Apocalypse Grumps

Betrayal of Friendship

 It's only been a couple years since it started. People on the internet who started out as just random people were starting to become huge celebrities. And we all know how some of those few people can't take it. We hear about their drug abuses, being in abusive relationships, their depression, and even how some are suicidal. We idolize these people because we only see the outer shell. We don't really know what's going on in that person's head. And that right there was this world's downfall.

My name is Kevin Abernathy, a well known weapons expert and part of the rebellion. I'm probably one of the best camouflaged rebels in the city. One look at me would just tell you I'm a scrawny kid who doesn't know the first thing about weapons, but never judge a book by its cover.

Today was like any other day, I had gotten up and needed to get some errands done. So I put on whatever clothing I had left and headed out towards the only market in town that had food without maggots. Well, most of the time.

I entered the store and grabbed one of the shopping sacks they had at the front. I scanned the shelves for the little food they had left and spotted a few good looking fruits. Too bad they couldn't sell anything with orange on it anymore. There's a strict color code that specifically says: NO ORANGE. Why? Cause that's their signature.

The GG; the leading group in the rebellion. Some people like them for what they've done, but others think they're foolish. I've heard that they were friends before this all started, that they were even friends with... Him. But those are just that. Rumors.

I take my items and go to the one checkout in the whole store. I come here quite often, so the owner knows me pretty well. She even knows that I'm a weapons expert.

"Hey, Cybil. So how much'll this be?" She looks over everything in the bag, "Forty bucks." she says sternly. A look of shock and horror makes its way across my face. Cybil laughs and waves it off. "I'm joking! I'm joking! The actual price is five." I pull out my wallet and give her the five. She puts in her drawer and closes it. We wave farewell and I walk back to my house with my purchases in hand.

---

Sitting at home I put away my food in the cupboard and make my way to my favorite pass time: video games. I cue up some Rocket League and look for anyone online. I usually expect no one, but this time I saw one user; itta pupu. 'What kind of name is that?' It was pretty funny though. Whenever there is another person they're name is usually taken pretty serious. It's pretty rare to see such a silly name.

Well into our game, I could tell whoever he/she was, they were pretty good. Then they started talking to me:

'I know you.'

'What?'

'I know who you are.'

'What do you mean?'

'You're pretty famous in the underground for your work. We need someone like you. We have our own, but we need another for our mission.'

'Excuse me?'

'They're coming for you. She ratted you out. They found you.'

'Who did? Who are you?'

After that, they never responded back. They left the game all together. It struck me as extremely weird, but it could be someone trying to creep me out.

That's when I heard loud banging at my door. It made me jump from my seat, but then I booming robotic voice rang through the wood, "Kevin Abernathy, you are under arrest for helping the rebels!" I panicked and didn't answer. I had planned for this day, and I was hoping it would never come. Assuming that they had surrounded my home, I ran down to the basement for the secret hatch I had built that lead underground. But standing in the middle of my basement was a guy about 6 foot tall in an orange hoodie. His hood shadowed his face, but all I could make out was some facial hair and a couple bandages.

"I warned you." he said in a monotone voice. "That store clerk ratted you out. Come with me, and you'll be safe. Trust me." "How do I know I can though?" I questioned. "One of my closest friends just betrayed me. How can I trust someone who just showed up in my basement." I retorted with annoyance in my tone. "You can trust me because of my hoodie." That's when I noticed. His hoodie was orange. "Are you--"

I was cut off by a familiar booming voice from earlier, "Kevin Abernathy, you have ten seconds to surrender or we will break down the door!" "Shit!" I had forgotten that they were there. "Ten!" "Do you wanna be executed?" "Nine!" "N-no." I hesitated. "Eight!" "Then come with me, god damnit!" "Seven!" He reached out his hand and waited for me to grab it. "Six!" "Please," he begged. "Five!" "We need another one like you." "Four!" "If we fail this," "Three!" "the whole planet could be like this forever. Do you want that?" "Two!" "No... I don't." "ONE!"

CRASH!

I took his hand and followed him to the hatch for us to escape. When we made it out, I felt a woosh behind me and felt something hard impact against my body. The force behind it made my vision blur into darkness.