Four
Samis dreamt he woke to a screaming town. He walked the streets of the Quarry. People were yelling in pain as limbs cluttered the streets. Fire and spew were amongst the wreckage. He walked slowly through the streets. He moved up the hill, he saw 3 poles with bodies on them. He scampered to them but fell and shouted in horror. Acron, Amy, and Ariel had been crucified. They were naked to the bone. Their feet were nailed, their faces obscured with cuts and gashes. Amy's and Ariel's breasts had been cut open and been torn and frayed. Acron's groin had been flayed and his extremities were gone. Their arms, tied behind their backs. Bloody lashes were strewn over their dead bodies, having been tortured and ripped apart by fiery whips. Their skin not smooth or beige, but black and smote. A small horned beast leapt out of a corner. It spoke to Samis in a sly, devilish tone.
"The world will end in fire Samis. The world will end in fire".
He opened his eyes to see Amy, laying next to him, looking at him.
"Hey you" she said as she smiled and kissed him. Samis moved his hands toward her, she was nude and so was he. Amy climbed onto him and stroked his navel. He smiled and rubbed her sides. Acron knocked on the door.
"Oi Samis?" Samis moved to the door.
"Yeah Acron, I'll be right out". Samis went back to Amy. Samis and Amy slept together for an hour. Then Samis went to Acron. "Hey, what's going on?" Acron handed him a memo from the Quarry's political members.
"It seems that the Chinese have massed an army, they said we have about a week before the Quarry is overrun". Samis looked at Acron blankly.
"How many?" Acron shook his head,
"The Maji told me not to…" Samis shook his head and spoke forcefully."How many Acron?" Acron loaded a shell into his rifle.
"Two hundred thousand strong, not ot mention air support and armor". Samis's jaw dropped, two hundred thousand? What would they do? They certainly couldn't hold the Quarry, let alone live. Amy walked into the room with the sheets from Samis's bed around her.
"What's going on?" Samis slowly looked at her. "We need to leave, now".
Acron and Samis packed their Jeep. Time was of the essence; the scouts hadn't come back yet. The Chinese were upon them.
"Their coming!" shouted a guard. Samis rushed to saddle a crate. Acron and Amy hopped into the Jeep. Ariel ran towards them "Hey! Samis" Samis looked over his shoulder.
"Ariel get over here" he beckoned. Amy stopped in front of him. "Who is she?" she asked, Samis shook his head
"There's no time, get in and hurry". Ariel and Amy jumped into the backseat of the jeep and Acron revved the engine. Samis dove into the passenger seat as Acron floored the gas petal and the jeep sped off. Bombs were dropping onto the Quarry. The Army's of China were marching on the Quarry's front gate. Fifty men had volunteered to fight against them, but few were left in one piece. Bits of flesh were strewn around the Quarry, falling debris from C-19 explosive impact shots rained on the tents and various shops of the Quarry. The Red Boot Pub was in splinters as the ceiling collapsed, killing everyone inside. Chaos erupted in the streets as Samis's jeep had moved through the streets.
"We can't go out the front gate or we'll be shot" Samis yelled. Acron drove past a group of people.
"Oh you think?" he shot. The small four-person jeep sped towards a grass out cropping, defining a twenty foot drop.
"Hold onto your butt's!" Acron shouted. The jeep soared out off the edge and fell. It landed with a cloud crash and surprisingly kept upright. Acron yelled in victory as they sped off into the mist.
Samis was bolt upright for a long time, not flinching or relaxing, but always at alert. Acron sped past the signs that said, WARNING, and, TURN BACK.
"We should go to the Radio station, maybe get some equipment". The jeep sped past and they came to a beach. Samis got out his rifle and leapt out of the jeep.
"There's a lot of Radio and transmitting interference here," said Acron. Samis pointed his rifle at a body.
"No one is alive". Acron and Samis crossed between tiny fires in the path as they made their way inside the Radio building. Bodies lay slain on the floor, small pools of blood lay in wait inside the indents of the metal floor. Acron picked up a headset,
"It's dead, and everything here is dead". Samis spat, "No shit". There was a crash and the two of them spun around, rifles drawn. "Don't Shoot, I come peacefully". Shouted a male's voice. Into view came an older man, mid fifty's and a small child.
"Hello, I'm Paul Smith, this is my son Derrick". Samis slung his rifle.
"My name is Samis, this is my brother Acron. We have two others with us, my girlfriend Amy and my friend Ariel". Paul nodded his head,
"Nice to meet you both". He and derrick walked outside. They met Ariel and Amy and they both went to the jeep.
"Your welcome to come along with us, we're trying to get to the ocean, maybe sail to Australia.
"Aye, that's a good idea, we wanted to go there as well, maybe find a safe harbor".
"Well your welcome to come along again" said Samis. They all loaded into the jeep, Acron floored the engine and the sped off again. Derrick was sitting next to Samis.
"So Derrick, how old are you?" Derrick just smiled at him. Paul looked behind him,
"He's a mute. Always has been after the Chinese cut out his tongue". Derrick opened his mouth and pointed to his tongue. It was completely cut from his mouth. Amy hugged him.
"You poor thing". Derrick hugged her back and let his hand creep up her shirt slowly. "Hey!" she yelled and slapped him across the face. Derrick chuckled to himself.
"Watch out, he can be sneaky" said Paul. It was almost nightfall. They could still see the flashes of bombs and explosions erupting over the mist. Acron pointed to a stone cabin.
"That looks like a good place to rest. We should stay here for the night". He stopped the jeep near the front of the cabin. Samis drew his pistols and Acron drew his rifle. They kicked open the door and they ran inside, checking if there was danger.
"It's alright come on in!" Samis yelled. Ariel, Amy, Paul and Derrick walked in.
"Well this is…nice" Amy said. Ariel pulled out some blankets for them and they settled in. Samis walked to Acron.
"So what's our next move?",
"We should head to the harbor, maybe catch a boat".
"What if there's not?"
"Then…we should try to go to the mainland. Maybe if there's some sort of center, like one of those big indoor malls from 2020". Samis moved past Acron and went into the master bedroom. He sat on the bed and disrobed. He took a small sponge and ran it over his chest, cleaning off some of the dirt. He cleaned his face, reached for his knife and shaved. Ariel crept silently into the room.
"Hey" she said sweetly. Samis washed his face.
"Hey Ariel, you all right?" he asked politely. Ariel smiled, "Yeah…I think". She took off her army jacket and wrapped it around his bare back.
"You need some rest". Samis sighed heavily
"Thank you Ariel, it's been a tough road so far". Ariel moved her hands around him to his chest and set her hands there.
"I know it, I'm tired too". Samis withdrew from her arms and settled himself on the small bed.
"It's nice that Amy is near". Ariel sat on the foot of his bed. "Yes, I bet it is great to have two women you love near you,".
"That's not funny".
"I didn't intend for it to be funny", she said.
"I don't understand Ariel, why me? Why not Acron? You loved him before me".
"I love you Samis," she said as she crawled over him,
"And I'll do anything to have you". Samis pulled back into the bed, "Ariel I can't give you what you seek". She placed his hands on her waist.
"Please baby, I can't live without you". Samis moved off of her. "I love Amy". Ariel lay in his bed.
"I can't hold in the way I feel about you Samis, I will love you forever". Then she left the room.