To Suffer Without Dying

Ch. 4: Groceries

The Loyalist regime slowly took control over most of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is now reaching its ugly hand towards America. Rockets have hammered Boston. San Francisco is ready to fall. Seattle is decimated. Washington DC and New York are under siege. The Loyalists have released a disease upon the countries that have yet to fall. They call it the Grey Death. It depletes the skin of the infected of melanin and water. The skin dries out and turns grey, eventually flaking off. The infected die within days. The Loyalists are advertising a "cure" to get people to move to the countries they control. America's military has joined the Rebellion fighting across the globe against the Loyalists.

Louis

I finally found some weapons and food after three days of hiding. Some other survivors said that there is a great plague sweeping the earth. How they know, I am not sure. I was walking on the highway going to Stockbridge, Georgia. The sky was a dark grey, even though it was around midday. There were no cars on the road. The snow was still falling. After a few hours of walking, the city came into view. There was lots of smoke. As I reached the top of a hill, I stumbled over something. It was a doll. I bent over to pick it up. There was something connected to it. It was a body. A strong wind blew the snow away. I was standing in the midst of a mass grave, full of burnt bodies. I ran further up the hill in hopes to get out of the mass grave. Bones and frozen clothes crunched underneath my boots. Soon I began to descend the hill and entered the city below. The snow was 4 feet high in places. I walked into a grocery store. Somehow the power was still on. It was pretty warm inside. I took off my green bomber jacket and the scarf that covered my face. Grabbing a cart, I began to walk down the isles. I put two cases of water bottles on the bottom rack and picked up some water flavorings in case water got boring. Plus it has sugars for energy. I walked past the deli which still had a few chickens on the rotisserie. My eyes searched the produce section, looking for veggies and fruits that hadn't gone bad. There was limes, lemons, asparagus (yuck), and a head of lettuce. Next was the canned goods. I grabbed to soups, beans, corn, carrots, pineapple, and some coconut water. I was making my way to the back of the store again when I heard boots and guns entering the store.

"Rodgers, Glacius, clean sweep the store for any Loyalists. Redman, find something to barricade the doors and windows. The rest of you assemble the turrets and treat the wounded. Get flares ready for evac."

I assumed that they were rebels. I turned around a felt a hand on my shoulder. My instincts took control. I grabbed the hand and twisted. A man's cry. My knife slid into my hand I held it to his throat.

Whispering, I said, "Why are you here?"

"We are just waiting for evac. The Loyalists have invaded. We are the last squad to escape. We were tasked with attacking a science facility in North Georgia."

"You're part of the Rebellion then?"

"Aye."

"Don't 'aye' me. Take me to your leader. Go!" We walked to the front of the store with my knife jammed into his back.

"Woah! Girl calm down!" The dude I presumed the leader was said.

"You're rebels?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I will come with you. And if you don't take me, I will kill this man. Deal?"

"Just put down the knife." I dropped it on the floor. A medic was tending to a boy on a cot with a bloody leg. He looked familiar. I walked past him when he said, "Hey. You're the girl that left me in the woods. Gee thanks for the help. I really appreciated it." "It's not my fault that I'm not going to risk my life to a kid I just met. Just chill." "Don't tell me to chill. I came back for you. You would've died if it wasn't for me."