Anarchy on Earth

~9~

You know, I never stop to notice how the most cliché things can get you killed. Why would I, you know?

"Hello? Mom!" I yelled.

Nothing happened. Big surprise. Unless you count 3 strangers hobbling up the steps, coming from a shattered door downstairs. I gasped, and unsheathed the sword. I cut my hand in the process, and it began to bleed.

"Ow." I stated, and then swung the sword at the nearest stranger.

The sword was light. Too light. I almost let go of it. The sharp blade cut across the stranger's shirt. It did little damage, other than displaying the stranger's breasts. I looked away, and jabbed, the stranger falling down the steps, taking the others with her. It gave me some time to charge up the stairs, and get into the house, for real. It became clear, my mom wasn't here. She could still be somewhere else, right?"

I got to my room, and yanked my drawstring bag off my door. I piled in some clothes, my dead phone, a notebook, and pencils, and then moved to the kitchen. I grabbed 2 steak knives, and put them in the side slots, and grabbed our last 2 cans of food in the cabinets. I looked at the clock, and realized the power was gone. I took my phone out of the bag, and threw it on the counter. Useless. I made my way back down the stairs, clipping my new scabbard to my belt, the sword still in my hand. I threw open the door, and ran out. I froze. Two trucks where blocking the road, police officers with big guns, pointing down the road. I looked over in the direction of the guns, and saw the most horrible sight I had ever seen. seemingly over hundreds of strangers where trying to fill the streets, and the heavy machine guns where stopping them. I could barely think, with the constant rattling of the guns. I looked over at the ammunition feed. They would have to run out some time...

I shook my head, and ran back into the house. Jumping over the fallen strangers, I ran into the basement. I jumped through the shattered glass door, chopping down a stranger in the process. Was I already getting used to this? Humans were made to evolve, weren't they? I tried to find a way out other than making my way out into the streets. After a while, I figured it would just be easier to run through my neighbor's yard, considering trespass laws kinda didn't apply at that very moment. I climbed over the fence, and ran into the neighbor's yard. A dog was straining on a rope tied to a hook, as a stranger lumbered towards it, probably it's owner. I cut down my potential neighbor, and then cut the dogs rope. I barked, and ran off, after licking me a couple times. [Not a word...]

I hopped another fence, and ran into the road 2 two streets away from my house. Still, people frantically ran around the district, as they were chased by strangers, and occasionally other people.

"Kid!" Jackson yelled, from somewhere.

I looked around, and saw him on the roof of a small 1 story house, holding a submachine gun. He motioned at me to come to the roof. I jogged over, and climbed up onto the roof using the shingles, and windows as footholds. He patted me on the back as I got to the top.

"I'm gonna take a guess, and say you didn't find your family." He said, shaking his head.

"Nope." I said, sullenly. "Do you want your sword back?"

"Nah. I got my gunny here."

"Where did you get all this?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I have some ways. I know a few guys." He said. "By the way, I found a girl on the streets, she said she was looking for two guys named Jack, and Henry. You look like a Jack. Are you Jack?"

"Yeah." I said, as I caught Miranda walking over from the other side of the roof.

"You were quick." I said, grinning.

"As was you." She said. She slipped a pistol out of her jacket pocket, and turned the safety off.

"I thought you didn't want to kill any of them." I said, wary she was going to shoot me.

"Shooting's different. It seems less real. Also, there's little danger of getting guts all over you."

"Aye," Jackson said, as I noticed a slight Welsh accent to his voice. "I've got a car waiting a few blocks away. I'm heading to Pinedale. If you chaps want to come with me, you're more than welcome to."

"I still don't know if I can trust you. Why won't you take off that hood of yours?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"At this time, the more people that notice who you are, the more danger you're in. Keep that in mind." He said. "I can't make you trust me. You're just going to have to."

I thought for a moment. "You're a good man Jackson. I hope we get out of this, whatever's going on."

Suddenly, there was piercing silence. Almost everyone in the street stopped, wondering what had happened.

"No... No... NO... NO!" I yelled. "THE GUNS STOPPED! EVERYBODY RUN!"

Jackson swore, as people began running away from my street, and the horde of strangers began to flow down the street, showing no proof, there was ever human resistance.

"You lads good at roof hopping?"

"Not really" Miranda said.

"Not at all."

"Neither am I." Henry said, banking up onto the roof. "You guys tried to leave me!"

"Well, you all better learn quick. Let's go." Jackson said.

"Who's this guy?" Henry asked, as I noticed he was still unarmed.

"We'll explain on the way." I said, shaking my head.