Quick foreword:
I'm not in the military, but I do my best to portray real-world communication and more in an valiant attempt to be more-or less realistic in that regard.
Since there's nothing in the way of smut it's not rated M.
I'm trying to make this story as original as possible. Of course, I might hit a cliche here or there but hey, it happens, right?
I also hope to invoke thought and some feels. Despite the war setting, action won't be rampant.
And lastly, please review! Each one tells me if I'm hitting my audience where it hurts. Or where it's good. So yes, reviewing is massively appreciated.
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century", a term which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom turn of the century and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another.
I'm told I'm an optimistic person. At least, on the surface. And sure, the surface is what we make ourselves to be so I guess I can settle for being an optimistic person.
It's been an exhausting seven days. Seven days since the end of the year two-thousand and sixteen. The new year came and went in a flash to me. I attended no parties and kept to myself during the holiday season. Not really a big fan of Christmas. Sure, the cheerfulness of the good ol' holiday spirit is not necessarily something I hate, don't get me wrong. I love getting under the blankets with a steaming mug of hot cocoa, maybe in front of the TV with Netflix switched on. It's just that my school always loads us with a massive dump of homework during the break making it impossible to relax. I'm sure you can relate.
Today is the first Saturday after the first week of school. It's seven in the morning, and the faint glow of the rising sun streamed through the windows of my small, cozy room. I got a poster of the Flying Spaghetti Monster next to a map of Eastern Massachusetts on the wall by the doorway, greeting me in a ray of light as I pried my eyes open. Gotta love that deity. Still groggy from staying up late the night before, I flopped out of bed. Throwing on some warm clothes and a thin blue coat along with my favorite pair of socks, I strolled downstairs to the kitchen. Right now it's quite chilly in the house, but I decided against making coffee or any other heated beverage. I'm not in the mood for any sort of strong taste in the wee hours of the morning.
Eventually my mother would wake up, but I figure she could use the extra rest. She passed the black hair gene down to me, along with my brown eyes. I never got to meet my father because he died before I was born, but pictures of him make him out to have light brown hair and blue eyes. Not that that matters, but it's always nice to know.
After preparing and subsequently consuming a bowl of cereal, I suddenly realized I had nothing to do. We just did a whole bunch of tests earlier in the week, so I didn't have any homework and there's nothing to do around the house. Nothing better to do, instead of studying, than to participate in some quality entertainment!
Rather than hopping on the computer and playing a game like I usually would, (it was a tough decision) I decided to go out and get some fresh air. Maybe even ring up some friends later, get a bite to eat, I dunno. It's seven in the morning and I'm completely free! That's right folks, it's time for a change in routine!
Well shit. I'm now sitting on a bench in the town park, listening to the beautiful sounds of suburban traffic. The park is spacious with a wide grassy field, but in the corner there's a playground for the kids with a wicked tall metal slide. As a wee lad I would always try and get a running start before launching myself down it. You'd go really damn fast and fly right off the end of the slide, landing in a bunch of old woodchips. I can't say I had a bad childhood. Not with such an awesome slide like that.
You know what? Screw societal norms. I wanna go down the damn slide!
Hopping off the bench, I jog to the stairs, jumping up two steps at a time with a wild grin plastered on my face. Once at the top of my throne, I gaze across the land, surveying the winter wonderland in awe. All the trees have lost their leaves, and the buildings of the town sprawl out behind me like a suburban jungle. In front of me, a great distance away, lies a frozen pond with some geese still loafing about. It had snowed recently, but just a tad, leaving stale patches of snow here and there across the field. This playground structure is a hella lot smaller than I had last remembered it, and I might have to squeeze through just to make it out the other side of the slide.
I kneel down and lower myself onto my tush. The playground is frozen to the touch, and since I didn't bring gloves I fold the ends of my sleeves over my hands as an added layer of protection from the cold.
I lean over the edge of the slide and lower my head to look down towards the ground. Oh man, it's… Really not as distant as I remember it to be. I look back up and quickly scan the cracking sidewalk beside the street. I hope no one sees me here, but there's no backing out now. I inch ever closer to my center of gravity, my legs dangling down the slide's dented surface. I place my hands behind my back on the ground, ready to push off at a moment's notice. I take a deep breath and exhale, a thin cloud of fog streaming from my mouth. Here goes nothing…
"Hey, what do you think you're up to?"
A voice behind me pierces the dull din of nature.
"Wha!" Startled, I fumble forward, slipping and sliding away from the point of no return. I tilt too far to the left and fall off the slope at a high speed, slamming right into the ground.
"What the hell was that for, Owen?" I painfully flip myself onto my back, irritated.
I look up to the top of the slide, and there he is, laughing heartily at my peril. He dusts off his green jacket and beams at me.
"You think I could resist such an opportunity, Nate? You're insane if you think you can get away with such a childish act in a town with me in it." Owen smirks, satisfied with himself as he calls me by my nickname.
"Oh shut up," I wave him off. "Why are you here anyway?" I clamber up to my feet and place my hands on my hips, panting slightly.
"I was just on my way to Dunkin Donuts but when I saw you runnin up those steps I made a small detour. You know how it is, don't you?" He replies as he slides down, never diverting his gaze from mine as if he were taunting me.
I smile and walk to his side as he rises.
I jab him on the shoulder playfully. "If you're going to get something, you'd better compensate me for my troubles. That hurt, you know!"
"Hey now," He raises his arms in surrender. "It ain't that big of a deal, man. If you're asking for food I'll certainly oblige, but if you think that getting spooked off the slide is worth compensation… I'd think twice."
He's got a very valid point. Instead of dragging myself down further, I'll just go with it. He's offering me food! Accepting defeat is the least I can do.
We make our jolly way to the sidewalk and head downtown to the doughnut place. Owen and I share many of the same interests and have decently similar personalities, however what really sets us apart is how vocal and irrational Owen can get. He's not afraid to voice his opinions and speaks louder than most of the people I know. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I have yet to know. He can be really open to me, it's almost like I've known him forever.
The winter sun was getting obstructed by grey clouds as they crowded together across the wide expanse above my head, shedding their frozen white flakes which fluttered to the ground beside my feet. We had just crossed the street as wind picked up, sending the falling snow into a frenzy. The nearly empty parking lot for the pastry eatery on our right was spotted in puddles of ice, catching the snowfall dead in it's tracks. The doughnut shop was on at a four-way intersection, usually busy but on a Saturday morning the amount of traffic was at a welcome minimum.
I dashed ahead to grasp the door handle and yanked on it, swinging it wide open as Owen sauntered inside with a word of thanks. The warmth of the facility was more than welcome, and I didn't hesitate at all in my entrance. The scent of oil and greasy products filled the air, and the dim hum of sports television captivated my ears. A safe feeling, a sense of home.
It still hasn't reached eight in the morning yet, and the place was completely empty. The two employees, a man and young woman, looked bored and sleepy, yet established a wary eye on us as we entered. Owen said he'd get me a doughnut on our way here, so I strayed from the line and took a seat at the window lining the corner facing the intersection. While he was ordering, I cast my serene gaze outside at the light snowfall. A few cars passed by here and there along with a big white truck. I love the tranquility of the morning, the atmosphere is calming and invokes deep thought.
As my friend was wrapping up the transaction the traffic light dangling over the middle of the intersection turned red, causing two or three cars to halt on each side of the road. All of a sudden, the traffic light started to crackle and fizzle before exploding in a shower of sparks. What the hell? That was uncalled for. And here I thought our streets were well maintained. An impatient driver sped ahead, ignoring compliance and order. Some other drivers honked at him, but weren't upset enough to drive off. Then, in a flash of bright light, a little light blue gumdrop just kinda appeared beneath the traffic light. It looked to be as tall as a tire and a foot wide and strangely enough, it had a face. Two lifeless black eyes and a pale snout. A young man stepped outside of his car and cautiously approached the strange creature. Several other people exited their vehicles out of curiosity. I leaned in towards the window as he got within five feet. I'm not sure what caused it, but a bizarre bubble of energy emitted sharply from above the blue creature, engulfing everything around it, including the restaurant where I sat. All the electronics suddenly and inexplicably shut down, leaving us in the dark. The headlights on each of the cars also died, along with the lights from the buildings as far as I could see. Owen was walking over to a seat across from me as this happened, startling him as to make him drop the brown bags of doughnuts.
"Holy shit! What the ass-cheese?" Owen cried out in fear, recoiling from the wave of energy. I too felt a jolt as the wave passed through me, but I just flinched.
The blue gumdrop looked up at the man before jumping right onto his chest, slamming him to the ground. He cried out in pain horribly as though he were being eaten alive, waving his arms and legs in all different directions. The blue blob held a face of pure glee as it finished with it's victim. Once the man stopped moving, it bounced towards another person who left their car.
Bounce, bounce, bounce!
A woman was it's next target, and she dropped her phone- which had died moments earlier- and started running for her life, screaming. Like one of those jockeys from Left for Dead, it landed on her head, choking her as she fell to the ground out of sight. More of the blobs came out of nowhere, under cars and from around the corner, finding targets and killing them.
I knocked over a chair as I jumped back in surprise as a man ran into the window with a blob on his leg. There was nothing I could do. The man slapped the glass and yelled for help, and I could see the blob eating away at his body, like the creature's body were that of a very potent acid.
"Oh shit dude, what the hell is this!?" I yell in alarm.
"I- I- I-" Owen stutters in shock. "Fuck!"
I turn around to see the employees frozen in fear, faces in absolute terror. When I look back a loud thump erupts as a blue blob rams the window, it's face flattened against the glass. Another blob jumps into the glass as well, and more and more pile up against it. The window begins to crack as we begin to panic.
"What do we do?" The young woman cries as she presses herself against the wall while the man ducks behind the counter.
"Ah…" I'm at a lost for words. This is insane. What the hell are these blue things? My life is in danger! "O- Owen we gotta get out of here!"
Owen snaps to his senses as the blobs continue to hammer the window in a rhythm. "Okay, there's gotta be a back exit! We can get out through the rear! Where's the door, damnit!" He demands of the employees.
The man stands up and beckons us to follow him with a wave. "This way!" He drags the woman by the hand as we follow him around the counter and pushes a door to go into a kitchen area. The woman turns around and quickly locks the door behind us. There's no one there, and the kitchen is pitch black.
"Hurry, the exit is in the back!" He runs past stovetops until we arrive at the corner of the room. A metal door is there with a rectangular window, our escape route. I glance back nervously, and after a few tense seconds the distinct sound of glass shattering pieces the silence. The roar of a thousand little voices spitting out a call of "Dog-goo" swarms the room we just left.
"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!" The man exclaims, fumbling through his pockets.
"Oh, what is it?!" I ask, fidgeting frantically.
"I don't have the damn key!" He sobs.
You need a key to use the exit? What the hell?
"Oh damnit. We're all gonna die!" He screeches and falls to the ground at wits end.
Wait a second. I don't wanna die here! Owen looks at me and points to a square window up on the ceiling. There's a stovetop beneath it, so it's definitely possible to get up there if we pull each other up.
"I've got a plan." Owen reassures us. The blobs start to slam against the next door, the only thing between us and certain death. "If you can push me up through that window I'll pull you up. We might be able to get everyone out if we move quickly enough."
"Alright, let's move it!" I nod, and the employees look up at up with renewed hope in the faint light. Owen picks up a frying pan and tosses the pan with all his might out the window, shattering it and sending glass shards to the ground along with some snow that had accumulated on top of the window. The cold air rushes in, mixing with the warm air of the kitchen. I hand him a pair of oven mitts that were hanging from an oven, and crouch down below the opening with my fingers interlocked. Owen faces me and sets a foot into my hands with his hands on my shoulders.
"On my mark, ready. Set. Go!" Owen counts down. I push him upwards and luckily he manages to grasp the window's edge. He pulls himself upwards, swinging his legs wildly. Once at the top he looks down over the edge at me, extending an ungloved hand.
I look at the doorway, and notice how hard the blobs are slamming against it. They are hitting it with a huge amount of combined force, close to throwing it off it's hinges. I jump up as high as I can and grasp his wrist. Owen grabs my arm with both hands, and I do the same. Owen grunts and pulls me up the rest of the way, but as I come over the edge I scrape my legs against the exposed glass, slightly shredding my clothing.
"Okay, okay, now me, me! Please help me!" The man scrambles beneath the window and holds up both hands. Owen and I lie back down on the snow-covered concrete opposite each other and throw our arms down. Just as we do, the doors of the kitchen burst open, letting in an avalanche of blobs.
"Goo Goo, Dogoo!" They project their tiny voices in a horde, becoming much more menacing despite their cute appearance.
"Oh God, why?" He whimpers softly in defeat and lowers his arms.
Oh shit.
The woman lets out a shrill scream which is quickly muffled. I'm glad I didn't see it, but I can feel that this will haunt me forever. I pull my hands back reluctantly and so does Owen. The man lets out a few tears, staring right up through the window, before some blobs violently overtake him, leaping from the side and throwing him off the stove. He doesn't scream.
I scrabble backwards and away from the window. My life persists. Safe for the time being.
I look over at Owen who is panting heavily and covering his face with a hand. The sounds of the monsters die down, and I can assume they have dispersed to find more people to kill.
"I'm at a loss for words, Nathan." He shudders.
I look back up into the sky. The snow is falling like it was ten minutes ago, and it feels alien to me. Just ten minutes ago I was getting a doughnut with a friend, and now I just saw a whole bunch of people die at the hands of Dog-faced monsters. Some morning, huh.
A few gunshots ring out, and I hear fighting erupt across town. I sit upright and take in the scenery. I can see many fires have broken loose across the urban landscape, maybe in an attempt to halt the miraculous flow of monsters. What are those things, and why are they killing people? Is my mother okay? My house is not far from here. Those monsters might have gotten to her by now. Oh man.
I don't mean to, but a few tears come down my face. I look at Owen, and he has gotten up and is leaning against the edge of the building. I bring up a sleeve and wipe my eyes. I've got to get off my sorry ass. There's a time and place for everything, that's what my mother always said. And in this case, lamenting about what is unpreventable and wasting time will only get us killed.
I saunter to Owen's side and place my hands on the cold brick wall.
"What the hell." I state.
"Agreed." He replies after a long pause. "Where to next, Nate?" He asks me, his tone bitter.
"For me, I'm thinking that getting of this roof is suicide. Everywhere accessible by foot is bound to have been overrun by those creatures. Look around us," I scan the horizon, only to see devastation and hear chaos. "I'm just really confused right now and need a moment. We'll think of something. You get me?"
"Yeah… yeah I understand." Owen sighs. He reaches into a pocket and pulls out his phone. He presses a button and yup, it's dead. "Happy 2017, I just got this new phone on Christmas. Thought this stuff should last through the apocalypse, but I guess that ain't the case." He sets his phone gently back into his pocket.
This really sucks. For all we know we might be the only ones left alive in town. Doubtful, but if you really think about it it's very much possible. I'm not the type of guy to sit around and lament about our situation, so let's see what we can do.
I look over the edge of the building and the streets are deserted. A few corpses here and there along with a few fires springing up, and in the distance I can see more of those creatures hopping away from us. The ones who were after us probably cleared out by now, but it's hard to tell for sure.
We can't survive up on the roof forever. I know we're going to have to make a run for it, maybe get to the town next over. We need to know what's going on, so if we can find a working radio or even a source of electricity for our phones that would work wonders. I'm not sure how far that mysterious EMP effect extended for, but there must be a limit. For transportation we could find a working car that got abandoned or maybe even a pair of bicycles. I think we're gonna make it. At least until the night. Or until Murphy's Law kicks in.
No time to be so down in the dumps.
"Hey Owen," I place a hand on his shoulder and he looks over at me. "I've got a plan."