desolate minds

vi. cold, crippled, and shallow

Rain pelted down on them, but it did nothing to hinder Daniel and his mission to keep them safe. The thunder boomed above them but he didn't even flinch.

"M-Mama— Mama!"

"Max, don't!"

Daniel lurched forward, pulling his brother back towards safety. There was nothing they could do; not without any weapons or help in sight. They could only stay put and hope for the best... for themselves. Their mother— There was nothing they could do to save her, it was already too late for that.

Max, the innocent and pure boy that he was, didn't see that. He couldn't see what was really there.

"My baby! Max— Max, help me! Help your mama, please, sweetie!" The blonde-haired woman called out to her youngest son, reaching forward with blood-stained arms. Max squirmed in Daniel's arms, trying to reach his mother.

"Let me go, let me go! We-We've gotta help her, Danny! Mama, Mama!"

"That's not her, Max— That's not her!" Daniel kicked at the bloody arms, trying to put as much distance between them and his brother as much as he could. They were insistent, however, and Max was growing more and more restless. Daniel could feel the hold on his brother loosening with the more he struggled, which wasn't good. All the noise they were making was attracting more zombies.

"There's room for her, Danny! We just hafta— We j-just have to pull her up!"

Max watched their mother nod frantically, "That's right, honey. You just have to pull Mama up there with you— then everything will be alright." Her voice seemed more calm now, as if she was trying to lull him to sleep.

A foot collided with the woman's head, earning a groan from her as she tumbled to the ground. The zombies that were already surrounding them paid her no mind, more focused on the two boys above them. Max gasped in horror, a desperate cry catching in his throat. "MAMA! H-How could you—" He turned to his older brother, a betrayed look on his face.

Daniel brushed it off completely, standing tall on the platform as he looked coldly down at his brother. "Look, Max— Look at Mama. Tell me what you see, Max."

The blond boy shook his head, covering his eyes. He didn't want to see his mother being eaten alive. He didn't want to focus on her horrified expression, or hear her screams—

Her... screams...?

Why isn't she... screaming? Why doesn't he hear anything other than the moans of the... dead...

"I'm okay, sweetie." Max shakily looked towards where he had last seen his mother. "Max, can you see me? I'm alright! Mama's okay."

Daniel wrapped his arms around his brother and brought him close when he heard his voice crack, "T-That's not— You're not my Mama..."

The woman's head tilted to the side, a bright smile on her face as she laughed, "Of course I am, Maxie—" Lightning flashed and gone was the beautiful image of his mother, replaced with the grotesque corpse of one of the dead.

"Who else would I be?"

Max screamed, turning away and burying his face into his brother's chest. Daniel whispered soothing words to him, never releasing his hold on the child. "Mama, Mama..." He cried, the rain mixing in with his tears and drool. "Why does it have Mama's clothes— W-Why does it have M-Mama's body? Why—"