In The End

Chapter 1

1.2.47                                                                                                                                       Entry 1

Dear Journal,

I'm Avian Fisher, or more commonly called, Birdy. I'm 17 and today just happens to mark the date of my birth.  My mother got me this journal as a present, but I'm not entirely sure why. It's not like we have money to be throwing around to buy a blank book that could be used to kindle a fire. But, she insisted that I used it to write down the things I can't share. She looked almost sad when I said it was useless, but I suppose it's because she'd done so much just to get it. So, here I am, writing in the journal.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to write in here, it's not like anything interesting happens in my daily life. All I do is go to school before curfew is called and I have to stay indoors, so it's not like I go on any crazy adventures. Not that I'd want to go on any adventures, this dark city has nothing I'd like to explore. I'm sure the outside isn't much better either, considering the monsters that lurk out there. We call them Banshees, due to their blood chilling screeches. Even in the city limits you can hear their screams, and when I was small I used to cry all night. They scared me half to death, even though I hadn't seen a real life one. In school they show us images, a pale bony figure with teeth growing in every direction you could think of. It still sends shivers down my spine. It's hard to believe those things used to be human, and I almost feel bad for them. The pain they had to endure when transforming into one of those things.

Anyway, enough of that. I'm starting to run out of space to write, so I guess I'll leave it there for today. Plus, it's almost time to go to sleep. The Banshees are already screaming. Sometimes I think their screaming in agony, other times in absolute rage for being unable to reach the living on the inside.

Goodnight Journal.

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Time: 5:59am
Location: Home
Avian Fisher

The morning was still dark, the sun not yet peaking out of the horizon. Her tired body shifted in her old, uncomfortable bed. No noise was heard, as the birds were never out in the city. Even on sunny days where everything seemed to be normal, birds and other animals were nonexistent. In the city the only animals allowed were dogs, and they were only used for military purposes. Most of them were rabid and so aggressive they attacked and killed civilians. She slowly opened her eyes and stretched briefly. Her eyes stared at an empty paint peeled wall, and she didn't hesitate to pick off stray pieces near her head. Soon her mother came into the room, in her hand a small flashlight. The room had nothing but a mattress, an old beaten nightstand, and an equally old and beaten dresser that held what little clothes she had. Everything was worn and looked as if it were ready to fall apart if you so much as tapped it. The girl breathed slowly, waiting for her mother to say something.

"Get up and get going. Curfew is almost up, and you'll be able to get to school. We're almost out of ration cards, so we'll have to skip breakfast for the rest of the month." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

The girl groaned quietly, sitting up slowly and stretched again. "Yes ma'am. When'll be the next time we get ration cards?" She replied softly, already starting to get up.

"If things go well, within the next two weeks. The beginning of the month, I'm hoping to get government approval to start a small garden so we won't have to skip as many meals. Get up now, you can't just lay there all day." Her smile slowly faded as she lingered there. 

Her mother stood for a moment more, silently contemplating something. She met her daughters gaze once more before leaving.

The room once again went dark, by now Avian knew where the dresser was and had already begun to change out of her nighttime clothes. It only took a few moments, and before long she was in the kitchen. Her mother stood staring out the window, it's panes dirty and splotched with stains. Avian studied her mother for a moment, her curvy frame and long locks of golden brown hair. Although her clothes looked dusty and tattered, she had a beautiful face to make up for it. With stormy blue eyes and a contagious smile, it was hard to dislike her. Her hair had been tied up, but it still went down to her hips. This was mostly because the two never had time to cut their hair before darkness fell, and her mother worked all day. Where she worked, Avian didn't know and whenever she asked about it her mother would dismiss the subject and tell her to go to sleep. Eventually she learned to stop asking.