The Ends Beginning.

Starvation Doesn't Give a Shit

"Yes," I mumbled. With a black fingerless gloved hand, I dusted off a large can of ravioli I had just stumbled over.

Glancing at the expiration date and decided to ignore the fact that is was due two years ago.

Can't be too picky nowadays.

Jogged back to my small group to share my findings.

"Food!" Elliott, the youngest boy, screeched.

"Great going Elliott, let everyone in a fifty mile radius know we're  here." And that would be Rhoss, grumpy as ever. Rhoss was a tall, lanky, nerdy looking boy. Always squinting, due to the fact he is half blind and lost his only pair of glasses four months ago. It's understandable why that makes him grumpy.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, dipshit," I frowned at Rhoss for once again rubbing that innocent smile off of Elliott's face.

It's true. The small gas station was located on the outskirts of the city of Oklahoma. No one lived in Oklahoma before the apocalypse, why would anyone be here now.

"What is it?" Elliott questioned, completely ignoring our banter, it wasn't uncommon that Rhoss and I didn't get along. I didn't get to answer before Elliott snatched the dusty bent can from my grip.

"Beef ravioli!" He exclaimed in happiness. Nothing could deter his smile for more then a couple minutes.

"Umm, beef?" The high pitched voice of Delaney came. "I can't. I'm vegan."

"Oh my gosh," I facepalmed hard enough to make myself  wince. "I don't think starvation gives a shit, buddy."

"I'm not your bud, Emerson. Tone the smart ass comments down would you," Delaney rolled her eyes, sassily as ever.

Delaney was totally a stereotypical teenage brat. Spoiled as hell before The End. So vain, picky about what she eats, I can't have that shirt because it suits Delaneys  complexion better. And boy did she die when all the electronics went out and she had to ditch her phone, it's like she'd forgotten there's a world outside of her phone.

If Rhoss wasn't dating Delaney and he wasn't insanely smart I would've ditched the duo with Elliott a millennium ago. But alas, smart life saving facts from Rhoss came with sassy comments from both of them apparently.

"Okay, well why you two hill Billy's eat from a can of sludge that only rats would eat from, I'm going to find something vegan and gluten free," Delaney then sauntered off, Rhoss following closely behind.

Good riddance.

It's a miracle those two have not died yet. 

It took awhile but I finally found a way to open the can. The ravioli inside looks the same way it'd look if I had opened this can two years earlier. Shrugging his shoulders, Elliott dug in with the forks he'd gotten from our backpacks. You never know how much you need a fork until you don't have one. Same goes for towels, tampons, soap, you get the picture.

Let me explain a little. The End, the apocalypse, end to the earth we know. Happened four years ago. It started slow, problems with phone services, no one could communicate, caused confusion and fear. Then, the water stopped working. People stopped showing up for work, hide themselves in their homes. Everyone was getting sick, well not everyone. Every single adult was dead within a month of the beginning signs. Some thought we were getting a reset. The teens could rule the world without being monitored, some thought a punishment, didn't matter what we thought though, it was a living hell after the adults were gone. Drowning their pain in grief or celebrating, teens ran through the streets drunk and stealing things. It got violent, chaotic. Our generation feels as if we can never die, we're invincible, even Superman has a weakness. No one is truly invincible. They tried to create a system, a community, but when the food began to run out is when everyone went into a mad frenzy. Everyone was selfish and scared, people acted in fear, took what they could then ran. Many people got hurt, many died.

"Em?" Elliott snapped me out of my daze into the broken empty shelf that sat next to me.

"Yeah, buddy?" I mumbled, feeling the affects of not having water for the last couple of hours.

"Emerson, help," Elliott whispered. I snapped my head to Elliott, I've never heard him so scared. Behind Elliott who had the ravioli clutched to his chest stood a man towering over him. All black clothes, very muscular and a black face mask covering his nose on down. What really alarmed me was the shining sliver knife pressed tightly to Elliott's throat.

"Who are you?" The stranger asked. I thought about lying, however, Elliott said my name so that's not going to work.

"Emerson," I glared at him.

"What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like dumbass-" he cut me off as he obviously pressed hard on Elliott's neck. I threw up my hands to make him stop "Okay, okay." The stranger released a little but still stayed strong. "What do you want from us?"

"I want you to leave, and take your loud and annoying friends with you," he demanded.

Friends? Oh. Delaney and Rhoss. Pfft. He said friends? Nah. Damn. I wanted to leave them.

"Okay, you got it Pal. Now hand over the kid." The stranger shoved Elliott into my arms causing me to stumble a little. I looked back up and he was nowhere to be seen.

Okay creepy asshole with anger issues. I didn't like it here anyways.

"AH!" A sudden ear deafening blast radiated from where Rhoss and Delaney has wondered off to. I scrambled out the back door of the small gas station towards the sound.

"Shit," I spun around and jerked Elliott into my arms, shielding his eyes whilst ducking back into the building.

"Em, what's going on?"

Despite not looking at the scene anymore I doubt I will ever forget what I just saw.

Blood painted the streets and Delaneys lifeless eyes gazed right past me. Her skin the color of snow, Rhoss's body not far behind hers along with the strangers body, slumped again the wall outside. All dead.

I pushed Elliott behind the cashier counter. Cursing at myself when I realized I had cornered us in. Too late now.

A agonizingly slow single pair of foot steps crunched over the fallen leaves that were scattered around the floor. 

My heartbeat sounding like the loudest thing in the room until the back door of the gas station slowly screeched open. A deathly screech.

My hand was around Elliott's mouth and my own as we stayed as quiet as we could. Not even breathing.

"Yoo hoo? I know you're in here."

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Let me know what you think. Want to see if this is even worth writing.

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