“I'm not shining it at your eyes.”
“It's close enough!”
Mercy took lead in walking below, one slow step at a time. Haley followed close behind before Mercy could take her wrist again. The wooden risers creaked more than the floor.
“Anybody down here?” Mercy called.
There was no reply. No flashlights or candles were lit, no voices were speaking. Best of all, no strange rattling sound. Mercy stopped on the last couple of steps. She turned her flashlight off abruptly. Haley raised hers, but Mercy took it from her and shut it off as well.
“What's wrong? Did you see something?”
“Yeah... Go back upstairs!” Mercy raised her voice to her regular volume, which was may as well have been shouting. “Go!”
Haley swiftly ran back up. She made it to the top, but tripped onto her hands, stumbling into the hallway. Mercy was directly behind her and closed the door quickly. She was shaking violently, panting laboriously as if having been chased by a ghost. Mercy explained nothing, only sliding down to the floor and waiting to catch her breath.
“Aunt Mercy?” asked Haley. “What happened?”
“We can't possibly stay here,” Mercy replied faintly, and Haley looked at her with shock. “Sorry, I just need a minute...” She lowered her head, covering her face with her arms.
Haley inched across the floor, sitting up next to her. She rested her head on Mercy's shoulder.
“Where are we?” said Mercy, tears beginning to force themselves out of her eyes. “What happened to the world? This isn't happening. This can't be happening...”
Haley squeezed her aunt tightly. “I won't ask about what you saw.” Several minutes passed, with Mercy slowly regaining composure. It seemed necessary to have said nothing for a while. Haley reluctantly asked, “We're going to have to stay the night here, aren't we?” finally breaking the silence.
Mercy nodded.
“I'm sorry for getting mad at you earlier.”
“About what?”
Haley feebly shook her head. “I don't know. Kinda everything, I guess. Since all this started, you never told me what was happening. Then, I got mad at you for not... Well...”
“Shooting the thieves?”
Haley nodded. “Yeah. I'm just sorry for being so difficult.”
“It's all right,” said Mercy, stroking Haley's hair. Nobody likes being left in the dark. These times, the world we live in now... it's just as confusing for me too.” Mercy thought back on that fraction of an article she read. “Doesn't seem anybody knows what's going on. All we can do is adapt.”
“Adapt?” the little one asked.
“Yeah. Meaning, change ourselves so that we can survive.”
“I know.” She elaborated, “I just mean, how do we adapt? Why do we have to? We shouldn't have to. Everyone steals from each other. Everyone kills each other. We shouldn't have to do that.” She was starting to get worked up, so Mercy rubbed a hand on her back. “I want to make a place where people can live, where they don't have to do bad things. Where they'll be safe.”
“A shelter? That is a good idea. Maybe we'll find a couple of those out here.”
“I miss...” Haley seemed to choke.
Mercy looked intently at her. “It's okay, Haley. Speak your mind.”
Haley adjusted her head a little, but kept it snuggled against her aunt's shoulder. “I miss my mom. I miss everyone. I wish I saw them one more time.”
Mercy was proud that little Haley was able to keep from crying. There was no doubt she was fighting the urge. She had instructed Haley to remain strong during their days isolated in the basement, forbidding her from speaking of their deceased family or from asking about what was happening in the world around them. Mercy thought it was for the better. Neither of them could dwell on the negative, or they would be swallowed by it, never to emerge again, even when things finally improved. Haley behaved like she resented her for it.
“What about your dad?” she asked her niece.
“Huh?”
“Your dad. Do you miss him, too?”
Haley was silent for a while. “I don't know. I guess.”
Mercy was certain Haley knew the reason that question was asked. He had lived with them during their days in the house when the country was falling apart, before the basement. His name was Simon, and from what she heard, he did not treat Haley or her mother any better in that house than in their own. He nearly got kicked out on several occasions. Had the man physically harmed his wife or daughter, he would have been. Dad would have kicked his ass, she thought. The man's problem was disrespect for his family, and he was unfair to Haley, demanding she have near-perfect grades in school and punishing her severely if she didn't. He even forbade her from ever speaking Spanish. Mercy hated him for that reason alone; for he had married into a different ethnicity than his own, and he inexplicably loathed it. He only married Celia because he knocked her up, Mercy was certain.
The more she thought about that one part of their dysfunctional family, the angrier she became, and had to force herself to shut out the thoughts. She feared she might have offended Haley with her earlier question, but it seemed Haley was already asleep, drifting into her dreams while still resting her head on Mercy's shoulder. It seemed better that way. Darkness covered the city and until light would return, it was best not to move. Falling quickly into a deep sleep was never a struggle for Haley, especially as a small child. As an infant she was appreciated for easily going to sleep, though, like her loud crying, it alarmed her parents for a baby to seem to be able to pass out at will.
Mercy adjusted her back against the wall, flattening her legs onto the floor so Haley could sleep on her lap. Then she leaned her head back, not minding the sitting position, and went to sleep as well.
At the sound of a slight commotion, Mercy woke. How much time had passed was uncertain, for it could have been hours or a few minutes. She was sure though, that she heard someone speaking. Her first instinct was to alarm Haley, but she waited to be sure. A solid minute went by that she listened, completely motionless and taking slow, quiet breaths. It felt like hours.
Then she heard a creak from the back door, followed by several more.
“Haley!” she said, shaking Haley's shoulder. “Wake up!” It took a moment, but Haley finally opened her eyes. “We have to hide.”
Without question, Haley followed Mercy's lead, who pulled her up and led them to the nearest place to hide. They crawled to the kitchen table, careful not to shift the chairs. Mercy could still see nothing. She felt the arms of Haley wrap around her tightly.
The creaking of the floor grew louder as they drew nearer. There's more than one, she thought. Maybe more than two. Whoever was inside, they were careful to be quiet, at least for the time being.
The intruders eventually entered the kitchen, their flashlights shining everywhere except at foot level.
Good.
The girls remained perfectly still, taking the slowest possible breaths and holding each other close. In the glow of the sweeping flashlights, Mercy could make out three pairs of legs. She listened intently, stricken with fear.
“I know they're in here,” said a man with a strong, deep voice, sounding like the leader of the group.
“It's pretty dark out, man. You sure?”
“I'm fucking sure.”
“How can you be sure? You were sure about the other three houses.”
Mercy saw the leader step up to his doubting henchman. “They're here! I know it. Now, search every fucking inch of this place until you find them. When you find them, bring them to me.”
“Two girls, you said, right?” said the questioning man.
“Yeah, two. Maybe three.”
“We're wasting time when we could be finding food. I don't like to fuck on an empty stomach. We haven't eaten in two days!”
“Yeah, but when was the last time you had a good fuckin'? Weeks? We'll keep 'em with us, then we won't have to go huntin' for pussy again.”
“Fine,” said the questioning member, relenting his disagreement. “We checked everything including the basement, right?”
“Yeah, I did,” said a third man in the group. Mercy internally noted how many different voices she heard, confirming what little she could see. “Bunch of bodies cut open down there.”
“Fuckin' cannibals were here?”
“I doubt it. Looked like someone came and took their stuff, then made sure they weren't followed out.”
“Come on, look again,” demanded the boss. “I don't wanna be here all night.”
They spread out, covering different areas of the house. Someone stayed behind again, seeming to be the same one as before from what Mercy could tell. The one with the torn coat. He looked about the kitchen through all the places one could hide. First, the pantry, then under the sink. When he saw nothing in those places, all that remained of the obvious spots was the table... Mercy relinquished Haley, taking the gun from her pocket, switching off the safety. Haley started to tremble.
Stopping, then lowering to his knees, the man shone his flashlight under the table, only to be greeted by Mercy pointing her pistol at his head. “Don't. Do. Anything,” she did not hesitate to say. The warning was effective, because the man did as she commanded. “Get back, let us go, and I won't shoot you.”
The man obeyed, crawling back slowly, but he started to chuckle. “Have you ever shot a gun before? Your arm's too bent, and the way you're pointing that thing, the bullet would go right past my head.”
Mercy scooted around Haley to get up from the table first. She kept her sights on the young man as Haley stepped out too. “I have three bullets left. I know how to shoot. I've killed people with this.”
“Bull shit”
“You wanna find out?”
Haley started stepping toward the back door. “Let's go, Mercy!” she whispered fervently. “We have a chance now.”
Mercy hesitated, her hand shaking and her eyes tearing up from fear. He only needed to shout, call to his friends, or be shot by her, and the others would know. She dared not try just walking away. She weighed the options in her mind, thinking quickly. She wouldn't attempt to knock him unconscious, knowing he would be much faster and overpower her first.
He made a move. Mercy's impulse took charge and with the butt of her pistol she struck him hard in the nose. He grunted loudly. Haley appeared unexpectedly to Mercy's left. She punched Mercy's side, then took the pistol from her and shot the man twice. Mercy gasped. The man screamed from pain and rage, falling to the ground and dropping his flashlight. Loud, rapid stomps sounded from all over the house. As she saw the man reach for his weapon, the rolling flashlight shone on his face, which looked like that of a decayed corpse.
Mercy wasted no time. She took Haley by the wrist and rushed at full speed toward the back door. The man fired three rounds directly at Haley, who collapsed onto her face, shrieking in agony.
“NO!” screamed Mercy.
“Ah! No, God! Please, God! Help, Mercy! Help me! I can't move!”
Mercy lifted Haley and ran into the back yard, fleeing around the house and to the street from where they came in before. Her strength already began to give out, despite her panic. The darkness made it nearly impossible to see ahead. She heard the men not far behind.
Up ahead the street was illuminated, and the light was gradually coming toward them. It was provided by the moon, but only in specific areas of the road. The clouds were drifting. The light only endured for seconds, but it was enough for Mercy to see an abandoned vehicle up ahead with a dead body in its driver's seat. Darkness returned as the clouds passed below the moon again. Mercy had to guess the precise direction of the truck.
“They're...” Haley cried, clenching her hands and grinding her teeth. “They're close!”
“I'll get us out of here,” Mercy assured. “Stay strong. Stay strong.”
Mercy made it to the truck despite the returning darkness. She opened the driver's side, making an immediate check for the keys, which she found still in the ignition. After sitting Haley on the concrete, she forced the body out, then she lifted Haley up once more, placing her on the far side. A miracle, she thought. She climbed in and turned the ignition. The engine failed to start.
Haley struggled to breathe. Despite this, she faced the oncoming gang through the back window. Her breathing grew more laborious every second. “H-Hurry,” she breathed.
Finally, after several attempts, the engine started. The old truck was a manual, but Mercy fortunately knew how to operate it. She pressed the clutch, shifted into first gear, and smoothly pressed on the gas.
There was still hope Haley would survive this.
Mercy caught a glimpse of Haley smiling once they started moving. But, just as they started to move, and their spirits restored, the men pulled out their guns, one of them an automatic rifle, and started loading the truck full of lead. The back window sprayed glass in every direction with each bullet that pierced it.
The spraying glass distorted Mercy's driving briefly as shards scraped her body everywhere. The windshield got hit as well. It was difficult to keep straight on the road. The back left tire was shot, briefly forcing the truck to sway hard to the left and tilt. Haley was thrown to the side, releasing a cry of pain.
Mercy drove recklessly with no concept of time, only until it seemed they were long out of sight of their pursuers. Haley breathed laboriously through her nose, every breath less audible than the one before. Mercy abruptly stopped the truck when she saw faint lights in the near distance. She kicked the door open, ran to the other side, and pulled Haley out. Blood was all over the seats. Haley's eyes were heavy.
“Keep your eyes open, Haley. Keep them open. Don't stop looking at me.” She gently rested Haley's legs on the street while holding her head up with her thigh. “Blink once for yes and twice for no. Can you still breathe?”
Haley blinked once, though slowly.
Mercy shook violently. What to do next was absolutely unclear. She turned to where she saw the faint lights. “Help me lift you.” She used all her strength to lift the little one, who helped at least some.
Mercy carried Haley toward a nearby church. Though the building had no exterior illumination, Mercy could see candlelight coming through the windows. It took a minute, but they reached the building without interruption. Others in this area, wherever it was, could be a threat, but in Mercy's mind, the greatest threat was Haley's wounds.
“We need help!” she screamed as she pounded on the church doors. “They shot my niece! She's dying!”
She pounded the doors at full force, hitting them until she had no strength left in her arm. Each second may as well have been an eternity, for Haley might have only had mere seconds left. She kept her eyes on Haley, thankful every moment that the girl still breathed. She wept bitterly as she kept staring at her, the blood continuing to leak onto the steps. Finally, the doors opened behind her, but she failed to even notice.
“Who needs help?” someone said.
Mercy turned, seeing four men standing at the entrance. “Yes, my niece! Please...”
Two of them took Haley and carried her inside. Mercy followed close behind. They rested Haley's body on a table in the sanctuary. They had to ask her to remove her hands, which were now indistinguishable from the rest of her neck due to the blood. Haley was fading, and from Mercy's eyes, it seemed she was accepting her fate.
Haley's hands trembled, slowing inching toward Mercy. Mercy held her right hand, feeling the fingers start to tighten but losing strength. Haley turned her head very slowly to the left, seeing the young men attempt to bandage her wounds.
She stopped struggling. She gazed into Mercy's eyes, which were as red as the hand she held. She was … smiling, faintly.
“I love you, Haley. I love you!” Mercy wrapped her hands around the girl's head, kissing her cheek, keeping her lips firmly planted on the skin. Then, Haley's breathing seemed to stop. When Mercy stepped back, she saw the men in the room had as w
ell, already starting to put their supplies away. She released a scream of agony and terror. Her heart broken, her strength gone, her world darkened forever...
Haley's eyes had closed, never to open again.
THEIA
“What do you want, girl?” asked the biggest one of the group. Theia was still approaching as he spoke to her.
“Can I come with you guys?” she asked gently after reaching them.
“Where?” the same kid responded.
“I don't know... anywhere.” She already couldn't help but dislike the boy. He had scars covering his face, and his teeth were crooked in addition to a severe underbite. Everyone else wore hoods, whether they wore sweatshirts or coats, but this guy wore a black cap, and wore it backwards. None of his physical features were a problem, it was his attitude. Of course, his appearance didn't help any. “Where are you guys going?” she calmly asked.
“We're hungry,” said the kid who wore glasses. He wore a maroon sweatshirt with a strange logo over what appeared to be three layers of shirts.
“So, food then? You're looking for food?” asked Theia nervously.
“Yeah, are you?” said the older one.
“I guess...” Theia reluctantly said. “I don't know what's going on. Who are you guys?”
“I'm Chase,” the bigger kid finally said. “I'm fourteen, and I'm the leader. Everyone looks up to me and follows my orders. Do you want to be part of my group, girl?”
Whatever I can take. “I guess,” she said. She nearly asked the names of the others, but Chase was already talking again.
“Okay, then. First, strip for us, and dance while you do it, too.” His eyes widened. The other boys laughed.
“No.” Theia asserted herself fervently.
“Fine, then you can't be part of my group.”
It struck her with rage. She refused to be exiled merely for keeping her dignity. “I could beat you up!” As soon as she spoke, she regretted her words. Dad would kill me if he heard me say that...
“Oh?” Chase smiled arrogantly and walked toward her, his head bouncing like a bird. “You're small, even for a girl. You really think you could take me?” Theia did nothing when he stepped two inches in front of her. “Yeah, I thought so.” He started to walk away, then he turned and punched Theia in the jaw. Theia fell onto her back and Chase started writhing, holding his hand between his knees. “Shit! Shit!”
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