The Effect: 2027

Chapter 1

Gunshots. I hear gunshots.

I was running at the moment. The reason for that is because I tried to steal their leftover food.

I was just hungry!

Jeez, why are people so cruel.

Boom! Boom!

More gunshots. Got it. I thought.

I turned around while still running and called out to the people with the guns.

"I'm just hungry! Can't a seven-year-old boy eat something?!"

I turned around again and continued to run, knowing that they wouldn't stop till I was dead.

Forest three o'clock. The voice told me.

Okay, pause right there. Yes. I have voices in my head. They help me to get away from the enemies. Just like now.

Now, continue.

I looked where the voice guided me. There was indeed a forest there.

Sure, it was beaten down, and most of the trees were gone. But it'd be a good thing to go to.

I turned my entire body and ran in the direction of the forest and continued to run.

My feet hurt! I complained inside my head.

Don't pay attention to that. Just focus on being alive. The voice told me in response.

My lungs burned and my feet stung.

There were branches everywhere once I got over to the forest area. I looked for a high tree to climb.

I'm really good at climbing trees. Don't really know how, but I can climb any tree that you throw at me.

Not that anyone would actually throw a tree at me. That'd be a real sight to see, though.

Boom! Boom!

There's more gunshots. Run faster and climb the nearest tree once it seems safe enough, The voice said.

Yes, yes. I know, I thought, mainly speaking to the voice inside my head.

I continued to run for my dear life.

I'm pretty sure most seven-year-olds wouldn't want to die this young. I know I wouldn't want to.

Bang! Bang!

Go now! The voice echoed in my head.

I turned fast without really thinking. I jumped and now my arms and legs were up on the tree, hanging onto it. Jumping up the tree only scrapped my bare arms. It hurt. But I ignored all of this as I continued to climb.

The person with the gun passed by the tree in the direction it looked like I went. Little did they know, I was in a tree. Of course, this was a good thing. Having the person not know where I was.

Once I heard yet another gunshot, it seemed to be pretty far.

I climbed down the tree absentmindedly running towards the trees in the opposite direction when I got down.

My feet stung a lot more than it did a couple minutes ago.

When can I ever just rest? I questioned to myself.

Just keep running. We'll find a place to rest when it's safe. The voice told me calmly.

I listened to the voice, although my feet really hurt, and I was out of breathe. To be honest, I've had better days, and that is saying a lot.

There was a cabin up ahead, and I didn't see it before when I went into the woods. I didn't want to risk that it was probably the person's property, so I didn't even go there.

There was only more running from there, but I eventually found somewhere to rest. And, someone was nice enough to give me some food.

"Thank you.." I said to the person who had turned to leave.

"No problem, lad. Everyone needs ta eat at sometime. And I've seen you around sometimes. So I know you haven't eaten for a while." The man replied, with a thick Irish accent.

"Well, all I can say is thanks. You can leave if you'd like to. You don't have to stay any longer... And it looked like you were leaving anyway.." I said, as politely as I could.

"You have a good rest of te day, lad." The Irishman chuckled, smiling a little.

He turned to leave again, and I let him. Everyone has their own life after all. And most people don't trust other people. So I appreciated the company that was given.

Pretty soon, he was gone. And now I was left alone in an abandoned building, with absolutely no sound. It wasn't the best, and yet, there was people before the end of the world that just wanted some peace and quiet. Now, it seemed as if the world needed a bit of noise that wasn't bombs or guns.

That's what I needed. Noise.

Go make some. The voice said.

"But how do I make noise?" I said aloud, knowing that no one else was with me.

You have that one portable music thing that you found. That works... Did you leave it in the Sun? It's solar powered. You know this. The voice told me.

"Yes, yes, yes. I left it in the Sun. I'll go get it.." I said, getting up and walking over to the cloth that hung over where the door used to be.

I pulled the piece of cloth back and glanced outside before I went outside to go and get the mp3 player I had found. It was all charged up and ready to go.

Of course, none of the music was music I had put onto it. I just had to deal with it though. Some of the music was actually good, so I didn't complain about those songs. But, the songs I liked, were actually very unusual. Apparently the songs I listen to are remixes for these former youtubers. I got this information from a person nearby when I found the mp3.

Don't know why I liked them actually, but I just do.

Anyway, I turned it on, and listened to my favorite song. I was able to figure out how to go and make playlists, so That song was on the top of the playlist that I made. After that song, it played other songs I liked.

I kicked off my shoes and listened to the songs. Now, it was peaceful. To me at least.

I ended up falling asleep after a few songs.