𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐃𝐄 ♢ Apocalypse AU

𝐎𝐧𝐞

The cold pricked my skin, sending shivers up my spine. I was freezing, and the rain didn't help.

As I trudged through the water, gripping my long piece of wood, I prayed silently to whichever god would listen that I would find shelter soon. I was cold, hungry and lonely. I just wanted to see someone again.

The water had gone down severely, now lapping around my ankles, soaking my socks. My wet hair clung to my scalp as the splash of water engulfed me. It had been an entire 24 hours since the flood, and I still hadn't seen a single person. Dread seeped into my bones. What if I really was the only person left?

The question was quickly abandoned as I saw a silhouette in the distance. Hope ignited in my chest, and I ran towards the other human with no regard for caution. Just knowing I wasn't alone was comfort enough. My short legs carried me faster as I saw that it in fact was a person. They wore simple, comfortable clothing. It was all clean.

Wait, what? I slowed down a bit, but didn't stop moving towards the figure. Why did they have clean clothes? I would expect them to be at least a little bloody, as mine were. They had their back to me, so maybe it wasn't too late to turn around. I finally stopped walking, careful not to send any ripples towards them.

Their long bleach-blonde hair had a large crimson patch it in, right on the back of their head. I had originally thought it was just hair dye, but upon closer inspection it was blood that matted their otherwise smooth hair.

I realised something was greatly off about them when they twitched their arm. The movement was too jagged and sudden, while the rest of their form was unnaturally still. Fear rooted me to the spot as I watched them silently. I couldn't move away now, for fear of creating ripples and splashes, but there was no way I could move towards them. Something about them was unnatural.

I moved my leg slightly backwards, not taking my eyes off of them. I did the same with the other leg, planting my foot down gently. I managed to successfully do this a few more times, until something trapped my shoe. A flush of adrenaline squirted into my veins as panic rose in my chest.

I tried a few times, and to my horror, it was completely stuck. My choices were either to ditch my shoe or yank my foot out of the hole it was trapped in. One way would leave me to limp places, and also leave me vulnerable to spiked objects in the ground impaling my foot. The other would cause a splash and leave me no choice but to run.

I inhaled sharply, making my choice. Ripping my leg free, I spun on my heel quickly and sprinted away from the now alarmed person. Water splashed up my legs, but I chose to ignore it. I could hear the person running behind me, strange grunts leaving their throat. I risked turning my head to catch a glimpse of them, and almost tripped from shock.

The figure's face was completely mangled, their jaw bone jutting out from their skin at an impossible angle. Their eyes were pure white, the veins in the sclera bulging as they ran. Some teeth in their gaping mouth were missing, and their nose was bent, with a large hole being where their Adam's apple would have been.

A shrill shriek left my throat as I spun my head around and ran faster than I knew I could. The thing continued to pursue me. My head was pounding, the blood rushing to my brain. This was a nightmare. A horribly real nightmare.

I stumbled, but quickly picked myself up again. My blue hair streaked behind me, my eyes wide as I sprinted away from the monster. 

This was real. This was painfully real. One second I was running, the next the world was tilting and a sharp pain rose from my ankle. I scrambled onto my side, but the monster's mangled face was inches away from mine, it's mouth impossibly wide, as if it could swallow me whole. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the hot pain to engulf me.

But it never did.

I opened my eyes to see a figure with tied back short black hair bludgeoning the monster with a crowbar. His green eyes were wide with madness and fear, and his pink jacket was stained with blood. Stubble covered his chin and upper lip, and he was screaming a war cry.

I watched as the man murdered the thing that almost murdered me, shaking as I saw the monster stop moving. The water steadily lapped around me, it's serenity paralleling the destruction and death a few meters away from me. The only sound for miles was now the gentle patter of the rain.

He stood, breathing heavily. He gripped his weapon so tightly his knuckles were white, and his teeth were gritted. He turned slowly to look at me, his eyes narrow with suspicion and fear until something clicked inside his head, and his expression lit up.

"Merlin?"

I stared at the man, my brow furrowed. How did he know my name? Where did this stranger learn it from? The man let out a shaky laugh, and stumbled towards me, dropping his crowbar into the water. He looked and sounded insane. Instinctively, I pushed myself away from him, but he was too fast.

He wrapped me in a hug, and confusion laced my features. I still didn't recognise him. His voice sounded vaguely familiar, but it was too deep to be anyone I knew. Memories whirled in my mind.

He leant backwards, his large hands gripping my shoulders. A shaky smile rested upon his features.

"Merlin, it's me, Xander."