Policy of Truth

Beginning of the End

Pitch black surrounded you. The room had no lights and only one window, a skylight. It was night, you could see two or three stars, nothing more.

You were there so long you had the room memorized. Each step you took you knew exactly how far you were from what. There was a bed, a bucket, and the door. The locked door, to which you could hear your prisoners outside discussing things that didn't concern you. You knew why you were locked up, they did too.

Before they found out, before they found you, you had a life. Not really a life, more like you were surviving the apocalypse. But you had people who liked and appreciated you, you had a purpose. Now you simply didn't exist.

You sat there day, and night, again, and again- but nothing changed. The schedule was the same. Wake up, eat, stare at the ceiling, eat again, get questioned, eat again, sleep. You weren't stupid though. You refused to get yourself killed so, you said nothing. Not a word to them. Now you're not sure they know what to do with you. Maybe someone will come for you.

you then walked exactly three steps to the bed, lay down, and close your eyes to the exact sight you saw when they were open, darkness, nothing.

6 HOURS LATER

The devils noise, the key unlocking the door. A reminder that there was, in fact a 'world' out there. "Wake up, big day today." She said sarcastically. You tilted your head in confusion. You knew who she was, this was Alexis. The blond headed and blue eyed bitch. "You'll see." She said. This worried you more than it should have. She started to walk over and wrap handcuffs around your hands, then proceeding to take off the long, thick chain connected to your foot. "Come with me." She spoke.

As you started walking by her side, you passed room upon room. Fuck. You knew where you were going. The first room you went in when you got to this place. She stopped and opened the door, it was a light former blue. Now flaked and dirty. She pushed you inside, and locked it.

The inside was a white, the floor a dirty hardwood. In the middle of the room, sat a chair. A simple chair with straps. You frowned. You sat down and welcomed your defeat. Alexis came over and strapped your hands and feet. A simple belt buckle type of strap, a medium brown with a black buckle. You looked up at her. No expression showing on either of your faces.

"Why did you do it." She said sternly. Silence. A slap across the face. "Answer my fucking question." Nothing. She pulled out her pocket knife and put it up to your neck. She just looked at you. But even still you said nothing. She brought the knife down and to your hand, she sliced across your palm. You blinked, trying not to wail in pain. You felt a heartbeat in your hand, throbbing. Blood poured out on to the floor. You had to look away.

"One more chance or else you'll be a pirate." She brought the knife to your wrist. She then said slowly, "Why did you do it." Pausing in between words. You then said, nothing. Instead you looked away and closed your eyes tightly.

SLAM

The door violently hit the wall when two someone's you didn't recognize entered the room, guns high up on their shoulder. Only one shot went off though, and as you opened your eyes you saw Alexis on the ground, bleeding out from her skull.

"Tess you get her feet I got her hands." The man said. 'Tess' and the man ran over and started unbuckling your hands and feet. Only when you stood up fully, did you quickly take the man's gun. A revolver. You immediately pulled it up and pointed it at them, switching between the two. Your hand throbbing at the pressure.

"We are not here to hurt you, alright? We were sent here to keep you safe." Tess said. You stared into her eyes. Trying to read her. She had her hands up by her face, her gun still in her pocket. She seemed truthful. Your eyes switched to the man's. His face was cold, staring straight at you. It kind of disturbed you. His hands were down by his hips, ready to attack at any moment. He looked older than you, about 40.

You slowly put the revolver down, and shoved it in your pocket. Tess introduced herself, "my name is Tess, and this is Joel." They clearly already knew who you were. You wondered if they knew the truth. You heard shouting from the distance.

"Tess, we got to go." Joel's voice was low, and southern. He looked at Tess intensely. She nodded, and signaled for me to follow them. You ran through the building quietly avoiding the other fireflies. Sometimes you would shoot and run, and sometimes you sneaked around and snapped their neck.

Then you got to a door, one you didn't recognize obviously, but it felt like you went through it before. As Tess opened it, you were met with beautiful skies and green trees and bushes surrounding you. Something you haven't seen in an entire month. There was so much adrenaline rushing through your body. You took in a deep breath.

"Where are we going now?" Tess said, "We need to make sure she stays alive or else we don't get our shit and it's turning night."

"I know, I know. Let's just," Joel paused, thinking "We can stay in one of these buildings, we can clear out the infected and make a barrier at the doors."

"Alright, lead the way." Tess motioned for him to go ahead and Joel starting walking. You walked next to her. After a while she started talking again. "So, you know where we're going?" You looked at her and said nothing. She made a nasty face. "You plan on keeping quiet the whole time?" You nodded. Joel was silent as well, staring straight ahead as if he knew exactly where he was going.

At some point you reached a small building, you found a room with no windows and only a door. The room was in bad shape, the walls cracking and dirty. It was a former post office. When the adrenaline rush came down, you then remembered your hand. Still bleeding through the large gash, you wince as the pain come back to you.

Joel notices this and opens his backpack, he pulls out bandages. He starts to walk over to you but you move away before he can get close. There is a look in his eye that wasn't there before, it was cold. Suddenly he put the bandages on a table, turned around and walked over to Tess. You could hear him mumble something from the other side.

You picked up the bandages. You had no idea how to put them on without fucking up your hand even more. You took a quick look across the room, and then looked back at your hand. You should have just taken his help after all they did for you.

You figured you would try, at least. You carefully wrapped the bandage around your hand and were anxiously waiting for something to go wrong. You then felt a hand on your shoulder. When you looked up, you were met with Tess.

"Here, I'll help." She said, she then rewrapped your hand gently. But then suddenly, she got serious. "Listen, if Joel offers you help again. You take it. It's good to have him on your side." You ended it with a small smile. You looked down slightly and nodded. You felt guilty. You always had, you never, ever stopped feeling guilty. But you especially felt guilty for denying his help, after they went through all of that bloodshed to get you out of that hellhole. Fuck.

You were exhausted, you were in pain, so you went to sleep. There was nothing left to do anyway. When you slept, you dreamed no matter where you were. This time you were driving a car down the street casually, kids playing outside and the sun shining brightly, but then a kid ran into the road. You didn't have time to stop, so you ran the child over. The father of the child yelling and crying at you, because it was your fault. And it was, blood was everywhere.

'I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!' You tried to scream, but nothing came out. Your mouth staying zipped shut and quiet. You tried to explain but nothing would happen, no one would listen. You were stuck with the things you did, and it would haunt you for as long as you survived.