I tread on the fine grass, crushing it beneath the soles of my damaged combat boots. The sun glistens a warm yellow, shining through multiple oaks and glazing their leaves with a radiant light. I remove my black hoodie and backpack, carelessly tossing them onto the soil, my bare arms now basking in the sunshine. Scenes like this are impossible to come by anymore, it's almost magical even - like it was stolen from a fairytale, and I'm the not so charming heroine leading the story. I slide against the nearest tree, thumping to the ground before gazing up at the cloudless blue sky, peeking between the tall greenery. Just as I do, my eyes catch glimpse of the birds of nature, flapping their wings across the atmosphere without a care in the world.
It's peaceful, more peaceful than it's ever been before and I don't deserve this, not after everything I've done. I don't deserve to relax here and I definitely don't deserve to be alive.
*2 YEARS EARLIER*
"You want some Eri?" Maya offers me a bar of dairy milk as I sit at her kitchen counter, watching as she fumbles through her households cupboards and refrigerator in search of some midnight snacks.
"Hell yeah" I take it from her hand and carefully open up the foil wrapping, the chocolatey aroma ushers out instantly, making my glands salivate. I break a square off and pop it into my gob, the smooth texture melts all over my tongue leaving a heavenly sweet taste.
"Pfft I'll just bring all of this" Mayas strawberry blonde hair swings round as she turns to face me, her arms clinging onto various biscuits and crisps.
"Woah" I exclaim with a mouthful of choc.
"Lets a goooo" She grins widely, her face beaming with joy.
We trot back upstairs to her room and plop down onto her bed, the snacks spilling from her clutch like an infinite waterfall.
I chuckle, "we're going to explode".
"It's the weekend" she shrugs "time to pig out", she turns on the tv, accidentally displaying the news.
'We're not sure what's going on but- but people are killing each other, they've turned into savages' The reporter panics over the loud rain pelting down onto her umbrella and the distant, echoing screams, she persistently glances over her shoulder, a nervous expression plastered across her face.
"We need to go" The cameraman speaks to her "we need to go now" he shouts as a sudden wave of blood dunked lunatics dash towards them, he ditches the camera, dropping it onto the pavement, it smashes and the video turns to the black and white, eerie buzz of static.
"What the-" My heart wrenches out of fear "what the hell was that?".
"Probably just a prank" Maya seems unbothered "I see stuff like this all the time, prank shows ya know".
I stare at her, "this is the news channel".
"I'm sure it's nothing Eri seriously, don't worry".
The channel cuts back to the cities main news tower.
"Erm" The man sitting at the desk stares off to his colleagues "we've lost Amanda and Rick, nobody has a clue what's going on, but that was downtown Franford" His voice shakes.
Franford... the town next to our city.
*buzz buzz*
My phone notifies me of messages from my dad-
Dad: Did you see the news?
Me: I did, what's going on?
Dad: I don't know, your mum and I are worried though, should I come and pick you up?
"My dad's asking if he should come and pick me up" I tell Maya.
"What, why?".
"Because of what just happened on the news".
She rolls her eyes before stuffing an oreo cookie into her mouth, "no, everything's fine" , she muffles.
Me: no, it's okay dad, I'll be home in a few hours anyway
Dad: okay sweetie, be safe, night night x
Me: Goodnight x
Maya grabs the remote and switches the tele off.
"There, now there's nothing to stress about" She smiles at me but the uneasy feeling still lingers in my throat.
"Crisps?" She chucks me a pack of cheese and onion.
"Thanks".
