I remember this story my mamaw once told me, about the good old days, her good old days. She told me that when she was a kid, she used to walk home from school all by herself. On the weekends, she'd meet up with the other kids in her neighborhood, and stayed out and played all day long. And it was safe.

I wish I could remember my good old days. To be quite honest, I don't even really remember much of my childhood or most of my life before this place. I know I'm an only child. My parents died when I was young. When I think of them, I only see this foggy image of a loving man and woman. How I wish I could remember more of them than just the bits and pieces my memory offers.

#

April 17, 2115

I turned the recorder on, the static a welcome sound. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine that someone is there with me, and we're about to have a conversation. Something so mundane, like how the weather is. But that stupid thought only lasts a few seconds until reality hits me, smack dab in the face. As I lay on the floor in this dark and lonely room, I can't help but imagine what life would have been like if the war never happened. I even wonder what life is like outside this city. Is there even life outside the city?

I used to think that if I just lived long enough; someone would come and rescue me. I couldn't possibly be the only normal alive in this town. There has to be others. But then again, if there were other normals here, the cavalry would have come by now. But they never come, they never will.

#

I feel the walls in this room are starting to cave in on me. My food supply is running dangerously low, and the smell of decomposing flesh from the hallway is getting more acrid by the day, making this predicament even more unbearable than it already is. I need to get out of here.

As if someone just heard my last thought, the sound of dragging feet outside announces that a creature is waiting. Then, the dragging stops just outside my door, and I think my heart just stopped. I freeze mid-pace, holding my breath, terrified that even the slightest sound of air leaving my mouth could alert the monster of my presence.

After what seems like an eternity, I could no longer bear the suspense. Inhaling a mouthful of air, I steel myself and as quietly as I can, walk towards the door. The moment I take my final step and stand directly in front of the door, I hear sniffing. Whoever, or whatever, is out there can smell me. It sniffs, first a stuttering exhale, then a long, deep drag of my scent. It's savoring my scent. I shiver.

My mind is screaming at me, telling me to run and hide before that thing bursts in, run and hide! But my body resists. My limbs stiffen and I cannot move. Beads of sweat trickle down my forehead, my normally dry hands are drenched, and my heart is beating so fast that it's making me dizzy.

Please don't come in, please don't come in, please don't come in, I repeat in my head over and over again.

I stand in the same position for God knows how long, waiting for the inevitable, when a voice breaks the silence. A woman's voice, it's coming from outside.

"Help. Please someone help me. Is anyone out there? Please help me." The voice said.

The creature out in the hall hears the woman's cry for help the same time I do. I can hear it shuffling away from my door. This is my chance. I know what's going to happen next, and I don't want to stick around to witness it.

I grab what's left of my food and toss it into an old sack I found when I sought shelter into this building. Before I could change my mind, I aim towards the door, trembling hands reaching for the knob and I turn it without even thinking of what could possibly await me the moment I leave the security of these four walls.

After undoing all the locks and the one deadbolt, I swing the door wide open. A corpse leaning on it fell, its maggot-covered head landing right on my feet. I jump. But then an idea comes to mind. Could this decaying man be the reason why no creature has bothered entering my room?

A pull in my stomach somewhat tells me that my suspicion is valid. So I close my eyes and do something unimaginable.

I reach for this dead man's stomach, where a palm sized hole exposes parts of his internal organs. I brush the maggots out of the way and grab the organ that contains the most ooze. Bile fills my throat and I turn my head, fighting the urge to throw up.

I shut my eyes even tighter now and pull. I don't dare look at what I have in my hand. Instead, I rub the slimy, gelatinous, putrid smelling organ all over myself. I vomit before I could finish, but I don't stop. I rub every corner of my body from head to toe.

Tears trickle down my face uncontrollably. My mind reels, still unable to comprehend what I had just done.

The inhuman chants from outside momentarily break my trance and I move. My feet are moving as fast as they can, my mind slowly catching up. I know exactly what is happening outside. Any minute now, the chanting will stop, and the feasting will commence. I have to get out while I still can.

I see a door at the end of the hallway. On top of it is the remnant of an exit sign. I sprint to it, hopping over a few more rotting corpses. The sight of an enormous rodent burying out of the belly of one of the dead bodies I pass nearly made me stumble.

As I reach the door, I pause for a moment. They're still chanting outside. Good. I shove the door open and head for the stairs. I take the stairs two at a time, not even bothering to check first before I descend on each floor.

By the time I reach the bottom, I'm nearly out of breath. My heart pounds so loudly I feel like my chest could burst at any minute.

The animal shrieks from outside, mingled with a woman's shrill cry for mercy, though faint from where I stand, is still audible.

I'm pretty sure the door in front of me leads to the rear end of this building. Fear momentarily stops me in my tracks, my hand just hovering over the knob. I don't want to take my chances, but I have to. I can do this. I open the door as quietly as I can manage and cautiously take a peek. The coast is clear.

I make the sign of the cross and mutter, "If there is a God, please don't let me die today." Then, I run out into the empty alley.