Broken World Book 1 - The On Coming Storm

5

I look up to see the mass of mutants retreating. They're just turning tail and running. Why, I ask myself as I turn around to see the familiar forms of the ape dogs or better yet Howlers. Their clicks to each other howling through the field. I start to back away and trip. I'm falling backwards into a death trap of Devils Weed. My arms and legs tangled into the pretty flowers. I struggle breaking some of their stems as more move to hold me down.

With a mighty heave I break free from their deadly tangle and stand looking over at the Howlers as the retreat back into the city. Which might be more abandoned than I thought. I look at the fallen buildings, feel sodden, and beat down. I start towards the city as the last of the sun falls beneath the horizon. The buildings tower above me even from a distance.

I stop right before entering the city, I set my pack down, take my heavy coat off, and put it in my pack. I put my pack back on and enter the city. Its blank blackness is alluring at the same time it causes and eerie bone trickling feeling that walks slowly up my spine as I look behind. It feels like there are eyes everywhere watching, listening. Waiting for something. I look at the ruins of Denver as I walk through the dead city.

I hear howling clicks and scrapping as Howlers communicate and climb along the sides of buildings. Every now and then debris will crash down nearby as loose wreckage is pushed off by their climbing. I look at the dark silhouettes of fallen buildings as I try to find my way through the maze of Denver that's shrouded in darkness. The air smells and feels stale, but no longer with the smell of decay and rot. My feet scattering pebbles as I walk through the lost city. The lack of bodies causes the eeriness to follow me as I look nervously around.

I stop at a fallen skyscraper and enter. My footsteps echo as I move as silently as I can. I look wearily around as I sit down in a small alcove that's too small for the Howlers to get in. The gloom of the room impairing my vision as I set my bag in front of me, and I open it. Pulling out some spam and water I set my M-16 aside then pop the can open. The spam smells slightly foul (mainly because it's uncooked) and I start eating. My eyes dart the building, what I can see, and spot movement. The movement isn't jerky like the Howlers instead it's fluid and purposeful. I blink and rub my eyes and the figure's gone. My mind must be playing tricks on me, I think dismissing the figure and resume eating.

I take one last drink of water as I lay down for the night and let my thoughts wonder as sleep consumes me.

I see a dark room surrounding me as I look around. I hear footsteps behind me, so I turn around and I see myself. She's me but not me.

Her blue eyes glow with fury, her blonde hair falling down and to the side in long golden curls, a long black cloak partially hiding her smile, and her blood-stained hands. She stands before me with a bloody knife and she's covered in it.

The darkness fades. I stand in an empty house. The walls are a light gold reflecting the light coming in from the sun. The hardwood floors creak as I walk in a straight line. I round the golden corner to see a mirror.

I approach the mirror my shoulders tensing along with the rest of me. The mirror faces the wall but starts to turn slowly. Its spinning making a high-pitched screeching sound. It slowly, ever so slowly fades away as the mirror stops suddenly three fourths of the way. "Go over and see..." a quite whisper says right next to my ear. I snap in the direction of the whisper and I'm standing in front of the mirror.

I see her again as my reflection, but with her were four bodies. One for my mother. One for my father. One for my sister. Lastly, one for my baby brother. I cover my mouth with my hands as a sob escapes me and the reflection says, "you might as will've killed them."