Shorts Of Absolute Magnitude

The Creature and the Girl

(May have accidentally published this on other account but moved it back to here. Sorry :3)

The night had a loudness one wouldn't expect after almost all of humanity had been wiped from existence. The loud chirp of crickets filled the air leaving the somber feeling of the sweet prairies in everyone's heart. Although everyone could not be there to be reminded of such lush sounds. No, the night grew unseemly. Packs of dogs rounded the street after their owners passed, scrounging around for scraps. The sprinklers on peoples lawns popped from the ground and out cascaded the water. They've yet to be stopped for no one there to stop them. Street lights still programmed to buzz were crowded by bugs of all shapes and sizes.

The quiet footsteps began.

Tip.

Tap.

Tip.

A little girl of the age of 4 walked. She never gazed to the side to look in horror of the emptied houses. Windows smashed and wood pried. She walked. In a lullaby's rhythm. One you couldn't place but imagine your younger days when it whistled it's way through your ear. She was pristine in the fallen world around her. Porcelain skin and a pouting face, her eyes large with brown pupils, thin pink lips not curving in the slightest for a smile, rosy cheeks maintained by the cool air. Her hair was to her shoulders, a pale light brown with a white headband. As well she wore a plad dress of green and brown.She looked untouchable and beneath all around her. Perfect, too different for the apocalypse.

Her shadow presented behind her bubbled like acid. A smile with razor teeth croaked and cooed. Gurgling and spitting as it crept out of the ground. Swarming with the thick black smoke to follow it's trail. It whipped and fluttered before it stretched an arm like presence for the creature. With the same thick darkness. It's hand clawed and with a wrong touch could tear the flesh to reveal the blood of the child. The girl took it's hand in hers as if it was one of her parents rather than the monster before her. It slithered around briefly before calming.

They walked together, the creature could not walk but could float by the girl's side, along the avenue. The stretch of street was silent and nothing approached the duo. Not the packs of dogs, the bugs that flew through the air, nor the monsters that lurked the shadows. It was if they'd been wrapped in a bubble of solitude.

Now came the real danger.

There approached two beings. One was a lanky man with tan dark skin, a large head of hear with a large bit of scruff along his chin, he wore loose ripped clothes. The other a woman, her form was larger with a much more muscular structure, her hair pulled back in a pony as well as having the same attire as the man. They approached with guns in hand and fear, one of misunderstanding, in their eyes. Their hands shook along their triggers.

"Get away from the girl," The woman yelled harshly her voice being caught by the air.

"It doesn't know English more likely, Ana." The man said now defining the woman as Ana.

The little girl looked unphased and rather unimpressed. She took a step forward and as well did the creature. The two adults then poked their firearms further. The girl tilted her head to the side in a confusion to their antics. She took a step back so did her creature, they didn't move their weapons.

"We won't hurt you," Said Ana to the girl. She glared to the monster and sweetened her gaze to the girl, "What's your name."

The creature made a gurgling noise. It sounded barbaric and made the adults flinch. Curling back to what they thought safety briefly in their minds. The woman tried again.

"Run." She mouthed to the girl, the girl however did not move.

Her feet stayed planted on the floor. The man had grown agitated to then send out the first shot. It ran through the smokey creature's body. Despite not being hurt herself the girl let out a painful scream. One of true agony and the duo were bewildered. The creature made a deep sound that resembled the one of spitting, then it was overcame with a loud hissing fit.

"Cold," the girl spoke in a honeysuckle voice. She looked up to the adults and they fell in love with her almost instantly. "Cold."

"Rodger, give her your jacket." Ana demanded, Rodger began to take off hid partly shredded jacket.

The girl screeched, "Imbecile! I am not cold." She said, the creature placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. Insisting the girl to stop now and turn back, "Your heart is cold." She paused letting the two look to each other in question. "I am not hurt. I live upon ash and sorrow. I did not need or ask for your idiotic help. I am fine."

They both shuddered back by the girl's strong words.

"W-We thought.." Ana began but than shook her head, she would not take orders from a child. She knew her principles were right, she knew in her heart she had done the right thing at the time. She could not account for Rodger though. "You must be mistaken by this monster's will. Come with us and we can keep you safe, you're not safe staying here."

"Wrong again." The girl whispered under her breath. "You people are always wrong. You do not live because you continue to be weak. Allow yourself a companion that can help you, rather than hold you back. I see you will never learn. So I will separate you from ever needing to."

The girl finished her statement. Swiftly the creature moved suffocating them in the smoke his body was made of. The fell dead and then continued the creature and the girl.