Till The End

The Road

May of 2031

Everything is gone. Monsters took over the world and left us humans to fend against them and ourselves. Humanity is at stake. Animals are constantly going extinct every second of the day. We've traveled the world together, in hope to find something that'll last for years. We kept telling ourselves that we'll find a place soon. A place that we can call home. Everyday, we tell each other to keep moving forward. We tell each other that we're together till the end...

June of 2019

A teenage brother and a little girl roam around the deserted street, hoping to find a place to relax for the day, even something to eat. "Miah?" The little girl calls out. "Hm?" The young man asks. "Will we ever find a home?" The girl asks. "We'll see, Journey." The teenager answers. "I'm thirsty." The girl announces, seeing the teenager drop the backpack down as he crouches, pulling out a water bottle. "Here." He says while handing it out. "Thanks." Journey replies, grabbing the water bottle and twisting the cap to remove it as she raises it to her mouth and swallows the water. "Do you want some?" She asks. "No, I'm fine, kiddo. Drink up. I don't want you dehydrated." The boy answers. "But you have to take care of yourself, too." Journey replies. "I know I do. I'm taking care of myself by making sure I stay alive to keep you alive." The teenager responds. Journey places the cap back on and hands the bottled water to the teenager, watching it as he sets it back inside the backpack. "Want a snack to keep your tummy for rumbling?" The teenager asks. "Sure. Hopefully we'll find something to eat soon." Journey answers. "I hope so, kiddo." The teenager replies as he hands her the candy bar. He places the straps on his shoulders and stands up. "Come on. We've got places to look for." The teenager calls out. "Can... can you carry me? My feet hurt from walking so much." Journey asks. "Of course." The boy replies, bending over and picking up his sister as she relaxes in his arm. The brother continues walking on the pavement as his boots make sounds from below. "You can sleep if you want. I'll wake you if I find something." The boy announces. "I'll be fine." Journey replies. "You sure? I know you didn't sleep well last night because of the hot sun beaming down on you." The boy replies. "I'll sleep better when we find something comfortable to rest on." Journey responds. Jeremiah let's out a quiet chuckle. "Yeah, true. I didn't even sleep because I had to take watch." He replies. "You could've slept. Nobody was around. Not like anyone is anymore..." The little girl says in his arms, making Jeremiah frown. "There are people out there. Babies, kids, teenagers, adults, elderlies. They're just hard to find because they're too busy hiding. Surviving. I promise you, Journey, we will find a home. Until then, the open road is our home." The boy replies. "I hope so." Journey responds. They stay quiet for the rest of the walk on the open road, until they make it to a little abandoned town. "You see that?" The girl asks. "I see it." The teenager answers, continuing to walk towards the town. They approach a little bar. He sets the girl down and she draws her gun. "Not unless you have to. If there's one or two in there that I don't see, you know what to do. Go for the knee and stab it in the head once it's down." The boy quietly calls out. The girl nods and draws her pocket knife, going into combat stance as the boy draws his knife, slowly twisting the door knob and slowly opening the door as it creaks. The boy continues hiding behind the corner as Journey hides in front of him, ready for something to attack. Nothing does and they peek their heads inside, only to see a bunch of dusty, old drinks with cobwebs that surround the entire area. "Okay, you know what to do. Look for anything we can eat and drink. After that, we get the hell outta here." The teenager calls out. Journey nods and they split up, looking for supplies in every way possible. As Journey approaches the front counter, she trembles to the sight of cobwebs, but checks the cabinets that are hiding below, hoping for a can of food or a bottle of water at least. She checks every cabinet and finds nothing. She sighs and stands up, walking away from the front counter as Jeremiah comes out with two bottled waters. "Found these in the storage unit in the back." He calls out. "Was that all?" Journey asks. "Yes, I'm afraid. Don't worry. There's a pharmacy and a grocery store nearby." Jeremiah answers. "So is this placed cleared?" Journey asks. "My guess, yes. We haven't seen a walker or anybody yet. Hell, not even a can of food." Jeremiah answers. Jeremiah sets the backpack down and places the bottled waters inside, placing the straps on his shoulders again. The two exit the bar and notice the pharmacy and the grocery store. "What should we check first?" Jeremiah asks. "Grocery store. I'm starving." Journey answers. "Okay. Then we check that first." Jeremiah replies. They both begin walking to the grocery store as the windows are all dirty and foggy. "Can't even see inside." Jeremiah says as he tries to look inside. "Alright. We can either enter from the front or the back." Journey calls out. "Let's try the back. I'd imagine the front would be closed off or locked." Jeremiah replies. Journey nods and they both walk to the back, finding a back door as they both draw their knives. Jeremiah pushes down on the door handle and pushes the door open, only to notice glass bottles falling from above as they shatter on the floor below. "Shit!" Jeremiah quietly exclaims. "What was that?" Journey asks. "A sound trap. Alerts the people inside when someone or something has entered inside." Jeremiah answers. "I don't hear anyone in there. Think someone's inside?" Journey asks. "I don't know, but we need to be prepared if there are." Jeremiah replies. They both enter inside with knives ready to attack as they tread their steps carefully. They encounter empty shelves, but have enough canned food. "Okay. Grab as much as we can fit in the backpack. After that, we go to the pharmacy." Jeremiah announces as Journey nods. They split up as they begin grabbing what they can, placing it in the backpack. "Got enough?" Journey asks as they finish after sometime. "Yep." Jeremiah answers. The two siblings exit from where they came from and notice a nearby walker at the pharmacy. "There's one of 'em so far. Stay close to me and keep quiet. We can do this without drawing attention." Jeremiah says to Journey as she nods. They slowly creep their way over to the pharmacy, looking for a way inside as the dead creature roams the side of the pharmacy. "Where should we enter?" Journey asks as Jeremiah peeks inside. "Well, there's obviously a front and a back. Either way is risky since we have that lurking fellow on the side." Jeremiah answers quietly. "So what do we do?" Journey asks. "Well, we can risk getting medicine or we can walk away from here." Jeremiah answers. "It'd be smarter to both grab meds and leave." Journey replies. "I know. That's the hard part." Jeremiah responds. "Fuck it. Let's grab the meds." Journey replies, making Jeremiah's eyes widen. He shakes off the shock of hearing his four year old sister curse and begins walking to the back, knife still in hand ready to attack as his other knife is sheathed. He peeks his head from around the corner and it's clear. "Okay, come." Jeremiah whispers. They both turn the corner and Jeremiah goes to twist the knob. "Shit! It's locked!" He whispers. "Know how to unlock it?" Journey asks. "I picked up a trait back when you were younger. When we were with many groups. It's called lock picking." Jeremiah answers back quietly. As he goes to pick at the lock, the door flies open, making Jeremiah and Journey fly back. "Get the hell away from here!" The man yells as his shotgun is aimed at Jeremiah. "Keep your voice down! There is a walker around here!" Jeremiah aggressively whispers. "Now! Get!" The man yells. The walker turns the corner and meets its new meals. "Fuck!" Jeremiah yells, quickly standing up as the man runs back inside, slamming the door shut as Jeremiah tackles the walker from coming near his sister. He plunges his blade down into its skull, watching as blood spews out from the wound. "You okay?" Jeremiah asks. "Yeah." Journey answers as she heavily breathes. Jeremiah and Journey hug and hear glass breaking inside, making them jump. The door flies open as the man screams with his hand out as walkers begin biting into his cheeks, back, and arms as a pair of keys fly out his grasp. "We gotta go!" Jeremiah yells, picking the keys and his sister up as he sprints away from the horrific sight of the man getting devoured. "Look! There's a car!" Journey points out to the right, making Jeremiah look. "Good catch!" Jeremiah replies, sprinting for the car as more walkers appear. He dodges them and goes to open the door but is currently locked. "Fuck!" He yells. He looks back and notices walkers growling at him, snapping its jaws as they are hungry for some live meat to feast on. "Hold on!" Jeremiah yells, clicking the unlock button on the key as the car unlocks. Journey slides down Jeremiah's arms and quickly enters inside the car as he opens the door. She climbs in the backseat. "Behind you!" She yells. He quickly turns around and punches the engaging walker, making it fall back as he enters inside and slams the door shut. Walkers surround the car as they scratch the windows and growl from the outside as Jeremiah inserts the key into the ignition, starting the car up. It starts. "Buckle up!" Jeremiah yells, quickly placing his seatbelt on as Journey does the same in the back. Jeremiah shifts to drive as the tires screech, quickly driving away from the herd infested town as walkers slowly chase after the distant car.

Nighttime

The car is off and to a stop as Journey lays in the backseat of the car while Jeremiah takes watch. "Miah?" "Hm?" "What were Mom and Dad like?" Journey asks, making Jeremiah's eyes widen as he frowns. "Every time I try to picture them or hear their voices, I can't... Wh- Why can't I remember them?" Journey asks. Jeremiah sighs, "you were just a baby when everything happened. It's why you can't remember them. Everything happened so fast, I..." Jeremiah pauses. "What?" Journey asks. "Nothing. Try to get some sleep. I got watch." Jeremiah answers. "Are you gonna tell me what happened to them?" Journey asks. "You wouldn't understand. Not now. I'll tell you when you're older." Jeremiah answers. "Didn't you say I had another brother? Jaden I think his name was." Journey asks. "Yeah. I don't know what happened to him. Before the world went to hell, we were close. True brother bond. I had his back and he had mine. I don't know what happened to him or where he is. If he's out there he's lucky to be alive." Jeremiah answers as Journey stays silent. "Will we find a home? I don't want to live in the car forever." Journey asks. "Something's out there. We just have to find it." Jeremiah answers. "I promise you, Journey. I'll fight to find it, no matter how difficult the situation is. I won't rest until I know you're safe. Until we find a home. We're together... till the end." Journey yawns and closes her eyes, only seeing darkness as Jeremiah places his blade by the driver side window as the moon light glistens his sharp blade. He sighs and sits back in his seat, hoping to find a home for him and his little sister.