The Rising: Selected Scenes from the End of the World

His mother, stepfather, and sister advanced on him. His mother’s right arm was missing from the elbow down, and his stepfather’s face was split in two.Terry cast one last, shocked glance at Chip. His father had his face buried in Chip’s neck, burrowing into the flesh.

Then Terry fled. Eighteen years of comfort and bliss were forgotten, overridden by blind panic. Chip’s agonizing final screams echoed in his ears. Terry jumped onboard the boat, started the engine, and sped away across the water.

Back at the house, the radio and television talked about the chaos spreading across the world—worsening by the hour. Later that day, Chip and the others arrived on the island, dripping wet from their walk along the bottom of the lake.

And then they had a family reunion.

AS ABOVE

(Sisters, Part One)

The Rising

Day Three

Belleville, Illinois

Shannon Wuller’s father loaded her younger brother, Dashiell into the car seat. The three-year-old kicked and fussed.

Shannon frowned, and her father noticed.

“You’re in charge until your grandparents get here.” He gave her a hug. “Take care of your sister.”

Well, of course she was in charge. She was the oldest. Shannon was ten and Allison was six. That wasn’t the point. Her father was fibbing, and Shannon knew it.

“It’s getting dark out,” she said. “How long will you be gone?”

“Not long.”

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Nothing, honey,” her father fibbed again, quickly glancing away. “Your Mom worked a double shift at the hospital, and she says she has to stay a little longer. But I think she should come home now, so I’m going to pick her up. Dashiell can help me convince her.”

He smiled, but Shannon heard the fear in his voice. Her father was scared.

And that terrified her.

“I called your grandparents. They’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Allison piped up. “Can we go play in the secret clubhouse after they get here?”

“No!”

Both girls jumped at the exclamation.

“Sorry,” their father apologized. “I didn’t mean to yell. Daddy’s just tired.”

“Why can’t we go to the woods?” Allison asked.

“We’ll be back before dinner.”

“I don’t want either of you to go outside, okay?”

He offered no further explanation. “And don’t open the door for anybody other than your grandparents. You promise?”

Shannon and Allison nodded in unison. “We promise.”

“Good.” Their father gave Allison a hug and a kiss, and then turned to Shannon.

She hugged him, and before he could pull away, she whispered in his ear, low, so that Allison wouldn’t hear. “Dad, something bad is happening, isn’t it.”

Her father was quiet, and Shannon didn’t think he’d answer. When he did, she had to strain to hear him.

“Yes, sweetie. Something’s happened. Stay inside and don’t answer the door. And don’t turn on the television. It’s better for your sister not to watch.”

Shannon hadn’t planned on TV anyway. There was nothing on but news. Even the Disney Channel and Cartoon Network were showing news reports—

something about dead people.

Her father kissed her head, and walked to the car. “Now back inside. And lock the door.”

“I love you, Dad,” Shannon said.

“Me too,” Allison echoed.

“I love you, too.” Their father climbed into the car, backed down the driveway, and waved goodbye.

He didn’t return.

Their grandparents never showed up, either. She was worried about them all, her parents and little brother, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. None of them came to the house. But others did. Strangers.

Though they were sisters, Shannon and Allison were best friends. They played games and watched a DVD. Shannon told herself it was to keep Allison’s mind off of things, but deep down inside, she knew it was to keep her own self from thinking about the situation as well.

The Wuller family’s two-story, French country home sat in a subdivision on a big lot, and was spread far apart from the other homes. Shannon and Allison shared an upstairs bedroom. The house had a half basement and a crawl space. The back yard held a pool, Jacuzzi, and outdoor fireplace, and beyond it was a grape vineyard.

“I’m thirsty.” Allison got a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Get me one, too,” Shannon said.

Allison handed her a cold bottle.

Shannon wiped the condensation on her pants.

“I hope Grandma and Grandpa get here soon.”

Her sister didn’t respond. Instead, she stared out the window into the backyard. Shannon’s eyes followed her gaze.

A naked man stepped out of the vineyard and into the yard. As he got closer, Shannon saw that he was covered with dirt and blood. And there was something else wrong with him, too. She couldn’t pinpoint it, though.

Giggling nervously, Allison pointed. “That man doesn’t have any clothes on.”

Shannon’s heart began to pound. “Go to the basement.”

The man passed the pool, and now Shannon saw what was wrong with him. His insides were hanging out of his stomach.

“Get downstairs,” she repeated. “Now!”