Apocalypse Life/Issue 8

Previous Issue - Regards

Issue 8 - No More
Julius sat silently on the stairs that led to the front door of his house.

For a while, he just couldn't bear the thought of stepping foot in his parents' room, ever again.

He remembered this room quite well. He'd sleep in it when his parents were away. He'd sit in their bed for hours, as his parents tried to talk some sense into him when he's in trouble. He'd visit the room to wake up his mother, whom drops him off from school in his younger days.

It won't ever be the same.

He didn't notice Alice, who was sitting right beside him.

"They ... went away peacefully, Julius," she tells him, her arm around his shoulders. "That's probably what they wanted."

He looks up, to the grayish skies above him. Wind blew through his face.

"They didn't want to die. Not like this."

He forgot about the note they left for him.

He stands up, turns around, and goes back inside. He climbs up the stairs, and walks toward his room.

He grasps the doorknob, turns it, and pushes it open.

A putrid stench suddenly overtakes him. He covers his mouth, as he inspects his room.

There was a stranger, sitting on his desk chair. Dried blood surrounded the carpet below him. There was also some scattered across his shoulders.

He looks to his left, turning to his bed. There was a piece of ripped paper. He grabs it, and reads it.

"To whom it may concern: This is my last hour. I gave the owners a proper eulogy. To the son and daughter: I defended it the best I can. They took the car, and most of the food, but they didn't dare go upstairs. Hopefully you're alive and well, reading this.

''Annie: I love you, and I never wanted to leave you. It was my fault."''

It was too painful to look at the man's corpse. Instead, Julius left the note on his bed, and closed the door.

He looked at the floor one last time, and marched downstairs.

The yard door was open. He could hear noises of Alice's voice, as if she was lifting something heavy.

She was killing the walker that waited outside, with one of the kitchen knives.

"You doing fine over there?" he asks her. She turns to him.

"This knife's pretty small; have anything bigger?"

Julius faintly smiled. "Let's go. Check on the garage."

Alice finishes up, leaving the knife plunged on the walker's cheeks. She walks toward Julius, wiping her arms of blood.