by Nobo13
HUMAN BIBLIOPHILY
by Nobo13
Copyright 2014 Nobo13
*****
Human Bibliophily
I cried as stared at my brother, motionless and still.
‘What can I do?’ I asked
‘You can free him,’ it told me, ‘if you can find an equivalent trade’
I nodded and made a deal with the devil. And that’s how I started starting leading lost souls.
*****
Through the thick snow, the sounds of our footsteps must have seemed foreign. The wind howling, and the odd rumbles of falling ruins were natural, but the sounds our lives were making were not.
‘Do you need to rest yet?’ I looked over my shoulder
‘Not now’ the girl obviously lied
I carried on for another ten minutes before opening up a car. I nodded towards it, and she went in willingly. The harsh wind chill still seeped into us, but it was a little better. I checked the glove compartment only to find rags of paper and a pen.
‘No food I’m afraid’ I told her
‘It’s ok,’ she smiled, ‘I’m not that hungry’
‘Well, it’s best to introduce ourselves properly now. I’m Sarah’
‘Beth’
‘How long have you been alone?’
She didn’t face me and replied after a long silence ‘About a week… it’s was me and my dad for a bit. Before that, there was a lot of us’
‘I see, it’ll be ok now’
‘Where is this shelter? Is it still far?’
‘Not much farther now, we’ll be there tomorrow’
‘And how many survivors are there? A lot?’ she smiled at last
‘A lot,’ I turned away, ‘There’s about 87 now. You’ll be a 88th one’
There was only the sound of snow gently trapping us as we tried to sleep. An odd sound echoed inside that car that I knew too well. The sobbing of someone who had found hope.
‘Thank you, Sarah,’ she cried, ‘I don’t know what would have happened to me if you didn’t find me’
I didn’t answer. I stared out into the snow and saw the black silhouettes of a broken city.
‘Sleep,’ I told her, ‘We’ve got a long journey ahead of us’
*****
From outside, it must have looked like a mountain. We climbed up steps of cement, and along walls that served as a floor now. Within these ruins lay the shelter I promised. The girl seemed more cheerful. I had forgotten her name already. It was better that way. I led us down the depths of darkness. By now I was a master of these mazes. I held her hand as I led the way, following the millions of footsteps I had done before.
‘Sarah?’ she called in the dark
‘Yeah?’ I replied after awhile
‘Thank you’
‘You don’t have to keep thanking me’
‘I know but…’
‘It’s ok’
‘You’re a real saviour you know. You must be the only one still out there with a heart’
‘Stop’
‘No, it’s true. Only my dad was like you. He looked out for me as well. You know… I’ve killed people’
I didn’t say anything
‘There was this family, you see. They had food and we… I…’
‘It’s ok, Beth’ I turned to her, ‘Beth, it’s ok’
‘It’s not,’ she broke down, ‘I killed a little kid. We… we even thought of eating them, we were so hungry’
I did something stupid. I pulled her towards me and hugged her. I embraced her and didn’t let go. Beth. That was her name. I shouldn’t have said it.