I never really wanted to be alive that much.

Didn’t have the energy to die either.

Then the end of days came, and suddenly, life and death didn’t really seem like a choice anymore. Everyone around me who once lived so vibrantly, classmates, teachers, family, the old woman from the store, I looked around and they were gone. As if somebody had reached into their skulls, and turned off the light. Their bodies were there, but nothing was inside. Nobody had the time to bury them, so each day we walk over their corpses like they are just a tree which has fallen over during a storm. Sometimes I recognize them, but most of the time, I don’t even bother to look down and check. None of us do. Those of us left gathered in groups. Not large enough to call a town, often too large to call a family. I prefer to be on my own. It’s much easier to survive that way. Trusting others, it’s the sweetest way to be killed. Nice while it lasts, but really in a world like this, people only last so long. Either they betray you for another group, betray you for food or resources, they die, or they turn. That’s not to say it’s any more peaceful being on your own. There’s no one to watch your back, keep an eye out while you sleep, help you fight, and… nobody to talk to. 

I never particularly liked my name, “Abby”, but it’s funny how much I miss somebody saying it. Kids calling it from across the playground, my mum growling my full name at the dinner table, reading it scrawled across a birthday card. Nobody says it anymore. 

In the middle of the city, I’ve stationed myself on top of a mountain I used to walk on. The mountains are my best kept secret. Most hide away in the alleys and within corners the abandoned sky scrapers if they are lucky enough to find one not overtaken by a larger gang. However, I’ve found that the mountains of the city are actually relatively safe. For one, the compromised prefer the easy prey, the larger groups on flatter ground, easy to chase, easy to corner. The gangs and alliances tend to prefer areas not open or noticeable, and places with ready access. Hiking up a dormant volcano everyday doesn’t exactly appeal to them. I’ll get the odd person using the mountain as a lookout, but they rarely come in large groups, and are usually easy to avoid. 

This is my first time going down the mountain in a week. The clouds have finally cleared. I’m not sure how long it will last though. I’ve got a list of supplies I need, let’s see food, nails, batteries, and shoes. I can likely find the nails and batteries at the old hardware store down south, but I’ll probably have to trade for it. And let’s see, I’ll still have some money left for food. Then, for the shoes.. 

I guess this will have to do. I mean, it’s not like he’s using them anyway right? Dead guys aren’t exactly known for running marathons. Ah, he’s not my size. Maybe this one? Ugh, how do you all have such tiny feet? Oh… he looks about my size.

You have to be careful on the ground, especially in open areas like this. God, I feel so exposed when I’m down here. 

These ones will have to do. They’re a bit big but I can’t afford to stay on the main road much longer. This area’s patrolled by that prick Kimi’s gang.

Okay, now all that’s left is the hardware store. I’m sure I can make it before sundown if I take the rail tracks route. It’s got more likelihood of running into compromised, but they won’t be out for a while after the storm. I’m more worried about being on Kimi’s turf. Who knows what that guy is getting up to.

See, the end of days didn’t affect us all equally. Like any other worldly disaster, it affected the poor first. Then it clawed its way up to the middle class, the upper class, the rich, the virus doesn’t discriminate. But the ultra rich? People like Kimi, they seem to be doing just fine. In fact, not only are they completely unconcerned with the virus, but many of them seem to be profiting off it. Kimi controls the South and West city. Being a part of his gang gives you privileges like food rations, shelter, protection from the compromised and other gangs. But working for a guy like him? Forget it. He could afford to give rations to the whole city if he wanted to, he’s practically swimming in supplies after overtaking all the farmlands and factories, but rather, he chooses to exploit our desperation. 

Here we are, the hardware store.

Something… seems off though?

Why is no one stationed outside like usual?  

Usually the building is guarded by two of Amanda’s men. One with an automatic on the roof, and the other with a rifle at the door. This isn’t right. Amanda wouldn’t just leave her store unmanned like this. 

Sigh, it’s not like I have a choice. 

God this feels weird, walking across an empty parking lot. Where are the other customers? Ah wait-

Is this…

Blood?

Shit. 

Run, run. The doors are right there. Fuck! Run faster!

I manage to slam the door shut behind me. Fuck, why is the lock broken? 

“Amanda?” I whisper-shout.

I swallow a pressure in my throat, remembering the pool of blood in the parking lot. What happened here? Compromised? But how? When? Or, could it be-

“Are you just going to stand there?” A disinterested voice sighs from across the store. 

I quickly turn to face them, surprised to meet the unbothered eyes of a boy around my age. 19? Maybe 18? Young, with golden blonde hair falling around a delicate face. Clean, too clean. Like bothered to shampoo and condition his hair clean. His clothes are regular, a hoodie and jeans, but no dirt or stains. He’s small, but not a bruise or scar to be seen. Too delicate looking to be a part of a gang, too clean to not be. 

I feel for the dagger in my pocket, trying to read the situation. Blood in the parking lot. No ‘compromised’ to be seen. The store is empty. Guards missing. No sign of Amanda. 

Fuck, Amanda.

“Who are you?” I press cautiously, keeping my position by the door, still scanning around the room. The boy walks behind the counter, and hoists himself up onto it, kind of swiveling himself into a cross legged position on the countertop. It’s like watching a kid who can’t sit still at a dinner table, he fidgets with a battery in his hands.

“Who are you?” I press again. This time, abandoning my position at the doors and deliberately motioning towards him. 

He looks up from his battery now, a little surprised. “Jeez, you’re confident aren’t you?” He smirks. “Just waltzing in here like you own the place”.

What, like you own the place either? Fuck, I need those batteries. I won’t survive the rest of this goddamn cyclone without them. Just my fucking luck. 

“What happened here?” I gesture around the store. The products scattered across the floor, bashed in shelves, the droplets of scarlet dried in scatters on the walls. 

“You don’t know?” The boy questioned, brows raising, suddenly interested. “Do you live under a rock or something?”

I mean technically speaking I do live on a mountain isolated from society. I’m not exactly a hermit, but it’s not like we’ve got the news these days. I grip the dagger in my pocket and step closer to the boy. 

“Who did this? Was it you?” I meet his eyes. “Who are you?”

“Woah, woah, chill, it wasn’t me!” He sighs. “Jeez, you’re kind of scary aren't you?”

“Where’s Amanda?” 

“Amanda?” He pauses. “You mean the woman who owned the shop?”

Something’s not right. Where is everyone? Who is this guy?

“Yes. Where is she? I need…” What do I do if she’s gone? Where will I buy supplies? If this place is empty…

“She..” the boy breathes. “Can you just not freak out? I really had nothing to do with it”.

“Nothing to do with what exactly?”

“She was trading in Kimi’s Turf,” he explains cautiously. “Kimi’s shut down her store”. 

Fuck. See? This is why you can’t get close with people. They all disappear sooner or later. So the blood outside…

I don’t want to think about it. 

I pull out my dagger and lunge myself towards the counter. He’s vulnerable, he’s exposed, go for his arms, now, now. 

The boy’s eyes go wide, he freezes on the counter. Perfect, now, go. 

I leap onto the counter and swiftly pin the guy under me. My leg pressed between his legs, my arm angled against his neck, my weight trapping him against the counter. Dagger positioned in my left hand. 

The boy squirms under me. “Ugh, you-” 

“Batteries.” I demand. “I need batteries.” 

I can barely believe that Kimi would leave this place under the guard of one person, let alone this guy who clearly couldn’t take on a fucking fly. Damn, is he armed? I feel around his pockets for a gun, a knife, a blade, anything. 

“Ugh, let me-!” He shifts under me, trying to escape my grip. 

Why isn’t he armed? 

The boy pushes against my arm, “Just take the fucking batteries it’s not like I’m gaurding you from them!” 

Creak. 

I know that sound.

The door…!

“Compromised!!” The boy screams. He wriggles from under me and tumbles off behind the counter. 

Fuck. How many? Three? No, more, outside… 

I could take three but this many? Fuck..! What’s going on? Why are they all coming here all of a sudden…?

I scoop the batteries on the countertop into my bag and slip down behind the counter next to the blonde guy. He grabs my arm, practically clawing his nails into me, “what do we do?!” He whispers desperately. 

My eyes art towards the fire extinguishers. “I’ve got an idea.” Definitely not my best idea. “Stay here.”

He shakes his head, still gripping at my arm. “Don’t leave me.”

Fuck! As if I care about one of Kimi’s lackeys! Let go of me!

“Please!” He whimpers. I can hear his breath break into a silent cry. His nails digging into me.

Fine! Dammit. 

“We’ll go together.” I nod my head towards the fire extinguishers. “When I say, we’ll run and grab those. I’ll pull the fire alarm and while they’re distracted we can get out through the back d-”

Creeeaaaaaakkk

“Now!” I scream, lurching towards the fire extinguishers, pulling him with me by the wrist. I pull on the fire alarm and water quickly sprays from above. 

“Ahhh! Help! My arm! It’s got my arm!!” The boy shreaks, flailing about beside me. What is with this guy? White foam sprays from my canister into the face of the creature. I yank the boy from its grip and pull him into me. 

“Run! Come on, let's go!” I scream at him, opening the back door. 

Come on run! Why are you just standing there?!

“Do I have to do everything myself?!” I shout, gripping the boy’s arm and pulling him out the door with me. “Come on, blondie!”

Just as I thought. The train tracks made a good escape, none of the other ‘compromised’ seem to be out yet. Strange, why would they all gather at the shop like that? Did someone lead them there?

“You can let go of my arm now.” The boy says from behind me.

Ah, right.

I let go of him quickly, kind of surprised he’s even still here.

He sighs, “it was Kimi”.

“What?”

“The ‘compromised’, he led them there”

“What? Did you know they were coming?!”

“Of course not! Jeez. Kimi told me to wait in the shop, and then hundreds of ‘compromised’ came. It’s not exactly rocket science. He led them.”

So he does work for Kimi. Serves him right for trusting that asshole. 

“Plus,” he continues, “he wouldn’t want anyone else to be able to trade from that store. It makes sense to compromise it.”

“What about all those supplies?” I growl bitterly. “He’s just going to abandon them there? So no one can have them?”

“It’s not like he needs them.” 

“God! It’s all about him isn’t it! Fuck! That was the only battery trade left in the city! I can’t believe you’re with that ass hole!”

The boy stops. “Shut up! You don’t know anything!”

“I know he left you for dead! Come on, did you really think he’d protect you? You guys are all the same! Just doing whatever he says no matter how wrong it is, and thinking because you're on his side you are any less worthless to him!”

“I…” he pauses. “I had to…!”

His angry eyes dart up at mine, but he quickly averts his gaze away. 

“Jeez, this is the thanks I get for saving an asshole, huh?” I sigh. “What are you gonna do now? Beg him to take you back in?”

“No!” He cries. “I’m never going back! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

He looks down. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. Thank you for saving me”. He says begrudgingly. 

Ah, well that’s… unexpected? Although, he’s definitely rolling his eyes right now. This guy seriously pisses me off. But, maybe it’s nice to help people once in a while? Winning the argument feels good.

Oh. The sun’s going down. I need to get away from this guy. Get back to the mountain. I can’t let him follow me. I guess this is where it ends. 

“Well”, I sigh. “This is where we separate. Get out of here”.

“What?! But-”

“Go become another gang’s lackey. There’s plenty of them out there.”

He scrunches his nose and looks away. “You’re really just gonna leave?”

“What, haven’t I done enough for you? I already saved you, do you need me to kiss you too princess?”

“Shut up! I just-”

“Whatever you have to say, whatever you want, I’m not interested-”

“Just your name then! At least give me that!”

This guy really doesn’t know how this world works. Where has he been this whole time? Don’t you know you can’t trust so easily? Aren’t you the one who’s been living under a rock? Well, whatever.

“It’s Kian, my name. Happy?”

“Kian…?”

Oh. I almost forgot what it sounded like, when someone else said my name.

And why does he look so happy? Shouldn’t he be leaving now? Ugh, he’s so smug.

“Aren’t you gonna ask my name?” He pouts, smirking.

“Oh come on you can’t be-”

A snarling voice pierces the conversation. Deep, and commanding. “Caspian.”

Who…!

I turn to see a vulture smile, a large man grinning down at us from above the tracks. Behind him, a large group. I know that familiar face, grey like a wolf, cutting eyes of a sadist. Kimi’s right hand man.

Fuck, what’s going on?

“Caspian, come on. You’ve had your fun”, he growls. “Time to come back home”.

The boy freezes, like he did in front of the Compromised. He pulls at my shirt nervously, shaking his head in shock.

“Oh, and look who’s here. Is that Kian?” The man laughs. “Did you consider my offer? Why not join us? We take care of our people you know”. 

Yeah right.

The man continues. “Just hand over Caspian to us. I wouldn’t want you to get caught in the crossfire. This is none of your concern.”

The group is armed. What is this? An execution? Are they really this committed to killing this guy Caspian? Why?

Caspian looks up at me hesitantly. “Kian…”

Fuck, I’m so going to fucking regret this!

I take Caspian by the arm. So much for ending this here…