The Perfect Sinner series: End of Days

Chapter 2: Chaos

I heard as screams erupted from lips.

The smell of burning wood and melting plastic swiftly entwined with the now distant scent of heaven. Shattered glass glittered and alarms rang wild as greedy hands dug deep into the most expensive shops before pulling out branded goods

Suddenly, an explosion splattered fire onto buildings around me. I watched as the fire tasted the slender buildings before quickly engulfing them in its blistering heat.  Bitter laughter occasionally echoed through the chaos as individuals tried to laugh the situation away. Nevertheless, the sound of the trumpet sill rained throughout the prefect chaos. It pushed though the screams, and poured into listening ears before sinking into the very depths of you.  Somehow it managed to push your emotions aside before presenting you with feelings of nothing but sheer fear.

I, on the other hand, ripped it out of my system until it became nothing more than a distant murmur. I refuse to have anything to do with this.  I've read the bible, and I for one refuse to even deal with this situation- at least not until my mother’s body is buried.  I knelt down beside her, her thick light brown curls sprawled on the cool concrete and her once red lips already turning into a cold deep shade of blue. An icy wind stabbed through my jacket. I got up quickly and ran to the nearest shop. Mum was cold; she needed something to warm her up- a stupid thought for a sixteen year old who was well aware of death. 

In the shop, I pulled a dark purple blanket from the rubble, feeling the soft cotton on my fingertips. What was I doing? She's gone..she doesn't need a blanket. My thought was intreupted by the sounds of   footsteps accompanied with a rattling trolley.  I pulled my eyes away from the soft cotton. A woman with a trolley overflowing with branded goods rushed past me. She paused briefly at a nearby shelve, snatched a blanket and promptly disappeared around the corner. I stared at the empty aisle before turning around and walking slowly towards my mother’s body.  I knelt down and spread the thick blanket over her. My fingertips glided over the surface of her skin before entwining my hands with the empty shell.

  There were no tears, no slow motion and no sad music as, like liquid diamonds, rain crashed into the earth.  Instead, there was chaos, and with every passing moment, it swallowed up the city centre.

Sirens pierced through it all and the public scrambled. I on the other hand just sat there, one hand running through my mother’s thick brown ringlets whilst the other squeezing her frozen delicate hand.  Gradually, I picked myself up. There were two important aspects of my situation: I needed to bury my mother, and then go home.   The burying part would be easy but even with my lacking of emotions- it was the going home part that frightened me. Why wouldn’t it? Alone in a small house where the fragrance of your dead mother latched itself to everything in the home.  Each object resurfacing individual memories- Just thinking about it made unwanted sadness creep into my chest. I thankfully accepted as the numbness quickly engulfed it. I hated myself for not being able to help my mother but I wasn't going to torture myself like that.

I refused to.

I gave out another deep sigh before slipping my hands under my mum’s arms. I began dragging her body away from the disfigured streets .She needed to be buried somewhere calmer than this. Police passed me as they tried to calm the rioting public. Bricks were smashed into their thick plastic shields as citizens began a frenzy of attacks against them. I ignored then as they did me. The purple blanket had long been lost in the destruction but I didn't mind, I could always get another one.

“We are all going to die.  No point in caring about the consequences”. A bitter laugh escaped the mouth of the speaker. He took a drag out of his cigarette before wheezing as the smoke curled from his mouth.  I paused and watched as his body relaxed from that one drag.  He must have noticed I was watching him, because he returned my stare. He said nothing, but his sunken grey eyes watched me intently. He took another drag, his eyes still fixed on mine before sighing deeply. The rest of his friends didn't seem to see me; either that or they just didn't want to. Nevertheless, I looked up at the man and smiled before carrying on.

 I reached the cemetery. The afternoon light washed over the grave stones and the autumn leaves fell gracefully onto the soft green grass creating an almost welcoming atmosphere.   

Damp leaves clung to my feet as I continued to heave my mother in side. When I reached the softest patch of grass I layed her perfectly onto the soft grass before I tuned on my heel and ran back into the chaotic city.   Horses hoofs galloped passed me and instead towards a burning car in the distance. For a brief moment, I watched as hooded silhouettes stared while fire consumed what was left of the car before stuffing my hands in my pocket and slowly rushing into the direction I needed.   It took a few turns before I reached a deserted store.

I hauled an over tuned trolley then pushed it towards the atomic doors. The sound of the trolley rattling echoed throughout the store.  Whilst I carefully walked around fallen shelf, my eyes peered at the graffiti stains that covered the once white walls.  After collecting what I needed I pushed my trolley out of the store and back towards the cemetery. I earned a few stares as crossed the zebra crossing but no one questioned my supplies.

At the cemetery, I parked my trolley near my mother’s body.  I pulled the shovel out and began to dig.  Every time the shovel hit the ground and I tossed the thick brown soil over my head I felt myself become weaker and weaker.  My ears hurt and my eyes stung from the occasional dirt that slid into my eyes.  By the time I had made the hole deep and wide enough for my mother’s body, the sun had long descended from the skies; instead the desolate skies now hovered over me.

Slowly, I laced the hole with blankets and pillows. I tried to gently put my mother into the deep pit yet -like a rock- she plummeted to the bottom of the pit. I stared at her for another few moments before opening the gasoline and plastered her body with it. I pulled my matches from my soft brown leather jacket before harshly sliding a match sick against the side of the box. It lit and whilst I cupped the small light in my hands the fire greedily devoured the wooden match. I let the match fall, flames erupted from the hole; I stumbled backwards onto my butt. 

I sat there, watching as the fire licked the air hungry.  The smell of burning flesh and smoke stung my eyes but still I watched the fire.  It was a while before it subsided and even then, I waited. I don't know for what exactly but I just kept waiting. I let my body fall onto the spongy grass; my eyes roamed the skies for answers, when I found nothing a sad sigh left my lips and I simply rolled onto my stomach before getting up and walking away. My footsteps were slow and dragged against the skin of the earth.  I put my hands in my coat pockets.  I felt my phone. 

Unwillingly, I pulled it form my pocket.  As soon as I switched it on, it began vibrating endlessly. I tapped the last message from Noah and read it.

Maia, please I need to know you're alright. I have been watching the news and it’s horrible out there. Please, text me or call me or write something the dam the sky!  I don't care. Just tell me you’re okay.

That was him alright. I could imagine him pacing or already in his car waiting for me to text him just so he can speed down and get me. 

I'm okay; meet me outside the Oak Hill cemetery. Be quick.

 It only took a few moments before my phone vibrated from his reply.

I will be there.