A World Reborn

Chapter 2

I reach the end of the hallway and approach the room straight ahead of me. I open the door and a gust of wind sharply strikes me. With it, it carries a vile stench. Immediately, I raise my thumb and forefinger up towards my nose to block out the smell. I creep through the middle of the room, trying not to make a sound. I hop over the box of games and entertainment Jonas had left out. To my left and right are the two weathered down twin beds that belong to my brother and I. Ahead of me is our shared closet. I hold my hand on the circular knob and swing it open.

  There he was and I caught him red-handed. I stare at him menacingly and he stares right back. He shoots a piercing look in my direction. I slowly extend my hands and can feel his "skin". I grasp my hands on his fat body, but he's far too quick. He slips right through my hands and runs underneath my legs. I turned 180 degrees and start to chase him until I stumble over the plastic box. The clear lid clicks open and toys sprawl across the room. My legs get caught behind one another and the next thing I see is the worn out wood of the ceiling. I sigh and think to myself "Great, now I have to pick up our dog's crap and pick up Jonas's things." Zeus had probably ran over to another spot of the house to use as his bathroom. We found him as a skinny puppy in the woods a few years ago and decided to keep him.

  I crouch down and begin to stuff Jonas's games back into the box. Jonas keeps board games, toys and pretty much anything else he ever uses and finds entertaining. Among his favorites, are a deck of cards that's missing 20 out of the 52, a silver pocket watch that doesn't work, comic books and a calendar marked with the date 2040. He cherishes his calendar, although the cover is worn out and it's over 40 years old. He counts down the days till his birthday every year, although the day of the week is different on the calendar. Once I finish putting everything in the box, I place it upon Jonas's bed, which is directly parallel to mine. A book titled "To Kill a Mockingbird" is laying on my bed face-down. I've read it 4 times and counting. The story of Jem, Scout, and Atticus helps me thinks about what the world was like back then. "Amber!" I hear Jonas yell. I walk back towards the living room quickly and he asks "Can you make lunch?"
"Jonas, I know you're young, but one day you'll have to learn how to make a sandwich," I joke. He smiles widely, and his face illuminates. His shaggy brown hair falls down from his forehead in long curls. It's been far too long since we've cut our hair. My chestnut colored hair is tied in a ponytail and falls all the way down to my lower back.

  I walk towards the food pantry and examine the remaining stock. Eggs and fruit line the top shelves, while non-perishable goods sit at the bottom. We have a decent sized chicken farm behind the cabin and we manage to grow a good amount of crops. Yet, winter is coming quickly, and we have to stock up. I grab a bright red apple and a yellow can of pasta. I begin to slice the apples with a sharp knife, cutting off the skin how Jonas likes.

  "When's dad coming back?" Jonas asks. I shrug my shoulders and ask myself the same question. He's been looking for supplies in West Shokan for over a day. The small town is east of the Catskills and overlooks a large lake. I figure he'll be back by tomorrow morning and hopefully bring some supplies with him. I take the can of pasta and pour it into an old and rusty pan. I take some firewood and place it into the fire pit. The matchbox sits upright on the wooden counter. I take a match out, carefully light it, and place it within the fire-pit. The fire starts out small, but begins to roar with passion. Jonas sits on the couch now playing with a bronze yo-yo. I peer out the window and notice the ever-peaceful forest that surrounds our house. Birds are singing peacefully, and the sound of the nearby creek echoes throughout.

  Once the food is done, I decide to retire to the couch. A nap today will surely benefit me. As soon as I hit the comfort of the couch, my eyes slowly close and I begin to drift away. My eyelids close shut and then I immediately hear it. It starts off slow, but the groaning grows louder and louder. I jump off from the couch and scan the room to see if Jonas is still here. I circle around and he's nowhere to be seen. There's a series of loud and ear-deafening screams that come from the woods, and I sprint outside through the cabin door.