What We've Become

Odd's End

 Screams echoed in Kasey's ears. He groaned, grabbing ahold of them, trying to block out the piercing sound. It was no use, the rattling sound coming from inside of his head. The sound of shuffling stood out above the ever-going screech. He tried to open his eyes, though they were heavy, as if he'd not slept in an eternity. Groaning, he pried his eyelids open, looking around.

The area was nothing. Forest was everywhere. Trees lined the sky, moss slowly climbing their trucks. There was a breeze, filling the air with a peaceful whisper, almost as if souls were trying to talk to him. He scanned the entirety of his location, searching for anything besides the trees and grass. After overlooking it multiple times, something caught his eye; a foot was poking out of a billow of cheat-grass and weeds. It was an everyday sneaker, and it was so familiar. A pit in Kasey's stomach began to ache. The design, the color, the size_ it was Arrow's old worn out running shoes.

"Arrow?" Kasey's voice came out as nothing more than a raspy whisper, like he hadn't talked in a century. A cough erupted from his mouth.

"Arrow?" An unfamiliar voice mimicked.

Kasey's body tensed up. "Hello?" He whimpered, his eyes sweeping over the deserted and unfamiliar landscape of the forest.

"Hello," The voice copied again. It sounded like that of a young child.

"What do you want?" Kasey exclaimed desperately.

"I don't know you," The child replied musically.

"Where are you?" He screeched.

"Look above!" The child giggled.

Kasey's head shot up, his green eyes locking with the unfamiliar brown ones of the source of the voice. On the big branch above him perched a young girl. She was no older than six, her waves of brown hair rolling over her shoulders, so long that it touched the tree branch, despite her sitting up. Her skin was fair, an assortment of freckles over each check and across her tiny button nose.

"Who are you?" Kasey asked.

"My name's Anastasia," She cooed. "But everyone here just calls me Annie." She jumped off the branch, landing on her feet. She was more than a foot shorter than Kasey, having to crank her head nearly all the way in order to see his face. "What's your name?"

Hesitantly, he gave her his name. "Kasey Matthis..."

"Aw! You're new! I thought I heard the screams," Annie went on.

"Screams? Okay... Why am I here, wait_ Where is here?" Kasey asked, looking around.

"Oh! You're in the Montana section of the Rockies.

"How did I get here?" Kasey pressed, panic rising though his body.

Annie tilted her head. "Well, I'd assume it was the same way we all got here! The Zombies!"

"Wait... Zombies?" Kasey shouted, an almost unbearable fear clutching its hold on his gut.

"Yep!" The child cooed. "He kills us and eats us so that he can go on living!"

"I gotta get out of here! I gotta find my brother and we gotta run!" Kasey squalled, jumping to his heavy and achy legs.

"Calm down!" Annie growled. "You're already dead, stupid!"

"What?" Kasey whimpered, tears coming to his eyes.

"Duh. That's why I heard the screams."

Kasey slumped down, creeping for his brother's shoe. "Please God, let him be okay..." He whispered.