Short Stories

Apocalypse Pt. 1

I am brought back to my senses by the sound of an axe against wood, screaming, and loud bangs.

The takers have attacked another family a few blocks away from where we are. I quicken my pace to catch up to my two companions ahead of me, Janet and Seth.

I shouldn't be spacing out at a time like this. I can easily get killed; or worse.

I hope my cousins are doing okay since we got separated a while back. Everytime I hear screams in the distance I say a silent prayer, hoping it isn't them, that they're safe somewhere, and that I'll get to them soon.

Ever since the takers began attacking, we've been running away, taking shelter in a different house each day. In houses that have already been ravaged by those demonic creatures.

No one really knows who or what the takers are. But what everyone knows is what they look like and what they are capable of.

They are humanoid creatures, with dark grey scaly skin, and shreds, of what might have been clothing at some point, clinging to sections of their skin. At first this made people think it was some sort of zombie variant, until it became apparent what they were after.

The reason takers are greatly feared is not because they look like they might eat your brains out, but because they rampage into houses and take whatever is most valuable, thus dubbing them takers, while doing this, killing whoever tries to get in their way. This is why we stay the hell away from them as soon as they enter the curb.

The funny thing about what they do is that they never take any of the food. Which means they probably do eat brains, but I don't really want to prove myself wrong or right anytime soon. However, this is characteristic is what I am most grateful for. We could easily take refuge in a house that has already been sacked by the takers and have enough food for days.

But on a side note, I can also add a variety of other items to my personal collection. You can call me a thief or klepto, or whatever you like for breaking into other people's houses just to take their stuff, but they're probably dead, and I need it more right now, so yeah....

My companions and I keep running turning into another street, but instead of the typical  picket fenced houses on both sides, we are led into a large expanse. There's a single house in the middle, a house not too big but also not too small, just the size to be quite comfortable. We move slower as we approach it, looking into each other's face only to realize we're all just as confused.

"What the hell happened to the street, and all the houses. I'm sure I saw it right before we turned the corner?"

Both of my companions shrugged in response, giving a 360 turn just like I did, trying to figure out what happened and most importantly, where we are.

Suddenly, on the opposite side of the expanse, a group of people approach as well. Ì squint my eyes in order to make out whether they are actually people or more takers. I immediately recognize my twin cousins and run towards them, they do the same when they realize it is me.

We connect in a warm embrace, happy that someone else in the family has been able to survive until now. I hear sniffles as tears begin to fall from one of their eyes and I already know who it is.

"It's okay, Lily. We're all safe and we're together again."

Lily has always been more emotional than her younger twin sister Courtney, and that is exactly what makes them easily distinguishable from each other since they look exactly the same, mirror images of each other.

Courtney simply rolls her eyes as the the remainder of her group comes towards us. Four guys and another girl. I thank them all for taking care of my cousins and keeping them safe. The girl and two of the guys smile warm at us, while another guy grunts at me in annoyance, and the other seems quite anxious and is unable to maintain eye contact with anyone. I simply smile gratefully at all of them.

It seems we were all drawn to this location due to the large amount of magical power emanating from it, which seems to reel us in.

Oh right, did I tell you that this is a magical world we live in? But with the increasing overpopulation we've been experiencing, there are very few people who are able to use it for simple spells, much less something as grand as this.

This is probably a safe point, so we all make our way towards the house, and as we get closer it begins to transform into a larger and taller building. I blink my eyes quickly several times to make sure I wasn't seeing things, it was an illusion. A really good illusion. I didn't even suspect it.

We make our way to the first door we see, only to be even more confused when it's a bathroom we walk into.

"Apparently the lobby to this grand conglomerate is a  bathroom. " Janet snickers at her own words as she shakes her head in disbelief.

"So fancy! Makes me not wanna get my poop in their toilet."

"OMG! Really Seth?" Despite her words Janet still laughs at Seth's comment. As well as the pair of other guys.

We look through the entire room, but all we find is a woman's bag on the counter top next to the sinks. I rummage through it finding what is typically present in a woman's purse. I can't help myself but take some of the items. You know, for my previously mentioned collection. Just a few colors of nail polish, eyeliner, máscara, all in its very own makeup bag. There is even an assortment of markers in every color possible. This feels like I hit the jackpot. I don't think the owner will notice these are gone. Right? I'll just slip it into my backpack.

I close the bag and accomodate it into its original position. I can already imagine how much prettier my eyes, and my sketchbook will look with all these new items. I have high hopes for the other rooms, that's if we can find a way into them.

When I turn around there is no one left in the room. I was so lost in my own little bubble that I didn't realize where everyone went. I move toward the last stall in the bathroom which was ajar.

When I look in, I see a hallway extending past the bathroom wall. I suppose this is where they all went.