2037

The beginning

May 12th 2037

It was a typical night, about eight 'o' clock, we were all sat on the tan leather sofa watching T.V. Me and my parents would spend the evenings watching game shows and we didn't think twice when we heard cries outside, we did live in a suburban neighbourhood of course, fights and neighbours yelling at teenagers vandalising their property, so shouting was a common thing to hear in the evening even though it was still rather light outside. Though now I wish I took that uneasiness in the pit of my stomach a little more seriously.

My mother was consumed by, if I remember correctly, tipping point, which was not out of the ordinary at all, I found it rather peculiar how much she enjoyed game shows myself. I've never been the biggest fan. I was scanning social media, for nothing in particular but I was beginning to become bored with the television, when I came across a link to a news article. The article was titled, 'Apocalypse!' the site usually had rather witty headlines so I knew this was different. I clicked on the link and began to read the article, the first thing that struck me was the amount of typos in the article. I read it thoroughly I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop a little lower the further down the page I read. Just as I finished the article I looked up to show my dad, a spine chilling, soul piercing scream rang through my ears. I dropped my phone as my hands shot up to cover my ears. I've never seen my dad move so fast, he jumped from the sofa and shot the window and tore the curtain open but within a second he had pushed them back closed. He whipped his head round, the image of the fear on his pallid face is burned into my memory, just as he opened his mouth to speak the T.V. flickered and the news appeared on the screen. An older man was sat at the desk his face appeared as blood drained and horror flooded as my fathers, he began talking.

"Everyone needs to be listening, do not leave your homes, lock all doors and windows and get to the safest room in your house," he said it as though he was trying not to shout, "Arm yourselves, blunt object, guns anything, they can only be destroyed by removing the head or destroying the brains, I repeat, they can only be destroyed by removing the head or destroying the brains!" Just as he said that the television turned to static, but only for a second or two then the video replayed over. Before my mind could process what was happening I found myself being pushed up the stairs by my father.

He pushed me into the bathroom and shouted "STAY THERE! DON'T MOVE FROM HERE! UNDERSTAND?" he looked me dead in the eye and slowly nodded, I nodded nervously as I did he turned around and ran back down stairs, within no more than ten seconds I heard a violent crash, then my mother's scream. I ran out of the bathroom and stopped at the top of the stairs I saw my dad pushing a strange girl back out the window. The broken glass was cutting into her stomach but it didn't seem to faze her. She screamed but not out of pain, no but aggression. The flesh seemed to be grey and dry, so dry it was splitting. Almost every inch of her skin was bloody, but an uneasy feeling washed over me that it wasn't all hers. Then I caught glimpse of my mother...

She was slumped against a wall clutching her neck, blood was pooling beneath her as it poured down her neck. I ran down the stairs and knelt beside her. Tears were flooding down my face as I looked at her not knowing what to do. I got up and ran to the kitchen to grab a rag. As I stood beside the worktop clutching the rag, I caught sight of the cabinet... the cabinet that held my dad's gun.

I dropped the rag and slammed open the cupboard and looked at the gun. He only had it because he used to go hunting but now he just keeps it in case we find rats in the shed (which we often do). I heard the cries of my mother and the girl and the strenuous growls of my father holding her back. I picked up the gun and loaded it. I strode back into the lounge and I urged, "DAD!" He turned around and I tossed him the gun. He cocked it and shot the girl through the head. She slipped out the window.