September 24, 2046 —
A scratching noise is heard; I tense up, immediately alert. I scan the room and notice a bald tail sticking out from under the cupboard. Slowly, creeping up stealthily behind the tail, I pounce.
"Gotcha, ya little creep," I said amused at how easily the little rat was caught. It was as if no effort was put into escaping. Personally, I don't blame him, for I wouldn't mind dying either. Despite this, the animal is my dinner.
As I'm about to end this vermin's misery, I glance down at its furry face one last time. His eyes look wild, as if taken by madness, its teeth, a disgusting yellow. I raise the defenseless rat up into the air, ready to swing it by its tail, bashing the skull, ending its life immediately, quickly, and painlessly. That is the least I can do for it since the creature is feeding me.
"Let the poor creature go, Havok," came a raspy, bone-chilling voice; Sarge.
"Uh… yes, sir," I replied uneasily. What is he doing here?! How did I not notice him come in? God, I'm such an idiot! My hunger has dulled my senses. You'd think it would've sharpened them like an animal desperate for prey.
"Well, are you going to invite me in to sit down, or am I going to have to be rude? His calmness is terrifying. I dropped the rat and it scurried back under the cupboard. The only time Sarge has ever been this calm, or paid anyone a personal visit, was when he is eliminating them. Please… don't let it be me… Sarge walked over, wobbling on every other step. His left leg was wooden, taken long ago in a confrontation with those wretched zombie-like creatures. He saved me. I was only 7 at the time. It was at the beginning of this hellish apocalypse.
"Now, you know I hate it when you call me Havok," I replied coldly, trying to maintain what little composure I had left. He saved me; doesn't mean I can't hate him. After all, he was the one who let my sister go last time he visited me. What could he want now?
"Well, what am I supposed to call you? James?" He spat my name out like a bad taste in his mouth, "That name is long gone and you know it, Havok.
"Yeah, well maybe I like my old name," I shot back, slamming my hands on the table, "Reminds me of before I met you. You know, when I was happy." My neck popped. A burning sensation ran through my cheek, turning red from the blood rushing through it. He slapped me. Hard.
"You'll watch your tongue when you speak to me," he said with a smirk. "Anyway, I can tell you're eager to watch me leave, so I'll hurry up and get these matters over with." The idiot, I could tell he was simply enjoying himself with me. He could read me like an open book. He knows me all too well.
"You're not bringing in enough water, James," he said with a fake sympathetic voice. I already know where this is going. My end is near.
"In other words, you're more trouble than you're worth," he continued. His hands tensed as he put them on the table. He was preparing to restrain me.
"I can bring in more water, Sarge. It'll be easy," I replied, almost pleadingly. My mind was going berserk. I did not want to leave. This was much better than being alone. Anything was.
"No, this has been going on for too long," he said clamping his hand on my wrist. I panicked. With my free hand, I struck him in the upper jaw. He let go of my wrist as his body made contact with the floor and I ran to the door, desperate to get out. The door wouldn't budge. Naturally, he locked it from the outside. He knew exactly how I would react. He knew this would happen. I cursed under my breath as I heard Sarge getting on one knee, attempting to stand. Almost as if by instant reaction, I kicked Sarge in his mouth. Blood covered my shoe as two of his teeth flew out. Good, he's getting weak. This idiot isn't totally immortal. I pressed on with my flurry of attacks, striking him with all my might. It wasn't long before the once powerful man laid there motionless. I searched his clothing for his keys and anything else of use.
"Bingo," I whispered after finding them in his back pants pocket, "Looks like I win old man." Then, I heard the magic words being muttered:
"Not quite…" CRACK! Everything went black.
This is a prime example of why you should follow rules one and two. They might just save you from getting hit over the head with your stool.
Exactly how did Sarge and I come to be…? March 1, 2042 – the first day the zombies started coming, the day I got attacked. The day both my parents were eaten in front of me. I was only 7. My sister? Well, she was 4. My mom and dad were taking me to school and my sister, Alyssa, to daycare. My father was angry about something he heard on the news…
"The abortion of teenagers?!" My dad continued, "That has got to be the most idiotic thing I've ever heard of!" We were at a red light, and my father kept ranting on and on while my mother listened politely. Alyssa and I were in the back seat.
"Daddy's a weirdo, isn't he?" I whispered to my toddler sister.
"Daddy's crazy, mommy!" she would sing in a mocking voice, only to send my mother into a fit of laughter and my father into another rant. Suddenly, we heard a loud crash from outside of the car. Someone in the next lane got in a wreck with a truck. The blue 2042 Commander was flipped over, there was shattered glass everywhere and the old 2014 Chevy was toppled onto its side, smoke emitting from the engine. My mother covered Alyssa's eyes as I watched. I didn't really understand it; I just knew it was an accident. Everyone kept on as if nothing happened, but, we didn't move. Slowly, a hand poked through the broken window of the toppled Chevy. My father got out of the car to check on the person in the truck. My mom stood close to my father's side, as always. When the person got out of the truck, she didn't look right. Not disfigured from the cuts from the crash; no, she was free from injury. However, there was something wrong with her. She looked as if she were insane. Alyssa and I being the only ones in the car, we watched. The mad look in the lady's eyes was frightening.
In the blink of an eye, I see the lady grab my father and hurl him; forcing him to smash against the side of our car. I jumped at the sound of the metal crunching. My mother, however, was a whole other sight. The lady was biting her throat out. Needless to say, I screamed. Then, the person that was in the 2042 Commander came out; he also joined in eating my mother. We watched in horror as these people… these monsters devoured our mother, and then turned towards my father. These horrid creatures feasted upon my dad as if they've never eaten before. I locked eyes with the repulsive beasts as they looked up from their meal. It was my turn. They started clawing at the door, ripping it right off the hinges. I blanked out. When I looked up, Sarge was there fighting these beasts off. That was always one thing I never understood about Sarge. He always knew where to be, and what to do. Almost as if he knew exactly what was going to happen. Always one step ahead.
