Reddit Stories 2019

Petland

Mercedes held her breath as she crept down the hall, gently testing each floorboard before she shifted her weight. She could hear them clawing at the ground below. They'd be on her in seconds at the slightest mistake, tearing into her with claws and teeth. She'd seen it happen enough times.

Trying one of the apartments, Mercedes slipped inside, locking the door behind her. They were smarter than people assumed. Probably smarter than before the change. Too many people died from not being cautious.

Mercedes crossed the room, still quickly but quietly, pulling the windows closed and locking them as well. It was unlikely anything could get to her on the fourth floor. Unlikely, but not impossible.

With the apartment secure, Mercedes let out a sigh of relief. The tension in her shoulders faded away as she admired the cute decor. Whoever used to own the place clearly loved pastels. A green couch sat opposite a pair of slipper chairs, yellow and orange. Under different circumstances, it might have been gaudy, but Mercedes hadn't seen anything so inviting since March. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep and pretend, for just a moment, the world hadn't ended.

But she couldn't.

Mercedes meandered into the kitchen, searching for food that wasn't rotting. Her food stores were running low and her garden produced a pair of tomatoes and nothing else. With winter approaching, she needed to bulk her pantries sooner than later. Unfortunately, the pastel-loving ex-resident didn't leave much behind. She swept the rice and cans into her backpack.

A loud crash came from behind her. Mercedes yelped and spun, pulling the knife from her hip. It didn't help most of the time, but she decided it was better to have and not need.

A scruffy orange cat watched her from his perch on a bookshelf. On the floor lay a shattered picture frame. Mercedes felt her heart skip a beat.

A thundering sound broke the silence. The door rattled as the pack of dogs outside launched themselves at it and the angry barks echoed through the walls. Mercedes found her legs and raced for the bedroom, darting past the cracking door and smug cat, which lazily swiped at her.

Slamming the door shut, Mercedes looked around, searching for an escape route. Her heart pounded hard enough to hurt. She cursed herself for not checking more carefully for pets. She was always cautious around dogs, but cats were skilled hunters by nature. She walked right into a trap.

Outside, the door finally broke down. Mercedes was out of time.

Flinging the window open, Mercedes crawled out. She clung to the cold brick and shuffled along the wall. The ledge was just wide enough for her toes. A golden retriever stuck its head out the window, snapping at her. Drool fell from its mouth and splattered Mercedes with every bark. Red stained its jaws.

Mercedes crawled along the building. Her muscles screamed at her and she felt her grip weakening with every step. Soon enough she'd fall to the concrete below. Following her every step of the way was the smug orange cat, practically rubbing its victory in her face as it walked pridefully along the narrow ledge.

Finally finding an open window, Mercedes pulled herself up, groaning in pain. The cat watched her struggle, looking almost amused by her situation, before pridefully marching back, no doubt to tell the pack where she was. Not that they needed help. They had her scent now. There was no escape.

This apartment was dark and ruined. No doubt some other survivor already stumbled across it and pulled everything useful.

Ignoring her body's protest, Mercedes pushed herself to her feet. She didn't have much time before the pack found her. She poked her head out of the apartment door, scanning the hallway. There was no trace of the pack. In some way, the silence was more disturbing, but Mercedes wasn't the kind to throw away an opportunity. She crept down the hall quickly, aiming for the stairs up. She built a makeshift bridge to the neighboring building on the 6th floor. From there, she could find a safe path home.

The familiar clicking sound of claws on wood followed her as she crawled up the stairs, but the hall was empty. She could feel the eyes on her. Still, as she made her way to the sixth floor, she saw no sign of the pack.

Until she saw the golden.

The dog guarded the open door to her escape. She could see the ladder bridge beyond his matted fur. Drool formed a puddle on the floor. The dog bared his teeth, letting a low growl fill the hallway.

Mercedes took a couple steps back until she heard the same low rumble echo behind her. Two more members of the pack stood at the bottom of the stairs behind her. Between them, the smug orange cat. He purred with pride.

The hunter set a trap.

Mercedes slung her backpack off her shoulders, holding it in one hand. With the other, she pulled her knife. Her muscles protested as she tensed, but adrenaline took over. Mercedes locked eyes with the golden retriever, like in a classic western.

For a moment, nothing but silent dares.

Then she sprang forward, pumping her legs with all her might. She flung her bag backwards and heard a yelp as it collided with one of the dogs. The golden charged her, snarling in fury, but as the dog jumped, Mercedes rolled, barely missing its snapping jaws. She was on her feet before it landed, charging for the exit.

Mercedes lunged for the ladder. Her whole body screamed in pained fury, but freedom was in sight. As soon as she was in the other building, she could kick the ladder free and she'd be safe.

She screamed as one of the dogs sank its teeth into her ankle. Mercedes fell short of her goal, hitting her head on the window sill. Fuzzy stars filled the world and her knife clattered away. The golden shook its head violently as it pulled her further from freedom. She kicked at it, but her body wouldn't cooperate.

Slowly, Mercedes' world faded to darkness.