The boy's eyes fluttered open, showing a distinct sphere of hazel inside the stark white. His confused gaze raked across what appeared to be a tangled mass of rusty chains. When his eyes adjusted to the dusky atmosphere, he saw the bundle of chains was actually his chained up mother. He struggled frantically and to his surprise, he was bound as well. Then he remembered the events that had taken place the night before, they had been captured like wild animals. Suddenly a creaking sounded from behind. His mother's eyes widened and filled with fear and desperation.

"Well, well," snarled a gruff, scratchy voice, "If it isn't the foolhardy heisters who tried to mug the muggers themselves."

"We weren't trying to mug anybody. All we wanted was a few cans of foods. Then we would be gone, never to see or bother you again. Just please let us go." She said stolidly.

"Why would I let you go? You are my new prey." He sneered, showing his rotten yellow teeth. He took a small step back and raised his muscled arm, showing off an already bloodstained bat. In its wooden spine were sinister, rusty nails.

"No!" screamed Asher, thrashing in his bounds

"It's okay, Asher, just…..go."

The raider took another step back and swung the nail baring bat like a baseball player. Asher flinched and recoiled as a spurt of warm, glittering ruby red blood hit him in the face. He gagged and spat the hot fluid on the stained red floor. He tore his gaze away from floor to risk a glance at his mother. Her body was speckled with drops of blood as red as her hair. Her neck twisted in an odd angle, eyes as cold as stone. He knew she was gone. A sob caught in his throat, choking him and he swallowed the bile that rose in his trembling throat. The insane raider hit her again, almost taking off his dear mothers arm.

"You monster! She was all I had left and you took her! You took her and I'm going to kill you!" Asher sobbed

"What are you going to do? Cry me to death? I thought that the disease and the ravagers already took all the weaklings but obviously they forgot one."

Asher screamed and thrashed violently in his chains when suddenly one rusty chain-link broke in half. A gasp sounded from his tear-streaked face. He was free and he knew what he had to do. The raider was preoccupied with turning his mom into hash. Asher's shaking; cold fingers gripped onto a 4x4 and suddenly all rational thoughts escaped his grieving mind. He made peace with himself and raised the plank of wood over his head. With all of his might and rage, he brought it down on the raider's fat head. The raider collapsed, but Asher didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He wouldn't stop. The board snapped in half but he kept going. He woke up from his blinding rage to see the raider in pieces; a chunk of leg here, a finger there. He gasped at his bloody hands. He would never get that blood off, not really. He let go of the weapon and sighed, gazing with glazed eyes; first at the bandit, then at his mother. He turned and stumbled away, knowing that no matter what, he couldn't bury her. The smoky sky reminded him of the feelings that boiled inside him. He didn't turn to look back.