- i. POST ONE──THE START OF IT ALL
- iiindentYou don’t realize how long its been until you look back, way back. The days string on, the hours pass, and minutes go by like seconds—in a world like this, it’s easy to get lost in time. Each moment is spent fending for your own well being. You’re constantly at work trying to dissect each situation you find yourself in and evaluating each, every single, tiny little possibility and predicting an end. Whether it be your life on the line, or a way to rid of the danger, it’s no easier for any survivor of this world, even an expert of their trade. Natural selection became a game to play with, and a game to beat if you possibly could. Those whom were weak have been rid of many months ago, their place useless among the world of now, among this foreign terrain they once knew so well. It was “kill or be killed”, as they always said, but now it was a reality.
iiindentMemories of the past were a curse to any. Remembering what used to be could be an end to anyone, in this fragile balance they thrived among—even a single teeter could lead you to your demise, like a kick in the gut, a shove off a cliff. A single misstep, a single trip, a single stumble, it could literally, not figuratively, kill you. In order to survive in a cruel environment, where its life or death, one must evolve themselves to their feral state, a state where emotions won’t come into play when you’re simply protecting yourself. Emotions are tricky obstacles, ones essential to avoid. You’ll surely come across a child in your travels, a child Walker, but you’re mind must be trained to only recognize what that creature is, not what it was—a bloodthirsty, mindless killing-machine. That’s all it is, not an ounce of childish instinct left in their being. They’re emotionless, like flies, but dangerous flies that will willingly kill you at any chance they get. Watch your back, your side, your front—they’ll get you anywhere, everywhere, like a plague.
iiindentIt’s even harder now, after this harsh year it's been, to remember how it all started. No warning, no emergency reports, nothing. By the time it happened, thousands, heck, millions had perished in their wake and roamed the streets as the mindless beasts they took shape of. Governments crumbled and their systems went into shambles, leaving their citizens in hopeless despair as they were abandoned by the one entity they always relied on protection from. The tables suddenly spun and fell on their axis, chaos following soon after. Many tried to regroup, but their efforts were fruitless and they, too, roamed the streets as the mindless creatures of their demise, killing at will, without remorse that they no longer could retain. Survivors mourned for their losses, watching family and friends wandering into the packs these creatures formed, some up into the thousands. These dangerous herds could graze a group in seconds, crumbling any fortification, feasting on hundreds. They formed from the great masses that turned in the beginning, emerging from dense cities and reaping into the rural counties. Later into the apocalypse, however, the groups diminished from being picked-off by survivors, separated, or rotting into oblivion. They scattered themselves everywhere, at every turn, at even corner. Soon after, new “breeds” emerged and proved even more dangerous. They had evolved, something the humans had failed to do.
iiindentBut Nikolai, he remembered. Every split second of it, even.
iiindentThe ringing of his brewing machine sounded in the kitchen, beeping three times in a row. He rose from the circular table-top and headed toward the counter, opening the overhead cabinet and pulling a mug from a shelf—this particular one read “best boyfriend ever”. He’d chuckled, taken a few moments to reminisce, then set it back on the counter and filled it with the freshly-brewed coffee, not forgetting to add cream and sugar, turning its murky-brown color to a cream. Sipping lightly, he shuffled back into his chair and slipped out his phone, taking a few moments to browse whatever news had popped-up. The latest article on the Washington Post, however, had been from a few days prior. Weird.
iiindentFootsteps echoed from the darkened hallway off the farther end of the kitchen, their feet dragging across the wood, until they emerged into the room brightly-lit by the sun filling in through the window. “God, it's too bright in here.” The voice murmured. Nikolai’s lips curled into a smirk, glancing up from his phone screen and into the eyes of the other. “I made coffee.” He mentioned, motioning toward the black and silver machine still rumbling in the corner. They rolled their eyes and shuffled toward the counter, grabbing the extra mug Nikolai had left out and pouring some inside, spilling a drop onto the counter. The man, wearing nothing but his briefs, caught his eyes as he scanned his rear end. “Would you stop staring at my ass, Niko.” He chuckled, his back still turned. Nikolai let out a laugh and grinned, continuing the article he was reading.
iiindent“Whatcha reading?” He called, turning around and shuffling toward the table. The man shrugged, peering at the headline—“Trump Strikes Again” it read, causing him to grunt. “Politics, I guess. Something about the prick in office.” Liam groaned, rolling his eyes at the other while raising his mug to his lips. “Would you stop reading about him, you know it just puts you in a bad mood.”
iiindentNikolai nodded and cupped his hand around the device, powering it off and laying it face-flat on the table. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair, coffee in one hand and the arm of his chair in the other. “Sleep well?” He asked him, earning a dramaticized sigh from Liam. “Not really.” He began. “It’s too hot in that bed, especially with that quilt you refuse to take off.”
iiindent“Are we really going to get into this discussion again?” Nikolai quiped, arching an eyebrow. Liam shook his head and waved a hand in defeat, taking yet another sip.
iiindent“Are you hungry?” He asked after a few moments of silence, preparing to stand. “Yea.” Liam responded, glancing toward him. “I can make something quick?” He added.
iiindent“Sure, I can help.”
iiindentThey both rose from their chairs and headed toward different areas of the room, Nikolai to the fridge and Liam to the pantry. One prepared to make eggs and the other toast, pushing two slices into the toaster and lowering the lever. Niko cracked three eggs into a bowl and whipped them into a mixture, heating a skilled on the stove. “Do you want anything in your eggs?” He asked. “Nah, just salt and pepper.” Liam sniffled.
iiindentNikolai nodded and poured the egg mixture into the pan, waiting for them to solidify on the bottom before using a spatula to break the egg-pancake in pieces, quickly turning the flame onto its lowest setting. “Can you get me some plates?” Liam nodded and pushed two smaller-sized dishes across the counter and beside the stove, dropping a piece of toast onto each one. “Thank you.” Niko replied, landing a kiss on his forehead.
iiindentThey each grabbed a plate of eggs and toast then headed back to the table, Liam having opened a drawer and picked two forks and knives from it. “What do you want on your toast, Niko?” He asked. “Butter, please.” They returned with the butter and silverware, handing them to the other and taking a seat. They both began to eat without another word, enjoying the twittering of birds outside the window whom perched in the tall oak.
iiindent“That damn dog across the street barked all night long.” Liam huffed, placing down his fork to take another sip of coffee. “You mean Bane? He has a name, you know.” He rolled his eyes. “I know.” “And we took care of him for a week while his owners were gone.” Niko added.
iiindent“Yea yea, whatever. He’s a big ass dog that makes a lot of noise.” Niko crossed his arms over his chest peering out the front window and at the neighbors across the street. “I wonder why… he's never done that before.” Liam shrugged his shoulders in little care, eyes following his in their direction. “Maybe he saw a squirrel, you know how dogs are.” Nikolai merely looked away and continued to eat his breakfast, the couple falling silent once more. He carried their dishes to the sink and rinsed them clean, placing them into the dishwasher and slinking back into the bedroom down the hall. He’d dropped onto the bed and laid there, face down, until Liam joined him, feeling the bed sink down.
iiindentNiko turned onto his side and draped his arm across him, drawing him closer into him. He placed his lips in the crook of his neck and left a few kisses there. He murmured gently and felt himself begin to drift into a sleep… until it began.
iiindentA pounding sounded from the foyer, growing louder and more desperate by the second. Each knock was harder than the first, faster and faster. Nikolai jerked from his sleep and sat up in the bed, Liam following close behind. Niko, his expression firm, stood from the bed and walked down the hall. “Put some clothes on.” He called behind.
iiindentHe neared toward the door, each step lighter and quieter than before. He placed a hesitant hand on the knob, using the other to turn the lock and, with his body positioned behind it, cracked it open. “Hello?”
iiindent“Uh-uhm, Mr. Herricker, I need you to let me inside.” The only slightly shorter man stumbled, eyes panicked as he glanced behind for a moment. Confused, Niko furrowed his eyebrows. “Is there there something wrong, sir?” He asked in concern.
iiindent“Please, just let me inside.”
iiindentNodding, Niko opened the door wider and allowed him access into the house. He shuffled, quickly, from the doorway and into the kitchen, spinning around. “Y-you should lock the door.” The man, turning his head over his shoulder, met the other’s eyes. He scanned those dark-brown depths, filled with an undeniable fear, horrified in fact, that caused him to comply and he turned the lock on the knob.
iiindent“Now, Mr. Klein, will you explain to me what’s going on?”
iiindent“I’m sorry, for barging in.” He started, briefly clearing his throat. “But there is something,
someone, walking down the road... and… it…” He shook his head, raising a hand and brushing it through his cropped, brunette locks. “There’s something wrong with them. They're covered in blood.” Eyes widening slightly, Niko frowned.
iiindentHe dropped his arms to his sides and paced toward the man, meeting his gaze in shock. “Blood? Why didn’t you call the police?”
iiindent“No one would respond.”
iiindentNiko’s expression dropped further in shock. No one responding to a 911 call? “Their lines must be under maintenance.” He replied. Guiding his eyes into the hallway, where Liam stood, looking just as equally shocked, worry flashing through his eyes, Niko let out a sigh. “Can you show them to me?”
iiindentMr. Klein’s expression hesitated for only a few seconds until he nodded, his eyes breaking contact and guiding toward the floor, where his feet rocked from side to side. “Yea, I can show you.” Nikolai turned toward the door where he unlocked it and began to step outside, Mr. Klein and Liam just directly behind. The shorter man rushed ahead and guided them down the sidewalk, the couple behind, hand in hand, worry evident in their expressions. Nikolai kept his stern gaze, while Liam, on the other hand, glanced around left and right. “There are no cars, anywhere.”
iiindentNiko took Liam’s statement in hand, glancing around the empty street they had lived on for the past three years. Only a few cars were parked on the side, but it was mainly open, plenty of space for someone to pull in. “And no people, either.” He commented. The sidewalks, usually filled with a few pedestrians, were desolate. Not a single sound beside their own voices. “What the hell is going on.”
iiindent“Everyone has been quiet today.” Mr. Klein called behind, his hands dug deep into his pockets. “I don’t know what it is, I haven’t checked the news today at all.” Niko shook his head, squeezing Liam's’ hands tightly. “There was no news, I checked.” Mr. Klein’s head bowed and Liam gazed up into his eyes, concern brewing within. Something is really wrong here, and we haven’t even noticed.
iiindent“There.” Mr. Klein halted in his tracks, both Niko and Liam stumbling back in surprise. They retracted their intertwined hands and glanced across the street, at the corner, where the man had pointed. It didn’t take much to spot it—a figure shuffled opposite down the road, not caring for the sidewalk. Their left leg limped behind, appearing hurt, and their clothes dirty, tattered, covered in dirt and muck. No blood. Niko attempted to step forward but Liam grabbed his elbow, meeting his eyes with a sharp glare. “Be careful.”
iiindentNikolai sent Liam a nod and turned back away, pulling his arm from his grip. Mr. Klein stuttered over a few words but remained silent, staying behind with the other. Making his way to the opposite corner of the street, he watched the figure continue to move away. “Hey!” He yelled. Slowly but surely, the figure stopped in their clambering and turned, from their right, until they completely faced Niko in his position. Instantly, he gasped.
iiindentJust as Mr. Klein had said, almost their entire front side was covered in crimson blood, dried to a crisp on his clothing. But his face was what truly caught Niko in the moment—nearly unrecognizable, their jaw hung slack, unattached, and the skin of their face drew so close to the skin its eyes bulged. Their shoulder was sloped downward, as if a chunk of it was missing, but their eyes was what truly shocked him. They were yellow. It was a color he’d never seen anyone have, unless they were to wear contacts, and even then they weren’t as cloudy and almost dead in expression. Backing a few steps away, the figure returned to its clambering gait—except, this time, it was toward him. “Uh, sir, are you alright?” He stammered, trying desperately to keep his voice steady. Their reply was a gurgled groan, and although slow, they were closer than before.
iiindentThis was not normal.
iiindentFeeling nothing other than fear, Niko’s instinct told him to run. He turned back toward Mr. Klein and Liam, picking-up a jog down the concrete path. “I don’t know what’s wrong with that guy, but we need to go.” He called, meeting Liam’s frightened expression. Mr. Klein glanced behind to the creature before turning back and running, as Niko had, toward his house. Liam waited for his boyfriend to reach him jogging beside him, taking a single glance behind before focusing ahead, eyes widened. “What the hell is that.” Nikolai glanced down with just as much confusion evident on the his features as he, the face of that thing still clear in his mind, as if haunting him, as if it’d run after him with its clambering gait and catch-up to their sprint.
iiindent“Over here!”
iiindentLiam shot his gaze toward the voice, catching the frightened eyes of Mr. Klein as he stood at his doorway, parted open into the house. Niko hesitated, desperately wanting to go into his own home and dissect what he’d just seen, but he merely followed Liam as he redirected his pace toward the brick house with its grey shingles and dull-green shutters. Another glance to his left and he saw that thing, much further down the road, but this time turned away and heading down an opposite direction. Although, he’d sworn to have seen another figure in the yard of a white-slatted house—could it be another, of them? Deciding not to mention it, he darted up the stairs, onto the front porch, and into the house. He was immediately greeted by a large, burly dog, one he recognized as Bane, whom Mr. Klein ran up to, holding him back by the collar. The kangal raised its lip in a snarl, piercing brown eyes into Nikolai as he shut the door behind them. Liam backed away a few steps, waiting for the shorter man to calm his brute of a dog. “He really shouldn’t act like this, you guys take care of him anytime we leave.” Mr. Klein sighed in annoyance. “Something got him all worked-up last night and he wouldn’t cut it out.” Releasing the dog from his grip, Bane sniffed at the couple’s shoes and wagged his tail a bit, allowing Niko to scratch the top of his head. The man walked down a hall, past a stairway, and into the kitchen on the farther end, calling for them to join him; “Please, come in.” He’d said.
iiindentNikolai guided himself toward the kitchen, Liam following behind in his grey sweatpants and a maroon hoodie, something he quickly slipped over his briefs. They eased into the space, glancing around while minding to not seem too nosy. It was a rather dark area of the house, little windows or natural light beside the pair of glass sliding doors which lead onto the back porch. The black stain of the cabinets and dark, grey undertone of the counter tops added to this gloom. Unlike their own kitchen, it wasn’t a very pleasant area, it seemed, to lounge and drink your coffee in the morning. No matter this, the pair stepped toward a table on the other end of the room and took two seat beside each other. Mr. Klein headed into the kitchen and pulled out a few mugs, preparing coffee for the three of them. Liam hazed outside the window, mulling over his thoughts, while Nikolai clasped his hands under the table on his lap and tapped his foot at a rapid pace. “Would you guys like anything in your coffee?”
iiindent“Cream and sugar, please.” Liam piped up. Niko nodded toward the shorter man as his gaze switched to his own, taking the que and getting back to preparing their coffees. “I was just hoping a bit of coffee would calm our nerves a bit, while we discuss what that… thing was.” The man huffed, back turned toward them as he rustled through the fridge. He wasn’t wrong, though, about the whole thing—they were frightened, shocked, horrified by what they just saw. They needed to decide their plan of action, especially since the police weren’t, apparently, taking any calls. Perhaps they should report it, or ask around to all the other neighbors. But where were they? A majority of the cars usually parked on the curb were gone, missing—where had they all gone so early in the morning?
iiindent“Do you know where everyone went, Mr. Klein?” He asked, one hand on each knee as he leaned back in the wicker chair. “Please, call me Tristan.” He started, bringing the few coffees to the table. “But, to that, I have no idea. I noticed their cars gone even earlier this morning, when usually everyone was back home.” He shook his head, taking a seat opposite of the couple. “I don’t know, maybe I’m just making something up, but hasn’t it already been such an odd morning?” Liam nodded to his words.
iiindent“The newspaper never came, I checked my box at the usual time. The police wouldn’t answer a 911 call. Everyone’s cars are gone. It just seems like too much of a coincidence.” Nikolai reached across the table, took a mug, and slid another toward Liam. He glanced down at it and cupped it between his hands, but refrained from taking a sip. Nikolai didn’t hesitate, lifting the mug to his lips and taking a few, full sips. He and the others remained silent for some time, letting the steam of their coffees drift about the room, mixing with their conflicted emotions. Tristan glanced outside the window with his eyes full of evident concern, as if expecting for that creature to be knocking against his glass doors in that moment.
iiindentSuddenly, the lights flickered.
iiindentJolted from the silence, both Liam and Niko reached for each other’s hands, gripping them tightly from fear. Tristan jolted up from his chair and glanced behind him, the large dog rising from his bed in the corner and rustling a growl. They all froze, either from fear or shock, and stood silently, as if waiting for something more to happen. In a few seconds or more, the power regenerated and lights hummed their familiar tune, spreading their light into the dark room. Liam, trembling, stood beside his boyfriend while their hands remained locked in position. Bane, growling louder then, trotted toward the front door, disappearing from sight. Tristan turned to glance back toward the couple before he headed down the hallway and to the front door, where the dog had disappeared. Pulling away from his grip, Niko left to join him.
iiindent“Oh my… god.”
iiindentThe man quickened his pace, spotting the shorter man peering through the tiny windows at the sides of his front door. Through the blurred panes, he swore he could see shadows, dark shadows, figures moving through the street, or perhaps in front of the door. The creaking of the floorboard beneath him caused Tristan to jump, spinning around to face him. “S-sorry, I forgot you were here…” Nikolai nodded, not a word escaping his lips, as he headed toward the opposite window. Unprepared for what he was about to see, he pushed the beige curtain to the side and leaned down.
iiindentThere, just outside this contemporary home’s window, was a large crowd of people—no, creatures—roaming through the street, moving as one, like a mob, or a hoard. Like ants. They stumbled, tripped, tumbled, but moved as one, slowly but surely. Niko’s breath caught in his throat, his heartbeat loud and clear in his chest. Liam, sensing his reaction, pushed him away and took his own look through the window. It took him a few moments of staring to understand what was going on, until he stood straight and look back toward Nikolai, his eyes saying it all.
iiindentWe’re going to die.
iiindentLiam stumbled toward him, falling into his arms with a humph. Niko pulled him close, arms drawn tight around his torso while his head rested comfortably on his. “Shhh..” He murmured to the trembling man. “We.. We’ll be alright, Leo.”
iiindentAll three of the men strayed away from the front windows and headed back into the kitchen, but it remained silent, completely so. Nikolai refused to look anyone in the eye, staring down at his hands in his lap while Liam leaned against him, head buried into his shoulder. “Guys, I don’t know what those things were but… they looked human, didn’t they?” They all nodded to his words, still not looking each other into the eyes. “But they weren’t.” Liam stated simply, voice muffled. They all took that moment to think, to imagine how anything like so could possibly be possible. These were all tales to them, stories told to children to scare them to sleep or play a fun joke. But now, as adults, they look upon something that couldn’t possibly just be a fairy tale—this is real, this is happening. Those things were a reality, and whatever they were, Nikolai had a feeling that they wouldn’t be going away anytime soon.
iiindentA few hours passed on and the noises echoing from the street dimmed to silence. The three men stood from their chairs and peered through the windows, seeing nothing but an empty street with the quaint homes lining it. A few people down the road walked along the sidewalk, unlike the creatures which originally passed through, and seemed just as chilled by the situation as they did. They quickly ran up into the house and closed the door behind, leaving the neighborhood silent and vacant, just as it had been before. The lights began flickering again, this time pausing for a few minutes then turning back on again. The kitchen became stuffy and hot, too much so for Niko, and so he headed toward the front door. “Liam, let's go home.” He nodded and stood from the table, saying his goodbyes to Tristan then following him out the door. Nikolai gripped his hand tight in his own and never even glanced down the street where those creatures went, darting from the one porch to the other. He found himself fumbling anxiously with the knob before turning it open and crashing inside, locking it as soon as Liam too was safe.
iiindentAnother few hours of silence passed. Nikolai tried his phone but with the power shutting down so often, using his WiFi was out of the question. A few reports on the media, showing just the same as they had just seen a few hours ago, sent a shock of fear down his spine. All throughout the world, countless pictures and video of these creatures leaked on the media, sending Liam into a fit of tears as he cradled him in his arms. Now, even though Nikolai wanted so desperately to do so, he couldn’t assure their safety among their cherished home anymore. What was happening to their world was something outside of his knowledge and it frightened him—the one who was usually tough, calm, and calculated—to know that there was truly nothing in his power that he could do to stop it from affecting him and his only love, Liam. His goal in life once the couple became serious about spending these past years of their life together had always been a sense of protection, where he wanted to keep Liam safe. But he also wanted to support and motivate him throughout their life together and all the troubles they would experience down the road. Whether individually or together, as one, he’d want to help him no matter the cost or no matter how it would end. Liam, Liam Liam—and he had become his life.
iiindentAs Nikolai recalls it, his mind blurs with the next few hours following their return home. A military officer pounded on their door and ordered all survivors to pack a small bag and exit to their vehicle, one that looked like those in films which carried hundreds of soldiers on board into battle. He wasted no time, all while helping Liam through his emotions, and they boarded the vehicle. There, dozens of people they knew as their neighbors along this very road sat huddled together—and their emotions were all so different, varying from one another. Most seemed scared, frightened, especially the few children aboard, but on others you couldn’t detect a hint of emotion. They, like Nikolai, had dealt with the same horrific troubles and their only stance now was to just go on with whatever they brought themselves to and to not let the emotions, ones that could damage you if you dare let them control, tear down that wall inside and steer the ship.
iiindentThey drove for awhile, maybe half an hour or so. All Niko could focus on was the image of he and Liam’s hands intertwined, his thumb stroking the back of his hand, squeezing tight as though fighting to be ripped apart. He fell asleep on Liam’s shoulder, too exhausted from the emotion to keep himself awake, cooed to sleep by his lips on his forehead and his sweet murmurings in his ear.
iiindentAnd then, he woke up.
iiindentWithout Liam.
iiindentOn the side of a road, bloodied, and a dog licking his hand;
iiindentBane.