Hi! Everyone! AHeartForStories here! I just love zombie apocalypse stories, games movies. I just had to write something of my own! I just had to! The idea was irresistable!
So here you have it! Knowing my love for Zombie apocalypses, writer blocks should be very minimal with this one.
Hope you enjoy and please do leave a review or two behind to tell me if you liked it or if you have constructive criticism. :)
Also, I'd like to point out that none of the characters have their powers. So no super speed or anything for Shadow or anyone. Let's be honest, their powers would've made this story alot less suspenseful.
Still Fighting: Prologue
-Year 2033, summer-
Rain poured down from the sky and lightning lit up the sky as thunder boomed high above. It was the middle of the night, pitch black all around with the lack of street lights. And if that wasn't dangerous enough, the creatures who could be lurking in that darkness could surely form a threat.
It was the reason why the only two figures brave enough to traverse this darkness were in a hurry to get where it was safe. Both of them were teens, both the age of eighteen, a male and a female. One was a mobian hedgehog while the other was a mobian bat.
People would call them crazy for braving the outside in the middle of the night, but the two found they had little choice. The young woman was heavy with child, the two had been a little too careless on their journey while showing their affection for eachother and this is what happened.
The bat was already nine months far and in the last hour the light cramps she had been feeling had turned into full on contractions, wreaking havoc on her body and making it difficult for her to travel.
The only reason why they hadn't stopped yet was the high wall not far up ahead. It might look intimidating in the dark, but the spotlights up on top meant that there was civilisation behind it. Civilisation meant safety and food, the best perks of living within a Quarantine Zone, perks that they wanted with a baby soon to come.
"It's not far now, Rouge, just a few more blocks." The hedgehog reassured the bat as he helped the young pregnant woman through the window, which lacked glass of any kind. There was no other way around. The street they were traveling on was littered with cars and going around completely would mean they'd waste too much time, time that they most likely didn't have anymore.
"Ooow, I don't think I can go on much longer. The baby wants out now, Shadow!" Rouge snapped at him, the pain getting to her. She hated that she had to walk and hated that her boyfriend kept trying to urge her own, even though she knew he only meant well. He despised the thought of their child coming outside of the safety of the Quarantine Zone. Weither you were a mile away or just a few meters, alot could happen in those few steps. That's why he absolutely wanted his girlfriend inside.
Inside where it was safe. Inside where they would have food. Where they would have a roof above their heads, clothes, a place to sleep and protection.
"It's not far anymore." Shadow urged her on, though knowing that she couldn't walk much further. One arm wrapped around her swollen belly while her other hand nearly crushed the bones in Shadow's forearm as another contraction ran through her. Her legs trembled underneath her. With every contraction that passed, it was becoming more and more difficult for her to keep walking.
Shadow turned his gaze away from the white bat to look at the dark wall. He could see the spotlights on top and he could already see the tiny figures of the guards walking from side to side.
They had come so far and were so close. Was it really wise to stop now?
They had to risk it.
Shadow led Rouge into the nearest house and found an old, stained mattress in the livingroom. He helped her sit down on the old thing before the bat hurried to remove her pants, unable to handle the clothing any longer. Shadow caught on quickly and helped her in any way he could.
"Oh! I need to push! I need to push!" Rouge cried, her body racked with pain. The urge to push had been plaguing her and she was dying to give into it. And when her shoes and jeans were finally removed, she could finally give in, pushing along with every contraction.
Even the thunder was drowned out by her cries as Rouge pushed and pushed. Shadow tried to help her along the way as much as he could, but he knew next to nothing about delivering a baby, another reason why he had been so determined to reach the possibly closest Quarantine Zone as fast as possible, so that a professional could do this instead of him.
Well, no turning back now.
"I think I can see the head. Push!" The ebony hedgehog urged her on, motivating her to continue. Not that she needed any encouragement. Finally getting this baby out of her was all the motivation she needed.
The white bat pushed and pushed until she could feel the baby leave her. A moan out of relief left her as her head lied down on the mattress, her eyes closing. She was reliefed this was finally over.
Shadow caught the baby in his arms and made quick work of the umbilical cord, staining his clothes with blood and the like. He stared down at the small form as he held it in his arms. The baby was crying the lungs out of its body and yet all the father could do was stare at him, speechless.
"It's a boy... Rouge, it's a boy!" Shadow exclaimed, a rare smile appearing on his muzzle. He could hardly believe what had just happened. He was only eighteen, but he was already a father. He had a son!
Rouge smiled as she looked up to her boys, tired beyond believe. She watched the little boy move in his father's arms, only just calming down, and her boyfriend smiling down at what he thought to be the most beautiful little thing he had ever seen, despites all the blood still covering him. They would have to clean him up soon.
"What do you think we should call him?" Rouge asked, extending a hand for him to hold. With one arm already holding the baby, Shadow's other hand moved to hold hers.
"I have no idea." The hedgehog responded, still mesmerised by the infant in his arms, who quickly fell asleep as he was incredibly exhausted after being born.
Despites being filthy, they could still make out the colour white. His species was a hedgehog, which was made obvious by the quills. Two big ones on the back of his head and five smaller ones on his forehead.
"Silver. That's what I want to call him." Rouge suddenly said, breaking the silence. Shadow gazed down at her to find the white bat wearing a small smile, her eyes glued to the baby.
"Silver." Shadow repeated, agreeing to her choice.
"We'll have to rest here for a little while. Do you think you can travel tomorrow?" Shadow asked, changing the subject for a little while as lightning struck again. They were so close to the closest Quarantine Zone. He wanted to get there quick and leave the dangerous outside behind.
"Shadow, can't this wait until tomorrow?" Rouge asked, her eyes drooping as she was tired without a doubt. They were still focussed on the baby, though. She loved the sight of him sleeping in his father's arms.
"You're right, that's something we should discuss tomorrow. You should sleep and get some rest." Shadow agreed, they only had a few more blocks to go, but that would take alot out of her, especially now.
Shadow gazed back down at the sleeping boy. He looked so peaceful. Filthy, but peaceful.
Something had to be done, though. It was about time that boy got cleaned. They didn't have anything to heat water up, so Shadow hoped that lukewarm water would be enough. He could use an old shirt of his or something to dry him afterwards.
Carefully the black hedgehog pried his hand free to use it to pull their backpacks closer and retrieve some water.
When he let go of Rouge's hand, however, he couldn't help but notice how limply it fell to the mattress.
"Rouge..." Shadow muttered her name. He was quickly growing worried. Sure, one could argue that she had simply fallen asleep, but something just seemed off about her much too still form. It didn't sit well with him.
"Rouge? Rouge, wake up!" The hedgehog felt himself beginning to panic as more time passed without getting a response from her. He even shook her, though not too rough.
"No, you can't do this to me, Rouge! Rouge!" No matter how many times he called her name, the bat stayed completely silent. All Shadow managed to do was wake their son up, who swiftly started crying.
His heart sunk more and more the longer the silence continued.
He checked for breathing, but felt nothing. Then he checked for her pulse next, but felt nothing there either.
That's when it hit him.
Rouge was gone.
What he had believed as simply falling asleep and resting up for a possible long day tomorrow was instead his lover quietly, peacefully passing away.
Shadow hadn't noticed a thing.
The hedgehog stood up and took a few steps back. He looked around the room as if it held some sort of answer for him. He didn't know what to do.
Could he still help her? Should he stay? Should he risk it and make a run for it to the Quarantine Zone?
Rouge was already growing colder, the cold atmosphere created by the stormy weather made sure of that. There was no saving her.
That realisation made Shadow's heart ache even more. He knew her for as long as he could remember, they grew up together. They were friends. They had been lovers for little over two years now and they had been traveling for just as long. She was all he had left.
Going on without her just seemed... pointless.
The newborn's crying caught his attention and he allowed himself to breath again, only just realising he had been unable to do so with how much his chest seemed to ache. He wasn't just devastated, he was scared too.
He had never been alone before. In the Quarantine Zone he grew up in he had his older brother and Rouge at his side and during his travels he had just Rouge, but never had he been alone like this before. In times like these, humans and mobians alike found reassurance in the saying 'safety in numbers'. No one liked to be alone in times like these.
Silver cried harder, calling his father's attention. Something was ailing him, but Shadow couldn't figure out what. The sudden loss of his lover had taken common sense away from him too. Was Silver cold? Was he hungry? Was he sick? Was Shadow holding him wrong? Shadow knew just what to do before, but now seemed unable to come up with the most straightforward answer.
His mind was a wreck and his heart kept beating up a storm in his chest while all he could do was stand in the middle of the livingroom and stare at the lifeless body of Silver's mother.
He had to calm down. He had to think clearly again.
And then he made his decision.
Just minutes later he found himself sprinting in the pouring rain, hurrying for the safety that the walls up ahead would provide. The jacket he had been wearing to protect himself from the downpour was now wrapped protectively around the small form of his infant. The boy was still crying, but he could hardly be heard over the booming thunder.
"Almost. Almost." Shadow panted as he continued to run as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn't want to waste any more time, he wanted the two of them in the Quarantine Zone already. Where it was safe, where there was help, food, warmth, a place to stay.
But the hedgehog's breath got caught in his throat when he nearly tripped over the slippery wet asphalt of the broken street. He had only just managed to save himself, his eyes widened at the thought of what could've happened and his heart once again pounding in his ribcage. He had a tight grip on Silver to his chest, though not enough to bring him any pain.
Then the beam of a flashlight blinded him.
"Who goes there?! Get down on your knees with your hands behind your head!"
It was an outside patrol guard, someone in charge of patrolling outside the wall. His gun was loaded and aimed at Shadow with precision. The hedgehog thought it to be a wise decision to follow the order, but just as he was carefully getting down on his knees to show that he wasn't a threat, he was suddenly pushed down instead.
Another two outside patrol guards had decided to join their colleague. Their guns were aimed at the defenseless hedgehog too. Sure, he had weaponry of his own, but he wasn't planning on using any of them.
"What's your name?" One of the guards asked, lowering his gun to his side when he noticed what the hedgehog was holding, or rather who. Someone holding a baby couldn't possibly form a threat.
"Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog. This is my son, Silver." Shadow answered, using no smugness or any of that sort. He had to co-operate if he wanted a place for Silver and himself on the inside.
"Your son? Aren't you a bit young?" The same guard asked, one of his eyebrows raised in question. Of course Shadow was too young. Even in the apocalypse, teenage pregnancy was still largely frowned upon.
"Why are you here?" The guard asked instead, figuring that he probably wasn't going to get an answer from him on that question.
"I've been traveling for nearly two years now. I came here in the hope of getting a roof above my head and help for my son." Shadow replied, looking up to the guard. His whole body was shivering because of the cold and the rain. It only made him hold Silver closer.
The guard huffed. Not everyone could be just let into Quarantine Zone.
"Are you bitten?"
"No."
They'd check later despites his truthful answer anyway.
"Are you alone?"
"...Yes."
His mind couldn't help but wander back to Rouge. He felt guilty for leaving her there, even though she was already long gone.
"What can you possibly offer us?" The guard asked. Even in Quarantine Zones, food was limited. Not scarce, but still limited. Every new mouth to feed meant less food. If they had to share their meals with him, it had to be worthwhile.
"I went to military school! I was unable to finish it, but I know how to handle a gun, I know how to defend myself." Shadow quickly said to convince them to let him in.
Military school was one of the only schools still standing. Military was important in Q-Zones. They prevented riots, took care of troublemakers, kept threats outside where they belonged, etc. That's why the majority of teens were send to military school, like Shadow. Although his registration into the school was on courtesy of his older brother, who held a high position in the military back home himself.
The guard watched Shadow intently, trying to spot any sign that might tell him that this hedgehog was being untruthful.
But he couldn't find any and so he let his superiors know of the stranger they found outside the wall holding a crying baby in his arms.
Not long after, the wide metal gate opened and Shadow knew he and Silver were safe.
This is all for now! But please! Do tell your friends about this story! And your friends' friends! And the creepy old guy living a couple houses away from you!