Page 3 of Anarchy

ChapterTwo

MAVERICK

The sun is starting to set behind the trees, and I haven’t heard a peep from Aspen in hours. I checked on her a few hours ago, and her breathing had slowed so much it looked like it had stopped. I replaced the wet cloth with a new one to keep her cool and then left again in search of food for myself. Making only a cold lunch meat sandwich, because I can’t cook to save my damn life, I decide to just head up to bed because there’s nothing to do anyway. God, it’s been so damn boring these days. Aspen is my only source of entertainment, but even she’s been rather dull lately. Opening the bedroom door, the room is bathed in the last remnants of the sun. I notice the bed is empty, which has me walking into the room quickly to look for Aspen. A clatter sounds from the bathroom, but there’s no light inside. Aspen typically lights a few candles when she goes in there in the evenings, but it’s pitch black, which has one of my eyebrows hitching up.

“Aspen? You in there?” I call from the middle of the bedroom, hearing soft footsteps shuffling towards me. Her slender frame peeks around the threshold, blonde hair hiding her face. “Aspen, you okay?” I ask, concern lacing my voice as I take a step closer to her. She doesn’t say anything but makes a weird grunting noise. She takes a stumbling step towards me, dragging her left leg behind her slightly. Her shoulders are dropped, making her arms look like they are different lengths, and her head is tilted to the right awkwardly. “Answer me when I ask you a question!” I yell at her, irritated as fuck that she hasn’t answered any of my questions yet. It almost feels like I’m talking to a brick wall as she continues to ignore me and shuffle closer. She’s only a few feet from me when she steps into the path of the remaining sunlight, and I get a good look at her, which has me stumbling backward a few steps.

“Aspen…” I say raising my hands up in surrender, like that’s going to fucking help. Her eyes have taken on a milky, hazy version of her own. Skin still blotchy, but a sliver hanging off on the right side that’s slightly covered by her hair. She lets out a snarl as her head tilts back up, blood and drool dripping from her chin as she lunges towards me. Scrambling back, I barely make it out the bedroom door before she grabs me. I slam the door in her face, catching one of her fingers in the frame. It slices clean off as I force the door to close. Her chilling screech comes from the other side as her mangled finger lays bloody on the floor at my feet. I hear her running into the door on the other side, trying to break free but not being able to grasp the doorknob.

“Fuck!” I scream out for no one else to hear as I tug at my hair pacing in the hallway. My back hits the wall behind me, and I slide down it until the floor meets my ass, tugging my knees to my chest, laying my arms over them, and tilting my head back against the wall. Aspen continues to screech on the other side, which has goosebumps raising on my arms. I’ve seen the videos of zombies on the news before the entire grid went down. I know what they look like and what they sound like, but I have yet to come in contact with one. I’m wracking my brain as tohowthis could have happened to Aspen. She rarely leaves the house, and she hasn’t left in days. I try to retrace our steps, piecing together anything that makes sense.

There were rumors going around that the new medication they came out with, IntaX, was causing bad side effects. I remember we picked up a bottle last week when we went to the store, Aspen said she wanted to try it to help with period cramps. Since there was nothing else on the shelves, I relented, grabbing a bottle and stuffing it in our basket. My head spins, my heartbeat speeding up as I recall Aspen taking a few of the white pills the other day for a migraine she had. My mouth drops open as I also remember she started to look sickly a few hours later, and she hadn’t slept last night either.

“Fuck, fuck,FUCK!” I scream into the hallway, slamming my head back against the wall, my hands coming up to lay over my face as everything clicks in my mind. Feeling guilty because I took part in this happening to her, even if it was unknowingly. She had no idea what was happening to her, and if I had just clued her into what was going on in the world, maybe I could have stopped it. If I had only taken the fucking time to ask her if she was okay when I first noticed her face flush with fever. I’m an asshole, but not big enough of one to let her go through that by herself.

My eyes go misty, and my hands shake where they are sitting on top of my knees. Dread fills the pits of my stomach, and my mind whirls with what I need to do next. I’ve killed before, so why am I stalling and dreading this so much? I feel nothing past possession for Aspen, but the thought of her lying dead at my feet by my hands makes me want to vomit. Pushing to my feet, I strain my hearing to try and find where Aspen is inside the room, and deadly silence echoes back at me. Taking a deep breath, I straighten, pushing my shoulders back and clenching my fists before I make my way down the hall. The house creaks with each step I take. Finding the coat closet at the back of my office, I grip the cold brass knob in my sweaty palm before tugging it open. Pushing the coats aside, the keypad I haven’t looked at in over a year glares back at me. After inputting the code with trembling fingers, the hidden door pops open, showcasing a dusty staircase behind it. Lights flicker on with each step I take into the dank space, cold chills running up and down my spine, goosebumps erupting over my skin.

Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, it opens up into a decent-sized room with lights showcasing different kinds of weapons I’ve kept hidden down here the last few years. Dust is collecting on almost every single piece. Spinning in a circle, eyeing every weapon before me, a recognizable sense of adrenaline runs through my blood. One that I haven’t felt since the night I brought Aspen to live here with me. Guess it’s only appropriate I feel it again at the time I will be taking her out of this world. Walking quickly to the wall closest to me, I grab a black 9MM off the wall, quickly inspecting it to make sure it's good to go and filled with bullets. I remove the mag and empty every bullet out except for one. The only one I intend to use this evening.

With the gun gripped tightly in my palm, I make my way back upstairs to my room. Laying my hands along the frame of the door, I tilt my forehead against the wood as I slow my breathing, willing my hands to stop shaking. Pushing off the door frame, I steel my spine and slowly turn the doorknob, pushing it open quietly with the toe of my shoe. Aspen stands by the window, barely visible with the very last rays of sunlight, her blonde hair practically glowing in the dark. I take a few steps closer to her, aiming the gun towards her head, and turn the safety off. The click alerts her, and she spins around awkwardly with a snarl leaving her lips. She takes a step closer to me, and I grit my teeth, preparing myself for the inevitable.

“Aspen, I’m so sorry I couldn’t save you… I’d ask you to forgive me, but I wouldn’t even forgive myself.” My whispered words don’t even seem to reach her as she takes another stuttering step towards me. As my breath whooshes out of me, I pull the trigger. Everything goes in slow motion, the bullet imbedding between her eyes, which go wide and almost seem coherent for just a moment, before she drops to the ground like dead weight. Once I know she’s gone for good, I sink to my knees in front of her, brushing her hair from her face, her dead eyes staring off into space. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you needed.” My final words to her feel like they were torn from my chest as a single tear tracks down my cheek for what little feelings I had for her.

My legs eventually go numb beneath me, forcing me to face my next dilemma. I clamber to my feet, my knees threatening to buckle beneath me, and head back down to the basement. Once there, I go to the far left corner and grab my biggest tactical bag from the hook. Wrenching the cabinet next to it open, I stuff it with several non-perishable foods, a water purifier, a flashlight, and a headlamp. Lastly, I stuff in a single-person tent with an emergency blanket. Hefting the bag over my shoulder, I eye the wall of weapons and decide that most of them are pointless to bring with me, so I settle for the 9MM that's stuffed in the back of my pants, some spare amo, and a random firefighters axe that I accumulated several years on a job. It’s weight is heavy in my palm. I imagine being able to swing and chop a zombie down without them getting too terribly close.

Hauling everything back upstairs, I rifle through my office for any documents that I think would benefit me somehow and stuff them into the bag. I look around the office with emptiness spreading in my gut before I decide it’s now or never. Trudging to the kitchen, I tug the junk drawer open on the island and grab the old zippo I keep there for Aspen’s girly-smelling candles. I fling the back door open and head towards the shed in the corner of the yard. Yanking the door open, I go straight to the back and grab one of the canisters of lighter fluid from the shelf. Trudging back to the house, my heart rate picks up as anxiety seeps into my veins. Starting in the bedroom, I douse it in lighter fluid before making my way through the rest of the house, finally making a trail out the back door and down the back deck. I toss the canister onto the deck and take several steps back, pulling the zippo from my pocket.

I stare up at the house that has been my secluded oasis for two years now. A place that I thought I would grow old in with my wife. Too bad things don’t always work out as planned. I flick the lid of the zippo open and turn the wheel with my thumb, a flame coming to light, flickering in front of my face. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath before opening them again and throwing the lighter as far as I can. It skids to a stop inside the door to the kitchen, immediately catching on the lighter fluid, flames quickly spreading throughout the house. I stand there watching until the heat from the fire becomes unbearable, forcing me to tear my gaze away and back up towards the woods. At the edge of the trees, I look back one more time, the flames stretching through the bottom level of the house, bursting through several windows, and then I lower my head and start walking to who fucking knows where.

ChapterThree

MALLORY

Sweaty bodies push up against me as I move through the crowded party. The music's bass beats through me, making my bones vibrate with excess energy. Alcohol strums through my veins, making my vision blur around the edges, and my anxiety calms from all of the people surrounding me. Bodies writhe together, so close you can’t tell where one ends and someone else begins. My skin itches as clammy hands touch my arms, trying to get my attention as I shove through the crowd. A large body jostles me, and my red solo cup tips from my hands and splashes to the floor, soaking my pink holographic wedge feet. Rolling my eyes, I forget about the mess and continue forward into the kitchen, spotting Lisa and Stacy lounging against the marble counter with their own cups tilted up towards their lips. When they spot me, they enthusiastically wave me over, jumping up and down like a couple of kindergarteners. Lord knows why I actually tolerate them, but just like momma always said, who you are seen in public with will always matter more to your reputation than who you see behind closed doors. I know dealing with them is for the better, but I would much rather be lounging in bed in a ratty oversized T-shirt with Rue watching some terrible movie. But instead I’m here in this skimpy dress playing the part my momma taught me to be: a powerful socialite.

My hands reach out to Lisa and Stacy, gripping their sticky fingers in mine as I tug them in for a hug. Their alcoholic breath wafts in my nose, sweet scents of peach and pineapple with the spice of rum assaulting my senses. “Oh my god, I’m so glad you two are here!” I squeal in fake delight as I clutch their bodies close to mine. “I’ve been looking for you guys everywhere!” Giving them my best million-dollar smile before kissing them both on the cheek and stepping away. Lisa reaches behind her and grabs an empty red solo cup, her hand swaying as she hands it to me.

“Youhaveto try that punch, Mally!” She points at the big storage container on the island full of jungle juice as I resist the urge to roll my eyes at their pet name for me. I’ve always hated being called Mally, much more preferring the nickname Mal that my real friends use. I turn towards it, gripping one of the ladles, and pour a few heaping spoonfuls into the cup, snagging a few cherries and pineapples as I go. I cautiously take a sip and wince at the amount of alcohol in this, but smile at Lisa all the same. “See, I told you! Isn’t it good? Probably the best I’ve ever tasted!” She says as she leans back against the counter again.

“What have you been up to today, Mally? We missed you at study group.” Stacy finally pipes up, eyeing me with suspicion. Stacy has never actually liked me. She’s always been jealous of my success, whether it's with my grades, money, or the cheer team. Sometimes I feel like she’d gladly crawl into my skin just for a day of being me.

“I had a killer headache after class, so I headed back to the dorm for a nap, sorry guys!” The lie spills out of my lips effortlessly, but it was way easier than telling them I rushed home to get ready for the party with Rue. She hated every second of it, but I insisted on helping her get all dolled up, not that she actually needed the help. The girl is a smoke show all on her own.

“You should really get those headaches checked out, Mally. You seem to have them a lot; what if it’s something really serious?” The crease in Stacy’s forehead looks as deep as the Grand Canyon with her fake concern. I nod my head, telling her that I will be sure to get it checked with my family physician.

We continue chatting about mundane things until Stacy spins me around with a frantic look on her face. “Look, it’s Jason!” Her squeal of surprise pierces my ears, making me wince at more than just the sight of my ex-boyfriend. “I can’t believe he’d actually show up here, and withherof all people! Mally, you’re so much prettier than she is.” Stacy rolls her eyes so hard I fear they may pop out of her skull. What Stacy doesn’t know is that Jason didn’t break up with me like everyone thinks. I broke up with him because of his vile behavior, but no one believes the girl in these types of situations, no matter how popular she is. Hanging on Jason’s arm is Hannah Stanley, the girl he’s been flirting with throughout our entire relationship.

“Mally, why don’t we go outside? You don’t have to see this,” Lisa suggests in my ear as she grabs my hand. If I’m honest, I couldn’t give two shits about seeing them together; they deserve each other. The last time I saw him, he was balls deep in Hannah after I turned him down. He was drunk, and I was not losing the last thing that I could actually control in my life to him when all he cared about was getting his dick wet. So of course he retaliated and slept with Hannah during a party. I promptly stormed out and sent him a text telling him it was over after that.

“Yeah, let’s just go out back.” I say to Lisa as I tug her towards the door. Stacy is eyeing Jason like he’s a piece of meat before she finally follows us out the back door. She’s always had a thing for every guy I’ve dated, and I always pretend not to notice. We head towards a tree at the edge of the yard. While Lisa and I lean up against it, Stacy stands in front of us, telling us about the newest gossip she heard today. Her words float along the cool breeze as she talks, almost lulling me to sleep until Lisa pinches my arm and winks at me. She knows how much I despise Stacy, because she too despises her, but her momma is just the same as mine. Both of us are forced to live the fake lives that our mommas created for us.

I down the rest of my drink and excuse myself so I can go throw away my trash at the other end of the yard. Pushing through the human obstacle course is a challenge in the outfit I decided to wear tonight. After tossing the red cup into the trash can, a loud scream erupts from the house. My head whips to the side to see what’s going on, my vision turning blurry from the sudden movement and alcohol streaming through my system. Scream after scream echoes through the air as bodies frantically rush out of the house, tripping over each other to get free of its confines. I turn back towards Lisa and Stacy, and their expressions mimic my own utterly confused one. We all start to walk towards each other, but the mass of bodies leaving the house separates us. The sea of bodies pushing me further into the woods surrounding the house. My feet trip over fallen branches, and I curse my choice of shoes, but I hadn’t exactly planned on trekking through the woods this evening.

I stop once I’m about to and catch my breath while looking at my surroundings, trying to find Lisa and Stacy or even Rue at this point. A boy I’ve seen in one of my classes comes rushing at me with a frantic look on his face, and I yell at him to see what’s going on. He’s in such a hurry to flee; he knocks me down and doesn’t even stop to help me up. “What the fuck!” I yell at his back. Picking myself up, I start walking in the same direction that everyone else was going, but quickly realize I’m lost and no one is around to help me. “Hello! Is anyone there?” I scream out towards the treetops, but only silence answers me. I pull my phone out of my tiny pink clutch, holding it up towards the sky, hoping for a small glimpse of cell service, but the “no service” sign is what stares back at me instead. With a huff, I keep walking, turning the flashlight on so I can see where I’m going this time, but my heel sinks into a hole, making me topple over an unseen cliff edge. My body jolts through the dark air before it collides with the ground again, bouncing me down a hill. My hands claw at the ground, trying desperately to grab onto anything to save me, but everything slips through my fingers like silk. My hip collides with a hard surface before my head smashes into it next. Vision dimming, I look up at the sky. The twinkling of the stars is the last thing I see before darkness invades.

ChapterFour

MALLORY

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