ESCAPE

Chapter One || Instincts

Chapter One

Instincts 

Heavy rain pours down on the shambled building. A strange, metallic noise echoes throughout the room.  Ezra Parker sits huddled in the corner, staring at a puddle on the floor, constantly rippling from the raindrops falling from the ceiling.

Sitting next to him is his sister, Liz Parker. She clasps her padded coat tightly to her soggy body, shivering rapidly. Liz scooches close to Ezra, hoping to get some warmth from his body heat.

“T-this s-s-sucks…” Liz stutters, disturbing Ezra’s train of thought.

“No kidding.”

A small flickering flame shines in the bleak darkness, ripping through the dark mist that covers their eyes. The hard splintery floor drops treacherously into the basement, arousing suspicious thoughts of what exactly lays in its depths.

“Did mom say when they’d be back?” asks Liz, staring right into the flames eyes.

Ezra shakes his head.

“She just said they’d be out getting rations. I don’t know when they’ll be back. It might be some time.”

He was referring to Amy and Joshua Parker. Their parents. Both very strong people, sometimes they can fall short to the dangerous outside world known as the “Treacherous Lands”

Ezra jumps up from his position, making his sister smack her head against the floor.

“Ow, watch it Ez!” she whines, holding the back of her head.

Ezra ignores her; climbing over the large porcelain bath that lay on its side; and looks out from a smashed open side of the house. Splinters of wood freckle the floor around him, and a foul stench of rotting wood engulfs their nostrils.

The night sky is painted blue and black, and is sprinkled with shimmering stars.

“It’s almost hard to believe that this isn’t a peaceful world anymore.” Ezra says with a distant look in his eye.

Liz slowly gets up from her position to join her brother, and gazes out into the sky. She puts her arm around Ezra’s shoulder and pulls him closer as the two continue to think about what might happen in the future.

A rasping noise stirs the both of them. Ezra immediately crouches down, his sister following his example.

Tiny snaps of twigs alerts their eardrums as they strain their ears for another sound. A slight groan catches their attention, and Ezra reaches in his pocket for a small switch knife his father gave him for defense.

“Stay here.” he orders to Liz, slowly walking towards the door leading outside.

“But I don’t want to be alone!” Liz whimpers back.

Ezra shakes his head as he continues to walk towards the door, almost positive at what’s behind it.