7 Days of Darkness

Chapter 11 - Genocide

Night 6

Justin:

I heard the gunshot and yelled as John fell to the ground. At the same time Victor also fell and I could finally see that John had used the shard of glass to stab Victor's frigid heart.

I immediately rushed towards John's body, still breathing from the shot, but not for long. The bullet had landed in his stomach and he only had a few seconds left. I leaned over him and put my hand on his cheek. John, my only friend for months after we met was now dying in my arms.

He breathed slow and deep and I could almost feel the life seeping out of his body. I was crying now, I felt scared and sad, John didn't deserve this.

John was crying as well now and I could tell that he needed to go, but one last miracle happened before he left. "Thank you...for everything...Justin." He spoke. After months of never saying a word, he finally spoke to me.

"I'm sorry John." I replied.

He chuckled. "I'll...walk it off."

We both laughed for a second and then, he was gone. I yelled and slammed my fist into the ground. John didn't do anything wrong, why did he have to be taken? But my thoughts meant nothing in the grand scheme of life.

• • •

Chloe:

The desert night was cold around me as I ran towards Justin's house. I had heard a gunshot and immediately left Lily, sprinting towards the sound. I knew I was too late to save whoever had just been killed, I just hoped it wasn't one of my friends.

I arrived at the house and could hear sobbing inside which filled my gut with a horrible feeling. I opened the door and something heavy fell outside with a loud THUD, but in the dark I wasn't able to see what it was. I stepped over the object and into the house where I immediately stopped and gasped. There, laying before me was Justin leaning over the still body of John.

I began to cry as well and knelt down beside Justin. Trying to comfort him would've been useless. I couldn't do anything except sit and mourn with him.

Several minutes passed before I started to leave. I thought it best to give Justin space, but as I was leaving, I smelled what seemed to be gasoline in the air. The night around me grew warmer until I was almost sweating! At that moment I knew what had happened and I rushed outside only to see two houses engulfed in flames.

Staring at the blazing spectacle I could hear the screams of Lily and Harry and could only assume that they were trapped inside. I closed my eyes and put my hand over my mouth. There was no time to help them, they were both on the other end of town.

As I mourned for the loss of three more people, I thought about Tanner. Where was he? What had happened to my brother? I searched desperately around Mournstead hoping to see some sign of life. Then I felt a burning sensation on my skin, and turned around to find Justin's house set ablaze! "But how?" I thought "The fire was on the other end of the town!"

I looked around once more and found Tanner, a jug of gasoline by his side, staring up at the fiery phenomenon, smirking.

My eyes widened and I started towards him but then realized that Justin was still inside the building! I pivoted back to the door and saw that the heavy object leaning against the door was none other than the dead body of Victor.

Stepping back, I barely missed the walls crashing on top of him, blocking my path to Justin. I only had one opening left to call for Justin but my throat was filled with smoke and I was unable to speak. He still hunched over John's body but I couldn't tell if he was passed out from the smoke or if he had just given up.

Lumber kept falling from the ceiling and I needed to leave if I wanted to survive. The last thing left to do was hope that he lived.