The Purge: Surviving The Night

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6:00 pm, 1 hour before the Annual Purge

I was walking along the streets of town, looking at all the buildings on the streets. Diners, bookstores, shops...all these businesses and the streets were practically empty. I wasn't that surprised, though; in one hour, everyone would be on the streets breaking into the buildings and possibly burning them all to the ground. I just shook my head and sighed. I had hoped a walk would clear my mind of bad thoughts, but there was something about tonight that just did nothing but clear the GOOD thoughts. After all, it was on this night last year when everything I held dear was lost to me for good. As I finished my walk, I made my way back to my brother's house, where I had been staying for the last year. I opened the door and walked straight into the living room, where I found my big brother Michael watching TV on the couch.

"Hey, " he said as he saw me. "How'd the walk go?"

I just shrugged.

"I couldn't stop thinking about tonight..." I replied.

"Ah," Michael replied with a nod. "Speaking of which, what's your plan? Locking yourself in the basement?"

Again, I just shrugged. I then sat down next to him and deeply exhaled. Michael then reached into the cooler on the coffee table in front of us and pulled out a bottle of beer, which he proceeded to offer to me. I stared at it for a few seconds before taking it and drinking it. I normally avoid alcohol, but it somehow seemed right at the moment. Michael then just patted me on the back.

"One thing you have to accept about The Purge is this: shit happens. Nobody's safe," he continued. "Even if you barricade yourself in an impassible fortress, you're going to encounter some sort of trouble. Hell, if I could afford it, I'd get out of this country for the night. That's the safest option."

"I personally think our safest option is to make crime illegal 24/7, 365," I replied.

"As much as I agree, you know that's not going to happen. We've had a Purge for a few years now and it seems to be helping the country."

"Still..."

I then took another gulp of my beer and stared at the TV. It was a news broadcast about The Purge and the statistics of it. Since the first Purge, crime has become rare outside of the 12 hour period. The reporter explained that this made sense, seeing as how you wouldn't want to waste your time committing a crime and finding a way to hide it if there was a period where you could do it without worry of being punished.

"I just don't understand it," I told Michael. "Why would so many people break their moral codes just because they're allowed to commit crime?"

"Maybe they didn't have a moral code at all," he suggested in response. "I mean, I'm not talking about all crime in general, but everyone has an illegal action they wish they could do. I personally wish I could kidnap a hot female celebrity and have a little fun with her that'll most likely be against her will. Any other time that would be wrong, so you'd have to stupid to try it. But when you have a chance to do it LEGALLY... well you're not gunna pass on that chance, are you?"

I thought for a second about what he said. Michael wasn't the brightest person in the world, but even he occasionally had his bright moments.

"You know, I think you're right," I told him.

He just stared at me in shock.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

I then stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where you goin'?" he asked.

"I'm going to get a gun, and tonight, I'm going to kill Mark."

Michael then got up and bolted after me.

"James!" he gasped. "You, of all people, are going to kill someone?!"

"It's like you just said: if I have a chance to do something illegal legally, I'm not going to pass on that chance"

"James, I'm drunk off my ass right now! I don't know what I'm saying!"

"I don't care! That asshole needs to pay for what he did!"

"Listen to me! I understand you're pissed about last year, but killing Mark won't bring them back!"

"I know that, but it'll help my pain!"

"James, you've made a big deal since Purging was even SUGGESTED that you would never participate!"

"Well, shit happens!"

He then just stared at me and sighed.

"Do you even know where he is?" he finally asked.

"I heard he had a place up in Chicago that he planned to stay at this year," I replied.

Michael then just scratched his head in thought. He finally just sighed and walked back to the couch.

"Do what you gotta do, then. After all, it's your constitutional right," he murmured.

"I'll be fine," I told him. "But if I'm not back by 9:00 tomorrow morning, it means I'm probably dead."

"Comforting," he told me.

With that, I left the house and walked to my car. After starting it up and pulling out of the driveway, I headed into town. If I was going to seriously Purge tonight, I was going to need some preparations.