The Apocalypse - The End

Chapter One

Chapter One
The Beginning

Madmen everywhere. The news was full of reports of drunken people trying to break into houses, apartment blocks, stores, everywhere. It began to make me scared a few days ago, when the first few reports were released.  I don't know why the sudden rampage, the police say that pubs have contaminated alcohol supplies, the hospital board says that it's a virus that changes the brains activity, truth is no one really knows what it is.
"Brooke, you're gonna be late!" My mom shouts up the stairs, eager to shove me out the house.
Arrogantly, I don't reply and continue doing my makeup. A wave of fear washes over me as if I'm on a shore of a sea of worry. My heart begins to pound rapidly, my head becomes heavy, and a pulsating sound floods my ears. Ignoring the fear that's coursing through my veins, I go downstairs, swiftly saying my goodbyes before leaving the house.
The streets are empty, everyone's in their houses hiding from the maniacs that roam the streets. A lot's going on; terrorism, warmongering, racism, homophobia, antisemitism, and the destruction of our home - America - by the tragic election of President Donald Trump, and now drunken messes destroying our family homes. My procrastination comes to a halt when I realize the time, 8:56, which means I have four minutes left to get to school and into my classroom which, by far, will not happen.

As I enter the school gates, the guards at the door make eye contact, and I know they're going to want my charm. I'd happily hand it over if it hadn't had such sentimental value, it was the only thing my Nan had left me before passing. I advance toward them, their smug faces look at mine, I take it from around my neck, and glance at the rose gold flower charm in my palm. A tear formed in my eye as I placed it in the metal tray before walking through the metal detectors, into the sea of students. My ears filled with loud chatter, the one problem is I fear the chatter is about me, no reason, just paranoid. I forced my body past the multiple students who were in my way, desperate to get to first period. As I took my seat, I felt many eyes glaring at me, making me nervous..
"Brooke would you like to tell us some context within Shakespeare's Hamlet?" Ms. Hudson asks.
"E-e-e-erm I don't know, Ms." I stutter, my cheeks begin to burn up, indicating I've gone bright red. Great.
Giggles erupt from some of the students, my nervousness increases, rapidly. The fear which I'd experienced earlier begins to roar inside of my mind, but this time it's different, it's worse. I slump into my seat, tiredness overtaking me and my ability to do anything, my eyes drift shut.

I'm awoken by a thud next to my ear, the sound deafens me temporarily, I lift my head up to see an angry woman, with a Hamlet text in her hand.
"Were you looking for this, Brooke?" She asks, angrily.
Without responding, I snatch the book from her hand and indulge. My eyes trying to close, however, I'd rather read than stay for an extra hour after fifth period, so I do my best to keep them open. My eyes follow the lines as Ms' muffled voice narrates the lines from the text. Hamlet is boring, I only like Romeo and Juliet, and funnily enough, we don't study it. Of course.
Time passed and before I knew it, the bell rings. I make my way out of the class and into the corridor, the hallway of horrors, as I knew it.
"Brooke!" Someone said. I turn to the direction of where the voice came from, and see a tall blonde boy towering over me.
"Hey, Jake." I respond, a smile grows on his face, "what?" I ask.
"Nothing, have you got Physics?" He queries.
"I've got chemistry." I answer. His facial expressions change to a less happy state.
"Eh, you can walk with me anyway." He smiles as we begin to make our way to next period.
As we walk, chatter isn't priority, for me anyway. I find myself distracted by almost everything; slightest movements, sounds, scents, and even my own thoughts.
"Brooke, you okay?" He asks.
"Um, yeah, yeah sorry, kinda off today." I reply.
"Whyyy?" He teases, trying to get it out of me.
"I don't know, just have a bad feeling that's all." I say, even at that moment I find myself in somewhat a different dimension.
"Oh." He replies.
We continue to walk in silence, the conversation had died, and I'm not starting another. See, the problem with Jake is he doesn't speak to you, he just expects you to escort him everywhere. I mean, don't get me wrong he's always there for me, but there's no excitement, no nothing. Just silence.
He leaves and goes to his classroom, and I enter mine.
My body slumps into my seat, and I unpack my essentials and chemistry book and set it on my desk. The teacher begins to ramble about hydro-something and yet again I drift off into a daydream. ..

The sky beams orange light, blinding me. I'm in a whole new world, deserted streets, deserted homes, and fires ablaze everywhere. Blood-spilled streets and guts everywhere. Corpses line the sidewalk, left to rot. A putrid smell invades my nostrils, making bile rise to my throat. I used the neck of my shirt to cover my nose, but it does nothing. My ears are filled with desperate screams, shattering sounds and deep groans. Full streets of corpses, however, the streets are empty of live, animate beings. Not even the odd cat or stray dog. I start to wonder what year it is, and I vaguely remember buildings here, but they're covered in moss, untouched for centuries. My brain goes into overload, fear-stricken, my forehead begins to produce bodies of water, as they drip solemnly down my face. My heart pounds, intensely, creating thumping noises within my ear canals. My palms become sweaty. I try to scream, but nothing comes out, as if I'm mute.
I enter the nearest building, seeking refuge from this destroyed world. Where am I? Did I fall asleep in chemistry for over a hundred years? I enter the fragile doorway and lock the door behind me, and begin to explore, however it seems the handle wanted to come with me.
"Hello?" I say, not loudly nor quietly. I don't want to startle them, if there is a them. If so, who?
The cracked floorboards, which obviously have been neglected for quite some time, creak beneath my feet. The interior smells damp, untreated for awhile. Door-less door frames, bloodstained furniture, ivy claiming several walls, cracked walls.
I enter what could be described as a kitchen, well used to be a kitchen, with only a sink, counters, and cupboards. I twist the tap, to my luck, water spews out at my face. Instead of jumping away I stand dead still. The sun had been so hot outside, I could use an ice bath. I twist the tap back to its original position and rummage through the several cupboards to find a glass, which isn't smashed.
Out of all nine cupboards, only one contained a single glass, I assume the owners weren't, or aren't, big drinkers. I move back to the tap, and position the glass in aim to catch the water, seeing as it's not coming out of it's intended place. With my glass full, I take a sip, and end up downing the whole pint, indulging in every last drop. The glass firm in my hand, slips, as my eyes catch the most disgusting sight imaginable. There, mounted onto the wall by what seems to be a machete, is a deceased woman, with the machete directly penetrating her skull, and seemingly, wedged into the wall. The glass shattered  at my feet upon contact with the laminate floor tiles. My jaw fixed in an open position, I feel paralyzed, unable to move any muscle at all. Who did this? How? When? Why?
My body and brain is under total shock, the blood stains all down the face, her eyes wide open, and oddly, her jaw would mist likely be wide open like mine, but instead, it's literally dropped, onto the floor below her. My vision becomes blurry, and my balance is lost. Seemingly in slow motion, I fall to the floor, and as my head makes contact, everything goes black...

Huuuh-uh-uhh — I regain consciousness gasping for air, as if I'd been choked. Everyone's eyes are directed at me, my cheeks burn bright red, my eyes widen.
"Class, resume reading the textbook." The cover supervisor orders, before making his way to my desk.
I bury my face into my palms, still in need of air.
"Miss, are you okay?" He queries.
I lift my head, "yes, um, thank you." I reply, giving a light smile.
Where was that place? I thought to myself.

"All students and staff are to exit the building immediately. I repeat, all students and staff are to exit the building immediately. This is not a drill." The voice on the PA announced,.

Then, gunshots, screams, sirens,and blaring alarms fill each and every centimetre of the school, as everyone evacuated...