Humanity Gone: After the Plague

by Derek Deremer

  “Me too.” he responds. He continues to accelerate. Some hours later Jon brings the car to a halt, few words are shared between us. We’re near the top of a hill, and we pull off. Jon asks Caitlyn for the binoculars and jumps out to the front of the car.

  “Do you see anything, Jon?” I ask shouting out the window.

  “Yea they are there alright.” The road we are on eventually leads directly to the outpost itself. However there is a set of houses at the bottom of a hill in front of the outpost. I guess he could try to sneak up the hill and then across the road. It doesn't seem very safe.

  “Jon I don't think this is...”

  “I have to, Sara.” He looks straight at me. “There's no other way.” He takes the car out of park and he backtracks until he comes to the bottom road. He chooses a driveway and pulls in. Reaching down, he pops the trunk and walks to the back, leaving the keys for me. I can hear him rummaging through our supplies in the back.

  “Sara, wait fifteen minutes, then I want you to take Caitlyn and head to the UN center. Caitlyn, you remember how to drive and read a map right?” She peers out from above the backseat. She nods. Certainty is in her eyes. Jon pulls out the revolver from the pack, pauses for a moment, and then tucks it behind him in his belt. It is the first time I see him hold a gun from when he first found us. Then, he grabs the ranger’s shotgun. We hid the rifle in the cabin. He goes to shut the trunk but pauses again.

  “Although you may not understand how right now, you girls made me feel like I did more right in this world than wrong. You gave me worth. You are my family”

  I grab his right side as he shuts the trunk and a moment later Caitlyn has joined us.

  “Don't leave us.” I whimper. Caitlyn pulls me off of him.

  “He will be back soon.” Caitlyn tells me. Jon rubs the top of my head.

  “I will.” He looks sad as he turns and head up the hill. I fall to my knees. I grab my sister and feel the tears pouring from my eyes. He means everything to me. I scream out to him but I don't think he hears me.

  He was my Prince Charming.

  Chapter 32: Jonathon

  Leaving those girls was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But my sister is in danger right now. They can manage. Caitlin especially has become strong. I climb steadily, weaving from tree to tree with my eyes focused at the top of the hill. The outpost is just over the hill and across the road. When I reach the apex, I slide behind one of the destroyed cars they’ve used as a road block. There are two boys on the front lawn, but I have no idea how many more are on the inside. Both of them have rifles at the ready.

  One in the chamber, four in the stock. I remember from Carter’s crash course a few months ago. The revolver in my belt has five shots. I move up behind another broken down car, remaining hunched over. I’ve managed to surprise them it seems.

  Through my rising and falling chest, I feel my heart pounding. It’s so strong that it pulses up into my neck and head. This is it.

  I turn and rest my gun on the car hood and aim at the closer boy. I line up the sights right over his chest and pull the stock to my shoulder. Any hatred I have for guns is gone, and I would use anything to save her, from a frying pan to a shotgun. The boy has a gun, and I know he would kill me without a moment’s hesitation. That poor girl flashes in my mind, and my transformation is complete. I will do anything to save those I love.

  I pull the trigger and brace for the recoil. The first shot misses but shatters the window behind him. I adjust and fire again. The pellets tear through his body. He falls as I turn to the other sentry.

  The other boy starts to shoot. His aim is awful. He is young, probably ten. I almost feel bad. Almost. I pump and pull the trigger. It hits him in the arm and also shatters another window in the house. He begins to scream. That doesn't stop him though. He keeps shooting at me. Saul has these kids trained to die. I see other boys start to peer out the windows and some begin shooting.

  I fire the last two shells and the young boy finally starts screaming. I throw the shotgun to the side and grab the small revolver. It looks the same as the gun I had in my hand so many years ago. The boys open fire. They have assault rifles and I brace myself.

  So this is what the world has become.

  Bullets continue to tear through the other side of the car. The small explosions and ricochets cement my feet tighter to the ground and I press as close as I can to the driver's side door. Every muscle in my body aches, but I know that I cannot give up here. She needs me. More than that, I promised my dad I would keep her safe. But most of all, I swore to myself that I would never let anything happen to her, no matter what it took. A bullet shatters through the window above me and showers me with glass. I reach to my neck and swipe the shards away, cutting both my neck and hand in the process. Warm blood runs down my spine and I see a puncture on my left hand. Red droplets fall to the street.

  If I don't move now, they are going to kill me.

  I glance behind me to where the twins are hiding over the hill. I imagine they are still as I left them, huddled together with tears in their eyes. When I had first charged into the fray, they screamed at me to stop, and their screams continued for a while, but were barely audible when I went over the hill. Any noises from them would be completely gone amidst the chaos.

  Could they have been found already? Probably not. They are safe from these monsters' bullets on the other side of the hill. I am the one in danger. My sister is the one in danger.

  Mustering up the courage, I quickly peer through the shattered glass toward the shooters. There are at least six boys in the house. Two were behind a make-shift barricade of wood and brick on the front lawn and the others were peering out the house's already shattered windows. At least three of them have guns. I duck down just as another bullet embeds itself into the car’s steel. They have me pinned down, and my only small hope is their need to reload. I use my bloodied hand to recheck the cylinder in my own gun. It only holds five shots, my only five shots, and it is not nearly enough. They have bigger guns. Most of all, I would be lucky enough to even hit the house with this thing.

  I hate guns again.

  A portion of the tire to my left is torn away by another flying bullet. What’s left of the tire deflates and the car crashes down to the hubcap. I really hate guns.

  The gunfire all of a sudden ceases. An eerie silence spreads over the lawn. My ears still ring from the noise of bullets, and the boys are shouting amongst themselves. I look up and notice all of the boys staring back at me. They have stopped firing, but my heart continues to the rhythm of the gunshots. What are they doing? Then I hear his voice. His rusty tone seems to echo off the asphalt street and stirs my insides. To think I trusted him.

  “Is that really you ole' Johnny boy? Well if you want her this bad, I guess I could offer a trade.”

  I grit my teeth for a moment and yell back, “What do you want Saul?”

  “I know you still got those two other girls. Send them this way and I will give you back your precious sister. She's got a bit too much fight in her anyway.” His words reek with a confidence that sickens me. My father was right; humanity is gone.

  “Go to hell.” He is never going to take the twins, and he knew damn well that I am not going to give them up. His laughter responds to my demand.

  “Come on Johnny, it's not that bad of a trade. Besides, we wouldn't dream of laying a finger on either of those girls. I mean not for at least another year.” He truly is a monster. I glance over the hood and see the teeth of his smile. One of the front ones is knocked out, just the way I last left him. He is laughing. The boys to his left and right have moved closer to me. I am trapped. A small pool continues to grow on the asphalt as drops of blood from the cut on my neck run down my arm and off my revolver. It will probably turn from a pool to a pond soon. He yells again, “Tick-tock, tick-tock.”

  Bang.

  A shot fires into the car. He is getting impatient. A few of the boys are laughing at me. I have one option. I
stand up and look him in the eye.

  They look at me and they look shocked.

  Chapter 33: Jocelyn

  No matter how hard I try, I can't free my hands from the back of the wooden chair. Jon is right outside, and he is going to get himself slaughtered. I need to get out of here. I can barely make out his yells with Saul. What is he doing? I try to scream but the damp bandana muffles my voice to barely a whimper. My eyes wander around the floor. There has to be a way out. Outside of my desolate room I can see a few of the boys peering out of open and shattered windows. They pay no attention to me tied to the chair.

  Then I see a knife in my peripherals. One of them must be behind me. The knife slashes downwards.

  I shut my eyes and bite the bandana as hard as I can.

  Chapter 34: Sara

  I hold my sister as tight as I can. How could Jon have left us? I can't lose him. I didn't mind the gun shots earlier because then I guessed he was still alive. Now it is quiet, and I may have to tell Caitlyn that we need to run. Jon gave me the car keys, but Caitlyn can barely see over the wheel. We could run; there has to be help in one of the houses around here. I release my sister and leave the car. I search the houses behind us with my eyes. We would be better off hiding than trying to run away. Jon? How could he do this? I turn to where my sister had been, but she is not in the driver’s seat anymore. I freak out and glance all around. How can she be gone?

  I see her just as she goes over the hill with her bow in hand.

  Chapter 35: Jonathon

  Getting up on my feet, I see three on the lawn and six in the house. All have their guns pointed at me. Big guns. I make a mental note as I look Saul head on. I would be kidding myself if I thought that I could take them all out. I walk around to the other side of the car and set my revolver down on the asphalt.

  “This doesn’t have to happen, Saul. You’re not a monster. Over this past year, you’ve just been trying to protect your family. That’s been your first goal: protect them. And you were betrayed and you want payback. I’m just trying to protect my family, Saul, and they did not betray you. Give her back and we can just go our separate ways.” I try to plead with what little hope I have. “If not, some of us, maybe all of us will die. Right here, right now.” He starts to walk toward me, slowly. “Just give me my sister.” Maybe... just maybe.

  Saul takes larger, more confident steps now. He stops in front of me. In his left hand is a pistol, still focused on the center of my chest. I prepare to humiliate myself.

  “Please Saul, I’m begging you, here.” I drop my small revolver to the ground. “I am sorry for what happened in the Sanctuary. Imagine if you had a sister. Would you allow all that to happen to someone you love?” He looks me up and down, eyebrows furled. “Have some damned human decency,” I conclude.

  I see a flicker of emotion in his eye, but it’s quickly covered with ice. He leans forward, his mouth inches from my ear. His breath is awful, and his messy, greasy unwashed hair gives off a stench.

  “The only people I care about are me and my boys. Damn your sister.” he cackles. He is beyond a monster. How could I be so dumb as to try and reason with him? Yet, somehow, he reminds me of...

  Bang.

  My leg feels like it explodes even before the sound has fully registered.

  I drop to ground. My left leg hangs limp off to the side as my right knee holds my body up. The pain is unbearable and I let out a scream. I quickly collect myself and grind my teeth. My mind convinces me that my leg is on fire. As I put pressure on the bleeding hole, the boys laugh and Saul grins like a snake, “I will keep this image in my mind tonight when I take her and I...” All of a sudden, he gasps. I look up for him to finish the sentence, but my eyes lock on to the arrow sticking out from his chest. A red-finned carbon arrow.

  No, Caitlyn. They can kill me, but not you.

  Saul coughs a mist of blood and stumbles to the ground in front of me. What could be called a scream exits his mouth. The boys behind him look puzzled as they search for her with their guns ready to kill. They begin to yell at one another. Another boy on the lawn drops as an arrow pierces his head. The other one near him points and they all begin shooting at a target somewhere behind me. I reach from my knees and pry Saul's pistol from his hand, which is loose as he focuses on the blood in his lungs. I take aim with his gun and fire three shots. The last boy on the front lawn drops. I take aim at the house and continue to squeeze the trigger, pointing at two of Saul's boys inside a window. Another boy falls and blood covers the wall behind him. We may actually do this. Another boy shooting stares at me; his gun is pointing wherever Caitlyn must be. I take aim. I pull the trigger.

  Saul's gun clicks empty, and I swear to myself. He dodges an arrow from Caitlyn and then takes aim at me. The barrel of his gun slowly swings over, lining up with me perfectly. Two explosions engulf my chest, and then I hear the shots. I try to scream in agony, but the muscles in my chest refuse to force the air out of my lungs. All that escapes is an abbreviated yell, fueled by my back striking the side of the tire on the car behind me. I force my eyes open and try to focus on something. Anything. I’m barely sitting up, but I have a clear view of him. He’s inside the house and reloading while glaring at me. With the little bit of strength I have left, I reach for my revolver, collapsing away from the tire. It is inches from my hand. I pull together all of my energy, and moan desperately as I reach for the gun.

  My fingertips reach the grip.

  The boy starts to bring the gun to his shoulder. When my hand clutches the revolver, it is too late. I hear the gun fire.

  Behind him an arm comes around with a knife. The blade pierces his chest and a flicker of blood follows the knife as it leaves his body. The boy drops.

  Carter stands behind him, panting and clutching the knife; red trickles down the left side of his face. His eyes search the lawn and street.

  “That's the last one.” he yells. I had not even noticed that that boy was the last one shooting. Carter looks out the shattered window, and he focuses on me. Shock covers his face. He leaps through the window. Behind him I see Jo.

  She is safe.

  Carter runs to me. I'm not even sure how many times I have been shot. The pool of blood continues to grow around me. It's sticky and warm. It shouldn’t be there. Carter leaps over Saul's lifeless body and kneels in the blood. He tries to assess me as he leans me gently against the tire of a car.

  “I'm sorry for... for what I said.” The words seem to gurgle as they leave my lips. I can no longer draw breath on command. My chest convulses while attempting to inhale and seizes as it realizes that breathing is barely possible.

  “Stop talking. I can fix this.” Carter yells. I would laugh if I could. With my little strength, I slap his hands away. His face changes from determined to apologetic as he accepts defeat.

  Jo finally catches up. Tears already run from her eyes. She has a few bruises, but she looks okay. “Oh God, Jonathon,” she says wiping the blood off of my face. “Carter, do something!”

  “There's nothing I can do.” She knew that was true before she even said it. Something squeezes my hand. Caitlyn. She still has the bow in her hand. I turn and Sara is a few steps behind her. Both are crying.

  “It'll be alright girls. You all will be...” In the distance I hear an engine coming up the road. The Sanctuary's nightly search team perhaps. They are headed back to the base; maybe they heard the shots. They have to come right through here. My cheeks and nose tremble.

  I manage to grab Carter's shoulder. “Get them out of here.” I need just one more good breath. “You have to get them out of here. The car is just over the hill there.”

  “You are coming, too.” Jo starts to get under my one shoulder to get me up. I fight her attempt to pick me up. The effort is excruciating.

  I shake my head, swallowing. “Leave me. When they... when they find these bodies they are gonna start looking. If they manage to find you it's... it's over.” My hand shakes as I grab the revolver.

&
nbsp; “We aren't leaving you.” Sara run up and grabs my hand. She pulls it. “Get up.”

  “Sara, you need to go. Everything will be okay.”

  “No it isn't; we need you. We love you.” Caitlyn holds Sara from behind, slowly pulling her away. Caitlyn understands.

  Jo looks down to me, and I up at her. She will not see me again, but I know she’ll be alright. We hold that gaze, and for a moment, my chest relaxes.

  “Thank you,” she whispers and kisses my forward. “I love you, brother.” Carter gives me a nod and takes Jo by the hand.

  “I will take care of them.” He says. I know he will.

  Carter picks up Sara with his other arm and they head over the hill. Sara's sobbing eyes stare at me over his shoulder, just like they had yesterday. My vision is hazy but I think they stop for one last second to look at me. Then, they are gone over the hill. There is a moment of near silence. I see the three dead boys spread over the lawn. The one is so young and I don't feel bad. What has this world turned me into? Maybe this is how it needs to end, before I become a monster.

  The roar of the truck gets closer and closer. I bring the gun to my lap. It figures that at the end this would be the last friend with me. I hold it up to the road just as the truck comes around a corner. I squeeze my finger. As the shot echoes, the car stops. I hear them yelling to one another. I squeeze again. They start to shoot back, but they don't see my broken body along the car. I fire again and again.

  Then my hand collapses onto the ground, now drenched in my blood, and the guns slides away. I don't have anything left in me. I cough, and I feel so tired. I want all this pain to go away. The boys are shouting to one another, firing shots randomly. I hear them getting closer.

  Finally, one of the boys finds me. He calls to the others and in a few hazy blinks, they surround me. None of them fire a shot. I guess I look pretty pathetic.