The Bang.
The Bang.
By: David McGhee
"Alan... I think we need to break up." Sam said as she sipped her Other Grounds brand latte drink Alan himself brought her mere minutes before.
"Oh, what? Wait! What do you mean!?" Alan nearly spit. Clearly caught off guard. What does she mean? They've been going out for years and have had the best of relationships. Hell! In the four years they've been together they've seen everyone of their friends break up and it was always thought they'd end in marriage. Now they weren't exactly the perfect image of love, they weren't Sid and Nancy either.
"I mean, split up. See other people. But... I think we should stay friends." She put down her latte on the kitchen counter. She spoke as if it were nothing more than matter of fact. She did not look at Alan. She stared down at the marble counter top.
"Friends?" Alan felt dizzy. "What! What did I do!?" He fought back tears.
"Nothing. It's just." She attempted to look him in his face but regressed when she saw how hurt he was. "Alan, I'm gay." She stared back down to her drink.
"Gay?! No! What?! What about the past four years!" He was trembling.
"I love you. I do. But, I can't keep this up any more. You were more than any girl could ask for, but I can't pretend any more."
"Did I do this to you?" A stupid question he knew. Although at this moment everything he said and thought carried significant weight.
"Of course not!" Sam scoffed. "You don't TURN someone gay." She finally looked up toward him. "You either are or you aren't."
The tears no longer could be held back and Alan let them forth. Not caring what she thought of this display.
"You... I... What about this place? This is OUR house!" He half yelled half cried.
"Well, I'm moving in with Missy." Her gaze fell back to the counter. "You have tons of friends..." Her voice began to break. "Maybe, maybe you could invite one of them to move in? Maybe turn the computer room into a real room?" A drop of teared mascara pelted the counter top.
Alan was in shock. They'd been staying together (Shacking up as mother so venomously stated.) for little over a year. The two bedroom, one bath, one car garage was THEIRS! Not to be shared with one of his friends from school or work. It was in his name though. A stupid thing he now thought. Maybe if they'd put it in both of their names as originally planned, she'd have more responsibility in this relationship. Too late now. Alan was easy to give up. Another possible reason for this encounter. He put his latte on the kitchen dinner table and moved in slow motion to the living room. Sat himself on the couch and put his head into his hands. Sam stayed back in the kitchen, hoping she'd done the right thing.
Who didn't see this coming though? Sam thought. All those times she was "DRUNK" and made out with any available girl in the room. Hell, half the time she wasn't even drunk. And also all the times she was caught checking girls out. Was Alan deliberately unaware? Although suggesting that another girl join them in the bedroom could be perceived as her way of exciting Alan, she was way too invested in the idea and it was a constant thought on her mind. Sighing she picked up her coffee and walked into the living room.
"Alan. Please, I'm so sorry..."
Alan sat on the couch in a near catatonic state.
"Alan, come on." She sat down next to him, he scoots away from her. His eyes are red and watery.
They must have sat there for over an hour, staring at the tv's black screen. Alan was still sniffling and Sam felt awful. She reached for his hand.
"You'll be ok. Right?" Sam said softly.
BANG! The sound of something huge exploded outside. Alan and Sam turned toward the window and got up to see what had happened.
"What the hell was that?!" Sam asked. Alan shook his head as he peered out of the curtain. He saw the neighbor's eleven year old boy laying face down on the sidewalk.
"Shit!" Alan ran for the door and got out to the kid as fast as his legs could take him. Sam was biting her fingers and slowly followed him. Alan picked up the kid and tried to wake him. After a few shakes the boy started to cough and then cry. "Are you ok? What happened?"
"Lights! There was lights! It hurt!" The kid wailed. Alan tried to get more from him when he started shaking violently, his eyes were pulling up into the back of his head.
"Oh God! Sam! Call 911!" Alan screamed. Sam ran back into the house while he tried to do what he could. He looked around and noticed that the kid wasn't the only one on the ground. Across the street he saw miss Bergstrand on her lawn with a wild running garden hose spraying in all directions. She was also jittering and shaking. Her long white hair getting mud on it.
Alan was debating on going over to check on her when a stray car flew past the street and veered toward an oncoming house. The lady at the wheel was also shaking and twitching. She finally drove into the living room two houses down from Alan's. More cars were also aimlessly zigging past him and crashing into random houses and trees. Screams began filling the air as people came out of their homes and saw the destruction being played out before them.
Alan let go of the boy and stood up. He put his hands to his head and looked around the suburban hell scene. Stuttering because he could not seem to be able to form words at the moment. The boy stopped shaking an just laid there motionless and stopped breathing, as did miss Bergstrand across the street.
"No! No! No!" Alan screamed as he began to give the boy mouth to mouth. Punching on his chest he gave little to no regard on how hard he was hitting him. "God! Somebody get help!" He screamed while still focusing on the task at hand. He began to cry and scream random obscenities. He finally gave up and stood back up and began to stare out across toward his neighbors yards. His eyes darting toward every scream and car crash. "What's going on!?" He yelled as high as he could.
As his attention was going from one yard to the other Sam pulled him back and into the middle of their yard. A car flew by where he stood and ran over the child. Making a sickening squishing noise as it did so. The car smashed into the tree at the edge of their yard. Alan and Sam were both lying on the grass when a woman stepped out of her car. She looked like she was staring into space. She slowly looked around and when her gaze came upon them she stopped. She began to rub her face and cry. Alan began to get up when the lady began walking toward them. Sam was helped up by Alan and began to reach out her arms toward the lady.
"Are you ok?" Sam was crying. The lady began to walk faster and held out her arms as well. When she was within contact range of Sam she began to scream and grabbed her arms and started to pound on her with every inch of her being. Alan just stood there as this woman was beating his now ex-girlfriend into the lawn. The lady's screams were incoherent and she was going for all the no no hit zones of the body. Then she grabbed Sam by the neck and started to laugh hysterically.
"Hehhhhgp! Sam tried to scream but was restricted. Alan finally broke his daze and ran toward the garage. He manually pulled it up and got a shovel that was dangling from the tool counter. He ran back and saw that Sam was turning purple and had marks all over her head. The woman was still laughing as she was strangling her.
"Ma’am! Get off her now!" Alan yelled. The lady was still holding onto Sam's neck when she looked toward Alan.
"Honey I'm going to get the groceries." She plainly stated. Her focus went back to Sam and continued her attack.
"Ma’am I mean it! Get off her or I'll knock your block off!!!" Alan was getting scared that he might just have to do that.
The lady turned back to him. "Kids It's dinner time." She once again said in a normal voice all the while not missing a beat of her strangle. Then she turned back and began laughing again.
Alan closed his eyes and bit his lip. "God please forgive me!" He swung the shovel at the woman's head. Making a sickening thunk as it cracked open her skull. The lady fell over next to Sam. She was gasping for air and holing her throat. Alan helped her up and hugged her. They both stared at the woman rolling on the grass. Twitching and shaking violently from the head trauma. Finally she stopped and blood was pooling so thick that the grass couldn't cover the gore.
"What just happened!?" Sam cried as her head went into Alan's chest. A good head taller than she was he was more than happy to welcome her embrace. As she cried he stared at the lady. Then he looked across the street and saw miss Bergstrand strangling her husband with the still watering garden hose. He looked over to the other houses and saw people fighting people. Most of the people taking the abuse weren't fighting against their attackers. Moms were scratching their sons' eyes out. Fathers were beating daughters in their drive ways. And kids were beating other kids with baseball bats.
"I think we should get back inside." Alan said blankly. Sam looked out from under his arms and shook her head in agreement. They ran back to the door and were just about to close it when an arm stuck through the crack.
"Would you like cream in that?" The voice on the other side kept saying in a monotone voice. Alan and Sam were pushing hard to get the arm to either get out of the doorway or break it off. Not even thinking about the damage being done to the man on the other side. "I'm going on break." He said as his arm finally snapped and the door closed. The arm dangled by the skin of itself. The man began pounding on the door from the other side in huge blasts of rage and screaming at the top of his lungs.
"AH!" Sam screamed and Alan just stared. What the hell is going on!? He thought to himself, still unable to make words form from his mouth. Sam was beginning to curl herself as she was wailing. Her arms shielding her eyes against the gross dangling appendage. Alan just stood there.
The screaming stopped for a moment but he still kept pounding. "What do you mean declined?" The man's voice seemed to be asking them from behind the door. "I paid it last week!" He matter of factly told them. Finally he ripped off his arm and the mid upper appendage fell to the floor. The crack between the door now bloody from the the ripped off arm. The door continued to pound. The man seemed unfazed by his severed arm. "A number 4 with a diet soda please." He said, still pounding.
"GO AWAY!" Sam screamed, walking backward with her hands still around her eyes. She eventually tumbled back onto the couch. She was getting more and more hysterical by the second. Alan could do nothing but stand there with his mouth open. He began to walk back toward the TV and grabbed the remote on the top of it. He turned it on. A newscaster was talking and a banner below the screen flashed the words "Emergency crisis situation in Wheatridge Colorado." Sam was still screaming and so was the man outside the door. He couldn't make out what the man was saying. The screams... They were getting to him.
"SHUT UP!" He shouted toward Sam but it was no use. She was unable to rationalize with him at the moment. Alan looked back to the TV and looked at the remote. He pressed menu and selected the captions option. The man on the TV began to make sense as captions of his words began to scroll down the screen.
"Some sort of event is gripping Wheatridge Colorado at this time. People are attacking friends, family, and neighbors. There is no answer to why as of yet, but people are being told to stay in their homes. And not to open their doors for anyone." The scream of the man at the door seemed to double up and Alan could see a woman staring through their window. It's double pain bullet proof stock, the kind that makes your home more energy efficient. She began pounding her face on their window. Leaving bloody marks as she did so. Her nose was completely smashed in. Alan just stood there as the lady continued to fruitlessly break in. He noticed that it was unlocked and walked in steady slow movements toward the window. He locked the window and stared at the lady beating on it. She stopped for a second.
"I'm meed some tissues." She said touching her nose, not averting her attention toward Alan. He just stared at her. Making eye contact. "I'm so... I'm so sorry." She looked away and began walking toward the street. Alan pulled the blinds close and turned around. The man stopped beating on the door and the screams were dying down. He looked at Sam and went over to hold her. She did not resist and her crying was simmering to a low sob.
"It's gonna be ok." Alan assured her. She again dug her head into his chest.
BANG! The door began to pound again and he saw a figure running toward the window. The lady's silhouette ran right into the window. Causing a thunderous slamming noise. The screams picked back up and another shadow joined the lady's and slammed itself into the widow too. The window by now was becoming crimson with blood left from the two kamikaze people. With every smack the window took she held onto him harder and harder.
Over an hour had passed and the three people turned into seven. Though the pounding against the door and window had dulled, it was still very active outside their home. Sam had been in Alan's arms the entire time. Alan felt a the need to use the restroom and began to pry off Sam.
"Don't go! Please!" She begged him.
"I need to pee!" Alan pleaded. He got up and went toward the hall to the bathroom. Lifted up the toilet seat and began to do his business. As he did so he noticed a shadow in the five inch by five inch window above the shower. He zipped up and went in closer to examine it. As he got closer his heart pounded in his ears. He put his hand on the small window and tried to make out the figure. A hand smashed through the window and grabbed his arm. Alan screamed with every inch of his life and tried to pull away. The man on the other side was very very strong.
"SAM!" Alan screamed. "HELP ME PLEASE!" She ran into the bathroom and saw Alan struggling with the protruding arm. The man on the other side was losing grip due to blood loss and cuts from the glass, nevertheless he held on fast. Sam ran out of the room and into the kitchen and pulled the drawer containing the utensils to the floor. Searching frantically she found serrated steak knife out of the pile. As she got up she looked at the back door. It was open! She ran toward the door and closed then locked it. She peered out it's window and saw no one in their back yard. Who opened it!? She was scared. Alan's scream echoed through the halls and Sam sprang back into action. She ran back into the bathroom and plunged the knife into the arms' wrist. The man on the other side let go and Alan fell into the bathtub. Sam looked out the window. She looked on toward the side of the house and could not see the man she just stabbed. A face came back up into view. It was a teenager no older than eighteen. A very big guy he was, and he licked his lips and began speaking.
"Come Cindy, It'll be ok. I promise!" He reached back in with his other arm and Sam stabbed it right through and pressed downward. The resulting cut severed his right index finger. She was screaming all through this. The boy didn't seem to notice and tried to stick his head through the opening. "You won't get pregnant baby. I'll wear a condom." Sam backed up and began crying. She held the knife toward her chest and began considering slitting her own throat. Alan kept losing balance and falling back into the tub. The boy kept talking. "I love you babe. Mom where are my socks?" He changed subjects. He was uselessly trying to use his hands to reach in. His head wouldn't fit all the way through the hole but he kept trying. Scratching with his useless hands at it. Alan finally fell out of the bathtub and got up with a shot. He pulled the knife loose from Sam and struck it right square into the boy's forehead. It slipped off his skull and slid very easily into his eye socket. The boy stepped back and fell to the ground. As soon as he fell another hand reached in trying to grab what ever it could. Screams began to fill the bathroom. Alan pulled Sam away and into the hall.
They both sat on the shag carpet and held each other. They didn't speak. They just held each other and cried. Alan put his head against hers and hugged tight. Then a crash in the kitchen sprung Alan back into action and he ran into the kitchen. A little blond headed girl was walking around the dinner table. One hand holding onto her little light blue dress, the other knocking stuff off of the table.. She stopped where she was and stared right at Alan. She didn't move for the longest time.
Alan raised his arms toward the girl. "Hey sweety. Are you ok? Are you one of them?" The girl just stood there, looking as if she was going to cry. "Awe. It's ok. I'm not gonna hurt you." He lowered his arms. The girl walked back as he approached her. She ran back into the bottom drawer below the sink and opened it. She ripped the drawer off and began swinging it.
"Daddy I want ice cream." she blankly said.
Alan's heart sunk. No. He would not hit this little girl! He couldn't do it. The little girl advanced slowly onto Alan. He walked backwards with his hands to his side. "NO!" He shouted to her, but she did not even so much as wince at his cry. She began giggling as she walked, still swinging the cabinet door. Alan began crying. The girl began humming 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. He finally backed into a corner and fell down to his knees weeping. The girl got closer... And closer... And closer. She was over Alan and raised the cabinet door and began to strike it down. Pain racked Alan's head and he raised his arms to defend himself. The little girl had strength. She raised and brought it down again and again and again. Alan's pinkie went sideways and he began screaming. Sam came up behind her and grabbed her by her waist and threw her back onto the dinner table. It collapsed upon her striking it. She got back up and began screaming. She ran right toward Sam and head butted her in her stomach. Sam collapsed with the force of the little girl's strike. Alan got up and ran toward her. The girl held onto Sam with one arm and was punching her with another. Alan couldn't separate her. He backed up for a second, breathed deep, then round kicked the beautiful little blond headed girl right in her baby face. She was knocked back and started to wiggle and scream on the floor. Alan helped Sam up and they stared at her. She started to calm down and picked herself up. Her face was disfigured from Alan's forceful boot. She grinned with most of her teeth knocked inward. Then she ran back for them. Alan made a fighting stance when Sam screamed and lunged for the little girl. She grabbed her hair and brought her down. She began smashing her face against the tile flooring.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Sam screamed as she continued to completely level the girl's head. Alan tried to pry her off but Sam had a surge of adrenalin. She was not letting go. Finally after what seemed like ten minutes or more she release the pulped face and fell back onto her knees. Crying and screaming and completely unable to stop. Alan tried to talk to her but she wouldn't let up.
"Sam. Please! We need to get out of here! Or anything! Fuck I don't know!" He began pacing around the kitchen. Sunset was showering the room in a dark orange. The power had gone out between the time the girl showed up and now. He couldn't remember when. Everything since that bang had been such a blur. After a good long cry she got up and sat in a chair next to the broken table. She put her head into her hands and wiped the sweat and tears off her face. Alan pulled up a seat next to her. He noticed his coffee still on the table and reached for it. Taking a sip he began to laugh to himself. Sam looked up and stared blankly at Alan. She began to laugh with him.
"It's cold." He stated softly, wiping his eyes as they teared up again. They sat there for a while before either of them spoke again. The sun set and the room darkened. He got up and reached for her hand. She accepted and got up with him and they walked to the bedroom. As they passed the computer room Alan shook his head. Was there even going to be anyone alive after this all? He might as well just keep the room as is. They walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Still holding hands, he kissed her on the cheek.
Alan woke up in the middle of the night. Sam was lying peacefully on the bed next to him. He looked at his watch. 3:42am. He got up as quietly as he could and walked toward the window next to the night stand. Out the window he sees rows and rows of people standing out in their yard, motionless and staring right at them. He looks out for a few minutes then walks toward the living room. He unlocks the door and kicks the severed arm across the floor. He walks out onto the front steps. The people on his yard and in the streets take no notice. They stare into space and remain standing where they are. Some are right next to each other while others are spaciously apart from each other. Alan walks up to the man with the severed arm and waves his hand in front of him. The man does not acknowledge him. Alan goes over to another man standing near him and snaps his fingers in his face. He doesn't even blink. Alan smiles. This is their chance! He runs back into the house and grabs Sam and shakes her awake. She screams and he covers her mouth.
"Shh!" He hushes her. "Look out there!" He whispers. She looks around and walks toward the window.
"Oh my God... What are they doing?" She asks softly.
"They're just standing there!" He says. "I went out there and stood right in front of them. Nothing! We can get away!" He turns around and grabs her arm and tries to pull her with him.
"Wait Alan! What if this is a trap?" She sobs.
"I doubt it. All this for us?" He reasons and continues to pull her. She gives in and they go toward the garage door. He unlocks it and pulls out his car keys. Pressing the electronic remote to unlock the car. As they get in Sam seems worried and confused.
"Why didn't they try to come in through the garage door?" She asks him.
"I guess we weren't in there. They only came toward us when we were in view." He accepts this answer and starts the car. They back out and halfway out the driveway they come to a halt. Someone is in their way. Alan looks at Sam. She nods and he backs onto the man standing there. The tires make a thud as it plows him down. More people are pulled under the back wheels as they pull out. He doesn't even have to go that fast. They just fall down with the slightest push. They get onto the street and just go over everyone in their way. Squishing sounds and what seems like watermelons being crushed are being heard.
Almost half a mile down the car begins to slow down and the motion seems a bit labored. Alan gets out of the car and looks under it. Bodies have piled up underneath and he begins to tear them out from it. Sam rolls her window down and seems frantic.
"What's wrong Alan?" She half yells. Some of the people standing on the street begin to look in their direction.
Alan not paying attention to what's around him replies "There are some bodies stuck under the car." A man in the yard across from them begins to moan. Then he starts mumbling to himself. This sets off a chain reaction and one by one the rest begin to mumble and speak. Alan looks up and realizes what's going on. He pulls the last person from under the car and gets back in. He screams for Sam to roll back up her window. When she sees that the people are beginning to talk and move she instinctively screams and rolls up her window. This last vocal seems to fully wake them all up and they first begin walking toward the car. Then a full on run. Alan hits the accelerator and they begin to plow down more standing people in their way. As each person wakes up and walks or runs past another, they too wake up in a chain reaction. And begin to run or walk for the car. Screams fill the night as they wake.
Sam is crying and Alan is beginning to see that the people are clearing from the road. Less people as they go on. The hood and front window become cakes in blood and dents. The glass is shattering but not breaking. They keep on and the people running after them were dissipating, but there's still a lot of them. As they go out of the neighborhood they get onto the highway. It's empty. They keep driving for what seems like hours. Not one car on the road.
"I'm so sorry." Sam says. She puts her hand on his and looks at him. Her tears have slowed but are still present. Both of their eyes are red and blood shot. "I do love you. I'm..." She begins crying again. Alan rubs her hand and shushes her quietly. The dawn is upon them. They pull over to the first gas station he sees with light in the windows. As Alan pulls in he checks his pants and realizes that he has neither his cell phone or his wallet. He peeks over at the cup holder and begins laughing. He had brought his half drunken latte with him.
They both begin giggling and get out of the car. They hold hands and stare at the rising sun. Sam holds onto Alan and he accepts her embrace.
"What do you think happened?" She asks him.
"God knows." He replies. They kiss and continue admiring the sunrise. As they turn around to go into the convenience store something feels funny about the air. A large explosion is heard over head and they both look up. A blinding light flashes and they both fall down. Sam gets back up and so does Alan. They look at each other with scared faces. Alan gets up slowly as does Sam. They check their faces to make sure they're ok. The man inside the store comes out of the front and runs toward them.
"You guys ok?" The bearded clerk asks with a hint of fear in him. Alan and Sam look at each other. Then toward the clerk.
Then they both begin to scream.
By: David McGhee
"Alan... I think we need to break up." Sam said as she sipped her Other Grounds brand latte drink Alan himself brought her mere minutes before.
"Oh, what? Wait! What do you mean!?" Alan nearly spit. Clearly caught off guard. What does she mean? They've been going out for years and have had the best of relationships. Hell! In the four years they've been together they've seen everyone of their friends break up and it was always thought they'd end in marriage. Now they weren't exactly the perfect image of love, they weren't Sid and Nancy either.
"I mean, split up. See other people. But... I think we should stay friends." She put down her latte on the kitchen counter. She spoke as if it were nothing more than matter of fact. She did not look at Alan. She stared down at the marble counter top.
"Friends?" Alan felt dizzy. "What! What did I do!?" He fought back tears.
"Nothing. It's just." She attempted to look him in his face but regressed when she saw how hurt he was. "Alan, I'm gay." She stared back down to her drink.
"Gay?! No! What?! What about the past four years!" He was trembling.
"I love you. I do. But, I can't keep this up any more. You were more than any girl could ask for, but I can't pretend any more."
"Did I do this to you?" A stupid question he knew. Although at this moment everything he said and thought carried significant weight.
"Of course not!" Sam scoffed. "You don't TURN someone gay." She finally looked up toward him. "You either are or you aren't."
The tears no longer could be held back and Alan let them forth. Not caring what she thought of this display.
"You... I... What about this place? This is OUR house!" He half yelled half cried.
"Well, I'm moving in with Missy." Her gaze fell back to the counter. "You have tons of friends..." Her voice began to break. "Maybe, maybe you could invite one of them to move in? Maybe turn the computer room into a real room?" A drop of teared mascara pelted the counter top.
Alan was in shock. They'd been staying together (Shacking up as mother so venomously stated.) for little over a year. The two bedroom, one bath, one car garage was THEIRS! Not to be shared with one of his friends from school or work. It was in his name though. A stupid thing he now thought. Maybe if they'd put it in both of their names as originally planned, she'd have more responsibility in this relationship. Too late now. Alan was easy to give up. Another possible reason for this encounter. He put his latte on the kitchen dinner table and moved in slow motion to the living room. Sat himself on the couch and put his head into his hands. Sam stayed back in the kitchen, hoping she'd done the right thing.
Who didn't see this coming though? Sam thought. All those times she was "DRUNK" and made out with any available girl in the room. Hell, half the time she wasn't even drunk. And also all the times she was caught checking girls out. Was Alan deliberately unaware? Although suggesting that another girl join them in the bedroom could be perceived as her way of exciting Alan, she was way too invested in the idea and it was a constant thought on her mind. Sighing she picked up her coffee and walked into the living room.
"Alan. Please, I'm so sorry..."
Alan sat on the couch in a near catatonic state.
"Alan, come on." She sat down next to him, he scoots away from her. His eyes are red and watery.
They must have sat there for over an hour, staring at the tv's black screen. Alan was still sniffling and Sam felt awful. She reached for his hand.
"You'll be ok. Right?" Sam said softly.
BANG! The sound of something huge exploded outside. Alan and Sam turned toward the window and got up to see what had happened.
"What the hell was that?!" Sam asked. Alan shook his head as he peered out of the curtain. He saw the neighbor's eleven year old boy laying face down on the sidewalk.
"Shit!" Alan ran for the door and got out to the kid as fast as his legs could take him. Sam was biting her fingers and slowly followed him. Alan picked up the kid and tried to wake him. After a few shakes the boy started to cough and then cry. "Are you ok? What happened?"
"Lights! There was lights! It hurt!" The kid wailed. Alan tried to get more from him when he started shaking violently, his eyes were pulling up into the back of his head.
"Oh God! Sam! Call 911!" Alan screamed. Sam ran back into the house while he tried to do what he could. He looked around and noticed that the kid wasn't the only one on the ground. Across the street he saw miss Bergstrand on her lawn with a wild running garden hose spraying in all directions. She was also jittering and shaking. Her long white hair getting mud on it.
Alan was debating on going over to check on her when a stray car flew past the street and veered toward an oncoming house. The lady at the wheel was also shaking and twitching. She finally drove into the living room two houses down from Alan's. More cars were also aimlessly zigging past him and crashing into random houses and trees. Screams began filling the air as people came out of their homes and saw the destruction being played out before them.
Alan let go of the boy and stood up. He put his hands to his head and looked around the suburban hell scene. Stuttering because he could not seem to be able to form words at the moment. The boy stopped shaking an just laid there motionless and stopped breathing, as did miss Bergstrand across the street.
"No! No! No!" Alan screamed as he began to give the boy mouth to mouth. Punching on his chest he gave little to no regard on how hard he was hitting him. "God! Somebody get help!" He screamed while still focusing on the task at hand. He began to cry and scream random obscenities. He finally gave up and stood back up and began to stare out across toward his neighbors yards. His eyes darting toward every scream and car crash. "What's going on!?" He yelled as high as he could.
As his attention was going from one yard to the other Sam pulled him back and into the middle of their yard. A car flew by where he stood and ran over the child. Making a sickening squishing noise as it did so. The car smashed into the tree at the edge of their yard. Alan and Sam were both lying on the grass when a woman stepped out of her car. She looked like she was staring into space. She slowly looked around and when her gaze came upon them she stopped. She began to rub her face and cry. Alan began to get up when the lady began walking toward them. Sam was helped up by Alan and began to reach out her arms toward the lady.
"Are you ok?" Sam was crying. The lady began to walk faster and held out her arms as well. When she was within contact range of Sam she began to scream and grabbed her arms and started to pound on her with every inch of her being. Alan just stood there as this woman was beating his now ex-girlfriend into the lawn. The lady's screams were incoherent and she was going for all the no no hit zones of the body. Then she grabbed Sam by the neck and started to laugh hysterically.
"Hehhhhgp! Sam tried to scream but was restricted. Alan finally broke his daze and ran toward the garage. He manually pulled it up and got a shovel that was dangling from the tool counter. He ran back and saw that Sam was turning purple and had marks all over her head. The woman was still laughing as she was strangling her.
"Ma’am! Get off her now!" Alan yelled. The lady was still holding onto Sam's neck when she looked toward Alan.
"Honey I'm going to get the groceries." She plainly stated. Her focus went back to Sam and continued her attack.
"Ma’am I mean it! Get off her or I'll knock your block off!!!" Alan was getting scared that he might just have to do that.
The lady turned back to him. "Kids It's dinner time." She once again said in a normal voice all the while not missing a beat of her strangle. Then she turned back and began laughing again.
Alan closed his eyes and bit his lip. "God please forgive me!" He swung the shovel at the woman's head. Making a sickening thunk as it cracked open her skull. The lady fell over next to Sam. She was gasping for air and holing her throat. Alan helped her up and hugged her. They both stared at the woman rolling on the grass. Twitching and shaking violently from the head trauma. Finally she stopped and blood was pooling so thick that the grass couldn't cover the gore.
"What just happened!?" Sam cried as her head went into Alan's chest. A good head taller than she was he was more than happy to welcome her embrace. As she cried he stared at the lady. Then he looked across the street and saw miss Bergstrand strangling her husband with the still watering garden hose. He looked over to the other houses and saw people fighting people. Most of the people taking the abuse weren't fighting against their attackers. Moms were scratching their sons' eyes out. Fathers were beating daughters in their drive ways. And kids were beating other kids with baseball bats.
"I think we should get back inside." Alan said blankly. Sam looked out from under his arms and shook her head in agreement. They ran back to the door and were just about to close it when an arm stuck through the crack.
"Would you like cream in that?" The voice on the other side kept saying in a monotone voice. Alan and Sam were pushing hard to get the arm to either get out of the doorway or break it off. Not even thinking about the damage being done to the man on the other side. "I'm going on break." He said as his arm finally snapped and the door closed. The arm dangled by the skin of itself. The man began pounding on the door from the other side in huge blasts of rage and screaming at the top of his lungs.
"AH!" Sam screamed and Alan just stared. What the hell is going on!? He thought to himself, still unable to make words form from his mouth. Sam was beginning to curl herself as she was wailing. Her arms shielding her eyes against the gross dangling appendage. Alan just stood there.
The screaming stopped for a moment but he still kept pounding. "What do you mean declined?" The man's voice seemed to be asking them from behind the door. "I paid it last week!" He matter of factly told them. Finally he ripped off his arm and the mid upper appendage fell to the floor. The crack between the door now bloody from the the ripped off arm. The door continued to pound. The man seemed unfazed by his severed arm. "A number 4 with a diet soda please." He said, still pounding.
"GO AWAY!" Sam screamed, walking backward with her hands still around her eyes. She eventually tumbled back onto the couch. She was getting more and more hysterical by the second. Alan could do nothing but stand there with his mouth open. He began to walk back toward the TV and grabbed the remote on the top of it. He turned it on. A newscaster was talking and a banner below the screen flashed the words "Emergency crisis situation in Wheatridge Colorado." Sam was still screaming and so was the man outside the door. He couldn't make out what the man was saying. The screams... They were getting to him.
"SHUT UP!" He shouted toward Sam but it was no use. She was unable to rationalize with him at the moment. Alan looked back to the TV and looked at the remote. He pressed menu and selected the captions option. The man on the TV began to make sense as captions of his words began to scroll down the screen.
"Some sort of event is gripping Wheatridge Colorado at this time. People are attacking friends, family, and neighbors. There is no answer to why as of yet, but people are being told to stay in their homes. And not to open their doors for anyone." The scream of the man at the door seemed to double up and Alan could see a woman staring through their window. It's double pain bullet proof stock, the kind that makes your home more energy efficient. She began pounding her face on their window. Leaving bloody marks as she did so. Her nose was completely smashed in. Alan just stood there as the lady continued to fruitlessly break in. He noticed that it was unlocked and walked in steady slow movements toward the window. He locked the window and stared at the lady beating on it. She stopped for a second.
"I'm meed some tissues." She said touching her nose, not averting her attention toward Alan. He just stared at her. Making eye contact. "I'm so... I'm so sorry." She looked away and began walking toward the street. Alan pulled the blinds close and turned around. The man stopped beating on the door and the screams were dying down. He looked at Sam and went over to hold her. She did not resist and her crying was simmering to a low sob.
"It's gonna be ok." Alan assured her. She again dug her head into his chest.
BANG! The door began to pound again and he saw a figure running toward the window. The lady's silhouette ran right into the window. Causing a thunderous slamming noise. The screams picked back up and another shadow joined the lady's and slammed itself into the widow too. The window by now was becoming crimson with blood left from the two kamikaze people. With every smack the window took she held onto him harder and harder.
Over an hour had passed and the three people turned into seven. Though the pounding against the door and window had dulled, it was still very active outside their home. Sam had been in Alan's arms the entire time. Alan felt a the need to use the restroom and began to pry off Sam.
"Don't go! Please!" She begged him.
"I need to pee!" Alan pleaded. He got up and went toward the hall to the bathroom. Lifted up the toilet seat and began to do his business. As he did so he noticed a shadow in the five inch by five inch window above the shower. He zipped up and went in closer to examine it. As he got closer his heart pounded in his ears. He put his hand on the small window and tried to make out the figure. A hand smashed through the window and grabbed his arm. Alan screamed with every inch of his life and tried to pull away. The man on the other side was very very strong.
"SAM!" Alan screamed. "HELP ME PLEASE!" She ran into the bathroom and saw Alan struggling with the protruding arm. The man on the other side was losing grip due to blood loss and cuts from the glass, nevertheless he held on fast. Sam ran out of the room and into the kitchen and pulled the drawer containing the utensils to the floor. Searching frantically she found serrated steak knife out of the pile. As she got up she looked at the back door. It was open! She ran toward the door and closed then locked it. She peered out it's window and saw no one in their back yard. Who opened it!? She was scared. Alan's scream echoed through the halls and Sam sprang back into action. She ran back into the bathroom and plunged the knife into the arms' wrist. The man on the other side let go and Alan fell into the bathtub. Sam looked out the window. She looked on toward the side of the house and could not see the man she just stabbed. A face came back up into view. It was a teenager no older than eighteen. A very big guy he was, and he licked his lips and began speaking.
"Come Cindy, It'll be ok. I promise!" He reached back in with his other arm and Sam stabbed it right through and pressed downward. The resulting cut severed his right index finger. She was screaming all through this. The boy didn't seem to notice and tried to stick his head through the opening. "You won't get pregnant baby. I'll wear a condom." Sam backed up and began crying. She held the knife toward her chest and began considering slitting her own throat. Alan kept losing balance and falling back into the tub. The boy kept talking. "I love you babe. Mom where are my socks?" He changed subjects. He was uselessly trying to use his hands to reach in. His head wouldn't fit all the way through the hole but he kept trying. Scratching with his useless hands at it. Alan finally fell out of the bathtub and got up with a shot. He pulled the knife loose from Sam and struck it right square into the boy's forehead. It slipped off his skull and slid very easily into his eye socket. The boy stepped back and fell to the ground. As soon as he fell another hand reached in trying to grab what ever it could. Screams began to fill the bathroom. Alan pulled Sam away and into the hall.
They both sat on the shag carpet and held each other. They didn't speak. They just held each other and cried. Alan put his head against hers and hugged tight. Then a crash in the kitchen sprung Alan back into action and he ran into the kitchen. A little blond headed girl was walking around the dinner table. One hand holding onto her little light blue dress, the other knocking stuff off of the table.. She stopped where she was and stared right at Alan. She didn't move for the longest time.
Alan raised his arms toward the girl. "Hey sweety. Are you ok? Are you one of them?" The girl just stood there, looking as if she was going to cry. "Awe. It's ok. I'm not gonna hurt you." He lowered his arms. The girl walked back as he approached her. She ran back into the bottom drawer below the sink and opened it. She ripped the drawer off and began swinging it.
"Daddy I want ice cream." she blankly said.
Alan's heart sunk. No. He would not hit this little girl! He couldn't do it. The little girl advanced slowly onto Alan. He walked backwards with his hands to his side. "NO!" He shouted to her, but she did not even so much as wince at his cry. She began giggling as she walked, still swinging the cabinet door. Alan began crying. The girl began humming 'Mary Had A Little Lamb'. He finally backed into a corner and fell down to his knees weeping. The girl got closer... And closer... And closer. She was over Alan and raised the cabinet door and began to strike it down. Pain racked Alan's head and he raised his arms to defend himself. The little girl had strength. She raised and brought it down again and again and again. Alan's pinkie went sideways and he began screaming. Sam came up behind her and grabbed her by her waist and threw her back onto the dinner table. It collapsed upon her striking it. She got back up and began screaming. She ran right toward Sam and head butted her in her stomach. Sam collapsed with the force of the little girl's strike. Alan got up and ran toward her. The girl held onto Sam with one arm and was punching her with another. Alan couldn't separate her. He backed up for a second, breathed deep, then round kicked the beautiful little blond headed girl right in her baby face. She was knocked back and started to wiggle and scream on the floor. Alan helped Sam up and they stared at her. She started to calm down and picked herself up. Her face was disfigured from Alan's forceful boot. She grinned with most of her teeth knocked inward. Then she ran back for them. Alan made a fighting stance when Sam screamed and lunged for the little girl. She grabbed her hair and brought her down. She began smashing her face against the tile flooring.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Sam screamed as she continued to completely level the girl's head. Alan tried to pry her off but Sam had a surge of adrenalin. She was not letting go. Finally after what seemed like ten minutes or more she release the pulped face and fell back onto her knees. Crying and screaming and completely unable to stop. Alan tried to talk to her but she wouldn't let up.
"Sam. Please! We need to get out of here! Or anything! Fuck I don't know!" He began pacing around the kitchen. Sunset was showering the room in a dark orange. The power had gone out between the time the girl showed up and now. He couldn't remember when. Everything since that bang had been such a blur. After a good long cry she got up and sat in a chair next to the broken table. She put her head into her hands and wiped the sweat and tears off her face. Alan pulled up a seat next to her. He noticed his coffee still on the table and reached for it. Taking a sip he began to laugh to himself. Sam looked up and stared blankly at Alan. She began to laugh with him.
"It's cold." He stated softly, wiping his eyes as they teared up again. They sat there for a while before either of them spoke again. The sun set and the room darkened. He got up and reached for her hand. She accepted and got up with him and they walked to the bedroom. As they passed the computer room Alan shook his head. Was there even going to be anyone alive after this all? He might as well just keep the room as is. They walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Still holding hands, he kissed her on the cheek.
Alan woke up in the middle of the night. Sam was lying peacefully on the bed next to him. He looked at his watch. 3:42am. He got up as quietly as he could and walked toward the window next to the night stand. Out the window he sees rows and rows of people standing out in their yard, motionless and staring right at them. He looks out for a few minutes then walks toward the living room. He unlocks the door and kicks the severed arm across the floor. He walks out onto the front steps. The people on his yard and in the streets take no notice. They stare into space and remain standing where they are. Some are right next to each other while others are spaciously apart from each other. Alan walks up to the man with the severed arm and waves his hand in front of him. The man does not acknowledge him. Alan goes over to another man standing near him and snaps his fingers in his face. He doesn't even blink. Alan smiles. This is their chance! He runs back into the house and grabs Sam and shakes her awake. She screams and he covers her mouth.
"Shh!" He hushes her. "Look out there!" He whispers. She looks around and walks toward the window.
"Oh my God... What are they doing?" She asks softly.
"They're just standing there!" He says. "I went out there and stood right in front of them. Nothing! We can get away!" He turns around and grabs her arm and tries to pull her with him.
"Wait Alan! What if this is a trap?" She sobs.
"I doubt it. All this for us?" He reasons and continues to pull her. She gives in and they go toward the garage door. He unlocks it and pulls out his car keys. Pressing the electronic remote to unlock the car. As they get in Sam seems worried and confused.
"Why didn't they try to come in through the garage door?" She asks him.
"I guess we weren't in there. They only came toward us when we were in view." He accepts this answer and starts the car. They back out and halfway out the driveway they come to a halt. Someone is in their way. Alan looks at Sam. She nods and he backs onto the man standing there. The tires make a thud as it plows him down. More people are pulled under the back wheels as they pull out. He doesn't even have to go that fast. They just fall down with the slightest push. They get onto the street and just go over everyone in their way. Squishing sounds and what seems like watermelons being crushed are being heard.
Almost half a mile down the car begins to slow down and the motion seems a bit labored. Alan gets out of the car and looks under it. Bodies have piled up underneath and he begins to tear them out from it. Sam rolls her window down and seems frantic.
"What's wrong Alan?" She half yells. Some of the people standing on the street begin to look in their direction.
Alan not paying attention to what's around him replies "There are some bodies stuck under the car." A man in the yard across from them begins to moan. Then he starts mumbling to himself. This sets off a chain reaction and one by one the rest begin to mumble and speak. Alan looks up and realizes what's going on. He pulls the last person from under the car and gets back in. He screams for Sam to roll back up her window. When she sees that the people are beginning to talk and move she instinctively screams and rolls up her window. This last vocal seems to fully wake them all up and they first begin walking toward the car. Then a full on run. Alan hits the accelerator and they begin to plow down more standing people in their way. As each person wakes up and walks or runs past another, they too wake up in a chain reaction. And begin to run or walk for the car. Screams fill the night as they wake.
Sam is crying and Alan is beginning to see that the people are clearing from the road. Less people as they go on. The hood and front window become cakes in blood and dents. The glass is shattering but not breaking. They keep on and the people running after them were dissipating, but there's still a lot of them. As they go out of the neighborhood they get onto the highway. It's empty. They keep driving for what seems like hours. Not one car on the road.
"I'm so sorry." Sam says. She puts her hand on his and looks at him. Her tears have slowed but are still present. Both of their eyes are red and blood shot. "I do love you. I'm..." She begins crying again. Alan rubs her hand and shushes her quietly. The dawn is upon them. They pull over to the first gas station he sees with light in the windows. As Alan pulls in he checks his pants and realizes that he has neither his cell phone or his wallet. He peeks over at the cup holder and begins laughing. He had brought his half drunken latte with him.
They both begin giggling and get out of the car. They hold hands and stare at the rising sun. Sam holds onto Alan and he accepts her embrace.
"What do you think happened?" She asks him.
"God knows." He replies. They kiss and continue admiring the sunrise. As they turn around to go into the convenience store something feels funny about the air. A large explosion is heard over head and they both look up. A blinding light flashes and they both fall down. Sam gets back up and so does Alan. They look at each other with scared faces. Alan gets up slowly as does Sam. They check their faces to make sure they're ok. The man inside the store comes out of the front and runs toward them.
"You guys ok?" The bearded clerk asks with a hint of fear in him. Alan and Sam look at each other. Then toward the clerk.
Then they both begin to scream.