A Thousand Endings

Chrysanthemum told us about a ware house full of food and supplies, and that that’s what Charlotte was setting out to find when she left that day.We didn’t know where it was but we had a pretty good idea of what direction to start with, the half of the city that wasn’t burned.Besides, we have nothing to lose, we don’t have any water or food so what the hell, do or die.
Chrysanthemum couldn’t climb through the ruble by herself so I carried her, we kept our eyes peeled for anything that moved.The way Chris had spoken about the man that killed her sisters I knew he was a secessionist, if it only happened a week ago then his whole group was for sure still in this city, they always travel in large groups.
This city was so incredibly large, and it’s full of tall looming buildings, I’m afraid these humungous unstable structures will fall down on us at any moment, we’d be goners for sure.
As we trudged along in silence, Chris rode on me piggyback style with her little arms wrapped around my neck.She was humming some nursery rhyme, it sounded so familiar but I couldn’t quite remember the words.It was beginning to get dark now, the moon was half full tonight and lit up our surroundings a little, but it was still difficult to see.I didn’t want to stop until we absolutely had to so we kept walking, probably only for about ten more minutes or so.
Every once in a while I thought I heard a very faint laugh, but I was most likely just tired and imagining things.I was about to suggest that we stop for the night when I saw a large block shaped building ahead, after getting a little closer I could finally read the sign sitting on the side of it.It read SuperFoods Ware House!
“Fin look!” I whisper/yelled to him while pointing at the ware house.
He looked up to where I pointed and back to me, hope in his eyes, hope for what?That the ware house wasn’t empty?Or something else?
As we got closer I heard the laughing again, I knew for sure that I wasn’t just hearing things this time, I could now even hear talking.We had to keep going in that direction though, we needed to get to the ware house, maybe we’ll just pass them.
Now we were about a yard and a half away from it and I could see the flicker of a large bon fire, and dark figures surrounding it, they were directly in front of the ware house.As we neared I could hear what they were talking about, they were discussing how a women had begged for her life, and eruption of laughter exploded into the night air, it was disgusting.These were the secessionists that had killed Chrysanthemum’s sisters.
I felt that Chris’s sisters needed justice, it seemed wrong to just forget them without avenging their deaths.Without thinking I pulled Chrysanthemum off my back and handed her to Fin.
“Take her to a house close to the ware house and wait for the secessionists to leave” I quickly whispered to Fin while handing him Chris.
“What?! Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m letting you do that”,Fin said when he saw me pull out the large pocket knife.
“Keep your voice down, I’ll be fine, just make sure Chris stays safe”.
“You’re practically committing suicide, I can’t lose you Dennie”.
“I have too… for Charlotte and Lily…”
Fin silently pleaded with his eyes, he knew that a big part of this was because of my dream, he also knew I couldn’t be talked out of this. I needed to do it.
I waited until Fin was out of site with Chris, then I creeped forward hiding behind ruble, when I was right outside the clearing where they were camping I stopped.With the knife in hand I took a deep breath and inched a little closer, they were so loud laughing and talking that I wouldn’t be heard.I took a run for it and hid behind a large chest where they had all their supplies, with their backs to me I didn’t think anyone saw me.
I didn’t exactly know what I was going to do, kill someone? With a knife, by myself and against like fifteen other people?I wasn’t coming out of this alive but I was already committed and had to go through with it.I decided to harm their supplies or something like that, I searched for something to stab that wouldn’t alert them of my presence.After finding a large plastic container labeled water I slinked over to it, my knife ready.I stabbed a hole in the side and water poured out pooling onto the ground, I stabbed a couple more holes and looked for another thing to ruin.I found another large container of water sitting by a square shaped cloth tent with a light glowing from the inside, I creeped over to it.After doing the same to this container I stayed by the side of the tent, listening to a conversation between two people.
“Group Four found a male and female together in Section Eight, they struggled too much and were executed on spot”, said a man’s voice.
“Was any of our members injured?” asked another man, his voice was gruff, and he spoke like he held high authority.
“Yes, one was shot in the arm, I believe the bullet hit an artery, they are currently healing in the recovery tent”.
I leaned closer, I think the first voice was giving a status update on finding humans, I shivered at the thought.
“Have we heard back from Group Three yet?” asked the gruff voice.
“Yes, they’re supposedly in Section Two, they followed a lone male into the Burned Half and got lost.They found their way back to Section Two this morning”.
“Was the male taken care of?”
“Yes”.
I lost my balance and fell forward, the wall of the tent wasn’t tied down and blew over the top of me, I gasped and looked up at the two startled men. They scrambled to their feet and looked at each other.
“Well don’t just stand there Kane, kill her!” said the gruff voice that belonged to an old pudgy man wearing a tight green military uniform with an S stitched onto the chest.
I jumped to my feet and held the knife out in front of me, the man named Kane laughed mockingly at me as he reached inside a drawer and pulled out a black handgun.
“You think that will save you?” he crooned to me while slowly aiming the gun at my left arm.
I could feel my eyes grow wide and my hands shaking, he was going to have his fun before he actually killed me. Tears streamed down my face.
“Aww, would you look at that, the bitch is crying”, Kane said with false concern.
I lunged forward at Kane, he shot me in my left shoulder, I faulted and stuck my knife into his thigh.I gasped with pain and he screamed with anger.I fell to the ground hitting my head hard, and looked up helplessly at him, my vision was blurring.Kane turned his head and I followed his gaze, my eyes fell upon Fin, he jumped at Kane with a jagged piece of glass.
“No”, was the last thing I said before the world faded away like music dying out.

Notes