2. The New Beginning.

Katie stared down at the little face tucked into the pink blanket and felt as though she would never stop smiling. It was a mushed up, funny little face, but she could see shades of Travis in the shape of her daughter's nose and eyebrows coupled with her own mouth and eyes. The tiny little feet that had pushed against her bladder at the worst times were now kicking slightly under the blanket. The tiny little hands that had made funny little b.u.mps under her skin now clutched her fingers. Tears slipped down her nose and turned the pink blanket rose in tiny spots.

Beside her, Travis was in silent awe. He kept touching their little girl, then Katie. His kisses adorned his wife's check and neck. He was overwhelmed and so was she.

The word from the outside world was that the zombie hordes were miles away now. The cleanup crews were continuing to clear out any last vestiges of the undead from the outer walls. They had won and the fort was secure. It was a wonderful world to bring their daughter into.

"I see you so clearly in her face," Travis murmured in Katie's ear.

"I see you," Katie softly whispered back.

Her husband kissed her neck again. "I love you so much."

Katie giggled. "Good, because you're a Daddy now and I'm not diaper changing alone!"

"I know! It's amazing. We're parents!" He reached over her to touch the tiny little pink fist again. "What are we naming her, Mommy?"

Katie returned her gaze to her daughter. She was beaming with happiness despite her exhaustion. "Bryce Jennily Kiel-Buchanan."

"Bruce, Jenni, and Lydia. It's perfect." Travis bent over and kissed the baby. "You're the first, Bryce. The first baby of our little fort. And soon you'll have other children joining you. You're gonna be the first generation of our new world."

Katie looked up at Travis curiously. "Other children?"

"Stacey told Eric right after they dragged you in here that she's next. She's about three months along."

Katie grinned as she burst into tears again. "We did something amazing today, didn't we?"

Travis nodded as he nuzzled her cheek. "Yes, we did."

Together, they gazed down at their newborn daughter in awe. Bryce's tiny little mouth yawned as she dozed off.

"It's a new world," Katie said softly.

Travis laid a soft, but pa.s.sionate kiss on his wife's lips, then answered, "Yes, it is. A new beautiful world."

Author's Note If you have jumped to the end of the book to see how it ends, I suggest you stop reading now. I realize many fans of this series are anxious to know who lives, who dies, and if there is a happily ever after, but you really shouldn't spoil yourself.

Trust me.

The journey you have been on with these characters has been long and to skip around to find out their fate is not really fair to them or to you. So flip to the front of the book and start reading this last leg of the journey that started with those tiny little fingers under the door...

...so now that leaves those of you who have read the book or just decided to be spoiled despite my warning. That's okay. I know it can be hard not to flip to the back of the book when things are getting rough for our beloved characters.

By now you know that the death toll in this novel is high. Of course, I can never beat the first novel where I killed the world off except for a few survivors. And, honestly, if I kept to zombie tradition, no one would be standing at the end of this novel. But, you see, I think the doomsayers have it wrong.

The "As The World Dies Zombie Trilogy" was inspired not only by the heroics of 9-11, but of other disasters as well. The media and writers love to concentrate on the terrors and evils of natural and man-made disasters, but I am always fascinated by the heroics and selflessness of many people in times of crisis. Watching just every day folks scrambling to save complete strangers without much thought to their own safety is inspiring. I've sat mesmerized in front of the TV watching brave people try to dig through rubble, mud, and debris to save others or dive into the ocean to save someone who has been attacked by a shark, or scramble to get supplies to desperate survivors they don't even know.

It is popular to buy into the concept that if our world went to h.e.l.l, people would be reduced to barbarians. I think an element of the survivors would be just that, but I also believe that a greater number would work hard to rebuild our communities.

Together we stand or alone we die.

Looking over the long history of humankind, we have not always been the n.o.blest of G.o.d's creations, but we have managed to rise above our faults to build nations, vast cities, communities, and families. Every day we live our lives within the confines of the rules we have created for ourselves and expect others to do the same thing. We aren't perfect, but we're doing a much better job than we give ourselves credit.

The "As The World Dies Trilogy" is the tale of a human settlement carving out a new life in the midst of a hostile environment. It is a story humanity has repeated over and over again throughout history. And like history, "As The World Dies" is a story about people.

If you have read this last tale or skipped around to check out the fates of your favorite characters, you now know that major characters die in this book. In fact, one of the two leads dies saving the lives of those she loves. This was not easy to write, I can a.s.sure you, but I knew it was her fate from the moment I wrote about those tiny fingers pressed under the door. But that is the reality of being a pioneer in a hostile country. Death and life always dance together and I could not deny that reality.

When this series started, I stated that originally I believed I was writing a short story. That idea lasted for less than three hours. In a very short time, I knew how this story ended and the major plot points along the way. I always knew who would live and who would die except for one death that was a real shocker. The journey from the tiny fingers under the door to the newborn fingers gripping Katie's fingers was long and sometimes overwhelming. It feels solid to have the series end with the beginning of Katie's family after beginning with the death of Jenni's family.

But is this the end for the fort on the hill?

I am planning a short story volume that will highlight some of the supporting cast in the series. It will be released in 2010. And I will never rule out diving back into deadlands to see how Bryce, Jason and Juan's children are shaping their new world as they grow older.

Writing this last volume in the trilogy has not always been easy, but it tells the story I wanted to tell. In the end it is the tale of two women who find a rare and powerful friendship at the end of the world and help rebuild a new one through love and sacrifice.

It's been one h.e.l.lvua ride with Jenni and Katie. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Eternally, Rhiannon About the Author Rhiannon Frater works and lives in Austin, Texas. She became an Independent Author at the urging of her husband.

She loves reading, movies, gaming, and hanging out with friends and family when she's not tapping away at her computer on her latest story. She also loves hearing from her fans and tries to respond to everyone who emails her.

To contact the author directly, email her at: [email protected]

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HER UPCOMING NOVELS AND OTHER NEWS, CHECK OUT HER BLOG AT WWW.RHIANNONFRATER.BLOGSPOT.COM.

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