School Of The Apocalypse

Chapter 30/The Ones We Love

Month 6 Day 10; 4:25 p.m.

"Let's move it! We don't have all day!" I screamed out into the yard as people rushed around carrying boxes of different assorted goods and supplies. "I want this place stripped by nightfall or no one will sleep tonight!" I looked over as man spilled a box of screws and bolts onto the ground. I strolled over to him and kicked the box out of his reach. "Pick it up and do it right!" He cowered below me and quickly started picking up faster than before.

"What do you think you're doing!?!" Sasha screamed violently at me as she set down her box in front of me and started helping the man pick up his items. "You're supposed to help and inspire, not oppress like a dictator!"

"Just do your job and shut up! We don't have time for this!" I started to walk away as Sasha threw her box to the ground and stormed after me, raising hell in her wake. She spun me around and smacked me across the face without restraint.

"What the-" Another smack across the face. "Stop!" She smacked me for the third time and I grabbed her wrist and held it. "What is your deal?"

"I want to know what is wrong with you. You're acting like a jerk, to put it nicely. This isn't you and I want to know what is going on with you," she raged at me.

"Nothing is wrong with me." She smacked me again.

"Wrong answer!"

"I'm fin-" She smacked me again.

"Wrong answer!"

"I'm scared!!!" A dreary silence befell the field at my shout. I fell to my knees and Sasha caught me. I felt like my chest was caving in on itself. This was the worst guilt that I had ever felt. "I'm scared. I let all this happen. We're all going to die because of me." Sasha smacked me again. "Would you stop that!?!"

"Well, how else can I tell you that your stupid... or wrong... or both?" she cackled maniacally. She dragged me to my feet and smacked me again. "That one was because I love you." She kissed my burning cheek. "Now calm down." She turned back, picked up her box, and proceeded to load up the supplies. I turned back to the man on the ground as he looked up at me, still in fear. I went over to him and kneeled.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that. It was wrong of me." He nodded and picked up his box. "No! I'll take that." I grabbed the box from him and walked toward the carport to ship it out to Decatur. Hopefully, I would be on the next one.

#22 Minutes Later#

We had the last of it packed and sent to trucks on their way. I wished Autumn luck as she took my father's car and led the rabble to Decatur to drop off the last of the supplies and return for us afterward.

I sat down next to a few of the other survivors on the porch as we watched Autumn and the others peel out of the driveway. I hoped that they would return soon.

After a while, everyone started to drift outward around the property and I found myself stumbling around my childhood. I would likely never see this place again. I could remember so profoundly running through this yard as a kid, riding my bike, blowing bubbles and popping them, and even skinning my knees a million times over. I was going to miss it though.

I eventually wandered into the house and looked at the empty room. They took all the furniture, my parents wanted the pictures and photo albums, my sister wanted her stuffed animals, and I... I wanted a baseball. A baseball from when I played on a baseball team as a kid. I held it in the palm of my hand and tossed it into the air and caught it.

I strolled down the halls, looking for anyone that may be in here. I gently cracked open the door to what had been my sister's room and inside I saw A.J. and Cheyenne sitting in the corner staring into each other's eyes. I smiled faintly and closed the door. I continued down the hall and took a step into my old room and looked upon its barren glow. I didn't have a single specific memory for this room, but I did have this feeling. I couldn't quite describe it. Pride? Possibly. I heard a faint rumble in the closet and instinctively grabbed my pistol and reached one hand out for the doorknob. I reeled it back and beheld the occupants.

Ben and Tony lied inside, Tony trampling over Ben. Ben had his glasses above where his head lay and Tony was shirtless.

"Josh!" Ben screamed. Tony just stared at me, unsure of what to do. I threw up my hands in surrender and gently backed out of the room, only closing the room's door as I left.

I shuddered. That was really, really, really creepy. I quickly paced into the living room and out the door.

I wandered into the open grass and breathed heavily.

"Ahoy there matey!" shouted Sasha from behind me. She sat on the porch and stared me down from its perch. I joined her and we sat on the porch, facing outward. "So, are you chilly, yet?"

I laughed. "Yeah. I think so."

She laughed. "Good. I didn't want to have to knock you out, silly."

"Thanks for the threat. I'll remember that." She laughed again. We didn't really speak after that. We just sat there. I stared into her eyes and she stared into mine. We didn't need to speak because we didn't have anything else to say. We just enjoyed each other's company. I found after a while that each of us began leaning closer and closer. I noticed how beautiful her eyes were and how beautiful her hair was when she wore it up. I closed my eyes and leaned even closer. Bang! Gunfire.