APOCALYPIC: Season 1

CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE (SKIPABLE)

CHAPTER 1: A prologue

The world is full of monsters, like a vine of sour grapes. People hurt each other in an attempt to feel safe, respected, and even happy. But in a world of sour grapes, there is hope. A small handful of sweet grapes still lie hidden within the bunch.

1985

A beautiful woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The woman looked at her daughter, then to her husband. They both looked down at her brown eyes, then to bits of her brown hair that was faintly showing. A nurse stood nearby.

"Have we decided on a name?"

The parents looked at each other, then to the nurse.

"Emma."

1991

Emma giggles as her father throws the beach ball and she races to catch it. She runs as hard as her little legs can take her, feeling the breeze in her hair and the sun on her cheeks. The birds chirp in the distance. It's a beautiful day. Nothing could spoil this. Emma catches the ball and throws it back at her father.

"Daddy! Catch!"

Her father laughs as he catches the ball.

"Oh, you're very good at this, aren't you?"

He throws the ball back at her and she catches it easily once more.

"How about a new game?" He suggests. "Keep away!"

The father teases as he holds the ball close. Emma runs around trying to catch it but she can't, and her father laughs as she tries.

"Come here, come get it."

"I'll get it!" Emma laughs. "I'm fast!"

The father keeps the ball away from her and she keeps running around, laughing and trying to catch it.

"Come on. I'm gonna get you."

The father fakes a misstep and she takes advantage of it, stealing the ball from his hands and making a run for it. He laughs and pursues her, trying to catch up to her as she dashes away.

"Ahh I'm gonna catch you!!! Mwahahaha!"

Emma's father lets out a laugh and dashes and catches Emma. He spins around holding her in his arms. Emma looks up at her father with her eyes full of wonder.

"Daddy! When I grow up, I'll be like you."

Her father laughed and kneels to her level.

"Oh, will you now?"

"Yes, just like you! The coolest person ever! And a soldier!"

Both Emma and her father laughed. Though the father's smile faded slightly.

But grapes grow. Those who wanna survive gotta work hard and stay smart. And those who can't stay ahead, end up rotten.

As time passed, Emma started going to sports classes, picking up new hobbies, and learning new things. And as the seasons changed, Emma changed too. She was a little taller now, a little faster, a little stronger, and a lot smarter. But some things always stay the same, for her, it was the dream of being a cool soldier like her father, a dream she would never give up.

2002

The year Emma turned 17 on a fairly normal morning, she was sitting at the breakfast table with her parents. Her father had just come home after a rough mission and was eating breakfast quietly. Her mother was chatting away about her upcoming wedding in their family while Emma listened silently, stirring her food with her fork.