Help Me.

…

…

…

SLAM!

"Mom?"

…

"I'm over by the kitchen, honey!"

…

Pit. Pat.

Pit. Pat.

Pit. Pat.

…

"Hey, mom."

"Hey, kiddo. Sorry for not saying anything. I was just preoccupied with the groceries I brought from the store."

"Need any help?"

"Don't worry. I took everything inside already. Besides, I couldn't get much out of the store. It's running out of fruit and veggies, the meat section is just the public bathroom at this point, and all the juices and milk expired months ago… Sorry. I know you love your cereal with it."

"I don't need the apology, mom. You already gave it to me months ago. I'm fine."

"Guess it's just another week with dry cereal, eh?"

"Just like every other."

Pit. Pat.

Pit. Pat.

"Dad came around again."

"Is that so? What did he want this time? He better not be telling us to pack our bags and such. My back is killing me these days and I don't think I have it in me to take some of our things with us."

"He didn't mention anything of it this time. Just came around, asking for some water, talked with me over a few things he and his crew were doing on the other side of town, and so on."

"That's your father. Wandering all over the city, trying to find something to do."

"He's probably just getting bored with this place. As did I."

"Oh, really? You getting bored of your dear old mother already?"

"Hehe... No mom. Just not really sure what to do here at this point."

"Well, Mr. Unsure, why don't you get back on your feet, take these empty buckets..."

SHOVE.

...

"...And fetch me some water down by the lake? We'll boil it together with the burner we have left over and then you go bottle them up before.

"Sure."

Pit. Pat.

Pit...

"Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Why don't you want to leave?"

...

COUGH.

"Oh, excuse me, dear. Oh yes. Umm..."

...

"Because there's just too much for me to leave behind if we do. Your dad's always been one to leave everything behind for the things he wants. Trust me, I know. But I can't leave this. This place means so much to me, now. I know we lost a lot of people, son. I just can't lose this home as well."

...

"But we'll still have each other, right?"

"Hehe... Yeah, we always will. Just give me some time... We'll talk about it some day, okay?"

"Alright. Get some rest, mom. Wouldn't want you to get sick, now."

"Hehe. I will."

Pit. Pat.

CREAK.

...

THUD.

...

...

..

..

.

"Anyone home?"

A voice echoes from the front door. I almost responded before swiftly covering my mouth, putting my back against my bedroom door and standing in silence, attempting not to even make a sound.

SLAM!

"Hello? Is there anyone here?"

The voice sounded feminine, soft yet sturdy, and slightly paranoid, precarious towards the seemingly abandoned home. And yet, it might know of me, a boy, hidden inside the rooms. Through the loud, muted creaking noises the figure emitted with its footsteps, I could hear the intruder trek towards what could be the kitchen, heightening my sense of dread.

Slowly, yet in a panicked state, I leave my position from the door, tip-toeing through the floor, and search through my bag of things for something to defend myself with. Instinctively, I grab hold of my crowbar, handling it loosely from its departure from my backpack, and, taking along my bag of things, I headed for the closet.

The closet was relatively degraded as mold covered the walls and shelves, dust vilified the air even more so with its limited amount of space, and the rug covering the floor was damp and disgusting to walk upon. There were barely any clothes left since my initial leave from the home; in the closet, there only remained a few boxes of varying sizes and a few little trinkets scattered across the floor.

Laying my bag by the corner, I threw together a small wall of boxes that barely covered me as I laid down, gripping heavily on the crowbar. By the time I finished setting up my hideout, I began to hear the figure climbing up the stairs, making incrementally louder and louder footsteps as it seemingly approached the second floor. My heart continues to beat faster and faster as it waited in anticipation.

After the figure reached the end of the stairs, I initially sensed nothing as if the figure just suddenly stopped. I stopped breathing momentarily to focus my attention on the sounds outside. But my attempts appeared futile as my mind began to race, conjuring thoughts of doubt.

What was she doing? Does she know that I'm here? What if she can already see me? I know the fucking door was close but I didn't know if this girl has some kind of form of clairvoyance. People can tend to surprise me.

But then, with in only one moment, I suddenly heard a-

CREAK. 

The noise was muted, presumably from a door opening. I wasn't sure which door she opened but it sounded close.

Not close enough, though. It wasn't my door she was opening.

But if it wasn't my door that was being opened, then it could only mean that...

...

SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.

She opened the door to Mom's room. And I left the DAMN candle lit. 

Being left with my thoughts as I continued to hear the loud silence of the night, which became increasingly maddening to bear through, I was then interrupted by the figure calling out once more. Only this time, she knows.

"Hello? I know someone's been here."

What the fuck do I do? I fumble a bit, silently cussing at myself for not putting out the candle, even though I couldn't have known that some random chick was going to pass by.

"I mean no harm. I'm just here. A scavenger like you." The voice claimed, softly striking against my tense and sweating ears.

I don't know if I can trust her. She may seem so sweet right now but I don't know if she'll be kind enough to disregard the stained crowbar I hold and the pistol that I possess.

Wait... shit, the gun! I fumble around the small crawl space I gave myself, attempting to make as little noise as possible, searching for my pistol through my holster. The tip of my fingers just slip past it, unable to hold on. My arms were too large for this space, making it extremely difficult to even wield the weapon.

However, I immediately stopped in place as I heard another creaking sound.

CREAK.

This time, the noise emitted a clear and sound audio that indicated that she was in the fucking room. I could now hear her feet land lightly on the front carpet, potentially surveying the area first before taking any more steps forward.

Throughout all of this, I steadily attempted to push my arm down to the holster, allowing for my hand to grip the top part of the pistol, although only slightly.

"I mean no trouble. Just come out and we can talk about it." The voice continues, walking towards the bathroom, potentially inspecting the ins and outs, which stirred more panic inside me and propelling me even further to release my gun from my holster.

My head felt light and heavy at all once, incapable of even pronouncing a straight thought and rendering it difficult to even process how to get my gun out. And even as my hand finally grips the pistol and manages to slip it out of its holster, the gun starts fumbling around, taking me a moment before I could hold onto the pistol properly in my right hand.

SKIRT.

I hear the curtains from the shower spread themselves wide open, indicating to me that the girl was being thorough with her inspection of my home. Meaning that there was no way out of this. I gripped the gun even tighter, practically making my hand tremble at the tension.

More footsteps protrude through my ears, coming out of the bathroom and heading towards the window. Here, I saw bright pieces of hair pop out of my hiding place and some tan skin come out of the gaps I used to view the figure's actions. The sight of such features almost left me off guard before I came back to as it stopped looking towards the outside.

Pit. Pat.

Pit.

"I come in peace. Please. Just come out." The voice pleads, seemingly anticipating an attack.

I won't. Not yet.

I hear now the footsteps coming ever so closer with a shadow looming over me and into the dark, messy closet. This was it.

I took a low, silent breath and prepped my finger close to the trigger.

Here goes.

C-C-CLICK.

A revolving click goes off. Although it didn't come from me. And with it, my mind suddenly realizes...

SHIT. SHE HAS A GUN!

TUMBLE!

CRACK!

The sound of a gunshot bleeds loudly into my ears, reeling me back a bit even when the battle has only begun. I feel my gun slant in my hand, not used but at the ready. In a spiral of noise and senseless imagery, I rush through an echoey chamber of my room, out of what appeared to be the closet, and discover the figure laying there by the end of the room with a black, gun-shaped item close to her. In only one adrenaline-filled motion, my right hand reaches downward for my holster, I run swiftly towards her, pull out my pistol, and aim.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT-"

THUD.

...

HUFF. PUFF.

HUFF. PUFF.

HUFF. PUFF.

HUFF. PUFF.

The ringing began to give way; as fast as it came, it went and with it, my surroundings became more solid, revealing to me the audible disaster we caused. Within it, I held my left hand by the girl's mouth, muting her screams as I held my pistol up to her forehead with the right hand. My mind straightened itself, ditching every fear and thought out until only one became clear and spoken for.

"Don't you fucking move."

The girl and I lock eyes. Hers' was hesitant and distraught, shocked by what it managed to do and at the sight of me. Mine, while shaky and loose, maintained a narrow stare, filled with fear but not for one's own life.

"You scream... You yell... You shout anything or try... anything and your head will drop down faster than you can blink." I grudgingly threatened, maintaining clear eye contact with the girl.

The girl's screams went silent, replaced with a quick and fear-ridden nod of the head.

This was the first time I had done such a thing. It almost reminded me of what happened with my dad. But I wasn't like him. I won't let it happen to anyone else.

"We're going to talk. Like you said. And just for insurance..."

SWIPE.

"This will have to stay with me through our... civil conversation." I explained, placing what seemed to be a musty and unkempt revolver into the straps of my pants.

The girl cries, fearing for their life. I didn't want to keep up with the act considering her response but I couldn't back down. No matter how good of a person she may be, she forced me to act this way when she pulled out a gun.

"You are going to have to answer some questions of mine. And maybe, I can answer some of yours. And in the end, I like your answers, you get to leave. Never to come back. Got it?" I slowly stated.

The girl instantly nods again.

Precariously, I motioned my left hand out of her mouthing, prompting her to begin breathing heavily as if I was choking her. I maintained my gun on her in case while beginning to stand up, trepedatiously as to not cause any further distress. The girl coughs briefly, making me believe that she wasn't used to this kind of survival.

Then again, I could be wrong.

COUGH. COUGH.

"Ugh... I told you I didn't mean any trouble." The girl reiterates, laid down on the floor as she catches a moment to breath.

"Well, you should've probably considered that before pulling a gun on me." I retaliated.

"Thought 'you' were just some animal. Not a guy ready to put a gun to my face." The girl snarks back.

"And you should know not to fire one! In the middle of the night, no less. Do you not know what kind of animals lay around these streets?" I commented, judgmental and stringent of the girl's recklessness.

"Why should I? All I know is that this town had supplies and I just went out my way to search for them. Shouldn't really have to think about any giant spiders and shit." The girl says, arrogantly dismissing my criticisms. And even, giant spiders don't exist.

At least I don't think they do.

"Well, regardless, you might've just rang the dinner bell. Probably a whole pack of coyotes are now just running downhill towards us, ready to tear us open all all because you are not careful with searching for supplies." I retorted, leaning towards the direction of the window as to remain vigilant over anything that comes around.

The girl doesn't respond. She just wipes her shirt of dust as she stares at me with an annoyed attitude. Upon further inspection, in between continuous rants about her decision to come here, I noticed more of the girl's physique and appearance. The tan-skinned girl was relatively fit (and somewhat curvaceous), yet slightly skinny, probably due to a lack of food. She was relatively average in height, although I couldn't tell with her being slumped over by the wall, and she wore average clothes, consisting of a spotty shirt, a dusty and scratched jacket, ripped jeans, and potentially, damp winter boots. Her hair featured many bangs and two central, flowing arches that reached down to her neck and covered the other sides of her head.

At a glance, she seemed just like what she claimed to be: a survivor. Yet, as I observed her general look once more, I noticed that she was relatively clean. In the sense that she wasn't dirty or musty like me (unfortunately). She was relatively well-taken care of, despite what the clothes might say about her.

Knowing this, though, it only begs the question: where is she from? If she's this clean, so to speak, then she might come from a community. One that is obviously well-kempt and reclusive, especially if she couldn't a 16-year-old boy in stitches. But if that is so, then it points me to only one place...

Dad.

Shit. She's a fucking spy.

Or maybe not. I can't know for certain. All I can do is see if I can squeeze enough juice out of her to see if she knows my dad. Because if she does... I got to get the fuck out of here.

Returning to our conversation, as all these thoughts rush through my head, I had just concluded my long-winded session on the importance of actually using your brain. Furthermore, I tried to question her choice in houses. Specifically mine.

"And it had to be this house that you'd search. Fucking fantastic." I responded, throwing my hands up in the hair as a form of exaggerating my frustration with this woman.

"Why are you even in here? This house isn't really in good shape and, seeing you talk, I wouldn't believe you'd choose this place out of comfort." The girl asked, prompting a very serious and very personal question.

"It ain't your business. The only thing you gotta know is that this is my house. So, you're gonna have to understand why this... whole thing is happening." I replied, motioning with my hands as a form of expressing my words. "The better question, though, is why are you here?"

"Heh. What would you even want to know?" The girl prompts, scoffing at my particular questions as if they were something to laugh at.

"Did someone send you here?" I inquired.

"Why would you even ask that? For all you have to know, I'm just a fellow scavenger, looking for something to eat and something to kill." The girl vaguely responds, swaying her head around as she threw my vagueness back at me.

"Why would you choose to be here in this town? There are plenty other places better than this one all over Jones County. Hell, you could've even gone to the big city itself. But, instead, you came here. Why?" I asked, subtly acknowledging that at this point, I began to sound like a paranoid madman.

"First of all, I know there are better places. But for a guy whose preaching about me using my head, it's surprising to see you not thinking that those places could've already been ransacked?" The girl replied. "I went there. In fact, I was at Atlanta when all of this went down. And believe me when I tell you that the big, bustling city of ours is nothing more than a ghost town now."

What? Atlanta's gone? Impossible.

"How? Wouldn't that place have had some form of government? Some form of order?" I prompted, both curious and shocked over the downfall of such a place. "Didn't it last?"

"It did for a while. But like many things of the old world, it was shit. And so, eventually, people got fed up with it. With that, it didn't long before the last faction of the old government was destroyed and the people divided themselves over it." The girl recounted.

Sigh.

This is so fucking miserable. I thought... I thought that places like Atlanta and shit were safe. Hell, me and my dad were thinking of going there when mom got better but...

"Fuck, man." I said in despair, leaning over by the bathroom while still holding onto my gun, sluggishly considering the thought of the world being in a such a hopeless state. 

"I don't know what to tell you. All I can say is... Atlanta wasn't a good place to be in." The girl stated.

The girl and I just stood there in a moment of silence. I could see her getting a bit anxious, wanting to find a way to leave. But she couldn't without her gun. And she especially leave with one pointed at her. Still, I couldn't help but feel bad. But I still don't know if I can trust her.

"Who was that in the other room?" I hear the girl inquire.

"..."

"In the photo."

"..."

"Was it someone you knew? It's just that you have some kind of altar of them so I'm only asking out of curiousity."

"..."

"I'm okay if you don't want to talk about that. I get it."

"..."

...

"She was my mom." I replied. "She took care of me for a while."

The girl moved into my general direction, intrigued and somewhat sympathetic to its topic.

"What was she like?" She further asked.

"She was... Heh... She was, umm... She was nice. Very loving. Very caring about everyone around her." I further elaborated with some strain and some difficulty, momentarily sitting down to the floor as if to process the question. "She was the best mother I could've ever asked for."

"What happened to her?"

...

"I... She... We..." I tried to say something but I couldn't speak anything about it.

I couldn't. I just can't. "I don't want to talk about it."

"It's okay. You didn't have to tell me anything. I just figured that... It must've hurt losing her." She continued.

"More than you can imagine." I retorted with a heavy heart. 

I could almost feel my eyes beginning to water, making me nearly cry in the process. However, in recognition of my circumstances with her, I realized what she was trying to do and immediately, I held back from her, swiping the tears off my face and returning back to a tougher exterior.

What was I doing? Allowing her to use my damn mother for sympathy. I can't keep this up. I need to finish this.

I'll have to confront her one last time. Because I don't know how I'm going to keep her if I don't.

With a heavy sigh and a minor reflection into the past, I stand back up from the ground, dusting off the grime on my shirt, and asked:

"How I can know that you won't rat me out?" 

The girl looked back at me in confusion, estranged by the question.

"Rat you out how?" She asked.

"To anyone. To anyone you know. Because I can't let anyone know where I am. I can't go back. Not again. So, how can I know that you won't rat me out?" I reiterated.

The girl backs up, seemingly disgusted towards my accusation. "What the fuck do you mean 'rat'? I'm not with anyone, I swear. I'm just here looking for some food." She repeatedly retorts.

"So, a girl like you on your own managed to find a nice, hot shower on your own? Managing to remain all so clean-like in your travels without getting your hands dirty up until now. In a dead state like this?" I retaliated, walking around her in a circle and becoming more aggressive with my questioning.

"And you say I can't just because I'm a girl?" She accuses me, trying to cover up her lies with damn sexism. As if that was the problem.

"I'm saying that you can't walk miles and miles of road and land without getting some elbow grease and sweat dripping down your forehead. Believe me, I would know. But from the looks of you, there ain't a single drop of sweat coming from your head outside of those drops coming from this." I stated, letting my voice get louder as I spoke down on her half-truths.

The girl scoffs but remains in silence, only confirming my suspicions and driving me forward with my 'interrogation'. My gun at this point was slanted, perhaps to the given insight and sympathy I provided for her. But now, I stood tall, pointing the gun back at her with newfound confidence.

"I'm going to ask one more time. Are you with any particular group?" I asked, determined to finally get truth of this bitch.

I waited for what felt like forever. Seeing if this girl will allow me some sort of reprieve. Because if she doesn't actually come from anyone, then I can just... let her go. Contrary to what it sounds like, I wanted to help her. No one deserves to be done like this. I'm just only doing it for my sake. 

For this hou-

"Yes."

Her response, which she said without even looking at me, shut me up tight.

She's with someone. The only thing is...

"Who?" I further prompted.

"We're just... stationed up north. I'm just a part of a squad that searches towns for resources that we can bring back for our community." She continues.

...

North was where I came from. This community of hers... It could be...

"But I swear, if you just let me go, I won't tell anyone about you. I promise. I-I... Hell, there's not even anyone else outside of me in this town. They just want me to find something useful here and report it back to them. That's it." She pleads, leaning more towards me as if to grab me in desperation.

I motioned myself backwards, trying to avoid her advances. But this report thing... How could she even do that?

"How can you even report ba-"

CHIRP!

BZZZZTTTTTT.

...

HISS.

"Aurora, can you hear me? What's your status, over+?" 

...

What the fuck?

"Shit." The girl frustratingly whispers.

"Yeah, shit." I coldly said before immediately walking back towards her and swiftly placing my gun's nozzle directly into her forehead.

In response, the girl returns into the panicked state that she was in not long ago. It was strange to see just how quick someone's tone and mood change, especially to one you've seen before. But then again, I would expect it from a fucking liar.

"Give it to me." I said in a monotone voice, putting my left hand out to recieve.

The girl stutterrs her speech, terrified over the gun I held up and incapable of even making a single sentence without spiraling into a chaotic frenzy of emotions and fears.

But with only one snap...

"NOW!" 

She suddenly stops, and in a shaken manner, reach downwards into her right pocket and pulled out the device. I snatch it swiftly from her, making her flinch out of fear. While holding the gun still on her forehead, I inspected the device, although it didn't take me long to figure out what it was.

A radio...

...

A functioning radio?! How was this possible? Wasn't all tech dead by now? Rusted, decimiated from the inside, and unconstructed? How in the actual living fuck is it actually working?

"Aurora, what is your status with Gray, over?"

So far, it's like what she said. She had been sent here to do something. But that something doesn't feel right. What does her group want with Gray? Maybe resources but most of the time, it isn't always just about resources. What do they want with this city?

"I'm assuming you're Aurora... right?" I claimed.

The girl responds with a nod, alongside several stammering of the word, 'yes'. She really acted different now, almost as if her life depended on it. It almost made me regret having to put on a gun on her. Almost.

"I think I know how I'm going to let you go." I claimed.

The girl, now revealed to be a girl named Aurora, lessens in her anxious emotions, now seeing some hope at the end of this long-winded tunnel. She begins to open her mouth in an attempt to say something but it took her a while before she could fully recouperate her speech. In between that, however, the radio spoke again.

"Aurora, are you okay? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you? Please respond."

Whoever this person is, they really seem to care about Aurora. All the more reason to ellicit something out of her. Finally, after the radio fizzes back down to a subtle, yet incessant hiss, Aurora manages to garner enough words to ask the following question:

"And how... can I do that?"

Without warning, I thrusted back the radio into Aurora's hands, which became surprised at the sudden motion as well as with the touch of my hands. Once the radio was in her hands, I backed up from her, continuing to aim my gun at the girl's head while returning back to my closet to get my things.

"I still got a clear shot on you." I stated as I entered into the closet, making Aurora momentarily tremble as I searched for my things in the dark. After having some difficulty in grasping my things as well as putting the crowbar back into its rightful place, I came back out, hands both on the gun's handle and, finally, I told Aurora of my final demand.

"If you want to leave this place, call that man back and tell him nothing of me."

The girl stares hopelessly into my eyes, seemingly conflicted over the decision. Although it shouldn't be too hard, I can understand her problems with this. And yet, I don't release any kind of mercy on her for this task. If we both want to leave this place alright, she's going to have do it.

"You can get out of here, okay? With your things and all. I won't take anything that's not mine. And in the same sense, I didn't want to try anything with you. I didn't mean any harm to you. But you forced my hand. So, in order for the both of us to win here, all you have to do is not mention me and you're going home scotfree." I explained, hoping to entice her even more to my demand.

She remained skeptical, considering the threats I've made against her and the enticing, yet deceptive nature of the deal, and it took her a moment before she could decide. However, with her potentially seeing the very limited amount of options laid out for you, she took a moment to seemingly swallowing her tension and nodded briefly.

She put the radio by her mouth, and within a moment's notice, turned on the mic.

CLICK.

"Charlie, this is Aurora, speaking. I am currently fine. Just some trouble with some of the houses, over."

HISS.

...

BZZRT.

"Copy. Have you found anything particularly noteworthy about Gray, over?"

HISS.

"No. The city is abandonded. Barren of any life outside of some stray animals and insects. No significant amount of resources can be attained from this place, over."

HISS.

"Copy. Good try, anyways. Our team is relatively close to the central part of the city. We are about 5 clicks east, over."

East? But we're in the eastern part of Gray. Which means...

"Copy, Charlie. I am currently in Oakview Circle. Should be relatively close to your location, over."

CLICK.

"Don't fucking tell them where we are, Aurora!" I angrily retorted.

"Well, they're going to have to know where I am in order to pick me up. You can make enough distance from this place before they arrive." Aurora instantly replies, almost speaking with defiance before calming down.

BZZRT.

HISS.

The voice on the radio spoke back and with it, I heard something I thought I was able to get away from.

"Oakview Circle? Isn't that where Ross' ex-wife and son lived?" The radio spoke.

...

Ross?..

Wait.

No.

NO.

Shit.

SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.

OH FUCK.

That's... That's...

That's my fucking dad!

I briefly panicked over the sound of my dad's name. The baggage that it contained. The experiences that it gave me. And for as much as I tried to move on emotionally from that wreckage, it still overtook me for a moment.

And that moment of fear and doubt was all that it took before Aurora realized her chance. And she took it. 

In an instant, I was overtaken as Aurora desperately charged into me, immoblizing my arm as she stood over me and quickly disarmed me. Along with it, she retook her pistol from the ground after it fell out of my pant strap and as she held me down with her right arm and both guns by her own pant straps, she immediately took out her radio and sent them the following frantic message:

"Charlie! Listen to me! Ignore what I just said. I am not okay. Repeat I am not okay."

"Aurora, what happened?" The voice replied, sounding more frantic than before.

"I've been attacked. Jumped by some kid at Oakview Circle while I was searching his house. And I think he's Ross' kid!" Aurora exclaimed, leaving in me shambles as I've been now discovered.

All my work. All of this distance. All of my time away. It was all for nothing

"His kid?! Holy crap! We're heading there right now! Hold him down; we'll be there in a few minutes tops. Do NOT let him go." The voice on the radio firmly states, surprised by the annoucement.

"I am not letting him out my sights. Over and out."

"Over and out."

Fucking hell.

They're coming. And I can't get the fuck out.

"All this time... I was scared shitless over some damn guy, thinking you're the shit without his old father. All this time, I was fearing for my life over a guy who barely felt a day's worth of torment. All this time, I was fighting against some spoiled ingrate who threw away his own family for himself." Aurora yells at me, insulting me over some things she barely understood.

"Shut up, you bitch! Let me go! Let me go! You don't know who my father is. You don't know shit!" I scream out, struggling to fight back against her.

"Oh, I know all about your dad. He saved my life! When my own father abandoned me and let my mom and sister starve, yours took me in and kept me warm and fed. You think I don't who he is? Hah! You don't know half the shit your old man does just so that you can keep whining about him." She retaliates, mocking me in the process with her crybaby backstory.

"Boohoo! You want a damn participant trophy? You want me to feel bad about some girl who went through SO much? Do me a favor and pull the fucking trigger!" I yell out, squirming through it all and trying a way to escape.

"You really hate your dad that much? So much so that you rather give up than face him? You're just a damn coward!" She exclaims.

"If you had seen what I've seen, you would be one too." I proclaim.

"I don't think I'll have to. We'll see about that once we take you back to Ross." She firmly concludes, sending me in a frenzy as I hear my father's name once more.

No no no no. I can't go back. I can't listen to that man anymore. This was my home. My life. And, if it has to happen, it will be my resting place.

For now, though, I'm doing everything in my power to prevent that from happening.

During my argument, my left hand, which was sent upwards on the floor and was currently unrestrained, taps something cold and yet familiar. I used my middle finger to move it slightly towards me, taking me minutes to even allow me to grip onto its handle. I prepared to use it, pushing my arm back onto the floor and back down to aim straight for Aurora's head.

As a form of a distraction, I looked to my right, forcing my pinned arm towards that direction as if I was reaching for something else. And in the moment, I managed to fool her into thinking there was something over there. When really...

"What are you trying to-" Aurora remarks, gripping tighter on her gun and pushing it further torwards my forehead before suddenly...

THWACK.

I swing my left arm around, taking what appeared to be my crowbar and slamming it straight into the girl's skull, impelling her off me and sending her to my right, leaving her head facing upwards while the rest of her body laid to the side. I lifted myself up swiftly, both in freeing myself and in recoil.

As I placed my back towards the wall, I stared at Aurora's limp body, not knowing if she was even still alive. My body becomes jittery and disgusted, instictively letting go to the crowbar, and allowing me to become worried.

Did I just kill her? Is she dead? Is she going to die? Am I going to die as well? I know Dad doesn't take it lightly if someone kills another. Especially one of his own. So, what can I do?

...

I think I just have to run. Yeah. If they can't find me, they can't catch me and I won't ever have to face my dad ever again. Even if it means if I can't ever visit... her.

I collected my gun off Aurora's pants, precariously picked up the crowbar, and resettled my bag onto my shoulders once again. Placing the crowbar back in its pocket on the pack and my gun back on the holster, I then carefully checked Aurora's arm and neck to see if there was still a pulse. To see if I really did become a murderer.

Luckily, I sensed with my index and middle ringer that her arm still retained a pulp, yet faint beat, relieving me of my moral burden. I took a bandage strap from the box that was from my bag and string it along her forehead, which, along with the left side of her hair, were bleeding.

I couldn't let this girl bleedout. Besides, if I was going to leave this girl like this, at least I'm trying to prolonging her survival just until her team arrives.

Once I finish patching the damage, I reached towards the door but, deciding to indulge in my departure, went towards my vinyl collection to choose out a record to bring with me. While the record could no longer be played, each record was important to me and if I could only bring it all with me, I would. However, I only brought one with me out of the room, one that featured a pencil-sketched portrait of a man's tattoed back. The music it had once was beautiful and so, it brought me comfort to hold onto it.

Placing it in a plastic bag that was found by the floor of the hallway, I then closed my door and proceeded to head downstairs for the front door. However. before I could even approach the first step, I found my mom's room, which was once so comforting, well-kempt, and soft, now in disarray, seemingly searched and ransacked throughout and disgraced by Aurora's interruption.

I didn't want to delay my leave any longer but under a few tense seconds of introspection, I went inside, placed all of her papers, her tools, her things, and finally, her altar back in order, although it proved to be difficult in resisting the emotions it brought me.

I needed to perserve her memory. If not physically, then in a spiritual sense. After all, we were once a religious kind of family. We were.

I didn't want to leave my mom again. Not so soon. But this place has been discovered and destroyed. And for as much as I wanted to see her again, I'm going to have to put a pin on my experiences with her.

I run downstairs, heading straight for the front door and speculating where could I go. Approaching the doorstep, I thought of heading for Atlanta, considering the unpredictable nature of a city like it but its large roads and tight buildings could help with fighting back the wildlife. Or hiding from it when able.

With my hand on the doorknob, I began to twist and pull on it, ready to leave the house as I fast as I can and running out of the city as I fast as I could. When suddenly-

SKKRRT.

"Aurora?!"

A voice, familiar to the one from the radio, calls out for Aurora, unknowing of unconscious state. SHIT. They have arrived. The two lights breached into the inside of the house, briefly blinding me before I positioned myself behind the door and croched down by the corner. Now knowing that the front door is a dead end, I began to sneak through the living room and tried to reach for the back down, which was located by the end of the kitchen.

"Aurora!"

The voice reattempts to call out for Aurora, and yet, they were met with silence. I moved slower with his calls, trying to make as little noise as possible. I couldn't get caught now. Not like this.

"Aurora!"

...

I'm almost there. Just crossing through the gap between the dining room table and the kitchen. I can almost smell the strange dullness of the backyard. Come on.

"Aurora! Where are you?"

...

"Charlie!"

I hear a familiar voice groan loudly from the second floor, frightening me and trapping me in fear.

"Aurora! Are you okay?" The voice worriedly responds.

"No, I'm not. He's fucking escaping!" Aurora vehemently exclaims. And with that...

SHIT.

I bolted for the door, feet rushing through the floor, and with one swift move, I slam open the back door to the house, slightly shaking the house and alerting everyone of my run.

"He's getting out from the back door! Go go go!" I heard another voice yell out, sending everyone with them in pursuit of me.

FUCK.

I hop over the fence of my home, almost breaking the wood of it down, and continued racing through the greenery, aiming for the deeper part of the surrounding woodlands. I ran and ran around and through countless trees and bushes, relentlessly bashing through my decline in stamina with determination. Even with the head start I had, I still could hear them getting closer and closer, screaming at each other, pulling back on straying branches, and stepping on stray sticks.

They're gaining on me. I don't know if I'll be able to make it out of this. But at the same, I won't stop. I won't go back. I can't go back. They can't make me. I would like to see them try.

"Get back here, kid!" One of my pursuerers proclaimed, seemingly out of breath.

I won't. I can't go back. And even if they tried to shoot me down, I won't surrender. I can't. I just-

THOOM.

A gush of the cold breeze rushes past me, landing onto a nearby tree to the left. With the piercing sound of the object, I realized I was being shot at with arrows. It made me more enraged and lost in my emotions. They're really shooting me down, now. Does my dad really want me back that bad?

THOOM.

No matter, I'm still moving. I'm still dodging. And for as long as I do, I will remain ever so determined as to escape my dad's clutches.

"Get back here! You're going back to where you belong!" Another person yells out.

Not a fucking chance.

THOOM.

I'm not going back and they won't stop me. They won't-

RUSTLE!

As I hear the rustling of a bush I was running past, I encountered one of the men, a particular dirty, exposed, and bearded man, emerge from the greenery, swiftly swinging a bat towards me which nearly catches me off guard as I narrowly dodged its attack. In one motion, I strip my backpack of my crowbar once more and swipe towards the man's chest, scrapping his skin as it chipped off pieces of his jacket.

"Huh. I've seen you have grown, kid. Got more guts. Grew a bigger mouth. All the more reason to return. Your dad really wants you back, son. And you know you don't want to disappoint dear ol' daddy." The man remarks, briefly irritating me as I swung my crowbar once more.

"Leave me alone! I'm not going back to that fucker." I retaliated. As I swung once more, the man instead decides to tackle. However, he aims too far to the left, allowing me to easily dodge his attack and proceed to continue running through the forest.

They're getting too close. I need to continue making distance. Otherwise, they're going to-

THOOM. Another arrow strikes surprisingly close to me, barely missing my stomach as I backtrack by a few steps.

"Come back to the camp, son. If you know what's good for ya." The man retorts, subtly threatening me in the process as he rapidly drew closer. In return, I swing at him from the leg, scrapping him once more by the ankle, causing him to flinch in pain.

"Why you little-" The man writhes, limping as he swung high towards me, allowing me to duck under and kick him once again on the leg, forcing him to stumble and fall to the floor.

Yes! One down...

RUSTLE. RUSTLE. RUSTLE.

A lot more to go. Crap.

"Just stop it, man! You can't fight us all." Another man speaks, this one looking particularly regular with glasses, a buttoned up shirt with short sleves, and a crossbrow held by his arm. "We don't want to hurt you. In fact, we want you to come back impeccable. But you're making it very hard for us to keep our word."

"I ain't going back. You heard me once and you'll hear it from me again! I'm not going back to my father." I exclaimed. The other men began throwing punches at me as I made that comment, managing to land a few hits on me by the chest before I could tumble away from them.

"Guys, calm the fuck down! Don't you dare put another muscle on him! This boy is to be taken back to his father. He wants him back ALIVE." The man commanded again.

"Ross ain't never said about roughing him up. Besides, would teach him a lesson not to fuck with us." The first man I scrapped with remarked, sinisterly grinning at me as he said it. I tensed up in response.

"He doesn't mean that. He didn't mean anything he said to you. He just wants you back safe, like all of us. Don't force our hand like you did with Aurora." Another man said, approaching me cautiously as he pushed out one of his hands forwards as an attempt to calm me down while grasping on a rifle behind his back.

"How is that chick doing? Besides fucking me over royally." I retorted, keeping my eyes.

"She's fine. You banged her head pretty good, though. She has to rest for a while and let the doctors back home treat her."

Though the man who was speaking seemed to be attempting to make peace at me, he forces out a punch, narrowingly missing me as I roll over to the side.

"Although, for your sake, you better refrain from talking down on her." He proclaims as he retreats back, defending the girl's honor in a sense, despite the loss of it when she ratted me out.

At this point, though, I didn't know if I could keep going with this. The adrenaline of the fight was starting to wear thin. I had been tense, vigilant, and on-the-edge for what could be half an hour and with that, my energy was running low, prompting me to breath heavily as I stopped to speak to them.

I also visibly looked like shit, too. My shirt was all rugged and sweaty, my pants were soggy, and my head was losing focus. I couldn't think straight as a flurry of emotions raided my mind and the aggressive instincts that held me on for so long was now failing me, reducing my sense of self back to its passive traits.

On top of that, I noticed that all the other men in Aurora's team were now approaching me from all sides, surrounding me and giving me nowhere else to run. I was trapped with only a few options in terms of escaping. 

But once my mind cleaned itself up for a brief moment, I noticed that all of the men from Aurora's team looked... familiar. People I've probably spoken to rarely or people I could've been with during some events. Whatever the case, I recognized their faces, and it prompted me one question to ask.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I said in a low voice.

"You've made that impossible with the injuries that Aurora has and that my men have as well. To lie to anyone about what happened here is simply unachieveable, even if we all agreed." The negotiating man stated. "You can still come with us peacefully. We can tell them up North that it was all misunderstanding. Both parties were at fault so to speak. Right guys?"

The surrounding men just grumble, frustrated at the outcome but unwilling to let me go. I could almost relate as I hesitated to accept his conditions. Especially when it attached a big problem to me. To my family.

"Look, you can come out of this, alright? No judgement. Just put down your weapons and we'll give you a ride home." The same man continues, trying to negotiate terms for my surrender.

But can't these guys even try to understand me? Can't even see why I don't want to go back? Because I just... I don't want to go back. I can't. Just fucking...

"Please just let me go. I don't want him. I don't want to be under his fucking rule. Have to look him in the eye and act as if what he did wasn't wrong." I pleaded with them, trying to persuade them.

"We don't even know what he-" The man responds before I, enraged by their ignorance, cut him off and exclaimed "You know what happened! Don't you fucking lie. I recognize all of your faces; even if I don't remember your names, it was all anyone could talk about for an entire week. Why would I leave? Beacuse the day before, I saw him shooting down innocent people! Even if they were outsiders, they were fucking people! They had lives! They had children with them! They cried so badly that I could see the tears flow out of the masks before they were replaced with blood! And then, he has the gall to tell me that it was over some shitty precaution! That these people were spies! You know why I left him the day after? You really want to know?"

"..."

HUFF.

PUFF.

"Because that's when I knew... that the dad I barely knew... the dad who was only partly there... and the dad who I was to look up towards... was gone."

The men were left in shock over my accusations. Stunned, none of them said a word. The negotiater in front tried to garner some words to say to me but could not resist reflecting on my words. With these gestures, I began to see some kind of hope pop out of this situation. That I could remain here.

"What do you ultimately want?" The negotiater definitively asked.

"I just want to stay here. To be with my mother. You know of her, right?"

The negotiater nodded with the surrounding men subtly nodding as well. With my plea in place, the men mumbled for a few moments, whispering to his pals as if he was somewhat conflicted over my resilent nature against my father. Could it finally be? Could I be left alone?

If they were considering what had I done, could they know that I didn't mean everything I did? That it was all out of emotion?

I didn't mean to hurt Aurora. I didn't mean to hurt that man. I didn't mean to fight against them. I didn't mean it. I just wanted to be rid of my father.

To remain at home. With my mom. In peace.

And yet...

"I'm sorry, kid. But you are to return back to your father. No exceptions I understand... the things that you said. And if it wasn't for Ross and for our people, we would let you go entirely."

"..."

"We're just only trying to make this easier for you. Just... drop it."

...

There's nothing left I can do, now, is there? Nowhere left to run.

And to think, I tried so hard to get away. Made it so far. Did so much. And yet, only to fail all the same.

I can't go back. I can't...

And so... I won't.

CLICK.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, kid! Put the gun down!" A man screams out. As he did, I stood straight, yet moved with watering eyes, a stiff body, and a shaky arm, which held the gun towards one direction.

To the right side of my head.

I can't... I can't do it. I don't want to go. I want to stay here. With my mom. Maybe it's better if I join her. Maybe it'd be nicer even.

"Kid, put it down! You don't have to do this!" The negotiater pleads.

I can't. I can't. I can't. I can't. I just can't.

And if I have to go, then it will be on my own terms. And I like that. On my own terms.

"Don't do it! Kid, listen to us. Your father doesn't want this. He may not be a good man but even bad people don't want this! Please!" The negotiater proclaims.

I don't want to go. I... I don't want to go with them.

I want to remain here. I want to stay here. I want to stay here for her.

I want to fight for her.

I want to live for her.

I...

...

I will die for her.

"Kid, give me the gun! Come on. You can walk away from this. You can live for this! Please! Just give me the gun!"

I... 

"Kid!"

I...

"Kid!"

I...

"KID!"

...

...

"Sweetheart?"

"..."

"Mom?"

"Are you alright, dear?"

"..."

SNIFF. 

"No... I'm not, mom. I'm not."

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"No..."

"Are you sick?"

"No..."

"Are you healthy?"

"I... I think so."

"Then why are you crying, sweetheart?"

"Because... You're not here."

"Oh, but honey, I am. And even when I'm not, I'll be right beside you. In there."

"But why can't I talk to you?"

SOB.

"We are talking right now, aren't we? And that is something to be happy for, right, little one?"

"But... it won't last, mom."

"Of course, it won't last. Darling, nothing ever lasts. But that's what makes this so special, isn't it? To know that every single moment is precious. That is what makes all of this worth living for. Even when it's not what we're used to."

SNIFF.

"You understand what I'm saying, sweetheart?"

"Yeah... I guess so."

"Don't... think so. Say so."

"Yes, mom. I understand."

"There's my child. Now, I see that you aren't well, honey. And I understand. But I have lived my life, sweetie. Everything God designed me to see, to know, and live through has all been covered. But, I think it's time you allow yourself to live yours."

"But you know my dad, mom. What am I going to do when I have to talk to him? To face him like the monster he-"

"He is not a monster. He is your father. He might be many things, but he is no animal. I may have said a few things about your dad, here and there, but he is still a man to admire, even if it may take a while to see that."

"But he-"

"He did what he felt he had to do. It's not something good. But it is something he needed to do. In time, you may see that. And if not, then you must allow yourself to look past that and see what I saw in him many years ago: a man of dilligence and of honesty."

"..."

"I want to stay here, mom. I want to stay at home with you."

"I want you to stay too, darling. But this isn't your home anymore. This place isn't for you now. It may have things that you remember. Things that you used to love. People you once had. Memories that you recall. But they are somewhere else now. And I think that wherever they go and wherever they stay, that there will be where your new home is."

SNIFF.

"Yeah, I understand."

"I know you do. I know."

"..."

"We have to go now, my little one. The clock still ticks for all of you. But don't worry. I will be there with you. For all time."

"When will I see you again?"

"When it is your time to come home with me. When you have learned all that there is to know and have done the good things I know you can do. Until then, I will wait for you, okay?"

"..."

"Promise?"

"Heheh... I promise, son."

"..."

"..."

"Joshua?" A man calls.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"..."

"Please put the gun down." He asks.

"..."

"Yeah... I'm sorry." I stated.

"Don't be. Just... help me help you. And put the gun down." The man pleaded.

"..."

"Yeah, I will."

...

...

...

..

..

.

THUD.