It's The End of the World... And I Feel Fine (The Adventures of Max Harvey)

Chapter 5

The community camp was a hive of activity. People were busy setting up tents, organizing supplies, and sharing information. It felt good to be part of something larger, to have a sense of purpose amid the chaos.

Ruby and I were helping Maria sort through medical supplies when a voice interrupted us. "Hey there, need a hand?"

I looked up to see a tall, athletic guy with a broad smile and a confident swagger. "I'm Luke," he said, extending his hand to Ruby.

"Hi, I'm Ruby," she replied, shaking his hand. "This is Max."

Luke barely glanced at me before turning his attention back to Ruby. "So, Ruby, what brings you to our little corner of the apocalypse?"

"We're just trying to survive, like everyone else," Ruby said, smiling politely.

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know," Luke said, giving her a wink. "I'm always around."

I felt a twinge of annoyance at the way he was blatantly hitting on Ruby. "Thanks, but we're managing," I said, stepping closer to Ruby.

Luke raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Alright, tough guy. Just offering my help."

Ruby seemed oblivious to the tension, focusing on the supplies. "Thanks, Luke. We appreciate it."

As Luke sauntered off, I couldn't help but mutter, "What a jerk."

Ruby glanced at me, her expression amused. "Jealous much?"

"Not jealous," I protested. "Just... Forget it."

"Sure, Max," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "Come on, let's finish this."

As the day went on, Luke kept finding excuses to talk to Ruby, each time throwing me a smug look. It was getting on my nerves, but I tried to keep my cool. The last thing we needed was more drama.

Later in the afternoon, we were sitting around the campfire with Marco and Lila, trying to relax and enjoy a rare moment of peace. Luke walked by and, of course, stopped to chat with Ruby again. "Hey Ruby, I was thinking, maybe we could go on a little scouting mission together. You know, just the two of us?"

I clenched my fists, ready to say something when Ruby cut in. "Actually, Max and I make a good team. Thanks though, Luke."

Marco snickered beside me. "Looks like you've got some competition, Max."

"Shut up, Marco," I muttered.

Suddenly, a loud crash interrupted our banter. We all jumped to our feet, looking around in alarm. From the edge of the camp, a strange, guttural growl echoed through the air.

"What the hell was that?" Ruby asked.

Before anyone could answer, a monstrous creature emerged from the shadows. It looked like a mutated version of a bear, with extra limbs and glowing red eyes. Its fur was matted, and its teeth were long and razor-sharp.

"Everyone, get back!" Maria shouted, trying to keep the panic at bay.

The creature lunged towards us, its massive claws tearing through tents and supplies. People scattered in all directions, screaming in terror.

"Max, Ruby, get Lila to safety!" Marco yelled, grabbing a makeshift weapon—a metal pipe—from the ground.

Marco and I grabbed Lila's hands and started to run, but the creature blocked our path. It snarled, swinging its claws wildly. Luke appeared beside us, wielding a large knife. "Stay behind me, Ruby," he said, puffing out his chest.

I rolled my eyes. "This isn't the time for heroics, Luke. We need to work together."

Ignoring me, Luke charged at the creature, slashing at its side. The monster roared in pain but didn't go down. It swatted Luke away like a ragdoll, sending him crashing into a pile of debris.

"Great job, hero," I muttered, grabbing a piece of wood to use as a weapon. "Ruby, take Lila and find cover!"

Ruby nodded, pulling Lila towards a nearby building. Marco and I stood our ground, trying to fend off the creature. It was relentless, its eyes filled with rage.

"We need to hit it in the eyes!" Marco shouted, swinging his pipe at the creature's face.

I aimed for its glowing eyes, hoping to blind it. My makeshift weapon connected, and the creature howled in agony, thrashing around violently. In its blind rage, it started to destroy everything in its path, including our supplies.

"Keep it up, Max!" Marco urged, swinging his pipe again.

With a final, desperate swing, I managed to land a direct hit on the creature's eye. It let out a deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, twitching and finally lying still.

The camp was silent for a moment as everyone processed what had just happened. Then, slowly, people began to emerge from their hiding spots, relief evident on their faces.

"Is everyone okay?" Maria called out, making sure there were no serious injuries.

Ruby and Lila rushed over to Marco and me. "That was insane!" Ruby said, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and awe.

"We did it," Marco said, breathing heavily. "We actually did it."

Luke limped over, looking a bit worse for wear but still managing a grin. "Nice job, guys. Guess we make a pretty good team after all."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, sure. Just try not to get yourself killed next time, hero."

Ruby gave me a playful shove. "Come on, Max. He did his best."

As we started to clean up the mess and tend to the wounded, I realized that despite the tension and rivalry, we were all in this together. And as much as I hated to admit it, Luke had played his part too.

"Max," Ruby said quietly as we worked side by side. "Thanks for having my back. Always."

"It was nothing." I echoed, feeling a sense of camaraderie that made our makeshift family feel a little bit stronger. No matter what came next, we would face it together.