UFSW Member Apocalypse/Issue 30

This is Issue 30 of UFSW Member Apocalypse.

This issue is PBR Sharpshoot-centric.

Issue 30
Time has passed since my men and I crossed those people, I can say I regret it. Here I am walking through the deep snow in search of supplies or anything really. My men trail behind me but the man who always stood by my side before is gone. Nowhere to be seen, but I know why. That kid, that fucking kid did it. Sure, it was justified one might say but why Pops? Why not me. Any who, I’m in peace every time I imagine the vivid image of his corpse lying on the ground with a pretty little bullet hole in his head. I did that to him and I couldn’t be any happier about it. But not just him, his other two men. The big tall white man and the black one, I did them in too. It’s just part of life now, I have people, they have people. If others get in my way, they die. It’s just that simple, no math or science to it.

But why do I hate it so much? I don’t blame myself for Pops’ death even though I caused it by deciding to tail them and fight them. It’s all I can wander on about while I observe the snow around me. I’m sitting well enough at the end of the world but without Lorenza or Pops. Lorenza, I think about you everyday my love. Nothing in life would matter now but I have a camp of people to feed and protect. Not all of them are fighters but I wish they were. I keep them on a tight leash and in return they get food and a roof. What baffles me is the fact people still find room to complain, and I kill those people because they insult me. Speaking of that, with those three men I killed that day, the count of murders I’ve committed goes up. I should be hitting the 50s soon and I still hope to die. I am a tyrant after all, tyrants die and the hero kills them. But maybe the world is out of heroes...and the deliverer of my death is dead himself.

But I get taken out of focus by my constant thoughts. Usually, one of my beings guides me. What I mean by that is simple...believe it or not I used to be a decent man, I had all sorts of morals and a strict sense of justice. Then one day...people came and changed that. We were asleep when it happened, Lorenza and I. Men like me came and did vile things to her, forced me to watch. When they were done using my wife and her body, they executed her without a warning. Left alone and broken I tracked them down...and took the them out one by one. Twelve men in the course of just a few days. I wanted to feel proud there but I didn’t, I snapped even worse. Soon I had my own men do my bidding for me as well, but I wasn’t going to let myself become a vile they way they were. For me, it’s just simply shoot and take what I please. I don’t like yet I don’t want to stop it, because in life there is nothing else for me.

But the past is not one to let go on so my former man fights back, makes me regress. It’s quite troublesome for me. At the moment I’m halfway in between both of them as they fight each other to take control of me. Many things bring this back man, like thinking of springtime meadows or some other calm shit. Who am I kidding, that never works for me. In fact, the only things that ever do work on bringing this man about are the company of my few loved ones and something else I love with all my being...the sweet taste of sugar. Candy bars, drinks, even the thing itself...they give me solace, they put me at peace. My mouth waters as I think about my last bite to eat, a stale yet still very sweet candy bar. It was a crunch if I recall correctly, so my mind and taste buds were in some kind of heaven that day. My eyes are closed and my ears become all but impervious to the area surrounding me.

But like I said, I’m too pre-occupied with my thoughts and fantasies that I don’t see a lone infected pace itself to me. Soon, it lunges itself at me. It quickly takes me down to the ground as I try my best to wrestle it off. It seems to be working but the teeth on it are huge, practically itching to get a bite of me. Soon I try my hand at ripping the head off as the monstrosity sinks its teeth into my thick winter coat. It seems to be working as I begin to hear snapping, yet the teeth are nearing my skin. I am ashamed to let an infected do me in but I am suddenly relieved...when I look up to see my only other friend in the world sink his knife into the top of the infected’s cranium. He offers me a hand up and I take it, not letting his act of honor go unnoticed. I shake his hand as I smile at him.

I’d forgotten to remember by other dear friend, KnowledgeProspector, or KP for short as he likes. Now, the man holds a pretty intimidating physique but that’s usually overshadowed by another trait he holds. He’s about to show it so I’m not going to even think about it…

“Arr yu okey PEBAR?” he says to me with his ridiculous pronunciation that shows no remorse for proper speech.

Sigh...it can get irritating sure but KP is still my friend. I may a man whose way past the point of redemption but when it comes to the people I love, I don’t play around.

“Yes I’m fine. Thank you KP.” he smiles at me and gives me a pat in the back.

He then turns my attention to something rather interesting. A warm feeling that slowly melts the snow around us. It’s a delicate fire, sending off bits of smokes through the air. I grin enviously and turn back to KP, who nods. I remove the safety from my revolver and my men and I mov forward. It doesn’t take long to reach the source of the fire. The people are few, just around five men and 3 women, all adults. They reach for their guns but I point and shot, shooting a bald man in the neck. While the rest of the group runs, my men follow. I turn my attention to the man I just shot, bleeding out next to the fire. KP offers to end his life for me but I refuse him. Instead, I use my foot roll the man into the fire, where his head begins to char. I have 5 bullets left at my disposal currently inside of my weapon.

While the rest of my men are living it up with their glocks and rifles, I play it hard with my revolver. I know, it seems rather impractical to use a weapon with such limited range and space compared to those glocks and rifles but it has the strange…”perk” of being difficult to use. Those other weapons are just too easy, they lack challenge, they’re for the people unsure of themselves. They can afford to miss, I can’t. It just feels like a playing a game on easy mode instead of playing a game on hard mode, and I hated playing on easy mode.

KP and I run and corner what is left of the small group we just ruined the lives of. I look back to see four corpses behind me, all of which belong to the men in the group. So I stare at the four, defenseless women cowering in front of me and my group. We could easily let off a little steam, relieve ourselves of some stress and simply rape them to our hearts desire….if that wasn’t completely sickening to me. I see the lust on my men’s faces but once they see my glare, I shut them down. They know that if they so much as lay a finger on any of those women, they’re the ones who end up with bullets placed in them instead.

“Any last wills, ma’am?” I say to the blonde woman in front of me.

“Please...just get this over with...please don’t make us suffer…” she says to me in tears. I look at her with a warm smile, to let her know it’s okay.

“It will fast and painless…” I respond to her as I stick my revolver next to her temple. She closes her eyes and waits one long second before I pull the trigger. He brains blast off behind her and soon KP and two others deliver head shots of their own, complying to the woman's wishes.

“PBARE, teh ir camp has sopplays, we can tek them.” KP suggests. I just nod in response and he pipes down.

I enter one of their tents and see their arrangement. It is clear that this was just a temporary camping arrangement for them. Few supplies are with them, be it clothing or bits of food. I curse under my breath as I collect everything that is leftover. Just some stale bread, 3 bottles of water, a bar of soap, a half-empty box of ammo, and few women’s clothes. I put this all in one sack in frustration and exit the tent. The first person to greet my outside is none other than KP, who smiles at me. He holds out a candy mint in front of him and hands it to me as fast as I can react.

“Yu enjay taht.” he says to me.

“Thank you KP.” I tell him in gratefulness.

“Na need tah.” he replies we modestly. I can see he always means well, even though he always wears those ridiculous sunglasses in spite of all the snow.

Soon after, my men and I are done grabbing everything from the camp, including the tents. Before I go the opposite way, I turn to look at the man’s burning corpse one more time. His brain has been entirely consumed by the fire, which is exactly what I intended for it to happen. These innocent people did not deserve turn into those monstrosities anyway...it’s bad enough that luck wasn’t on their side when fate made our groups cross paths.

Now we head back to our camp with the spoils of murder….

The sun has been gone for a few hours as we finally pass the gates to our camp. The guards on wall duty salute me and I ignore them. Of course, they expect me to do that every time. Unless they were KP or Elsa, they would fail to get any kindness from me. Moving into the old town I’ve barricaded from outside terrors, our presence becomes notable to our residents. Women reunite with their husbands and children reunite with their fathers. All of the townsfolk look at me with a mixture of respect and fear. They live well, they get fed, and they can help this grow...but can’t help but find me terrying. It’s something I completely understand and embrace. Why hide the fact that I am tyrant to these people? I hate putting up facades and needlessly lying, it’s for weak who see a need to hide, and I don’t ever fucking see a need to hide.

“KP, take this.” I hand him my sack. “Make sure you get it to Selma, to store and divide evenly with the townsfolk.” KP grabs the sack and says.

“Akay PEBOER.” he says. He never gets my name right despite the fact that it’s only three fucking letters long.

I forget about it and retreat to my home. It’s just one story but it’s enough to fit my needs. I’m not some greedy piece of shit anyway. I expect my home to be unlocked at the moment so I just grasp and turn the door knob. When I do, I see what I expect to see. My little Elsa plays in the living room with the few toys I’ve managed to salvage or find for her over the weeks. She’s only 8 years old and quite a cutie. I found her alone in the woods one day, saved her from a close call, fed her, and took her in. I pretty much adopted this little girl, as she sees me as a father. That’s right, it doesn’t matter to her how dark a man I am, she loves me regardless and that’s the sweetest, kindest display of affection anyone has given me since Lorenza’s passing. I fight for the people of my camp, but even more for this little girl. After all, she was left alone in the world just like me.

“How was today daddy?” she asks me in sign language.

For whatever reason, Elsa was mute. I never really bothered to inquire about it, thought it made no difference.

“Splendid.” I say to her.

She smiles and returns to play with her toys as I take a seat in my dining room table. Looking at the numbers of supplies and heads I have to provide for, I come to a conclusion. My camp can only fit so many people.

I’m at my limit.

Deaths

 * 9 unnamed survivors