Earth Gone To Pieces

Le Refuge

In the year 2012 the world ended. Not physically of course, but humanity went from billions to thousands in the span of one day. All because of a blue fog that spread through the air almost as if it were alive. Thankfully, the fog has never returned. Anyone who was outside or had a window open in their house was killed by the fog, and effectively turned into a zombie, who truly did want to feast on humans.

I was twelve that day when the fog took both my parents. I remember that day clearly, even though it was eleven years ago. My father had gotten a call that my mom and I had seen coming for months, the call that he was fired from his online accounting job. He was a drunk and barely remembered the work, even when he did it the results were poor at best, but that's beside the point. He had started taking his anger out on my mom, it was normal for him to do such a thing. 

My mom, like normal, told me to go out and play at the park. The urgency in her voice had frightened me so much that I had forgotten to put on my shoes and coat. I remember I had debated if I should head back inside to get them, but I heeded my mom's warning and went to the park. 

I wish I hadn't listened, then they would both be here. Sure, my father wasn't perfect, but he still had some love for both of us. I'm positive the apocalypse would have spurred maternal instincts into him. 

Either way, I did not go back to my house, instead I went to the local park. I didn't much feel like using any of the equipment, so I had just sat down on a swing in the dark moonlit park. It was an hour later when I saw it, the blue fog. I had thought it mystical at first, until I saw what it was doing to the few night walkers that surrounded me. 

I didn't dare question why it hadn't affected me, all I knew was to run, I had to get home. I didn't even care for my father's rage, I just had to go home. But when I had returned home the house was cold, with a breeze coming in from the outside. I only had to glance at my parents to see they were like the night walkers. 

I remember screaming and crying, but I also remember running. I remember climbing onto my house roof, hoping they could not do the same. 

It was two days later when I realized no one was coming to rescue me. I had stealthily made my way into the house, packing a bag of things I would need; the most important being my dad's gun and my mom's steak knife, which conveniently had a cover. 

I also remember catching a glance of myself in the mirror, I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from screaming. The lower half of my face and my neck were twisted and gnarled, blue lines traced across the twisted spots almost like a tattoo, my teeth were all sharp instead of flat like they should be. I remember knowing only that I had to hide it, for it resembled what the infected look like. I remember grabbing a scarf and tying it around my face, then I ran, so much running. 

Eventually, I ended up so exhausted that I was ready to collapse, but the infected behind me had spurred strength into my legs. I remember seeing a stronghold and pounding on the door, screaming for them to let me in, they eventually did. It was in the nick of time too. 

That stronghold, Indawo Yokuhlala as they called it, was where I learned what had happened to the rest of the world. I stayed at Indawo Yokuhlala for three years, in which time they had trained me so I could defend myself. 

That was also where I got my current outfit from. It consists of a pair of black thigh length boots, dark brown leggings, a grey tank top, covered by a black trench coat, a black cowl with a mask that covers my head and parts of my torso, and brown fingerless gloves that cover my hands. 

I currently live in a hotel called Le Refuge. It had been fixed up and had a wall built around it to survive the apocalypse. Le Refuge was where I had called home for the past eight years.