Hello Nerdians, and welcome to The Purge, Creatures Edition! This is based off of The Purge (One of my favourite movies) and the video by Kiley Vids on YouTube (Or aleksvitaly on Tumblr). I have her permission to use the AU, so yeah ^_^This is going to be full story hopefully, but I'm not really sure if I like the first chapter or not. So I'm turning to you guys, because I trust your opinion. Is it good? Is there anything wrong with flow? Should I edit it? So many questions.
You don't need to watch the movie to understand what's going on, I think the opening is pretty good enough to explain. But hey, if you want to see the movie, knock yourself out. If you're too lazy/uninterested/don't like movies to watch it, PM me or something. Or I can provide a better opening! Anything for you guys. Yeah.
I'm going to stop rambling now. New chapters on The Bookcase coming soon, maybe more short stories. Possible a Halloween special. Eh. Bye.
ONE
5:48 PM – MARCH 21st, 2016
The Annual Purge.
A night either to be feared or loved. All across America on March twenty-first, from seven pm to seven am the following day on March twenty-second, all emergency services would be closed and any known crime would be legal. The extremity of the crimes ranged from petty theft to murder, and people ran riot when The Purge was first started in 2014. Now some stayed inside, feeding away their money to the hungry tycoons making millions off selling home protection systems. Solid metal to cover doors and windows, impenetrable locks, property-scanning cameras, the lot.
When The Purge began, it was called a catharsis for the people of good and fair America; a time to release your anger, hate and bloodlust, ultimately making America a better place where unemployment was not an issue and crime was at an all-time low. The Government played down the fact that homeless, weak and poor people were mainly targeted, not wanting many to be aware of The Purge's true meaning: population control. It became general knowledge, but the citizens of America turned a blind eye, their need for a night of freedom too desperate.
Colorado was one of the worst places to live in at the time. Adults and teenagers would take to the streets heavily armed and dangerous, some of them high and some drunk, and sadistic and brutal attacks would ensue. Beating people and leaving them to die, smashing windows and doors of houses and waiting for another to come along and kill the terrified family inside. After the first Purge, the body count skyrocketed and emergency services had their work cut out for them the next morning.
The Purge was meant to shape America into the perfect country of happiness and zero-tolerance for crime. Everyone was friends, no hatred existed, smiles and cheery greetings were spoken each morning and your neighbour was your best friend.
The Purge was a night of hell, where hate reigned and smiles turned into screams.
Once a year, there was a night where no one was on your side, despite years of friendship and love.
When the alarm sounds…
…trust no one.
The air in the meeting room was tense.
Jordan sat at the head of the table; his hands folded neatly, one finger tapping the wood in a slow and steady beat while Dan stood behind him. James and Dex sat beside each other on the left. Seamus stood in the back of the room with Ash, leaning against the wall with their hands tightly joined. Aleks and Domi sat together across from James and Dex, and Kevin stood in the doorway.
"As you might have already noticed, Liz won't be joining us today," Jordan said. "In her current condition, Dan has flown her out to stay with his sister."
"When is the baby due?" Dex asked, leaning forward. Dan looked grim, exchanging a look with Jordan.
"Any moment tonight," Dan sighed. "Kelly has experience with Penelope. I wanted her to be in safe hands in case he or she came while the hospitals were still closed." They left it at that. The topic of children was terrifying to them all. Jordan rubbed his hand over his wrist absently, eyes flicking from the clock to each person in the room. It was unnerving, to say the least.
"I called Nick earlier," James announced, scratching his chin and looking away from Jordan. "He's safe with Ali. Doesn't plan on going out at all."
"Has anyone spoken to Ze?" Aleks asked.
"No one's heard from him for a week," Seamus replied. "Chilled and Max have gone dark too. I don't know any of his other friends well enough to have their numbers."
"Maybe he's going out," Ash said. "Maybe he didn't want anyone to know, in case they thought differently of him." Jordan's hand tightened around his wrist. The room lapsed into silence and Domi slid her hand into Aleks', shivering.
"We'll lock up in an hour," Jordan said, breaking the quiet. "Windows and the doors, as usual."
"I'm going to go and sit in my office for a while and watch some Netflix," Aleks said, standing, his hand still intertwined with Domi's. "Call me when it's time." Jordan nodded and Aleks tugged on his girlfriend's hand, leading her out and giving Kevin a small nod as he exited. The room, once again, slipped into silence, and James stood up and left quickly, not speaking. Then Dex rose up, saluted mockingly in Jordan's direction and fled the room briskly, followed by Kevin. Seamus whispered something to Ash and she nodded, leaving the room and clicking the door shut softly. He looked over at Dan and turned raised an eyebrow, and Dan frowned.
"Oh," he mumbled. "Sorry. I'll just… yeah." Dan hurried out and Seamus rolled his eyes, staring longingly at the door before sighing. He turned back to face Jordan and folded his arms.
"Are you alright?" Seamus asked.
"Of course I'm alright," Jordan said, shifting in his seat. "Why would I not be alright?"
"Don't bullshit me, Jordan," Seamus snapped. "I asked you a question." Jordan paused, his hand skimming quickly over his wrist as he bit his lip. He looked down at his hands, his shoulders hunching forward.
"I miss her," he whispered, his voice broken and weak. He didn't look up and Seamus sighed again, walking forward and leaning down and wrapping his arms around the tall man awkwardly. He didn't understand what Jordan was going through, not by a long shot, but he could at least try. Jordan let out a muffled sob and Seamus patted his back, looking away from his crying boss.
The first Purge was hell. Jordan had arranged for everyone to meet at the office, their safe place. Aleks, Domi and James arrived first, followed quickly by Eddie. Dan and Liz got in just as the alarm rang out and when Seamus got there a minute later he forced Ash wait without him, determined to make sure Jordan came. He stood out the front of the office in the dark foyer, white knuckles clenched around the bar, every distant bang and scream making him jump. The lights were off and no light came in from the other offices or the skylight. Seamus stood there alone with a baseball bat leaned up against the bars while his friends stayed huddled up inside their office, the stream room their lockdown.
It was far too quiet, and Seamus could picture everyone hiding as he left them. Dan standing by the door, waiting for Seamus and Jordan. Aleks and Domi, holding each other. James sitting on the couch with Liz, both too scared to talk. Eddie sitting on the ground with Ash, the two friends trying to laugh it off like usual. Seamus could hear screams and the sound of a gun far off, and only then did he realise how terrified he was. He was alone in a dark room while his friends and his girlfriend – the one person that meant so much to him – hid, assuming the worst for family, scared out of their minds. He felt small with his pathetic baseball bat, and really wished Jordan would hurry the fuck up.
Eventually, he heard a car pull up in the quiet night and let out a sigh of relief, thinking it was Jordan. Seamus picked up his bat and started to walk down the stairs, wanting to tug in Jordan and maybe yell at him as he finally relaxed. Then Seamus heard a panicked shout of fear and a long, pained scream. He tensed and yelled up the stairs for help, running down the last stairs and through the lobby. He didn't know why he ran out to help. It went against everything in his head screaming at him to stay safe, but Seamus had to make sure Jordan was alright. When Seamus exploded through the doors and ran around the corner of the building with his bat in his hands, he was met with blood. Two men on the ground, beaten and covered in red, a bloody knife and crowbar beside him, and then Jordan, his face streaked with blood, kneeling down with a familiar figure in his arms as he sobbed, blood gushing from his brow and mixing with the hot tears.
Seamus ran over to Jordan but skid to a stop when Jordan looked up at him, his face twisted. Seamus couldn't see his left eye through the blood, the knife far too close to him. Jordan blubbered uselessly, continuously pushing the black hair out of the woman's eyes, cradling her to his chest as blood leaked from her stomach. The rest of the hour was a blur printed permanently into Seamus' brain, present and counted for along with every other horror he'd witnessed every single fucking time he closed his eyes.
The first Purge was the night Jordan and Monica were attacked, seconds away from safety.
The first Purge was the night Jordan had to hold his wife's hand while she slowly bled out, and that was the night where Jordan discovered he'd lost the child he didn't know existed out of fear from a shot that blew straight through her stomach.
That was the night which started the month long count down until their marriage fell apart and the divorce papers were filed, because Monica couldn't stand looking at Jordan.
Jordan finally looked up and Seamus stepped back from him, letting him recollect himself. Jordan took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes.
"Sorry," he said softly. "I just… sorry."
"Don't apologise," Seamus said gruffly, folding his arms over his chest. He didn't want to admit he felt uncomfortable seeing Jordan cry, but it wasn't the time. It would never be the time.
"I'm going to go make sure everything's ready to go," Jordan said, pressing his palms against the table and standing slowly.
"Want any help?" Seamus asked, and Jordan shook his head, smiling at him.
"I'll be fine by myself," Jordan said, and then he exited, leaving Seamus alone. He shuddered.
He didn't know how much pain could hide behind something meant for happiness.
I can hear some questions/complaints coming already.
Oh my god, you actually didn't kill Monica this time? Jesus, why are you putting the girlfriends in? They're nothing like they are in real life! What's a purge?
Ask and I will answer, my friends. And if you want to complain, I'll complain with you.
