An Twisted Mind: Short Stories

Food Crisis

Ethan gripped the baseball bat. he silently waited, watching his knuckles pale. Ethan squinted, his eyes trying to discern what was beyond the darkened isle. There it was again...ever so closer. Ethan's mind followed the rhythm of footsteps as they neared. An audible thud of an can could be heard. it rolled on its side past Ethan deeper in the maze of isles in the store. ' Shit shit shit ' called out as he chased the can. An pudgy older man perhaps in his late 40s emerged and followed the can oblivious of his presence. Ethan silently inched out as the man bent over to retrieve the canned food. Ethan tapped the baseball bat on the floor. its thud rung through the empty store. The man stood up straight up and slowly turned around. He looked terrified but Ethan scored. The man clutched an massive can along with four normal sized cans. He fought to keep his composure. ' Hey man chilll.. look..I don't  want trouble. ' ' Drop the cans ' Ethan commanded. he muttered ' no ' Ethan impatiently quieter tone ' I have an family ' He sounded desperate, but also scared. 'Drop the cans ' Ethan shot back. ' no ' he squeaked. he begun backing up slowly until running his back into another shelf. Ethan slowly advanced, holding the baseball bat in his right hand pointing it down in an angle. After looking quickly left and right the man made an sharp right, deeper in the store. Ethan made chase and quickly caught up. Out of shape he struggled to keep an sprinting pace and begun looking from an exit. At the back of the store laid some scrap from an dismantled air conditioning unit. He quickly grabbed an short metal pipe, about an foot long. His arms shook and sweat dripped off his rolls of neck fat. Ethan laughed sensing his inexperience. ' Last time dough boy... give me the fucking cans ' ' I-I told you I can't ' Ethan edged closer till he had backed up the man in the back left corner in the store. Ethan faked an jump towards him and then dodged the anticipated attack. The man swung with his whole body. Ethan swiftly swung the bat towards his exposed right side and connected the hit in the middle of his back. ' Arghh...' he gasped as an audible crunch could be heard. Ethan swung again and his arm blocked the swing for his head. The man dropped the pipe and grasped his armed. ' Fuck man just t- ' it was too late. Ethan swung again and the bat was planted square in his forehead. the man toppled over hitting the back of his head on the walls. The blood surged out of the trauma spot on the back of his head and soon the whole floor was an shade of red. Without an second thought, Ethan searched the man for anything of use. After checking the back pant pocket, an lighter revealed its self. Ethan went to retrieve the cans and make his way out. The air was an distasteful rotting sour smell. Ethan's eyes watered as he tasted it on his tongue. Ethan begun the process of kicking all the bushes. On the third bush an metal object offered resistance, his bike. Ethan dove his hands in the thorny bush, the dried dull tan leaves bearing an stark contrast to his cherry red bike. After pulled out his bike, he put the cans in the front and back basket. He begun to pedal on the side walk, occasionally dodging sun dried corpses from fridays riots. The high rise city buildings casted eerie shadows on each other as the light noise of pedaling seemed to be amplified by the soundless building and quiet environment. The Cloud Nine Apartment complex came into view. The red bricked building seemed out of place in an sea of modern metal buildings. Ethan set the cans on the weathered wooden stairs and hid his bike in another large bush. Ethan hiked up to the stairs to the 7th floor and knocked. Maddie came to the door and opened it for him. She sat back on the floor and patted their baby's back until he stopped coughing. Ethan peeled back an can of oranges and carrots and gave it to her. She slowly poured the orange juice in his mouth. before consuming the carrots herself. Dam.. I was hoping he would be better by now, it looks even worse. I'll need to find some antibiotics at this rate. Ethan thought to himself as he gave his girlfriend an weak smile. The two sat on the floor surrounding by empty formula bottles and snacks.  Ethan walked back to the small kitchen and peered through the faded white plastic blinds watching the sun set over the medium sized river. Plant life was near absent and debris has been abandoned or washed ashore, like most of the planet. Additionally, an unknown pollutant painted the once light grey water an dark blue creating an trippy scene with an orange sunset.