Horizon

Horizon
Sophie Littlefield

OF LIVING THINGS THERE WERE FEW, BUT THEY CARRIED ONCass Dollar is a survivor. She’s overcome the meltdown of civilization, humans turned mindless cannibals, and the many evils of man.But from beneath the devastated California landscape emerges a tendril of hope. A mysterious traveler arrives at New Eden with knowledge of a passageway North—a final escape from the increasingly cunning Beaters. Clutching this dream, Cass and many others follow him into the unknown.Journeying down valleys and over barren hills, Cass remains torn between two men. One—her beloved Smoke—is not so innocent as he once was. The other keeps a primal hold on her that feels like Fate itself. And beneath it all, Cass must confront the worst of what’s inside her—dark memories from when she was a Beater herself. But she, and all of the other survivors, will fight to the death for the promise of a new horizon….

Of living things there were none

But they carried on

Cass Dollar has survived the worst Aftertime has to offer: civilization’s meltdown, humans turned mindless cannibals, men visiting and revisiting evil upon one another.

If Cass can overcome the worst of what’s inside her—after all, she was once a Beater herself, until she mysteriously healed—then their journey may finally end. And a new horizon will be born.

Praise for Sophie Littlefield

“Littlefield turns what could be just another zombie apocalypse into a thoughtful and entertaining exploration of many themes.… Littlefield has a gift for pacing, her adroit and detailed world-building going down easy amid page-turning action and evocative, sensual, harrowing descriptions that bring every paragraph of this thriller to life.”

—Publishers Weekly on Aftertime (starred review)

“Driven by a tough, smart heroine with a dark past… Littlefield’s compelling writing will keep readers turning pages late into the night to find out what happens next. Outstanding!”

—RT Book Reviews, on Aftertime (Top Pick, Seal of Excellence)

“Sophie Littlefield shows considerable skills for delving into the depths of her characters and complex plotting as she disarms the reader.”

—South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“I’m geeking out of my mind after reading Aftertime because I felt almost the same way reading it as I do watching The Walking Dead: captivated.”

—All Things Urban Fantasy

“A new generation of post-apocalyptic fiction: a unique journey into a horrifying world of zombies, zealots and avarice that examines the strength of one woman, the joy of acceptance and the power of love. A must read.”

—JT Ellison, author of A Deeper Darkness

”Grab a Littlefield pronto.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Littlefield excels at keeping the momentum going and she knows how to inject a huge beating heart into any story, even one in which humanity is barely alive.”

—Pop Culture Nerd

“Rebirth not only matches Aftertime’s thematic punch, it just may have surpassed it!.…Littlefield’s Aftertime trilogy is top-notch post-apocalyptic fiction. It’s an innovative take on the zombie mythos. It’s a heartrending love story….If Aftertime was [Stephen] King’s The Stand in a bra and panties then Rebirth is McCarthy’s The Road in a dress and sensible heels.”

—Paul Goat Allen, BarnesandNoble.com

“A book about what it means to love and be human disguised as a story about a zombie-riddled dystopia.”

—RT Book Reviews on Rebirth

“From H.G. Wells to Max Brooks to Cormac McCarthy, the End Times have always belonged to the boys. Sophie Littlefield gives an explosive voice to the other half of the planet’s population…a whole new kind of fierce.”

—Laura Benedict, author of Isabella Moon

“You will have a very good day, indeed, when you enter the wonderful world of Sophie Littlefield’s fiction.”

—Mystery Lovers Bookshop

Horizon

Sophie Littlefield

www.mirabooks.co.uk (http://www.mirabooks.co.uk)

In honor of all beginnings

failed and fresh

hopeless and hopeful

And for M:

safe in His arms

Contents

Chapter 1 (#ub80ca620-f15e-557c-aa52-be924ecc7035)

Chapter 2 (#ue0817892-b244-5f8a-8deb-231d20fdd315)

Chapter 3 (#u3e0fe2f5-f156-5e43-a1b2-5c0bfd4a10c2)

Chapter 4 (#u15b2c287-e05b-5485-a7d6-53e0014fcc71)

Chapter 5 (#ud31f9f4e-9f06-5d57-ba4d-27dd0b712491)

Chapter 6 (#u55d3514d-0693-5e20-95bb-5482c35dcc10)

Chapter 7 (#u65911482-53be-5a87-9948-bb86ef264d50)

Chapter 8 (#ucc0426bf-c418-5bbb-b021-3c3218783908)

Chapter 9 (#u78a7bb77-c6b3-5cff-a9d0-517d05131418)

Chapter 10 (#ue1dfcb91-6835-5f0e-8c16-4b64eb65d273)

Chapter 11 (#uc17ffcc1-d804-59ca-9e57-41738a0d4359)

Chapter 12 (#u8e78cac7-9350-574d-9ee7-de9756e60ddd)