few minutes to bring up a large catfish.

He grinned at her. We’ll have some good eating tonight, eh?

As Kerigan stared out over the water, her fingers skimming lazily over the brackish