Chapter 2 Not so safe
Day 888 Post-Apocalypse, base camp.
The weather was still being harsh. Although the rain had stopped, the skies were a deep depressing grey and the grounds were soaked through so much that the soil couldn't contain any more liquid so the surface was covered in 3 inches of water, but in the lower areas it was completely flooded. The river that ran through Domino had spilled over the water barriers and leaked throughout the streets, drowning everything that lacked height.
I was currently standing on the edge of the Domino Pinnacle looking down on the fallen city that was once home.
My carnelian coloured eyes scanned over the city, looking for any signs of life or any movements involving the mutations.
My eyes softened a bit as I took pity on the city. Where there was once a thriving business town, is now nothing more than a city of ruins and decay.
I saw some of the buildings had been turned into defences in a desperate attempt to stay alive when the outbreak began, but the living was obviously overrun.
A shudder ran through my body as I imagined a mutant chomping on me. "No, I can't get lost in thoughts." I scolded myself whilst shaking the horrid image from my brain.
I continued scanning the area, Domino was hardly recognisable, the buildings were really gaunt and desolate, the foliage that bloomed throughout had long rotted away, empty vehicles littered the streets, abandonment was everywhere and the silence would have been enough to kill if it wasn't for the gusts of air and the rain falling down, singing a duet of melancholic woe.
My heart ached and I was half tempted to go down and walk through those familiar yet now deserted streets, but that would be totally reckless, not to mention stupid especially as I wasn't fully equipped.
A large frustrated sigh escaped through my lips, I bent down to where my bag was and pulled out a pair of binoculars.
I took a closer look at a particular building in the distance.
The windows were boarded up, part of the roof had caved in and the once green sign that stood proud had broken away from its support brackets and slanted down diagonally.
A painful pressure weighed heavily on my chest, that building was home, where my grandfather ran a gaming business; it is also where my little brother and I grew up.
Just the mere thought of my brother, Yugi, brought tears to my cold carnelian eyes. How I wish none of this had happened and I knew where he was. I pray every day to the gods for his safety and that someday, I will find him.
I was snapped out of my dark reverie by a beeping sound. I glanced down at my watch to see it was 5pm. My shift was done.
I gathered up my bag and headed back through the woodlands, back to camp.
The trek back was uneventful as the mud clung to my boots with every step I took, making it harder to walk without getting stuck several times. Daylight was also fading fast; I would say that there were around 2 hours of the day left before night took over. And no one should be out in the dark alone.
I quickened my pace, following the familiar track back to the camp which I shared with a number of survivors.
The camp is an old electric power station that was abandoned a decade ago. We managed to get the power generators working again, so we had lighting and electricity to live comfortably.
I reached the stronghold just as the night crew were starting their duties.
"Anything to report Yami?" A tall male with long white hair that spiked in all directions asked me.
"No, all is quiet, I don't know if that is a good thing or not." I replied.
"Well as long as those fiends stay away from here, we are safe." The white haired male responded in a deep British accent.
"Yes, but for how long Bakura?" I couldn't help my negativity; I miss my brother so much.
"Oh come now Yami, don't go saying such things. You'll scare the others." This new voice belonged to a female.
"Sorry Mai, I just feel so restless and helpless, Yugi is out there somewhere and I need to find him, not sit around here and wait for him to come to me either alive or as a mutant." Frustration took over me, I didn't want to be around anyone right now.
Mai softened her violet coloured eyes at me.
"I'm sure he has found a safe house or another stronghold, after all he is a smart kid, honey." Mai patted me on the shoulder. I know she is trying to comfort me, but I just don't feel it. I shrugged off her hand and turned to walk to the living quarters, the weight of the guilt I carry within me has just increased tenfold.
As I reached my door, I opened it to reveal my small cramped, prison-like, makeshift room. The walls were a bare grey colour, with one small window on the far wall where my bed rested underneath. To the left there was a metal desk filled with various bric-à-brac I've collected and a worn office chair and to the right a couple of long changing lockers.
I entered the room, closing the door behind me whilst taking off my mud crusted boots and kicked them to one side before striding over to my bed and collapsing on it.
I lay with an arm slung over my eyes as I let out a tired sigh which turned into an emotional sob. I curled in on myself and let the pain and despair sing me to sleep.
Morning came all too soon. Even though we were relatively safe, it was still good to be alert.
I sat up in bed and stretched out all my joints. I really didn't want to see what was beyond these walls today, but I knew if I didn't make an appearance at some point then the others would get anxious and come looking for me, armed too the teeth I may add. It isn't very fun when you're staring down a 24" slug barrel of a Remington M870 pump shotgun.
Yeah, not a great way to start a morning, Hell it's not great at any hour!
It happened to one of the other survivors, a female, her name was Teà, didn't show up for breakfast and her boyfriend got worried and went to go find her, totally unaware that she had contracted the M-Virus somehow and as soon as he entered their room, she attacked him.
The man's screams and shouts could be heard throughout the stronghold.
When we got to his room, it was a real life horror scene. We found him on the floor covered in blood with the newly changed mutant pulling out his jugular vein from his neck.
Of course she was plugged with several bullets, mostly to the head. We disposed of the bodies by burning them together.
It was a bittersweet ending for them both.
I let out a long breath of air before leaving the warmth of my bed. I glanced out of the window to see it was still cloudy but the rain has held off. "Thank god for that." I muttered.
I strode over to one of the lockers and opened it, a small mirror was on the inside of the door, I glanced at myself,
My eyes were a dull red, they lost their shine a long time ago. My tricoloured hair was messed up from sleeping, and my skin was a shade of pale crème.
I don't look my age of 22. This apocalypse has aged me.
Running my hands through my hair so it looks semi neat and changing into a clean top I tied my bootlaces and headed out to the converted dining room which was down the hall and to the right.
When I arrived, there were only a handful of people sat at a table, picking at their breakfast. Something wasn't right, it was too quiet. I spotted someone familiar.
"Tristan, what's happened? Where is everyone?" I asked as I walked over to the table.
Tristan's head jerked up at his name being called, his chocolate coloured eyes locked onto mine.
"Oh, morning." His voice was a flat monotone. Something was definitely wrong. I narrowed my eyes at him, as he hasn't answered my question.
"What is going on?!" I said again this time with a bit of anger etched in my voice.
I watched as he flinched at my harsh tone.
Tristan let out a long winded sigh, "The night crew spotted some mutants not too far from here, somewhere near the east side.
Although they haven't breached the parameter it's still close enough to worry. Everyone is on high alert."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
This is bad, really bad.
Where is Bakura now?" I asked, still in shock.
"Still outside, he's just as worried as the rest of us although he needs an attitude adjustment."
"I'll get the verdict from him."
I left it at that and headed out into the courtyard.
As soon as I got outside, I stopped dead on the spot. My eyes widened at the scene that is playing out in front of me.
A mutant had somehow scaled the 10 foot solid brick wall but got caught up in the razor sharp barbed wire that lined the tops of the concrete barricade that ran all around the station.
Bakura was standing on the lookout platform, knives poised ready to throw.
(Bakura has a deadly talent with sharp objects, with knives being his favourite.)
The mutant wriggled and thrashed about trying to free itself from its lethal restraints but was only causing further injury to itself as the wire had wrapped around the body, cutting into its mutated flesh. Black blood oozed from the lacerations. The sounds emanating from its being were unnatural and spine-chilling, that vibrated through to my very soul.
Before I could move, the sound of a siren rang through the air.
The warning bell. 'Shit! Now what?'
I watched as pandemonium erupted from all around me.