Dark Apocalypse: A Post-Apocalyptic Family Saga

by Gabriel Alexander

  “That’s enough, Moses!”

  Moses looked behind him and saw Mack, with a pistol in his hand.

  “This is your second strike, you punk,” Mack said. “One more and you’re out of this community. Now go home, before I decide to use my gun.”

  “Sure thing, Mack. No problem,” Moses said.

  Moses turned around and left. Thomas’ shoulder felt wet. He looked and saw blood on his shirt.

  “Oh, no. He opened your stitches,” Carla said. “Let’s go to the nurse’s house. She’ll fix you right up. Come on!”

  She put her arm behind Thomas’s neck and took him to the nurse’s house. Once there, he sat on a table, while the nurse lit a candle, and put it next to his shoulder. She then brought a needle, a thread, and scissors. She cut the thread, made a knot at one end and tied it to the needle. She then penetrated Thomas’s wound. He winced when the needle touched his damaged skin.

  “Yes, I know how it is, trust me,” the nurse said.

  “Who was that guy?”

  “My ex,” Carla answered.

  “Your ex? He didn’t seem to think so.”

  “He doesn’t want to let me go. He is very possessive. And very violent, as you could see.”

  “Someone should teach him a lesson.”

  “Who? The entire community fears him.”

  “I’m not part of this community.”

  “Don’t even think about it. He would have knocked you unconscious right then and there if Mack hadn’t saved you. Who knows how lucky you’ll be next time.”

  “Someone has to teach him how to behave.”

  “Yes, but it won’t be you. Promise me.”

  “Okay, I promise you.”

  For a couple of moments, they were both quiet.

  “You’re good at this,” Thomas said.

  “My mom was a nurse before The Alignment. She taught me everything I know,” the nurse said.

  “Do you remember The Alignment?”

  “Of course I do. I remember the earthquakes, the panic, the confusion… I remember running, trying to reach somewhere safe.”

  “Where is your mom now?”

  “The house collapsed on top of her, eleven years ago,” the nurse said, with tears in her eyes.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. You couldn’t possibly know. How about you? Do you remember The Alignment?”

  “I was six when it occurred. But yeah. Clearly. We were living in Boston. I remember the buildings collapsing around us, the tremors that seemed like they would last forever. I remember the waters of the Atlantic entering in the eastern half of the city, drowning hundreds in their paths. People stuck underneath the rubble, trying to get out. Me and my parents managed to survive by going on a roof. I remember we were rowing on a door that came with the waters toward the roof we were standing on a couple of days after the waters hit the city and I could see dead bodies on the surface. You could still see the fear in their eyes. I’ll never forget that sight.”

  “I guess we’ve all seen things we won’t forget.”

  “Yep. I guess so.”

  The nurse took the scissors and cut the thread.

  “There. You’re done.”

  “Thanks,” Thomas said, while jumping off the table.

  ***

  The next day, Thomas was getting bored, so he felt the need to do something. Anything. So he thought about reading. Why not? It’s fun and you get to learn something in the process.

  He went to the library Mack told them about and started searching for a book. But nothing seemed to catch his eye. No title seemed interesting enough for him.

  “May I make a suggestion?” a voice said next to him.

  He turned to his left and he saw Mack standing next to him.

  “Yes, sure. Please,” Thomas said.

  Mack took a book from the shelf in front of him and gave it to Thomas. Thomas looked at the title.

  “Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.”

  “Do you know what makes it so special?” Mack asked.

  “No. What?”

  “It’s about an old man who thinks he is a knight, in a time when knights are gone. In fact, his courage and ego are so great, that he thinks he can defeat giants, which were, in fact, nothing more than windmills. It pretty much talks about modern times.”

  “Really? And what’s the connection between an old man who wants to be a knight and the modern times?”

  “Well, you see, my boy, we are much like Don Quixote today. We too have our giants to fight. Our giants, however, are other people, who are not willing to make this world a better place. We try to make them hear us, but they wouldn’t listen. Not easily, at least. But just like Don Quixote, we persevere. We will not quit until we change this society for the better.”

  “Why bother, if no one listens?”

  “Because unlike Don Quixote, who had only a spear at his disposal to defeat the giants, we have a more powerful weapon at hand: the word. The word is the most powerful weapon humanity could ever come up with. More powerful than the spear, the machine gun, or the nuke. And if you choose your words properly, you will change the world. And that’s exactly what we plan to do. It will be hard, but not impossible.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that you’ll succeed.”

  “But we don’t. Maybe it will not happen tomorrow, or the day after, but this world will be changed for the better. Maybe it won’t be us, but future generations. Your children, or perhaps Julie’s children, will get used to this prolonged night and will better adapt at this harsh world, thus having more power to change it. It will happen. In a far future, it’s true, but it will happen.”

  “I admire your beliefs. Really. And thanks for the book. Do you know where I can find something for my sister too?”

  “Sure. Follow me!”

  Mack took Thomas to the kids ‘section of the library. Once there, he searched the shelves, until eventually, he took a book and gave it to Thomas.

  “I believe this should be a proper book for her,” Mack said.

  “The Adventures of Peppa the Pig. Thank you!”

  “My pleasure.”

  ***

  Thomas was reading in his room. Julie suddenly entered.

  “Oh, you’re here. Good. I have a surprise for you,” Thomas said.

  “Really? What surprise?”

  He reached for the side of his chair and took a children’s book.

  “It’s called The Adventures Of Peppa the Pig.”

  “Yay! Yay! A story.”

  “That’s right. A story. And not only will I read it to you, but I will also use it to teach you how to read.”

  “Yay! I will learn how to read. Yay!”

  “That’s right. Come on! Sit down and listen.”

  Julie sat down next to him as he started reading.

  “One day, Peppa decided to go to the woods in the adventure of her lifetime.”

  After reading this sentence, Thomas gave the book to Julie, and showed her the letters.

  “Now, you try,” he told her.

  “O…ne…d…d…da…day…”

  ***

  Carla was carrying a crate filled with potatoes. She was losing her grip and she was sweating. She stopped for a second to catch her breath.

  “Let me help you with that,” a voice said behind her.

  She turned around and she saw Thomas.

  “Thanks.”

  He picked up the crate and carried it all the way to Carla’s house. Once there, he put it on the kitchen table.

  “Thank you for helping me,” Carla said.

  “Don’t mention it,” Thomas said.

  “Why don’t you come work at our farm?” Carla asked him. “You would love it.”

  A sudden sadness gripped Thomas.

  “I can’t, Carla.”

  “Why not?”

  “My parents decided that we will leave tomorrow.”

  The same sadness gripped Carla as well.

  “Leave? Why? Is our
community not good enough for you?”

  “No. It’s not that. It’s just that… we have a rule. We don’t stay in a place for more than a week.”

  “Why?”

  Thomas sighed.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I have time,” Carla said, while sitting on the chair.

  “Well… we tried settling in a place once. It was called Buffalo. You heard of it?”

  “Yeah. It’s somewhere in New York, right?”

  “Yeah, that’s right. Anyway, they opened the gates, welcomed us, treated us like we were kings. They gave us food. They were very polite. They made sure we had everything we needed. But, three days after our arrival, they barged into our room, tied our hands and legs and took us to the center of their settlement, where a huge fire was burning. They turned out to be cannibals and we were supposed to be breakfast. My dad managed to untie his bonds and grabbed a knife from one of them. He then used the guy as a human shield and forced the others into releasing me and mom. We then managed to climb the walls and run. And, since then, we never stay in a place more than a week. It’s our rule.”

  “Oh, my God!” Carla said. “That’s horrible.”

  “Tell me about it?”

  “Look… we are not cannibals. We are decent people. You can trust us.”

  “I trust you, Carla. I do. But this doesn’t change anything. Tomorrow we leave.”

  “Aren’t you big enough to make your own decisions? Why don’t you stay and let them leave?”

  “I can’t, Carla. They’re my parents. They need me.”

  “One day you’ll have to stop depending on them.”

  “One day, yes. But that day isn’t here yet.”

  Carla stood up and put her hand on his shoulder.

  “Please, Thomas. You don’t have to go. I’m begging you. Stay!”

  “The decision is final. I’m sorry.”

  After saying that, he turned around and headed toward the exit.

  ***

  Thomas was sitting on the porch, looking at the people passing by with torches in their hands, to drive away the darkness. Bill joined him.

  “What are you doing here?” Bill asked his son.

  “Thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “Dad, let me ask you a question. How long are we going to be on the road?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “How long are we going to keep running from people like that? I mean… at one point, we will have to settle somewhere. We can’t just… run forever.”

  “We’re not running, Thomas. We’re protecting ourselves. And if I have to die on the road, then so be it. But since Buffalo, you know we can’t trust anyone.”

  “That’s my point, dad. Not every settlement is like Buffalo. There are still decent people in this world.”

  “Yes, son, you’re right. But, unfortunately, we don’t know where to find them.”

  “Thomas!”

  Thomas looked to the left. It was Carla who called him.

  “Excuse me for a second, dad.”

  He got up from the porch and headed toward her.

  “Yes, what is it, Carla?”

  “Have you thought about what I told you? You know… tell your parents that you are not leaving?”

  “Carla, I already said it. They’re my parents. I can’t just leave them.”

  She came closer and grabbed his arms.

  “I’m asking you again, Thomas. Please, don’t leave. You would adapt well here. The people are nice, the food is good. There is no reason for you to leave.”

  “I’m sorry, Carla. I can’t stay.”

  Carla turned around before he could see the tears in her eyes and then left. Thomas returned to his father.

  “Go back to her, Thomas,” Bill said.

  “What?!”

  “It’s obvious what she wants from you. And I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t give it to her.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Thomas, she looks like a clean, good, decent, beautiful girl. And if you don’t go to her in the next minute and show her what a man you can be, I swear to God I’m going to kick your ass right where you stand.”

  Thomas left for Carla’s house. He knocked. Carla opened the door.

  “Is there something you forgot to say to me?” Carla asked him.

  “There is something I forgot. But not to say. To do.”

  He grabbed her hand and got inside. He then started kissing her. While they were kissing, she started loosening his belt and he took off her dress.

  ***

  They were sitting on the floor, with the moon illuminating their naked bodies. Thomas kissed Carla, then he got up and started getting dressed.

  “I’ve got a proposition for you,” he said.

  “What is it?”

  “Why don’t you come with us?”

  Carla sat up.

  “Come with you?”

  “Yeah.”

  She sighed.

  “I don’t know. The community needs me.”

  “And my parents need me.”

  Thomas put his shirt on.

  “Look at the bright side of things: you’ll see the world. Come on. What do you say?”

  “I don’t know…”

  “I can’t leave my parents, Carla. I can’t stay here with you. They need me. Julie needs me.”

  “You’re old enough to take care of yourself, Thomas.”

  “Yes, but one day, they will be too old to be able to take care of themselves. And I’ll have to be there for them. I owe it to them. The community will do well without you. Come on. Come with me. See the world. You won’t regret it. You’ll see.”

  Carla thought for a few seconds and then said:

  “Fine. I’ll come with you.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  Thomas hugged her, filled with joy.

  “Carla, you are wonderful! Thank you!”

  He released her from the grip, kissed her for one last time and then got out in the moonlight. He went down the stairs and, after a few steps, he heard a gun being cocked behind him.

  “You had her, didn’t you, you son of a bitch?” an angry voice said behind him.

  Thomas turned around and saw Moses, pointing a revolver at him.

  “You screwed her, didn’t you, motherfucker?”

  Thomas put his hands up.

  “Dude, relax!”

  Moses came closer, while keeping the gun pointed at him.

  “Nobody fucks Carla but me, you asshole, you hear me? I am her lover, not you.”

  Moses hit Thomas in the head with the revolver. Thomas hit his hand, making him drop the revolver. Moses threw himself over Thomas. They both fell to the ground. Moses started punching Thomas in the face. Thomas grabbed his fist and bent it, causing his wrist to brake. Moses yelled in agony. Thomas then punched him in the face, causing him to fall down. Thomas jumped over him and started punching him back, until he heard a gunshot behind him. He turned around and he saw Mack, surrounded by other members of the community.

  “Enough!” Mack yelled.

  Thomas got up. So did Moses.

  “Moses, this is your third strike. You’re out of here. Gentlemen, escort him to the gates!”

  Two men went toward Moses. They grabbed him by the hands and pushed him forward.

  “Move!” one of them said.

  Moses started walking. Mack then turned toward Thomas.

  “As for you, Thomas, go home! Now!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  ***

  The gates were opened, waiting for the Bill, Sophie, Julie and Thomas to go through them. Mack gave backpacks to Sophie, Bill and Thomas.

  “Here you go! You have food, water and ammunition inside.”

  “Thank you!” Sophie said.

  “The pleasure is all mine.”

  “Well, I guess we should get going now,” Bill said.

  “Wait, dad,” Thomas said. There
is someone else that has to come.”

  “What? Who?”

  “There she is right now,” Thomas said, while pointing at Carla, who was running on the path, with a backpack of her own on the back.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, after reaching next to them.

  “Everyone, this is Carla,” Thomas said. “She agreed to join us… if you don’t mind, of course.”

  “Of course not,” Bill said. “As long as she earns her keep.”

  “Dad!”

  “Nice to meet you, Carla,” Bill and Sophie said. Julie hid behind Sophie.

  “Come on, Julie, don’t be shy,” Sophie said. “Say hello to Carla.”

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Julie,” Carla said, smiling.

  “So, can she come with us?”

  “Of course,” Bill said. “An extra member is always welcomed. I hope Thomas warned you of the dangers that we will face on the road.”

  “He did. But, as long as I am with him, I don’t care.”

  “Isn’t love beautiful?” Bill asked.

  Carla smiled and turned toward Mack.

  “I hope that you don’t mind, Mack.”

  “Of course not. You can go wherever you feel you must go. I’m not the kind of man to keep people prisoners.”

  Carla smiled at him and hugged him.

  “Thank you for everything,” she told him.

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “Let’s go, everyone,” Bill said.

  The five said goodbye for the last time and went through the gates. They quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night, as the gates closed behind them.

  CHAPTER SIX

  As usual, at three o’clock in the afternoon, the light came upon the earth. It revealed the same landscape: an empty plain and a long road, filled with abandoned cars, on which the five were walking for about three hours.

  “So, Carla, tell us a bit about yourself,” Sophie said.

  “Well, I was born in New York. My mother was a waitress and my father was a Marine. I was five when The Alignment occurred. My father died that day, after a building collapsed on him during an earthquake. Me and my mom barely managed to escape before the entire city was flooded. Even though I was only five, I remember it like it was yesterday. We wandered off for days, eating what we could find on the way. We barely managed to escape from the hands of the rebels a couple of times. We would sleep in abandoned ruins or under the bridges, fearing that someone might find us and kill us in our sleep for our belongings. I remember I asked mom at one time what’s with the extra darkness. All she could answer me was that the Boogey Man was playing with the sun.