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Freeze {Jan 2014}
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Freeze
January 30th, 2014
No one predicted the freeze, the wave of unbearably cold weather and icy winds up to ten miles an hour. Well, some folks predicted it... a few did. But, like all individual researchers of our time, they were dismissed as nut jobs and right wing fear-mongering theorists, and they were ignored.
On this day, the snow had blanketed more than three fourths of the Unites States and other countries under a thick layer of snow, ranging anywhere from three to ten feet deep. The roads had all officially frozen over, and those who hadn't thought to store up pre-storm foods ahead of time took to the streets when their cabinets and fridges became empty.
At this point, the Freeze had the nation at a stand-still for about a week straight--every part of our functioning economy LITERALLY frozen to a stand still--because no one could make it to their jobs.
Due to an ominous darkness lingering in the sky throughout various parts of the day, and terrible stories of weather changes around Yellowstone National Park and the areas surrounding it, many conspirators suspected that the volcano had finally erupted, killing everyone near it, and covering the ionosphere in a thick layer of ash, resulting in the beginning of another ice age, and that the news was being told not to cover it... but this was unproven myth, as of now.
April 22, 2014
No sign of spring had emerged from the cold wave.
About half of the world's population had died--by freezing to death, starvation, lack of medical treatment, or violently at the hands of police and rioters running rampant.
After the first month, the government stopped responding to the public. There was no longer a higher voice, telling the public that everything would be alright. Now, everyone was on their own entirely. Many government officials died, while many others went missing. Some thought them to be dead, but the alternative community strongly suspected that they were hiding from the snow-pocalypse in a secret bunker somewhere.
The radiation of Fukushima had eaten nearly every inch of the ocean as of now, and nearly all the ocean life had died. Survivors living near the shores often found the bodies of fish, turtles, sharks, whales, jellyfish, and many other oceanic creatures... so, it was obvious that fishing in the ocean for food was no longer an option.
Still, some folks, desperate to feed themselves and their families with no other options, went to the ocean for food. Everyone who ate creatures from the ocean died hours later.
The used-to-be cities were the most dangerous places, as they were the homes of newly forming bands of rioters and criminal families, who would resort to anything to feed themselves.
July 4, 2014
Second and third world countries were completely dead, and few survivors remained even in the most prosperous countries of the world. Many of the survivors didn't know about one another, and despite humanity facing extinction, the ruthless and wicked still killed whatever people they crossed paths with in order to get by.
Anarchy officially ruled the world, under a snowy sky.
And, although the summer months were letting more sunlight bleed through the heavy clouds each day, the brighter sky did little to fuel the hopes for humanity, and everything, despite the prayers of the people, was still frozen in ice.
----------------------------------------------------
Despite what her mother had told her, Sina was wandering the streets.
She'd been inside for months now, and now--now that her mother was gone, now that her neighborhood had been overtaken by thugs--what choice did she have? They hid in her home for many, many weeks... and thankfully, her family had a large amount of food and water stored away. But keeping the looters away wasn't easy, as Sina and her mother were the only two members of her household.
They'd lasted for six months, but it was over now.
Sina was entirely on her own.
Like her mother taught her to do during the winter months, Sina had bundled herself tightly in winter attire. A thick, black hoodie, leather gloves, two pairs of socks underneath her boots, and a thick winter hat covering most of her short, strawberry blonde hair, a few strands of it still bordering her little face, her cheeks having gone scarlet with the icy air brushing against them, and her blue eyes watering as she walked against the wind.
Luckily, her old neighborhood wasn't in the heart of the city... but she was far from anything rual.
Sina knew that, by wandering down this empty, urban road, past the abandoned houses, and into town, she was endangering herself tremendously... still, she couldn't survive on her own. Her only hope was to find other people, people who could help her...
She knew how likely it was that she'd meet unfavorable company...
But... what other option did she have at this point?
Sina, a ten year old little girl, surviving the winter apocalypse on her own...?
That wasn't going to happen.
As snow flakes began to descend, she made her way towards a big, once-popular gas station.
Her mother used to stop at this place every day before school, she remembered. Every light was on, and the gas pumps would be filled with people and vehicles, just starting their days. Now, it looked very different... old, worn, and uninhabited. There were no vehicles anywhere in the parking lot, and the lights no longer worked.
Still, Sina strolled through the icy parking lot and approached the front doors. She grazed her hand over the cold glass, still pondering on how very different this place had become since the beginning of the Freeze.
She pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
As she had expected, the inside looked like something out of an apocalyptic movie. The shelves had all been looted clean and some of them were broken, and nothing remained inside the building except for posters on the wall, and a few bits of trash lying around on the floor.
Sina studieed the empty shelves, looking disappointed. She figured the place would be empty, but she was hoping dearly that she had been wrong.
Releasing a heavy, defeated sigh, she made her way around the counter of the place, standing behind the empty cash register. As the sun began to set outside, leaving an orange-red glow over the snowy sky, Sina crawled into a ball behind the counter, hoping to get some sleep after the long, terrible day she'd just withered.
--(To be continued)--
edit on Xx30650531PM15 by XxNightAngelusxX because: typo
**************
The night was nearly over... and there, in the distance, appearing as a shadow in the darkness, was a man, wandering the streets... running behind different buildings, his breath rapid, his heart hammering.
His pursuers were still on the hunt for him, and about half a mile away, he heard their voices, screaming and cursing, scrambling around the streets in order to find him. When he believed the coast to be clear, he made a run for it--directly up the snowy street just ahead of him, up a hill, leading to God knows where...
Despite the severe injury on his leg, he managed to limp rather quickly up the hill...
Halfway up the street, trying his damnest not to slip on the ice, he spotted a small building on the top of the hill--a little empty gas station.
Yes.
He cut straight for the building, hoping dearly that no one was inside... he desperately needed a sanctuary, away from the raiders that were on his tail...
As he did, his breath began to escape him... his head throbbing madly... no... he must make it... just a bit further... come on...
Once the man entered the parking lot, a last, heaving cloud of breath escaped him, and his leg gave out.
He hit the ground, eyes drifting shut... no... no more...
Sina awoke with a start, her heart giving a frightened leap.
She had only about three hours worth of sleep... when she first arrived, she laid there for hours, sobbing quietly, tears rolling down her face... it seemed like forever until she was finally able to sleep... and even then, even the slightest tremor would jolt her awake every once in a while, terrified that someone would find her... the creaking of the old building, or her foot grazing against a plastic bag by accident...
And now, she could have sworn she'd heard something outside.
Someone was outside.
Sina sat upright, the air of the night even more unfathomably cold than usual, her body beginning to tremble beyond her control. She knew she'd heard something... it was only a matter of time before they found her...
Terrified, she began to stand, forcing her shaking legs to tense up.
Sina stepped slowly around the counter, then began towards the door.
She gulped, her heart pounding uncomfortably.
Her hand met the glass door, and pushed it open.
Sina's eyes scanned over the snowy parking lot, squinting, looking for anything out of the ordinary...
Then, she spotted it.
A man, lying in the ice next to one of the gas pumps.
He looked as though he was hurt, but Sina didn't move.
It could very well be a trap.
Then again... it could simply be a normal, regular man, too tired or hurt to carry on.
Sina hesitated, releasing a slow, shaky breath, visible in the less-than-freezing air.
Then, wrapping her hands together, hoping that they would stop trembling, she stepped out of the building and started towards the man.
She knelt beside him, overlooking his body.
The man looked as though he was in his thirties or so, with sleek, stringy brown hair that was slicked mostly backwards, his jaw covered in a small layer of stubble, and his glasses halfway off his face. His eyes were closed, and in the corner of his mouth was a spot of blood.
Sina's breath became shallow, her heart now thumping into her throat.
This guy was hurt.
A noise echoed from somewhere far away.
Sina looked up, suddenly, looking frightened.
It sounded like a voice... no, more than one voice...
Now, she understood.
Someone was after this man.
"Hey!" Sina said hurriedly, shaking the man's shoulder. "Hey, wake up! They're coming!"
The man winced, groaning into the cement. It took him a moment before his eyes began to crack open, and he looked up into Sina's face, looking completely disoriented.
"Hey, come inside!" Sina told him, patting his back. "Come inside before they find you!"
Sina began to tug on his arm, and the man began to stand. She lead him inside and behind the cashier counter, and gestured for him to lie down, which he did.
The two of them were quiet for a while, for nearly an hour...
The man was barely awake, lying on the floor, his hands placed on his stomach, fingers wrapped around one another, eyes staring up at the ceiling, while Sina sat beside him, listening intently.
"I don't think anyone's coming here." Sina said after about forty-five minutes.
After hearing her voice, the man blinked himself fully awake, then began to sit up, straightening up his glasses with his index finger.
"Thank you." He told her, his voice rough.
Sina shook her head.
"You okay?" She asked. "You look..."
"Yeah." He said, nodding, examining himself, his tattered clothing, and his bloody left leg. "I... got into a little spat with some folks... weren't very friendly people."
Sina nodded, saying nothing.
"What's your name?" She asked a moment later.
"Axel." The man told her, extending his hand formally. "And what's yours?"
"Sina." Sina told him, returning the hand shake, letting out a sigh of relief. He seems like a good person...
"Nice to meet you, young lady. Sina." Axel smiled warmly, looking quite comforting and inviting, despite his battered appearance and blood spotted mouth. "What're you doing here by yourself?"
Sina looked down.
"My mom died yesterday." She said emptily.
Axel's smile faded, and he stared at her quietly for a moment.
"I'm sorry." He said.
Sina shook her head.
"She was sick." She explained. "She... she was sick for a while, and there was nothing we could do about it. And... when I woke up yesterday morning, I found her..."
Axel watched her wanderingly.
"I'm on my own too." He told her. "But, I know something that might make you feel better."
"Hm?" Sina said.
"Across the city, there's a refugee town. Its made up of people like us... I just heard about it a few weeks ago. I'm headed there. Its the only place safe from the looters in the city." Axel said. "There's hundreds of people there... I'm not exactly sure what they're doing to survive, but they're armed to the teeth. The looters wouldn't dare mess with them."
"Really?" Sina said.
Axel nodded.
"The place is called the Hole." He said. "Its not actually a hole... but its surrounded by a huge metal wall made of debris and old buildings, and barely anyone gets in or out, apparently."
Sina went quiet for a minute, looking away.
"If its on the other side of th city..." She said, looking troubled. "We'd have to cross through the city to get to it."
"That's right." Axel said, nodding. "Its dangerous... but I'll take you with me. I'll do everything I can to get you there, alright?"
Sina nodded, her insides filling with a fuzzy, strange warmness.
"But... later, after the sun comes up." He added. "I'd better wrap up this leg."
The night was nearly over... and there, in the distance, appearing as a shadow in the darkness, was a man, wandering the streets... running behind different buildings, his breath rapid, his heart hammering.
His pursuers were still on the hunt for him, and about half a mile away, he heard their voices, screaming and cursing, scrambling around the streets in order to find him. When he believed the coast to be clear, he made a run for it--directly up the snowy street just ahead of him, up a hill, leading to God knows where...
Despite the severe injury on his leg, he managed to limp rather quickly up the hill...
Halfway up the street, trying his damnest not to slip on the ice, he spotted a small building on the top of the hill--a little empty gas station.
Yes.
He cut straight for the building, hoping dearly that no one was inside... he desperately needed a sanctuary, away from the raiders that were on his tail...
As he did, his breath began to escape him... his head throbbing madly... no... he must make it... just a bit further... come on...
Once the man entered the parking lot, a last, heaving cloud of breath escaped him, and his leg gave out.
He hit the ground, eyes drifting shut... no... no more...
Sina awoke with a start, her heart giving a frightened leap.
She had only about three hours worth of sleep... when she first arrived, she laid there for hours, sobbing quietly, tears rolling down her face... it seemed like forever until she was finally able to sleep... and even then, even the slightest tremor would jolt her awake every once in a while, terrified that someone would find her... the creaking of the old building, or her foot grazing against a plastic bag by accident...
And now, she could have sworn she'd heard something outside.
Someone was outside.
Sina sat upright, the air of the night even more unfathomably cold than usual, her body beginning to tremble beyond her control. She knew she'd heard something... it was only a matter of time before they found her...
Terrified, she began to stand, forcing her shaking legs to tense up.
Sina stepped slowly around the counter, then began towards the door.
She gulped, her heart pounding uncomfortably.
Her hand met the glass door, and pushed it open.
Sina's eyes scanned over the snowy parking lot, squinting, looking for anything out of the ordinary...
Then, she spotted it.
A man, lying in the ice next to one of the gas pumps.
He looked as though he was hurt, but Sina didn't move.
It could very well be a trap.
Then again... it could simply be a normal, regular man, too tired or hurt to carry on.
Sina hesitated, releasing a slow, shaky breath, visible in the less-than-freezing air.
Then, wrapping her hands together, hoping that they would stop trembling, she stepped out of the building and started towards the man.
She knelt beside him, overlooking his body.
The man looked as though he was in his thirties or so, with sleek, stringy brown hair that was slicked mostly backwards, his jaw covered in a small layer of stubble, and his glasses halfway off his face. His eyes were closed, and in the corner of his mouth was a spot of blood.
Sina's breath became shallow, her heart now thumping into her throat.
This guy was hurt.
A noise echoed from somewhere far away.
Sina looked up, suddenly, looking frightened.
It sounded like a voice... no, more than one voice...
Now, she understood.
Someone was after this man.
"Hey!" Sina said hurriedly, shaking the man's shoulder. "Hey, wake up! They're coming!"
The man winced, groaning into the cement. It took him a moment before his eyes began to crack open, and he looked up into Sina's face, looking completely disoriented.
"Hey, come inside!" Sina told him, patting his back. "Come inside before they find you!"
Sina began to tug on his arm, and the man began to stand. She lead him inside and behind the cashier counter, and gestured for him to lie down, which he did.
The two of them were quiet for a while, for nearly an hour...
The man was barely awake, lying on the floor, his hands placed on his stomach, fingers wrapped around one another, eyes staring up at the ceiling, while Sina sat beside him, listening intently.
"I don't think anyone's coming here." Sina said after about forty-five minutes.
After hearing her voice, the man blinked himself fully awake, then began to sit up, straightening up his glasses with his index finger.
"Thank you." He told her, his voice rough.
Sina shook her head.
"You okay?" She asked. "You look..."
"Yeah." He said, nodding, examining himself, his tattered clothing, and his bloody left leg. "I... got into a little spat with some folks... weren't very friendly people."
Sina nodded, saying nothing.
"What's your name?" She asked a moment later.
"Axel." The man told her, extending his hand formally. "And what's yours?"
"Sina." Sina told him, returning the hand shake, letting out a sigh of relief. He seems like a good person...
"Nice to meet you, young lady. Sina." Axel smiled warmly, looking quite comforting and inviting, despite his battered appearance and blood spotted mouth. "What're you doing here by yourself?"
Sina looked down.
"My mom died yesterday." She said emptily.
Axel's smile faded, and he stared at her quietly for a moment.
"I'm sorry." He said.
Sina shook her head.
"She was sick." She explained. "She... she was sick for a while, and there was nothing we could do about it. And... when I woke up yesterday morning, I found her..."
Axel watched her wanderingly.
"I'm on my own too." He told her. "But, I know something that might make you feel better."
"Hm?" Sina said.
"Across the city, there's a refugee town. Its made up of people like us... I just heard about it a few weeks ago. I'm headed there. Its the only place safe from the looters in the city." Axel said. "There's hundreds of people there... I'm not exactly sure what they're doing to survive, but they're armed to the teeth. The looters wouldn't dare mess with them."
"Really?" Sina said.
Axel nodded.
"The place is called the Hole." He said. "Its not actually a hole... but its surrounded by a huge metal wall made of debris and old buildings, and barely anyone gets in or out, apparently."
Sina went quiet for a minute, looking away.
"If its on the other side of th city..." She said, looking troubled. "We'd have to cross through the city to get to it."
"That's right." Axel said, nodding. "Its dangerous... but I'll take you with me. I'll do everything I can to get you there, alright?"
Sina nodded, her insides filling with a fuzzy, strange warmness.
"But... later, after the sun comes up." He added. "I'd better wrap up this leg."
reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX
Damn! Ensnared again by your tales!
Tell us, when is the next part arriving?
Damn! Ensnared again by your tales!
Tell us, when is the next part arriving?
reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX
Hey thanks for the heads up or I may have missed it. ...Well another entertaining read. Looking forward to the next installment
Hey thanks for the heads up or I may have missed it. ...Well another entertaining read. Looking forward to the next installment
Thanks guys!
I was considering giving up on this story...
But after seeing how many stars I got out of nowhere, now I HAVE to finish it. I don't like disappointing readers... that's just wroooooooong of any story teller to do.
Can't promise it'll be my best story, but I might even make two entries this time.
Considering how long my stories usually are, I usually only make one entry.
But now I have a second idea that's EATING AT ME!
Ehem. Anyway...
I'll add more soon, don't worry
Thanks for reading~!
I was considering giving up on this story...
But after seeing how many stars I got out of nowhere, now I HAVE to finish it. I don't like disappointing readers... that's just wroooooooong of any story teller to do.
Can't promise it'll be my best story, but I might even make two entries this time.
Considering how long my stories usually are, I usually only make one entry.
But now I have a second idea that's EATING AT ME!
Ehem. Anyway...
I'll add more soon, don't worry
Thanks for reading~!
*********************
A week later...
"Look!" Sina exclaimed, hunching over a few chunks of rubble beside an old building.
"Hmm?" Axel mumbled, turning his head, spotting her a few yards away.
"C'mon, don't stop there." He called to her. "We don't know if there are any raiders around here, kiddo."
"Look, a puppy!" Sina exclaimed in a light, exasperated voice, gesturing down.
Axel approached her, wearing an unreadable face.
Yes... there, curled up between the rocks, hiding from the snow, was a puppy... a fully white puppy, with a very thick, shaggy coat. Although he looked like a larger breed of dog, he couldn't have been more than three months old.
Narrowing his eyes at the dog, he realized it was trembling.
"Awww, he's cold!" Sina said, lifting the puppy, holding it close.
Compared to Sina, the puppy was big enough to be a small, hairy infant.
"Got separated from its family." Axel said, staring at the dog. "Probably trying not to freeze to death out here."
"Its okay, puppy dog, its okay..." Sina whispered, cuddling the puppy, rubbing her face against it tenderly. "You'll be okay now."
Axel didn't have to ask. He knew very well that Sina intended to bring the dog with them on their journey. And, although they'd barely gotten a fraction into the massive city that they had to cross, and although they were both usually lucky to eat a full meal more than once a day, he didn't plan to argue with her. He didn't want to leave the pup on its own, either.
"C'mon, lets bring him with us back to the house." Axel said, motioning for her to follow.
"Don't you think we should get out of that place?" Sina asked, standing, still cradling the puppy. "We've been sleeping in that old place for two nights now. We should move on."
It was true. After Axel treated his own leg in the gas station about a week ago, the two of them traveled into the city. They ran into raiders after the first couple days of travel, and ever since that narrow escape, Axel and Sina had been hiding out in a small, empty house they'd found in the downtown slums.
Axel gave her a solemn, blank stare.
Of course he knew they had to travel onward. And of course he knew the extremely limited supplies inside that old house weren't going to last much longer. But the raiders and looters were ruthless... they'd show no mercy if they managed to get their hands on Axel and Sina... he knew that all too well...
"We'll leave that house soon." Axel told her, looking away, nodding. "We will."
"We didn't find any food out here today." Sina said. "There's nowhere left around here too look, we're gonna starve if we stay around here--"
"I know, kiddo. I know." Axel told her straightly. "C'mon."
So, the two of them headed down the road, around the corner, and into the ransacked residential area where the poorest citizens of the city once lived. The abandoned house in which Axel and Sina were inhabiting was concealed behind some very thick pine trees, making it difficult to spot, and making it a more ideal hiding place.
They made their way inside the old house, and Axel locked the door behind him.
The windows were all covered with as many dark sheets and articles of clothing that Axel was able to find inside the house. With no electricity, the two of them were forced to start a small fire during the cold nights in order to keep from freezing to death.
Though Axel kept the windows covered with dark sheets and clothes, he also kept the windows cracked open slightly, in order to let the smoke outside in small doses. They never let the fire get very big, otherwise it would create too much smoke, and alert any nearby looters of their presence.
"This is the last of what I have." Axel said, pulling a bag of beef jerky from his backpack. "Make it last, kiddo." He tossed Sina the bag.
"You don't want any?" Sina said to him, giving him an odd face.
He shook his head.
"I'm fine." Axel said, taking a swig from his flask. "Got my supper right here."
"Is that water?" Sina asked him.
Axel looked off, releasing a sigh.
"Yeah." He replied a moment later.
Sina didn't quite believe him, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she ripped open the bag of jerky and fed one of the pieces of dried meat to the puppy, who had livened up a bit since they'd come inside.
The puppy, despite how chewy the meat was, scarfed it down pretty fast.
"His name is Baron." Sina mumbled, watching her pup eat, cracking a smile.
"Baron?" Axel said.
"Yeah." Sina nodded. "There's this old video game from a long time ago that I used to play... and you save a puppy like this. It looks just like him. His name was Baron. And when he grows up, his ears are so big he can fly you anywhere you wanna go."
Sina ran a hand over Baron's head, stroking him softly.
Axel, still trying to picture what a flying big-eared dog must have looked like, watched the two of them from the couch, the sting of rum still on his lips.
Sina, who was sitting on a love seat, scooted back and stretched her legs out across the cushions, allowing Baron to lie right on top of her as his personal heated mattress.
Axel stared wanderingly at the both of them until they fell asleep.
--(To be continued)--
A week later...
"Look!" Sina exclaimed, hunching over a few chunks of rubble beside an old building.
"Hmm?" Axel mumbled, turning his head, spotting her a few yards away.
"C'mon, don't stop there." He called to her. "We don't know if there are any raiders around here, kiddo."
"Look, a puppy!" Sina exclaimed in a light, exasperated voice, gesturing down.
Axel approached her, wearing an unreadable face.
Yes... there, curled up between the rocks, hiding from the snow, was a puppy... a fully white puppy, with a very thick, shaggy coat. Although he looked like a larger breed of dog, he couldn't have been more than three months old.
Narrowing his eyes at the dog, he realized it was trembling.
"Awww, he's cold!" Sina said, lifting the puppy, holding it close.
Compared to Sina, the puppy was big enough to be a small, hairy infant.
"Got separated from its family." Axel said, staring at the dog. "Probably trying not to freeze to death out here."
"Its okay, puppy dog, its okay..." Sina whispered, cuddling the puppy, rubbing her face against it tenderly. "You'll be okay now."
Axel didn't have to ask. He knew very well that Sina intended to bring the dog with them on their journey. And, although they'd barely gotten a fraction into the massive city that they had to cross, and although they were both usually lucky to eat a full meal more than once a day, he didn't plan to argue with her. He didn't want to leave the pup on its own, either.
"C'mon, lets bring him with us back to the house." Axel said, motioning for her to follow.
"Don't you think we should get out of that place?" Sina asked, standing, still cradling the puppy. "We've been sleeping in that old place for two nights now. We should move on."
It was true. After Axel treated his own leg in the gas station about a week ago, the two of them traveled into the city. They ran into raiders after the first couple days of travel, and ever since that narrow escape, Axel and Sina had been hiding out in a small, empty house they'd found in the downtown slums.
Axel gave her a solemn, blank stare.
Of course he knew they had to travel onward. And of course he knew the extremely limited supplies inside that old house weren't going to last much longer. But the raiders and looters were ruthless... they'd show no mercy if they managed to get their hands on Axel and Sina... he knew that all too well...
"We'll leave that house soon." Axel told her, looking away, nodding. "We will."
"We didn't find any food out here today." Sina said. "There's nowhere left around here too look, we're gonna starve if we stay around here--"
"I know, kiddo. I know." Axel told her straightly. "C'mon."
So, the two of them headed down the road, around the corner, and into the ransacked residential area where the poorest citizens of the city once lived. The abandoned house in which Axel and Sina were inhabiting was concealed behind some very thick pine trees, making it difficult to spot, and making it a more ideal hiding place.
They made their way inside the old house, and Axel locked the door behind him.
The windows were all covered with as many dark sheets and articles of clothing that Axel was able to find inside the house. With no electricity, the two of them were forced to start a small fire during the cold nights in order to keep from freezing to death.
Though Axel kept the windows covered with dark sheets and clothes, he also kept the windows cracked open slightly, in order to let the smoke outside in small doses. They never let the fire get very big, otherwise it would create too much smoke, and alert any nearby looters of their presence.
"This is the last of what I have." Axel said, pulling a bag of beef jerky from his backpack. "Make it last, kiddo." He tossed Sina the bag.
"You don't want any?" Sina said to him, giving him an odd face.
He shook his head.
"I'm fine." Axel said, taking a swig from his flask. "Got my supper right here."
"Is that water?" Sina asked him.
Axel looked off, releasing a sigh.
"Yeah." He replied a moment later.
Sina didn't quite believe him, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she ripped open the bag of jerky and fed one of the pieces of dried meat to the puppy, who had livened up a bit since they'd come inside.
The puppy, despite how chewy the meat was, scarfed it down pretty fast.
"His name is Baron." Sina mumbled, watching her pup eat, cracking a smile.
"Baron?" Axel said.
"Yeah." Sina nodded. "There's this old video game from a long time ago that I used to play... and you save a puppy like this. It looks just like him. His name was Baron. And when he grows up, his ears are so big he can fly you anywhere you wanna go."
Sina ran a hand over Baron's head, stroking him softly.
Axel, still trying to picture what a flying big-eared dog must have looked like, watched the two of them from the couch, the sting of rum still on his lips.
Sina, who was sitting on a love seat, scooted back and stretched her legs out across the cushions, allowing Baron to lie right on top of her as his personal heated mattress.
Axel stared wanderingly at the both of them until they fell asleep.
--(To be continued)--
DISCLAIMER;
The story gets a little morbid here, so if you're uneasy about touchy topics, it'd be best if you didn't continue the story.
*************************************
Helpless.
No! He shouted. Shrill, hollow, menacing screams....
Empty screams...
Helpless screams...
There's nothing I can do.
He attempted to throw a forceful, solid punch, but his arm seemed to act as though it was in slow motion... his blows were null and void, inflicting no damage on his attackers...
There's nothing I can do...
The men pinned him down, giving him a severe beating, but without blocking his vision... they wanted him to see... see what they were doing to his beautiful, innocent girls... those girls, the woman he loved more than life itself, the one he married, and the baby girl they made together, the one he'd raised with a tender, loving hand... no longer showing him their bright, smiling faces... no longer laughing, no longer lost in the bliss of a forever loving family...
Now miserable, now sobbing madly, now bleeding and crying rivers of tears... bruises and scratches covering every bit of their visible skin... just feet away, the innocence was being stolen from the both of them... the men were using the girls like playthings, objects build for their personal sexual pleasure... and here he was, just feet away... in the same room... nothing he can do...
There's nothing I can do....!
He let out a horrid, maddening scream, one that might've torn the wallpaper right off those dry walls...
He fought the men, but he could not budge. And with every defying action, the men were sure to give him a few more blows, though he no longer felt the pain... it was as though his body had become somewhat of a soft, fluffy rock... enduring, unable to feel pain, yet heavily bruised, battered, and bleeding...
Make it stop....
Make it stop...
The attackers were now beating the girls, slamming his wife's head against the window pane, strangling his daughter... They both continued to cry, though no sound could be heard from them anymore... after a moment or so, their arms went limp, no longer fighting back... the girls were gone...
No...
No...
There's nothing I can do...
There's nothing I can do...
Make it stop...
Make it STOP...!
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO--
THEY'RE DEAD! MY GIRLS! THEY'RE DEAD!
MAKE IT STOP--
MAKE IT--
"Axel!" A girl shouted.
Within a split second of hearing Sina's voice, a firm, open-palmed hand met his cheek with incredible force, making a loud SLAP echo throughout the old house.
Axel lept up, clutching his heart, his fingers coiled around the cloth covering his chest. His clothing was damp with sweat, and he could have sworn his heart was throbbing so hard it was going to burst from his chest... and somehow, he seemed to be out of breath...
"What's wrong?" Sina asked him, her eyes shining with concern.
Axel stared at her as though he'd never seen anything quite like her before.
His hand slid over his cheek, which was now stinging with pain.
"Where'd you learn to slap that hard?" He asked her, astonished. "How old are you exactly?"
"What's the matter?" Sina asked, ignoring the questions. "You were screaming."
Axel looked down, attempting to slow his breath.
"Was I...?" He said.
Sina nodded, unable to tear her gaze from him.
"You do that a lot." She said a moment later. "You do that every night... you talk in your sleep. But... this is the first time I ever heard you scream like that. I just thought... I should wake you up. Were you having a nightmare?"
Axel gazed into her, looking profound in a deep, gaunt sort of way.
"Yeah." He said. "Nightmares... yeah... they happen..."
A few seconds later, Axel realized that Baron the puppy was sitting directly next to Sina's foot, staring up at him, his black, shimmering, orb-like eyes watching him, his ears perked up as though he was waiting for something else to happen.
Sina knew he often had nightmares. He would barely drift to sleep, and she'd hear him muttering incomprehensible things... sometimes, she'd hear a word clearly, but it was difficult to try understanding him. There was no telling what he was dreaming about every night... still, it always woke her, without fail every night. And ever since she met Axel, she wondered; what on earth could he be dreaming about every night? Still, usually, she thought it best not to ask.... until now, anyway.
"My family..." Axel muttered, his tone suddenly dark. "Something bad happened to my family."
Sina remained quiet, waiting for him to explain.
Axel, glancing at her, realized this, and went on.
"My wife and daughter were..." He began, then gulped, using every ounce of self control inside him to keep a steady voice. "Killed. They.... were killed. And... "
He trailed off.
It was a terribly difficult thing to talk about, yes, but that wasn't the only reason he stopped.
Staring into the young, innocent eyes of Sina, he wondered if she had any concept of the wickedness of certain people... the capacity for evil that humanity sometimes contained. He wondered if she even knew what "rape" was, and even if she did... why would he want to tell her? This girl, who lost her mother only a week ago... this young, defenseless child, now facing an empty, apocalyptic future with little hope for even the simplest aspirations a person could have...
It was not worth mentioning.
Axel shook his head, looking away.
Sina, watching him curiously, favored him with a long, empathetic stare, releasing a sigh.
Then, startling him, Sina leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a deep, tender hug. She held him close for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes... and, after swallowing a nervous barrage of emotion, Axel returned the hug, holding Sina's head against his chest... little, innocent girl...
She was a good girl...
So, so sweet, she was...
To give Axel sanctuary from the raiders when she herself had no home, no food, nothing to offer whatsoever besides her simple love and support... and now, to embrace him while he was in a touchy, unstable emotional state... she had the heart his daughter once had, that was for sure...
Good girl.
--(To be continued)--
The story gets a little morbid here, so if you're uneasy about touchy topics, it'd be best if you didn't continue the story.
*************************************
Helpless.
No! He shouted. Shrill, hollow, menacing screams....
Empty screams...
Helpless screams...
There's nothing I can do.
He attempted to throw a forceful, solid punch, but his arm seemed to act as though it was in slow motion... his blows were null and void, inflicting no damage on his attackers...
There's nothing I can do...
The men pinned him down, giving him a severe beating, but without blocking his vision... they wanted him to see... see what they were doing to his beautiful, innocent girls... those girls, the woman he loved more than life itself, the one he married, and the baby girl they made together, the one he'd raised with a tender, loving hand... no longer showing him their bright, smiling faces... no longer laughing, no longer lost in the bliss of a forever loving family...
Now miserable, now sobbing madly, now bleeding and crying rivers of tears... bruises and scratches covering every bit of their visible skin... just feet away, the innocence was being stolen from the both of them... the men were using the girls like playthings, objects build for their personal sexual pleasure... and here he was, just feet away... in the same room... nothing he can do...
There's nothing I can do....!
He let out a horrid, maddening scream, one that might've torn the wallpaper right off those dry walls...
He fought the men, but he could not budge. And with every defying action, the men were sure to give him a few more blows, though he no longer felt the pain... it was as though his body had become somewhat of a soft, fluffy rock... enduring, unable to feel pain, yet heavily bruised, battered, and bleeding...
Make it stop....
Make it stop...
The attackers were now beating the girls, slamming his wife's head against the window pane, strangling his daughter... They both continued to cry, though no sound could be heard from them anymore... after a moment or so, their arms went limp, no longer fighting back... the girls were gone...
No...
No...
There's nothing I can do...
There's nothing I can do...
Make it stop...
Make it STOP...!
THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO--
THEY'RE DEAD! MY GIRLS! THEY'RE DEAD!
MAKE IT STOP--
MAKE IT--
"Axel!" A girl shouted.
Within a split second of hearing Sina's voice, a firm, open-palmed hand met his cheek with incredible force, making a loud SLAP echo throughout the old house.
Axel lept up, clutching his heart, his fingers coiled around the cloth covering his chest. His clothing was damp with sweat, and he could have sworn his heart was throbbing so hard it was going to burst from his chest... and somehow, he seemed to be out of breath...
"What's wrong?" Sina asked him, her eyes shining with concern.
Axel stared at her as though he'd never seen anything quite like her before.
His hand slid over his cheek, which was now stinging with pain.
"Where'd you learn to slap that hard?" He asked her, astonished. "How old are you exactly?"
"What's the matter?" Sina asked, ignoring the questions. "You were screaming."
Axel looked down, attempting to slow his breath.
"Was I...?" He said.
Sina nodded, unable to tear her gaze from him.
"You do that a lot." She said a moment later. "You do that every night... you talk in your sleep. But... this is the first time I ever heard you scream like that. I just thought... I should wake you up. Were you having a nightmare?"
Axel gazed into her, looking profound in a deep, gaunt sort of way.
"Yeah." He said. "Nightmares... yeah... they happen..."
A few seconds later, Axel realized that Baron the puppy was sitting directly next to Sina's foot, staring up at him, his black, shimmering, orb-like eyes watching him, his ears perked up as though he was waiting for something else to happen.
Sina knew he often had nightmares. He would barely drift to sleep, and she'd hear him muttering incomprehensible things... sometimes, she'd hear a word clearly, but it was difficult to try understanding him. There was no telling what he was dreaming about every night... still, it always woke her, without fail every night. And ever since she met Axel, she wondered; what on earth could he be dreaming about every night? Still, usually, she thought it best not to ask.... until now, anyway.
"My family..." Axel muttered, his tone suddenly dark. "Something bad happened to my family."
Sina remained quiet, waiting for him to explain.
Axel, glancing at her, realized this, and went on.
"My wife and daughter were..." He began, then gulped, using every ounce of self control inside him to keep a steady voice. "Killed. They.... were killed. And... "
He trailed off.
It was a terribly difficult thing to talk about, yes, but that wasn't the only reason he stopped.
Staring into the young, innocent eyes of Sina, he wondered if she had any concept of the wickedness of certain people... the capacity for evil that humanity sometimes contained. He wondered if she even knew what "rape" was, and even if she did... why would he want to tell her? This girl, who lost her mother only a week ago... this young, defenseless child, now facing an empty, apocalyptic future with little hope for even the simplest aspirations a person could have...
It was not worth mentioning.
Axel shook his head, looking away.
Sina, watching him curiously, favored him with a long, empathetic stare, releasing a sigh.
Then, startling him, Sina leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a deep, tender hug. She held him close for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes... and, after swallowing a nervous barrage of emotion, Axel returned the hug, holding Sina's head against his chest... little, innocent girl...
She was a good girl...
So, so sweet, she was...
To give Axel sanctuary from the raiders when she herself had no home, no food, nothing to offer whatsoever besides her simple love and support... and now, to embrace him while he was in a touchy, unstable emotional state... she had the heart his daughter once had, that was for sure...
Good girl.
--(To be continued)--
edit on Xx74010131PM11 by XxNightAngelusxX because: (no reason given)
****************
Three weeks later.
Sina, Axel, and Baron continued their travels through the remains of the city. By salvaging water and food from stores, hospitals, and other abandoned establishments, they were able to survive. Still, to Axel's disappointment, they weren't yet lucky enough to find any firearms or other weapons of any kind... so, the two of them continued to travel quietly and sneakily through the city, so not to alert any raiders of their presence.
"We should be there soon." Axel said. "We might even be able to reach the Hole today, actually."
"Really?" Sina beamed, clinging to his arm happily.
"That's right, kiddo." Axel patted her on the back, grinning. "I can't wait until we get there."
As the two of them walked through a long, almost empty field, which apparently was bordering the city they finally successfully crossed, a thought struck Sina that she hadn't considered before now.
"Hey, Axel." She said, now sounding a little more distant. "How do you know they'll let us in?"
Axel was quiet for a moment, staring forward as they walked.
Baron was leaping through the grass like a squirrel, chasing some small animal that was dashing away from him, his tongue flapping in the wind as he did. Baron was nearly fully grown now, and he'd become half of Sina's height... a big, shaggy white dog. He was almost big enough that Sina could climb on Baron's back and ride him like a horse... almost.
"They'll let us in, I'm sure." Axel responded a bit later.
"But how do you know?" Sina asked. "How do you know for sure? They might have too many people to take care of already..."
"Exactly." Axel said, revealing a slight smirk.
Sina, bewildered, stared up at him, looking befoggled.
"I used to be a physician." Axel explained. "A doctor."
"Oh!" Sina exclaimed, now understanding. "So they're gonna need you."
"Yep." Axel said, nodding proudly.
Then, a sudden spark of energy ran through her--and Sina bolted off, chasing after Baron. Her loving furry companion noticed this, and the dog galloped even faster in order to win the chase.
Axel, watching them from a slight distance, didn't realize that he was smiling.
A moment later, he acted entirely without forethought--and he began to chase them too. Despite the heavy backpack he was carrying, Axel was not an out-of-shape man. He was able to catch up with them in ten seconds flat.
It was strange; because about a month ago, he'd witnessed something more horrific than he ever cared to imagine before, when his life was normal, when the world was populated, when he had an ordinary job at a free clinic downtown. And he was sure, when his girls were gone, that he no longer wanted to survive. He planned to the contrary, as a matter of fact.... walking the empty, snowy streets, his eyes vacant and dead, he stared over the side of the bridge for hours... and he was sure he was going to make that jump, end it all...
Yet here he was, a month later, with a loving little girl as a best friend, along with a wonderful dog as a companion, and here he was, chasing them around an empty, snow-covered field, the sun shining more brilliantly than it ever had, even in the days before the Freeze... and he was smiling.
Once Axel managed to wrap his arms around the little girl, he lifted her off her feet and began to swing her around in circles. Sina screamed gleefully, thoroughly thrilled to be flying through the air like that, and Baron ran circles around them both, enjoying all the loud noise and movement.
Then, after dizziness began to set in, Axel fell backwards and took Sina down with him. The two of them lay in the snow, laughing so hard they could barely breathe, until Baron climbed over them both and began attempting to lick their faces completely off.
They sat up, shaking the laughs off and shoving Baron's big, oaf-like body off of them.
Sina, Axel, and Baron all seemed to be feeling the same, wonderful feeling, that same, comforting sensation...
For the first time since the Freeze began, it almost seemed as though nothing could go wrong.
They couldn't be more wrong.
************
Three weeks later.
Sina, Axel, and Baron continued their travels through the remains of the city. By salvaging water and food from stores, hospitals, and other abandoned establishments, they were able to survive. Still, to Axel's disappointment, they weren't yet lucky enough to find any firearms or other weapons of any kind... so, the two of them continued to travel quietly and sneakily through the city, so not to alert any raiders of their presence.
"We should be there soon." Axel said. "We might even be able to reach the Hole today, actually."
"Really?" Sina beamed, clinging to his arm happily.
"That's right, kiddo." Axel patted her on the back, grinning. "I can't wait until we get there."
As the two of them walked through a long, almost empty field, which apparently was bordering the city they finally successfully crossed, a thought struck Sina that she hadn't considered before now.
"Hey, Axel." She said, now sounding a little more distant. "How do you know they'll let us in?"
Axel was quiet for a moment, staring forward as they walked.
Baron was leaping through the grass like a squirrel, chasing some small animal that was dashing away from him, his tongue flapping in the wind as he did. Baron was nearly fully grown now, and he'd become half of Sina's height... a big, shaggy white dog. He was almost big enough that Sina could climb on Baron's back and ride him like a horse... almost.
"They'll let us in, I'm sure." Axel responded a bit later.
"But how do you know?" Sina asked. "How do you know for sure? They might have too many people to take care of already..."
"Exactly." Axel said, revealing a slight smirk.
Sina, bewildered, stared up at him, looking befoggled.
"I used to be a physician." Axel explained. "A doctor."
"Oh!" Sina exclaimed, now understanding. "So they're gonna need you."
"Yep." Axel said, nodding proudly.
Then, a sudden spark of energy ran through her--and Sina bolted off, chasing after Baron. Her loving furry companion noticed this, and the dog galloped even faster in order to win the chase.
Axel, watching them from a slight distance, didn't realize that he was smiling.
A moment later, he acted entirely without forethought--and he began to chase them too. Despite the heavy backpack he was carrying, Axel was not an out-of-shape man. He was able to catch up with them in ten seconds flat.
It was strange; because about a month ago, he'd witnessed something more horrific than he ever cared to imagine before, when his life was normal, when the world was populated, when he had an ordinary job at a free clinic downtown. And he was sure, when his girls were gone, that he no longer wanted to survive. He planned to the contrary, as a matter of fact.... walking the empty, snowy streets, his eyes vacant and dead, he stared over the side of the bridge for hours... and he was sure he was going to make that jump, end it all...
Yet here he was, a month later, with a loving little girl as a best friend, along with a wonderful dog as a companion, and here he was, chasing them around an empty, snow-covered field, the sun shining more brilliantly than it ever had, even in the days before the Freeze... and he was smiling.
Once Axel managed to wrap his arms around the little girl, he lifted her off her feet and began to swing her around in circles. Sina screamed gleefully, thoroughly thrilled to be flying through the air like that, and Baron ran circles around them both, enjoying all the loud noise and movement.
Then, after dizziness began to set in, Axel fell backwards and took Sina down with him. The two of them lay in the snow, laughing so hard they could barely breathe, until Baron climbed over them both and began attempting to lick their faces completely off.
They sat up, shaking the laughs off and shoving Baron's big, oaf-like body off of them.
Sina, Axel, and Baron all seemed to be feeling the same, wonderful feeling, that same, comforting sensation...
For the first time since the Freeze began, it almost seemed as though nothing could go wrong.
They couldn't be more wrong.
************
edit on Xx71120231PM12 by XxNightAngelusxX because: (no reason given)
reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX
That's awesome work so far!
I have to say, I have come to expect great things from your tales, and despite the expectation of quality in your stories, that quality never fails to impress.
That's awesome work so far!
I have to say, I have come to expect great things from your tales, and despite the expectation of quality in your stories, that quality never fails to impress.
Thanks a lot guys!
There WILL be more.
I'm using my France's phone to type this right now, and I won't have my internet back till Friday. Please hold out till then guys, and sorry again for the wait.
Thanks again for reading!
There WILL be more.
I'm using my France's phone to type this right now, and I won't have my internet back till Friday. Please hold out till then guys, and sorry again for the wait.
Thanks again for reading!
Well, turns out my phone service came back early, so my little rag-tag wifi spot is turned back on. I'll be working on the story sooner than I
thought
************************
After gathering themselves for a few minutes, Baron dashed away again, and Sina stood, chasing after him.
Axel sat up, watching her run off.
"Don't go too far kiddo!" He hollered after her, though she didn't seem to hear.
In the distance sat an old, broken down truck. The rusty yellow truck, sitting in the middle of this empty snowy field, was the only thing anywhere nearby, and Sina continued to chase Baron towards it, out of Axel's reach.
"Wait!" He called again, standing warily and making his way towards them.
Sina and the dog ran behind the old truck, and out of sight.
Axel kept marching through the snow, towards the truck, waiting for the two of them to emerge again, back into his eyeshot, but they didn't.
"Sina...?" He yelled. "Sina, come out. Come back out here!"
Only yards away from the truck now, Axel heaved a sigh, then walked around the gigantic hunk of metal.
What he saw on the other side cut him to the quick.
It took him almost a full minute to adjust his eyes, as he was certain they were lying to him.
There, behind the old truck, stood two burly men, both wearing tattered and filthy old urban clothing, glaring at him with a cobra-like leer. One of the men was bald headed, and was holding a glistening 357 magnum revolver in his hand, which was aimed directly at the side of Sina's head.
The bald man had one of his sausage-thick arms wrapped around her neck, making it impossible for her to escape, the barrel of the gun grazing her temple. She was shaking, looking positively terrified, and Baron was standing feet away, growling at the men angrily.
Axel raised his hands in surrender.
"No, please. Don't hurt her." He said at once. "You... you can have whatever you want. Just don't..."
"Gimme your bag." The bald man ordered.
Axel slid the bag off his shoulder and tossed it to the raiders' feet.
"You got arms?" The unarmed raider asked.
Axel shook his head, his hands still raised.
The unarmed raider came forward and pat Axel's body up and down. Then, he turned back to his comrade.
"He's clean."
The two men met eyes for a second, seeming to share the same, unspoken thought.
"Please let her go, I'll do anything you want." Axel told them, his heart pounding.
The two men smirked.
No... Axel knew... he knew they weren't going to set Sina free...
They planned to keep her.
"Please let her go!" Axel yelled, as if countering his own paranoid thoughts.
They said nothing, both of them still flashing a couple of revolting, wicked smiles.
Baron inched forward, his growls much louder now.
The bald man stared at Baron for a moment, his smile fading.
"Control that thing." He said, pointing the gun at Baron, who lashed into an enraged barking fit.
Baron then lunged forward, wrapping his jaw around the bald man's ankle, sinking his fangs deep into his skin. The bald man let out a horrible wail of pain, then attempted to get a straight shot on Baron's head--
WHAM
A rock-solid fist flew out of nowhere, dislocating the bald man's jaw, sending him flying backwards face-first into the snow. Axel lept on top of the man and continued delivering several forceful blows, until the bald man's face was blood covered and unresponsive.
The second raider came forward, charging at Axel from behind--Baron snarled--
BANG.
Everything froze.
The shot rang through the air for miles, stinging Axel's ears.
Baron stood stiff, no longer growling.
Axel turned, resting his eyes on a trembling, frightened Sina, who was holding a revolver... a silver, still-smoking revolver...
The raider, wide-eyed, struggled to breathe, grasping the bloody hole in his chest... he then his his knees, and fell into the snow, no longer moving.
Everything was silent for a moment.
Axel couldn't tear his gaze from Sina.
She shot him.
She actually shot him.
Sina's sobs began to escape her, and she exploded into tears. Axel stood and embraced her, holding her tightly, cradling her head, blocking her view from the dead raiders lying beside them. As Axel continued to console Sina, time passed... it was forever until they finally departed the field.
--[To be continued)--
After gathering themselves for a few minutes, Baron dashed away again, and Sina stood, chasing after him.
Axel sat up, watching her run off.
"Don't go too far kiddo!" He hollered after her, though she didn't seem to hear.
In the distance sat an old, broken down truck. The rusty yellow truck, sitting in the middle of this empty snowy field, was the only thing anywhere nearby, and Sina continued to chase Baron towards it, out of Axel's reach.
"Wait!" He called again, standing warily and making his way towards them.
Sina and the dog ran behind the old truck, and out of sight.
Axel kept marching through the snow, towards the truck, waiting for the two of them to emerge again, back into his eyeshot, but they didn't.
"Sina...?" He yelled. "Sina, come out. Come back out here!"
Only yards away from the truck now, Axel heaved a sigh, then walked around the gigantic hunk of metal.
What he saw on the other side cut him to the quick.
It took him almost a full minute to adjust his eyes, as he was certain they were lying to him.
There, behind the old truck, stood two burly men, both wearing tattered and filthy old urban clothing, glaring at him with a cobra-like leer. One of the men was bald headed, and was holding a glistening 357 magnum revolver in his hand, which was aimed directly at the side of Sina's head.
The bald man had one of his sausage-thick arms wrapped around her neck, making it impossible for her to escape, the barrel of the gun grazing her temple. She was shaking, looking positively terrified, and Baron was standing feet away, growling at the men angrily.
Axel raised his hands in surrender.
"No, please. Don't hurt her." He said at once. "You... you can have whatever you want. Just don't..."
"Gimme your bag." The bald man ordered.
Axel slid the bag off his shoulder and tossed it to the raiders' feet.
"You got arms?" The unarmed raider asked.
Axel shook his head, his hands still raised.
The unarmed raider came forward and pat Axel's body up and down. Then, he turned back to his comrade.
"He's clean."
The two men met eyes for a second, seeming to share the same, unspoken thought.
"Please let her go, I'll do anything you want." Axel told them, his heart pounding.
The two men smirked.
No... Axel knew... he knew they weren't going to set Sina free...
They planned to keep her.
"Please let her go!" Axel yelled, as if countering his own paranoid thoughts.
They said nothing, both of them still flashing a couple of revolting, wicked smiles.
Baron inched forward, his growls much louder now.
The bald man stared at Baron for a moment, his smile fading.
"Control that thing." He said, pointing the gun at Baron, who lashed into an enraged barking fit.
Baron then lunged forward, wrapping his jaw around the bald man's ankle, sinking his fangs deep into his skin. The bald man let out a horrible wail of pain, then attempted to get a straight shot on Baron's head--
WHAM
A rock-solid fist flew out of nowhere, dislocating the bald man's jaw, sending him flying backwards face-first into the snow. Axel lept on top of the man and continued delivering several forceful blows, until the bald man's face was blood covered and unresponsive.
The second raider came forward, charging at Axel from behind--Baron snarled--
BANG.
Everything froze.
The shot rang through the air for miles, stinging Axel's ears.
Baron stood stiff, no longer growling.
Axel turned, resting his eyes on a trembling, frightened Sina, who was holding a revolver... a silver, still-smoking revolver...
The raider, wide-eyed, struggled to breathe, grasping the bloody hole in his chest... he then his his knees, and fell into the snow, no longer moving.
Everything was silent for a moment.
Axel couldn't tear his gaze from Sina.
She shot him.
She actually shot him.
Sina's sobs began to escape her, and she exploded into tears. Axel stood and embraced her, holding her tightly, cradling her head, blocking her view from the dead raiders lying beside them. As Axel continued to console Sina, time passed... it was forever until they finally departed the field.
--[To be continued)--
**************************
Hours later...
Not a word escaped them as the three of them sat in a circle around a dirt patch in the snow, layered with a few sticks which Axel caught ablaze. The three of them sat close to the fire in order to keep warm, because just after the sun went down, the climate did too. Baron was curled into a huge, shaggy ball, lying about a foot from the flames, sleeping. Sina was hunched over, staring into the dancing fire, wearing an unusually apathetic face, and Axel was sitting slacked back, watching them both.
"I thought you said we would get to the Hole today." Sina said suddenly, monotone.
"I thought we should stop walking and rest for the night. We needed to take a breather." Axel told her.
Sina still hadn't looked away from the fire, but Axel was watching her intently.
"Are you okay?" He finally asked.
Sina nodded, her eyes blankly reflecting the flames of the crackling fire.
"I'm fine." She replied emptily.
"I'm sorry." Axel told her. "It was my fault... I'm so sorry, Sina. I'm so sorry I let all of that happen."
Sina was quiet for a moment.
Then, she let out a huge breath.
"There was nothing you could do." Sina said.
Axel's heart seemed to sink, his stomach shrinking a bit, feeling nauseated.
"I did everything I could." He said in a soft, grave voice.
Sina stole a glance at him, seeming to notice his slight mood change.
"I'll get us there first thing when we wake up." Axel told her, staring into her eyes. "This isn't going to happen anymore. Tomorrow, everything's gonna be okay. For both of us. You... you don't deserve all this."
Sina gazed at him, her eyes sparkling. She couldn't think of a way to respond.
"I promise." He said, leaning closer to her, looking absolutely intense. "I swear."
Axel placed a hand atop her head, giving her a tender pet.
Sina managed to crack a faint smile.
********************
Three hours of sleep wouldn't sustain your average human being, but out here in the troubling wastes, it was glorious to get three hours of sleep all at once... it was quite a blessing.
A tiny, distant sound erupted far, far away, making Axel sit up instantly, his eyes half open, his hair screwed up. He wondered if he'd imagined the noise, then he heard it again--he looked in every direction, but saw nothing.
Sina was snuggled up next to him, covered by both of his thick combat jackets, still lost in a deep sleep. Baron was sleeping on the opposite side of her.
Another noise came from about a mile away--this time, he heard a voice.
Axel's heart skipped as he stared off into the night.
People.
Of course, he realized. Of course those two raiders weren't alone... they were a part of a bigger pack. More raiders were coming... more raiders were on the way...
"Get up!" Axel said, shaking Sina's shoulder. "We have to go!"
Sina sat bolt upright, looking both shocked and disoriented.
Axel stood, wrapping one of his jackets around himself, and putting the other one on Sina in order to keep her warm. Baron, his ears perked up, stood, wondering what the commotion was all about. He looked between his two masters, panting.
After putting on his massive backpack, Axel grabbed one of the sticks out of the barely burning fire. Since they didn't have a flashlight, he figured he needed a torch, so that they could find their way through the dark snowy night.
As snowflakes descended from above, Axel lead Sina and Baron away from their rag-tag camp site, after smothering the embers with snow and eliminating them. They walked with a pep in their step, all keeping silent.
The noises, as far as Axel could tell anyway, were fairly far away... so they needn't worry about facing any confrontation. Still, it was a little unsettling to think that a roving band of raiders were trailing them, trying to find whoever killed their comrades.
Soon, they approached what looked like a gigantic concrete wall--with an opening mid center. The opening, however, was a chain linked fence that was at least ten feet tall, and re-enforced with a thick layer of metal on the opposite side. The great metal gate was the entrance to what looked like a post-apocalyptic fortress.
Axel's eyes fixed on the great wall and gate, his mouth hanging open.
The Hole.
Just in front of the massive structure was a broken down old vehicle. It was a rusty old Volkswagen bug. Axel, Sina, and Baron hurried past the bug and up the hill, towards the metal gates.
Once they reached the gates, Axel thrusted his fist against the fence, and onto the metal, creating a few very loud, metallic BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG's.
"Heyyyyy!" He hollered, staring upwards, noticing a dark watchtower on the other side of the gate, standing clear over the concrete wall and the gates. "I know someone's up there! Let us in! Please!"
No one responded.
Axel, Sina, and Baron stood before the gates, all looking up at the tower.
"Hey! I KNOW SOMEONE'S UP THERE! LISTEN! LET US IN!" Axel bellowed, considering that the guards of the Hole might not have heard him the first time.
Now, he was sure that, where ever the raiders were, they definitely heard him. If the gates didn't open soon, they'd be in some serious trouble...
Axel, glaring up at the tower, still heard nothing, and saw no movement. He raised the torch, cautiously keeping the flames away from his face, hoping to see someone, but he didn't.
Frustrated, he thrashed his fists against the metal again.
BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG.
"I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY TO STAND HERE AND DIE! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR RIGHT NOW! OPEN IT NOW! I HAVE A CHILD WITH ME!"
Something shattered out in the wastes, and someone screamed.
Axel whipped around, staring into the wasteland, realizing that the raiders were much closer than he had thought. His heart now throbbing rapidly, he punched the metal doors once more.
"THERE ARE RAIDERS COMING! PLEASE! OPEN THE DOOR AND LET US IN! OPEN IT! I'M A DOCTOR! I USED TO BE A DOCTOR! I SAID OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR RIGHT NOW!"
Sina turned, peering into the dark wastes, hearing the shouting raiders approach.
Down the hill, if she wasn't mistaken, she began to see many dark human-shaped figures emerging from the shadows, coming closer... the shadowy raiders spotted them, and here they come...
"Hang on!" A voice came from above.
Someone poked their head out of the tower, staring down at them.
"We'll open it! Stand back!" The guard yelled to them.
Axel, his attention still on the gate, was waiting anxiously for it to open.
Sina, however, was staring behind them, seeing the raiders charging towards them...
Her breath thin, Sina knew she had no other option.
--(To be continued)--
Hours later...
Not a word escaped them as the three of them sat in a circle around a dirt patch in the snow, layered with a few sticks which Axel caught ablaze. The three of them sat close to the fire in order to keep warm, because just after the sun went down, the climate did too. Baron was curled into a huge, shaggy ball, lying about a foot from the flames, sleeping. Sina was hunched over, staring into the dancing fire, wearing an unusually apathetic face, and Axel was sitting slacked back, watching them both.
"I thought you said we would get to the Hole today." Sina said suddenly, monotone.
"I thought we should stop walking and rest for the night. We needed to take a breather." Axel told her.
Sina still hadn't looked away from the fire, but Axel was watching her intently.
"Are you okay?" He finally asked.
Sina nodded, her eyes blankly reflecting the flames of the crackling fire.
"I'm fine." She replied emptily.
"I'm sorry." Axel told her. "It was my fault... I'm so sorry, Sina. I'm so sorry I let all of that happen."
Sina was quiet for a moment.
Then, she let out a huge breath.
"There was nothing you could do." Sina said.
Axel's heart seemed to sink, his stomach shrinking a bit, feeling nauseated.
"I did everything I could." He said in a soft, grave voice.
Sina stole a glance at him, seeming to notice his slight mood change.
"I'll get us there first thing when we wake up." Axel told her, staring into her eyes. "This isn't going to happen anymore. Tomorrow, everything's gonna be okay. For both of us. You... you don't deserve all this."
Sina gazed at him, her eyes sparkling. She couldn't think of a way to respond.
"I promise." He said, leaning closer to her, looking absolutely intense. "I swear."
Axel placed a hand atop her head, giving her a tender pet.
Sina managed to crack a faint smile.
********************
Three hours of sleep wouldn't sustain your average human being, but out here in the troubling wastes, it was glorious to get three hours of sleep all at once... it was quite a blessing.
A tiny, distant sound erupted far, far away, making Axel sit up instantly, his eyes half open, his hair screwed up. He wondered if he'd imagined the noise, then he heard it again--he looked in every direction, but saw nothing.
Sina was snuggled up next to him, covered by both of his thick combat jackets, still lost in a deep sleep. Baron was sleeping on the opposite side of her.
Another noise came from about a mile away--this time, he heard a voice.
Axel's heart skipped as he stared off into the night.
People.
Of course, he realized. Of course those two raiders weren't alone... they were a part of a bigger pack. More raiders were coming... more raiders were on the way...
"Get up!" Axel said, shaking Sina's shoulder. "We have to go!"
Sina sat bolt upright, looking both shocked and disoriented.
Axel stood, wrapping one of his jackets around himself, and putting the other one on Sina in order to keep her warm. Baron, his ears perked up, stood, wondering what the commotion was all about. He looked between his two masters, panting.
After putting on his massive backpack, Axel grabbed one of the sticks out of the barely burning fire. Since they didn't have a flashlight, he figured he needed a torch, so that they could find their way through the dark snowy night.
As snowflakes descended from above, Axel lead Sina and Baron away from their rag-tag camp site, after smothering the embers with snow and eliminating them. They walked with a pep in their step, all keeping silent.
The noises, as far as Axel could tell anyway, were fairly far away... so they needn't worry about facing any confrontation. Still, it was a little unsettling to think that a roving band of raiders were trailing them, trying to find whoever killed their comrades.
Soon, they approached what looked like a gigantic concrete wall--with an opening mid center. The opening, however, was a chain linked fence that was at least ten feet tall, and re-enforced with a thick layer of metal on the opposite side. The great metal gate was the entrance to what looked like a post-apocalyptic fortress.
Axel's eyes fixed on the great wall and gate, his mouth hanging open.
The Hole.
Just in front of the massive structure was a broken down old vehicle. It was a rusty old Volkswagen bug. Axel, Sina, and Baron hurried past the bug and up the hill, towards the metal gates.
Once they reached the gates, Axel thrusted his fist against the fence, and onto the metal, creating a few very loud, metallic BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG's.
"Heyyyyy!" He hollered, staring upwards, noticing a dark watchtower on the other side of the gate, standing clear over the concrete wall and the gates. "I know someone's up there! Let us in! Please!"
No one responded.
Axel, Sina, and Baron stood before the gates, all looking up at the tower.
"Hey! I KNOW SOMEONE'S UP THERE! LISTEN! LET US IN!" Axel bellowed, considering that the guards of the Hole might not have heard him the first time.
Now, he was sure that, where ever the raiders were, they definitely heard him. If the gates didn't open soon, they'd be in some serious trouble...
Axel, glaring up at the tower, still heard nothing, and saw no movement. He raised the torch, cautiously keeping the flames away from his face, hoping to see someone, but he didn't.
Frustrated, he thrashed his fists against the metal again.
BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG BONG.
"I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY TO STAND HERE AND DIE! OPEN THE DAMN DOOR RIGHT NOW! OPEN IT NOW! I HAVE A CHILD WITH ME!"
Something shattered out in the wastes, and someone screamed.
Axel whipped around, staring into the wasteland, realizing that the raiders were much closer than he had thought. His heart now throbbing rapidly, he punched the metal doors once more.
"THERE ARE RAIDERS COMING! PLEASE! OPEN THE DOOR AND LET US IN! OPEN IT! I'M A DOCTOR! I USED TO BE A DOCTOR! I SAID OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR RIGHT NOW!"
Sina turned, peering into the dark wastes, hearing the shouting raiders approach.
Down the hill, if she wasn't mistaken, she began to see many dark human-shaped figures emerging from the shadows, coming closer... the shadowy raiders spotted them, and here they come...
"Hang on!" A voice came from above.
Someone poked their head out of the tower, staring down at them.
"We'll open it! Stand back!" The guard yelled to them.
Axel, his attention still on the gate, was waiting anxiously for it to open.
Sina, however, was staring behind them, seeing the raiders charging towards them...
Her breath thin, Sina knew she had no other option.
--(To be continued)--
****************************
Sina yanked the torch away from Axel, then bolted down the hill, careful not to slip on any of the snow or ice.
Axel, bewildered, whirled around, taken by surprise.
Sina was running down the hill, carrying the small torch, shielding the flame with her hand. The raiders were multiplying, all coming towards the hill, nearing the Volkswagen bug...
"SINA!" Axel screamed horribly.
They were barely out of her reach when she got to the old car.
Sina opened the gas tank, then shoved the torch inside of it.
There was a fraction of a second to spare, during which she caught one last glance of the raiders, feet away from her...
"NO!"
The explosion was magnificent... terrible, and magnificent. The car erupted in flames, sending every shred of its metal in every direction, and the raiders were caught directly in the blaze... limbs were severed, skin was burned... and the raiders were no more.
--------------------------------------------
It was impossible to appreciate the beauty of this unusually sunny snow day.
"Hold still." The nurse said, patting his arm with an alcoholic wipe.
Axel's arm, which had been cut deeply by one of the flying chunks of debris after the Volkswagen explosion, was still blotched with blood. After sun rise, he was finally able to cease his maddening yells.
"You'll be alright. I was just a nurse back in the day, but I'm glad we finally have another doctor... we only have one other doctor, some guy from up north, his name is Dave. You've no idea how much we need this, sir... we're going to have to teach the younger folks some of the know-how..."
Axel's mind was a mile away. He wasn't hearing her.
Baron rubbed his big face against Axel's leg affectionately, but he ignored it.
Here he was.
After over a month of frivolous travel, he'd finally made it to the Hole.
The image of Sina's last moments were playing through his mind like a movie on replay, and there wasn't a substance in existence that could erase it from his thoughts... that explosion, a volcano of metal and fire... all those people, torn apart... including Sina... and he hadn't stopped it... he hadn't saved her... he couldn't...
There was nothing he could do.
Sina yanked the torch away from Axel, then bolted down the hill, careful not to slip on any of the snow or ice.
Axel, bewildered, whirled around, taken by surprise.
Sina was running down the hill, carrying the small torch, shielding the flame with her hand. The raiders were multiplying, all coming towards the hill, nearing the Volkswagen bug...
"SINA!" Axel screamed horribly.
They were barely out of her reach when she got to the old car.
Sina opened the gas tank, then shoved the torch inside of it.
There was a fraction of a second to spare, during which she caught one last glance of the raiders, feet away from her...
"NO!"
The explosion was magnificent... terrible, and magnificent. The car erupted in flames, sending every shred of its metal in every direction, and the raiders were caught directly in the blaze... limbs were severed, skin was burned... and the raiders were no more.
--------------------------------------------
It was impossible to appreciate the beauty of this unusually sunny snow day.
"Hold still." The nurse said, patting his arm with an alcoholic wipe.
Axel's arm, which had been cut deeply by one of the flying chunks of debris after the Volkswagen explosion, was still blotched with blood. After sun rise, he was finally able to cease his maddening yells.
"You'll be alright. I was just a nurse back in the day, but I'm glad we finally have another doctor... we only have one other doctor, some guy from up north, his name is Dave. You've no idea how much we need this, sir... we're going to have to teach the younger folks some of the know-how..."
Axel's mind was a mile away. He wasn't hearing her.
Baron rubbed his big face against Axel's leg affectionately, but he ignored it.
Here he was.
After over a month of frivolous travel, he'd finally made it to the Hole.
The image of Sina's last moments were playing through his mind like a movie on replay, and there wasn't a substance in existence that could erase it from his thoughts... that explosion, a volcano of metal and fire... all those people, torn apart... including Sina... and he hadn't stopped it... he hadn't saved her... he couldn't...
There was nothing he could do.
END
edit on Xx55350531PM15 by XxNightAngelusxX because: (no reason given)
reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX
Well ... That was astounding.
That ending hit with all the force of a kinetic impactor weapon! Epic, bleak, and well worth the read! Another triumph!
Well ... That was astounding.
That ending hit with all the force of a kinetic impactor weapon! Epic, bleak, and well worth the read! Another triumph!
TrueBrit
reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX
Well ... That was astounding.
That ending hit with all the force of a kinetic impactor weapon! Epic, bleak, and well worth the read! Another triumph!
Thanks! I don't like giving my characters crappy endings... but I can't give them happy endings every time. Good stories need death. And thanks again for reading!
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