The quiet ones

I had been walking, walking for longer than humanly possible. Walking until I was a mindless drone trudging forwards in the dwindling light, like a moth drawn to a flicking flame. I saw a town up ahead, the pale light of the lamps lit up the street. It fell on the dusty road ahead of me, glowing like a beacon. The rain began to fall, it filled my vision, endless threads of silk falling from the stars, well what used to be the stars; just black now. Why was it always raining?  I glanced up at the torn sky, it was twisted and broken, like everything nowadays I suppose. The dust sprang up as the heavy drops fell. They created a raindrop halo over the rows of dishevelled houses. What would you do if you knew? Where would you go if there was nowhere? Who would you turn too if there was nobody left to turn, the last one who understood, who knew  the true magnitude of what we had done. It was too late anyway; my only option was to keep walking. There was a distinct smell in the air, like crisp white hospital beds. That smell, that’s how I knew they were coming. It was icy cold, always cold, obvious really, we had no Sun. It died years ago, when humans were still the superior species, when this all began. How did we survive? Not many did, just those who were lucky or rich enough to afford the vaccine. Those who did manage to, envy the dead now.

My numb fingers fumbled to turn my moth eaten collar up to the rain. I rubbed the rough material, remembering when it was new. I remembered the day I bought it, all that time ago. That was a lie; no memories, not anymore, not of anything that mattered anyway. A chill ran up my spine. They would be here soon, I had to go.

The puddles began to become still as the rain slowed. My worn heels clacked against the broken street tip tapping like keys on a keyboard. I glanced into a window as I passed, it was barred but that would do no good. I glanced at my refection. I could trace the deep lines in my face; my expression was frozen in a grimace, when did I last smile?  I couldn’t remember. Inside, the light spilled out onto the abandoned street. It wasn’t a glowing yellow light but an eerie blue burn. It illuminated the tiny particles of dust in the now still, night air. I reached out to touch them; they sprung away from my hands as if they were alive.  I released a breath, a snow white cloud gathered in front of me like billowing smoke. She used to say it was like dragon breath. “Stop!” My shout split the air like a knife through butter. The single word echoed through the silent town, it bounced around me, a cacophony of taunting. It finally died away; I wiped my hands down my unshaved face. The skin was loose and baggy. I had been warned about old age, it seemed only yesterday I was laughing at the very idea. I glanced down at my watch and tapped the ticking dial. I laughed grimly, what was it that they had said? "You're an idiot for keeping that old technology on your wrist, Times have changed, its useless" they were dead now, nobody to laugh along . I had to hurry. But I could stay, give up and stop running. “Perish the thought” whispered the voice inside my head “you don’t know anything else” it was true, I had never stopped. It was like living life on an endless treadmill, never quite still. I knew they would catch up eventually they always did, they had with all the others. Then I would stop. I heard a faint scuffle just beyond where the light faded. Then the screaming started. I kept walking, kept my eyes fixed on the horizon. Only when I reached the hills did I look back to see the town enveloped in tongues of emerald flame. Like writhing snakes they licked the sky, stretching out like fingers. This fire couldn’t be stopped, prevented or started but it burned white hot as it coursed through your veins burning you from the inside. That was how it had been designed. I could have warned them. But they knew, everyone knew. No matter how much you did to protect yourself and your family they would always find you. Like a disease they crept into your homes and burned out your beating heart, they crushed the life out of you and didn’t stop until the last breath had been squeezed from your feeble frame, then they devoured you, monsters. And to think we had created them. I remember the headlines "amimal turned war machine" and "saviour of the human race" so stupid, so niêve. I had been so proud, so self contented, I was 'saving the world', a pack of lies. We had been warned but we were blind, letting in only what we wanted to hear, pushing away all concerns. Greed for greater technology had devoured the nation, slowly tearing us apart. The hunger... It cut through the barriers. It broke the fragile system like a baby bird grasped in a hand too tightly. And look where we are now. That’s why I’m running, always running away from the truth, away from the guilt that consumed me. The rain started up again, the grey clouds swooped through the sky like vultures, circling.

Something brushed my shoulder and I spun round, nothing but darkness. Something rustled to my right. I crouched down on the damp grass. The rain clouded my vision; it dripped down my face creating twisting rivulets. I knew I couldn’t beat them, we had bred them to be silent, fast, unfeeling. Final breath “leave us alone you monsters, you were never men...”

Broken sentence as the puppet falls.
The crimson blood stained the grass, the hope had long since drained from his pale blue eyes. The man who had finally, stopped running.

What would you do if you knew? Where would you go if there was nowhere? Who would you turn too if there was nobody left to turn?

But you do know now, don't you...?