Cannibalistic Cannibals

683 Days Before

683 Days Before

Never would I have pictured myself as the starring role in a horror film. I hate anything that scary. Even The Nightmare Before Christmas was so horrifying that I peed myself a little bit. So you might be able to see how surprised I was when I found out that this wasn't a movie, but the actual end of the world. All the people we thought were crazy in New York and Vegas who though the world was going to end soon were actually right. Only, it wasn't the Ozone Layer depleting, or a meteor hitting the planet we call home.

My brother's birthday was exactly one week after the world went to shit. He was turning five as we were hiding in our tiny apartment. We never went outside because it was one of my mother's rules for when she was away. He never got to blow out the candles on his birthday cake. However, he got to have the present I had already bought for him. My parents weren't the present giving type, but yet they loved cake.

We didn't know for sure what was going on out in the world. All electricity had been cut before I even thought to look at the news. At first we thought it was zombies since I heard our landlord get his throat ripped out right in front out door. That had to be the only time I was thankful that my brother was deaf. He didn't have to listen to the man's screams turn to gargles as he choked on his own blood.

I never knew if Mr. Jackson's body been taken away. There was no way I was going out there to check either. So, we stayed in our tiny apartment and hoped the refrigerator that I shoved in front of the door would keep them out as long as possible.

Since we had no idea what was going one, me and my brother made a game out of guessing what was going on. Our guesses ranged from a serial killer escaped from an insane asylum, to a zombie apocalypse, to vampires ruling the earth, and so on. It actually got to the point where we were having to keep ourselves busy so that we wouldn't open the window a crack to see what was going on.

Charles? I need you to do me a favor. Can you go in my room and grab the book off my nights stand? I want to read it to you before its your bed time. My brother got up from lying on my lap so you could sign to me better.

I can read it by myself Liz.

Not this book. It'll teach us both some new words. That way we won't have to sign every letter out.

Fine. But I better get some chocolate when I get back. He walked out of the room and I couldn't help but laugh as quietly as possible. His need for chocolate is worse than a pmsing teenage girl. Its not my fault. Sure, I probably shouldn't have fed him nutella every chance that I got. Sure, I probably shouldn't have given him chocolate whenever he asked for it. Unlike him, I'm not a huge chocolate fan and it usually turns a lighter brown before I throw it away. If you offer me a gobstopper or any other hard candies along with anything gummy, then it would be gone within the hour.

He ran back into the room, panic in his eyes. I'm sorry Liz. I couldn't help myself.

What did you do? I signed while walking towards him only to find that the book wasn't any were in his hand or on my night stand. Oh, no. He better not have throw it out the window. If so, then we need to hide fast before anyone comes.

I-I....I wanted a drink so I took one of your fruit punch and drank it. I thought I saw something move and I dropped the punch onto your book. I'm so sorry. Not only did I take your drink, but I ruined the book. Now how are we going to learn new words? Charles ran towards me and enveloped me in a hug, tear streaking his tiny face.

Its okay. Really it is. I was going to give the punch to you anyway. And we can always come up with our own words. We could write them down in a journal so we don't get confused. I'm not mad at you. I swear. Good thing I got at least a few words out of the book so I could teach him those. I wasn't going to give anymore fruit punch for a while. It is my favourite drink after all and I only have three left. Well, two left now, but I wasn't going to get mad at my brother for getting something to drink other than watered down gatorade.

I don't want any chocolate now. Can we come up with some words?His eagerness was all over his face, his accident far behind him. I couldn't say no even though I really wanted to look at the book to see how damaged it really was.

Let me grab a notebook and then we will start. Little did he know that I was also getting some chocolate for him. Technically, he did go to get the book, he just didn't come back with it. Standing up, I heard my back crack loudly, making me wince.

My room is literally the only door in the hallway. The thick carpet under my feet gave me some static electricity, making my shock myself on my door knob. I really need to start picking up my feet as I walk.

An empty notebook sat on my night stand with a few signs in it that I had managed scribble down before I fell asleep. They were pretty simple ones like 'thank you', 'mother and father', and 'sister and brother'. I also scribbled down the alphabet in case we wanted to teach someone the proper ways to sign them. If we ever saw anyone again that is. The baby blue comforter was ruffled up and clothes lay all over the room. Let's just practically everything that I owned was on the floor.

Getting to my chocolate stash was tricky, even for me. I hid it inside my closet, on the hole in the wall I made when a trophy fell down and banged against the wall. I could fit all the chocolate I have and more in there if I had any. Just as I pulled out the biggest piece of chocolate I could find, the obvious sounds of someone banging on the door in pure panic.

"Please! You have to let me in! They're almost here! Please! I am begging you. I'm too young to die! Please open the door!" Shit. What is that dumbass lady on? There's more than one person apparently so the serial killer idea is now out the window.

While the lady was banging on the door as hard as she could, I was scrambling around, looking for our emergency bags that we packed just in case something like this were to happen. We weren't stupid. If someone was killed right outside your door, would you have just sat back, drank some tea, and watch as people come in and kill you? Hopefully not, but there are idiots in this world that would. Charles and I are not idiots.

You know the saying, run and live or stay and die. Well, I would rather run away with Charles than let him die or be kidnapped.

Shit! He was still in the living room. Right in plain sight of the front door. As fast as I could, I ran back in there, picked him up like a baby and ran for my room. It had the easiest way to get onto the air shafts under the floor. Mainly because I had ripped up the opening and made it big enough where I could sneak out of the house without my patents noticing.

∆Charles? We need to leave like right now. I'll explain later but I need you to drop down into the hole and crawl back until I drop down. Don't be scared. I've done this so many times, I'm surprised Mom never found out. I'll give you a flashlight when I get down there. Now go! Seeing his panicked face, I added teasingly. Is my baby boy scared of the dark?

No way. I could eat the dark for breakfast. Is of just me or did that not make any sense to you either?

Then you better go before I drop you down there myself. If it makes you feel better, there are pillows down there to make it quieter and softer when you land.

Wait a minute! How far down are we talking about?

Just a little over six feet. You'll be fine.

Without any other protests, my brother dropped down in the air shaft, landing with a soft thump. I waited a few moments, looking around at the place I have called home for the past seventeen years. I was sad to leave. This was my home, my safe haven. Sure it was a shitty apartment with leaky sinks and ceilings, but we made due. The posters on my wall wouldn't mean anything to the next person who comes into the room. They'll only see pictures on a wall whereas I saw memories of every time we got a new poster or someone drew a picture and stuck them on the wall, needing help from my dad time to time. I really was going to misd this place.

Before, I could get too emotional, I dropped down the shaft, hoping my brother had moved already. Luckily, he had along with the two small bags that we had packed.

Looking back up, I pulled a little lever down, shutting the hole back up so anyone would only think that there was metal under the carpet. I had burned part of the carpet earlier to cover up the fact there was a giant hole in my carpet.

The hole was covered and I turned to my brother, handing him a flashlight from my backpack. We didn't say anything as we crawled through the shafts. We were under the next apartment by the time I heard the door to our room being broken down and then screams of frustration followed us as we crawled farther and farther into the building, never looking back once.