The Apocalypse

Chapter 9

It was a hassle getting back to our community, especially for me. I still had the meat cleaver buried into my knee because Plum said that we didn't have the supplies he needed. I couldn't walk, so everyone else had to take turns carrying me, even though I said I could walk with my good leg. "You don't always have to act tough, Manny. You can't walk." Josh said. "I mean. if you guys could give me a chance I could." I replied.

We had stopped at a little spot in the desert we thought was a good resting point. I had sat down with my right leg out, and I checked out the cleaver that was lodged in my knee. "This thing is fucking disgusting." I said. At first it just looked like a meat cleaver that was jabbed into a knee, but now my knee was all puffed up and looked disgusting, and to my surprise there was still blood gushing out of it.

I tried to stand up, and I had gotten up on my good leg but then I collapsed as soon as I put some pressure on my bad leg. The feeling was something I had never felt before. Still, I could feel the cold steel buried deep inside my leg. Abby kept looking over at me, and she would always try to hide her worried face from me. I don't understand why, even when at her worst she is still stunning to look at. With her dirty blond hair, those gorgeous baby blue eyes, her body, and her smile. Holy fuck was her smile beautiful.

There's a lot of things to love in this life, and Abby is basically every single one of them. I don't know what I did, or how I had managed to get myself such a girl like her. I guess she could tell I was thinking pretty hard because she asked me if I was alright. I nodded my head yes then asked, "Are you guys ready to go?" Then we heard a loud gunshot. Immediately I rolled over and played dead, but I wish I didn't because I landed right on the cleaver. I couldn't help myself but give out a loud ass scream.

Josh threw a blanket on me and told me to shut up. I couldn't tell what was going on, all I heard were a lot of gunshots. And they were extremely loud. I covered my ears to try and block out some of the sound, but the gunshots were just too loud. Then I heard Abby scream. Immediately, I took off the blanket and I stood up. I didn't give a fuck about the meat cleaver that was still lodged into my knee.

I looked around for Abby but couldn't find her anywhere. I limped on over to where Josh was taking cover. "Where are they?" He asked me. "I have no clue. Where is Abby?" Josh pointed over to our right. I saw Abby and Dr. Plum trying to take cover so Plum could try and help Abby. I took out my revolver and I peeked over the wall I was hiding behind to get a better view. I saw a little black spot and I immediately shot at it. It was exactly what I thought it would be: A persons head.

I could tell because as soon as my bullet had hit, you saw blood splat and shoot out. It was a gory sight. I had moved over to Abby to see if she was alright. I looked to see that she had been hit in her shoulder. She handed me her revolver. "Take this for the time being, but give it back once you've killed them all." I nodded in agreement and I stood back up and I ran into the open. I saw two dudes poke their heads out and I shot at them both. I had managed to hit one right in the stomach, but I missed the other guy.

I ran up to finish off the guy I had shot, but then I was immediately shot at by someone else. I ducked for cover behind a large rock. I sat down for a minute while trying to wait for the enemy to reload. It was a scary moment because all I heard were gunshots flying by my head. Then I saw Josh poke out his head and aim for the guy that was shooting at me. I watched as he fired his gun then ducked back again. Immediately, all the firing had stopped. I stayed under cover and Josh poked his head out once more.

Josh didn't see anybody, and started to cheer. He was jumping around all happily and then we heard another gunshot. My first reaction was to look at Josh. As soon as I had looked up, Josh was gushing blood from his neck where the bullet penetrated him. I saw him grab at his neck to try and stop the bleeding. I was about to stand up and run to him when I heard another two shots, both louder than the first one. BANG BANG. I watched as Josh took another shot at his arm. Josh fell. 

I stood up and I started charging towards where I heard the gunshots. At the time, I was too filled with adrenaline to feel the meat cleaver still in my leg. I had found the person who shot Josh. I had shot him in the knees and I went over to brutally murder this man. I was almost there when I realized I had dropped my knife back near Abby. It was too late to go back. I looked down at my knee, and at the cleaver. I heard Josh's screams in pain. Hearing that triggered something deep inside me.

I put my hand on the cleavers handle and I started to pull. I could feel the cold steel as it moved out of my leg. I had finally torn it out and I went over to the guy. I looked at him dead in the eyes and I slashed at his neck. I watched as the guy who shot down my brother tried to stop the bleeding. I kicked him over and I slashed at his arms. Eventually, I felt something hard. It had been the mans bone. But that didn't stop me, I continued to hack at both of his arms until finally they both came off. 

I looked down upon him like I did with Larson, however this time I felt more anger. He looked to me in such sadness, like he wasn't expecting this to happen. He looked at me and whispered, "Please, let me be..." I gave him a pissed off look and I proceeded to curb stomp his head until finally there was nothing left but mush. I took the cleaver and I slammed it into his chest.

I took his gun and walked over to the guy Josh had shot earlier. He looked at me and pleaded for mercy. I walked up to him and I grabbed his head. He had grabbed at my hands, until I shot them. I grabbed at his head and his chin and I snapped his neck. I picked up his assault rifle and I used it as a walking stick. I walked back towards everyone else and went immediately towards Josh. I was happy to see that both Abby and Dr. Plum were already attending to Josh. I looked at my brother and said, "You're gonna be alright Josh, I promise." I started to tear up. "Josh, just look at me, not your shoulder. Everything is going to be fine. I promise." Dr. Plum was assuring Josh.

I had looked down at the boot on my right leg. It was covered in blood, mud, and some chunks of brain. I looked back at Josh. I kneeled down and I put my hand in Josh's. "Stay strong, brother. Please." I managed to say as I was crying. Abby had gotten up and walked over to my side. She was crying as well. I held her in my arms and I hugged her like I hugged nobody else. "We need to get back to our community. And fast." Dr. Plum said. "I'm strong enough to carry Josh." I said. We had no other choice, and I was NOT leaving Josh here to die.

I picked Josh up, got my knife and guns, and then we were off. "We aren't very far from your home. We should be there in an hour at the most." Abby told us as we started to walk back. It was a good thing to hear, because I needed to get Josh back as fast as we possibly could. I could care less about my leg, I was carrying the real priority in my arms. Josh lifted his head and asked, "Did we win?" I smiled faintly and replied,

"We sure did Josh. We sure did."