Mᴜᴛᴀɴᴛ Aᴘᴏᴄᴀʟʏᴘsᴇ 4: Tʜᴇ Tʜʀᴇᴇ Tʀɪʙᴇs ❪✓❫

01 || 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐒

𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝟷𝟸𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟽
𝙵𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚜 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚛
𝙵𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢...

𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝗼𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Two seventeen-year-olds, soon to be eighteen in August walked along the road as brother and sister. They once lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and traveled all the way to Pennsylvania in hopes of another quarantine zone. The teens didn't find anything in New York since it was basically a ghost town--literally.

These two are like jelly and peanut butter, carrots and broccoli, fire and ice, thunder and lightning, they've got an amazing bond. So far, they haven't been in a group or met anyone. To them, they think everyone in Pennsylvania is dead. But they are not going to give up that easily when this is a big world full of supplies and smart people who had to have survived.

Kodiak or Kodi is the oldest. He's only two minutes older than his twin sister, Amber. He calls her 'A'. Now both of the twins do not have any survival experience except for the abilities they have. When they were younger, their parents never let them outside unless it was dark because of how they looked.

What a familiar story...

The day of the outbreak was the day of their freedom. To be out there in the world. It's unfortunate that they didn't get the dream they've always wanted until now. The worst time possible.

Kodiak and Amber don't have to walk, they can do anything else instead of using their legs all day, but they don't want to stand out too much to whatever might be spying on them.

"When do you think we'll find food or people?" Amber broke the silence between them.

Kodi looked back on the road they walked on and back in front of him. "Not sure. We've been doing just fine on our own."

"Fine, but the next rabbit I see I'm totally calling dibs."

Kodi chuckled at his little sister and soon had his smirk wiped away when his left ear twitched. He stopped, putting an arm in front of Amber to stop her too. Their ears pinned, rattling, reaching for the guns they barely knew how to work, and got themselves ready.

Kodi's breath shook. "Get ready to flee if we need..."

The noises in the very thick treeline grew louder until a very big figure emerges, cloaked in a jacket and mask. It wobbled in the road to get its balance and stare at the two shifters standing side by side. The twins could tell this thing tilted its head in curiosity. They don't know what to say to this thing because the face is completely blocked by the mask. This person wore a backpack, boots, belt, anything a well-equipped survivor would wear.

"Kodi?" Amber mumbled, moving behind her brother.

Then it crouched like how a primate would, coming closer in a crouched position. Maybe this is its way of showing it isn't a threat. Kodiak brought the gun to the "creature's" forehead, but his hand barely shook. The covered-up man didn't flinch or get aggressive, he just reached out and lowered Kodi's hand.

The twins noticed the man's hands are gloved up in leather and his arms are hidden by the jacket fabric. "Who are you?" Kodi asked it.

The man stood up, taller than the kids of course. Kodiak is just a couple of feet shorter than the stranger.

After straightening its posture, the man motioned his hand in a following gesture.

****

Fifteen minutes into the walk...

The twins were actually pretty surprised to see somebody out here. They thought no one will pop up. Shortly after being accompanied by this person, they started calling him Hero until they learned his name. But it is disappointing that their biggest question has been put on the shelf.

Hero is walking back to where he lives, and it is far from everything and everyone.

"You're different," Amber said, following beside their new friend. "I knew we weren't the only ones."

'Hero' doesn't answer.

"Amber, don't say so much. He probably isn't in the mood." Kodi touched her shoulder. He has a very frightening aura to this new being.

Amber fell back on purpose to speak with Kodi privately as they walked behind Hero. "When do you think he'll say something?"

"When he is ready."

Amber really wants to know more about this guy and what baggage he carries. Who knows how long he has been out here alone. What they didn't know is that he needed them to help him find his back home. He won't even look at the twins.

Hero must be friendly because he did make a very gentle gesture toward Kodi on the road. Perhaps he isn't the social type but cares about others who need help.

The twins wanted to talk out loud but they just couldn't because they had Hero walking in front of them. So they have their own language that they use called 'Ratitats'.

Their ears allowed them to communicate without making eye contact. It replicated the sound of a rattlesnake or maracas. They both conversed.

Flick flick flick. Rattled Amber.

Her brother responds. Flick flick.

Amber flicks one last time. Flick flick flick flick.

Flick flick. They wrapped it up.

Hero looked over his shoulder, wondering what they are saying. He can tell they are talking in a whole different way.

Kodiak and Amber did this for a few more minutes and switched back to verbal. Flick flick-- "We'll see." Kodi finished up. He caught Hero turning his head back around to the front. He is definitely interested in these two.

The twins' animal instincts told them that Hero isn't very happy with himself. They guessed he hasn't smiled in a long time. Hero is so grey-looking and both shifters feel he has no warmth in his cheeks.

But other than focusing on Hero, Amber saw how much the weeds and grass grew in the forest. The animals haven't been in this area. The trees are a nature-made roof, blocking out a lot of sunlight. Anything can live in here if they kept a low profile.

So far, Hero hasn't removed his gas mask or said a single word, not even a mumble. Both twins don't have a clue what he looks like underneath that mask. They can't even predict when he'll take it off. Hero has got to be a very private man.

They'll soon find out who he is. An old lawyer, a scientist, pizza man, doctor, someone. He used to be someone before he covered up his whole body.

****

Translation:

Amber- What's going on? Where is he going?
Kodiak- I dunno, he's still walking...
Amber- should we do something? Kodi?
Kodiak- Amber, I don't know yet.

****

Introducing my best friend in real life, The_Zodiac_Queenie