Life After The Pandemic Destroyed Everything

"It's cold, I'm hungry and mom is taking too long why can't she find food faster?"

"It's really been too long... How long has it been? Mom should have told us that she was going to be longer then normal."

"Emily? Emily? Emily, how long are you going to make me talk to myself for?"

"RIght.... It looks like I'm the only one left."

"I don't now what to do now. You guys have left me behind. That's not fair. I don't want to be all alone anymore. I miss mom..."

"Mom! Mom! Mom! Please come back! I'm all alone! Emily went to sleep like Phil, Sally and Derek. I don't know what to do! Mom they won't wake up anymore! Mom!"

Suddenly a shuffling sound was heard in the distance. "Mom! Is that you?! Mom I'm over here! I can't move! MOM!"

"Charlie... I can't take, huff, huff, huff, of you, huff, anymore." Charlie's mother said as she limped up to him. "Mom? Mom you're leg, what's wrong with your leg mom? Mom are you going to be okay? Mom?" Charlie cried out. Charlie's mom looked back and smiled. "Take, huff, care of him, huff, please." Charlie's mom said before she collapsed onto the ground. "MOM!" Charlie shouted as he found the strength to crawl up to his mother. "Mom, don't please! I still need you! I still want us to be together! Mommy please stay with me!" He cried as he gently nudged his mother's face.

Charlie's mother slowly opened one eye and looked at her son one last time. "Stay a-l-i-v-e." Charlie's mother said with her dying breath and sliped into a deep slumber. "Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom." Charlie cried as he dropped beside his mother. "Mom, no. Don't leave me alone. Wake up, don't go to sleep, wake up." Charlie cried.

"Don't cry anymore. Please don't cry." A sweet voice called out. "My mom.... She's sleeping like my brothers and sisters. Why are they all leaving me alone?" Charlie asked with a pitiful look. "Please don't cry. Your mom brought me to you. I'll take care of you." The voice said with a calming tone. Charlie looked up and saw that his mother brought over something he had never saw before in his life.

"You can't help me. No one can help me! Just leave me alone and let me fall asleep with my family." Charlie cried as he turned his head away. Suddenly Charlie was engulfed in warmth. "What are you doing?!" Charlie hissed.

"I will take care you. I have to go back before my mom finds out I'm gone. Don't worry I think she'll be fine if you live with us. My mom is really nice..." The voice said sweetly. "M-my mom told me when things like this happen, death, you know when we all go to our final sleep, you have to bury the dead." The voice said in shaky voice.

"Bury them deep, deep, deep into the ground so THOSE things don't find them. THOSE things are really scary but I'm a strong girl. Mommy says I'm super strong, stronger then S*pergirl but I can't lift up cars. So, so I'll be brave and strong and bury your family. I'll put them in their last bed and then, then your family can find peace and be born somewhere else." The voice said as they took the warmth away from Charlie.

"Wait, girl? Dead? Bury? What are you talking about? Where are you going? Don't leave me." Charlie cried as he watched the thing move around as she searched for something. "Sorry but you need to wait." The voice said as she found a large, flat stone. Then she started to dig, making small lines in the dirt. The thing dug for a long time, she got dirty and tired but she still worked. Charlie couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"I think that's good enough. Let's let them sleep together so that they can be born again together." The voice said as she moved to get the bodies. "Don't touch them!" Charlie hissed. "Sorry but I have to do this. I know it's sad but we need to be strong together." The voice said as she moved the bodies into the hole. She then grabbed Charlie's mom. "No please, not my mom." Charlie pleaded.

The thing then started to put dirt over top. She gently piled dirt over the bodies and sealed them inside. "Why are you doing this?" Charlie whispered. The thing then brought together her dirty appendages. "My the light of God shine down on you and bring you back into this world. Let him give birth to you in a place full of flowers, grass, sunshine and big, fat mice." The thing said as she sadly looked at the mound. Charlie's heart hurt. He never heard of being reborn from his mother but the thought brought him some peace.

"I, I, I wish the same." Charlie said as he looked at the mound. "Now we can go home." The voice said softly as she turned to Charlie. With a small sigh they head off.

"How did you know my mom?" Charlie asked as the thing carried him gingerly. Despite everything that had happened the thing was very kind. She gave him the small amount of food she had in her pocket and Charlie couldn't help but eat it all greedily. "You know my home isn't very big. Our neighbours are always so mean and loud they might scare you. They scared your mom all the time. She was so smart though. She would sneak in when ever she heard them sleeping and when my mom was out. I would give her some of my food but, but..."

"If I knew she was feeding her family too. I would have given her more. I should have left her a plate close by so she could eat whenever she wanted. I'm sorry. I was so lonely that when your mom came to visit I would take up her time. I loved her visits. My mom is always out looking for food, sometimes she takes me with her to show me how to get food with the group. We all have a job too..." The thing explained.

"I was out with the group that's why I missed your mom and she got hurt. Some mean kids hurt her, I'm sorry I couldn't save her sooner. I don't even know how long she waited for me so it's my fult your family died. It's my fault, so kitty you are my responsibility now." The thing said as water ran down from her eyes.

The thing snuggled her wet face to Charie's body and started to shake. "I promise to take care of you for the rest of my life."