Chapter 1: A penny for your thought
Is it weird that there are still people who smile in times of struggle, while others cry and moan in pain, they smile and laugh as if everything is okay.
Apart from someone I know, the only people capable of doing this are kids, running around playing, laughing while their parents worry about what they will eat.
I observed a poignant scene: a mother, her face gaunt with hunger, yet her smile radiant as she gazed upon her daughter. Despite the bone protruding from her cheek, the scar marring her forehead, and the hollows beneath her eyes, she smiled, her silent plea for help echoing in her gaze.
I saw myself mirrored in her plight, recognising the silent cries for assistance beneath her smile. Experience had taught her that tears offer no solace, no relief from the relentless grasp of adversity.
The distant laughter of children drew my attention to the desolate shoreline, where they played amidst the cracked earth and dwindling waters. Their carefree antics reminded me of happier times, a childhood untainted by loss and despair.
I realized childhood was a luxury I could ill afford the moment I said goodbye to my mother and watched my father run across her lifeless body, never to be seen again.
I felt a twisted sense of joy as I gazed upon her motionless body. I recall thinking that I was the cause of her becoming cold, just as I had always been the reason for her troubles. However, as I witnessed more deaths over time, I came to understand that it is a natural occurrence when a person passes away.
Death, I have come to understand, is a certainty that we cannot escape. It is an inescapable truth that we will all face. However, I cannot help but ponder - if Nick were to meet a similar fate, would I grieve his loss? The answer eludes me, as it is unclear how I truly feel about him.
Nick is the only person from my childhood who is still alive. The other people I knew have passed away, and it was only through tragedy that we came together. Nick and I were childhood friends, and his parents were the rich neighbours my brother stole chickens from.
Nick and I became boyfriends, and I’m still not sure how it happened. But somehow, I found myself saying yes that day. Do I love him? I’m not sure, because everyone I’ve ever loved has ended up dead. So, I can’t say that I love Nick, but I do have strong feelings for him.
As I stood at the spot where Pastor John met his end, I recalled his warnings of Earth’s imminent demise. He was a doomsday prophet whose cries had fallen on deaf ears. His fate was a grim testament to the futility of his warnings. The crumbling ruins before me marked his final resting place, but he received no burial. His bones were left to bleach beneath the unforgiving sun. Pastor John was a lonely prophet, and his tragic end haunted me still.
As I was about to turn away from Pastor John Bones, something hit me with a soft yet forceful impact, nearly knocking me off balance. However, before I could stumble, somebody’s strong arms wrapped around me, preventing my fall. Without even looking, I knew it was Nick.
When I turned to face him, I was met with his dazzling smile, which never failed to capture my attention. Nick had a charm about him that was hard to resist, a magnetic presence that turned heads whenever he flashed his infectious grin.
“I’ve been calling you, Nero,” he said, his dimples accentuating his smile. Despite myself, I found my lips curling into a smile in response. One of the things I loved about Nick was his ability to brighten my day with just a smile.
“I’m sorry, I was lost in my thoughts,” I apologized.
“It’s okay,” he replied, giving my head a playful pat.
Before I could say anything else, he beat me to it. “Happy anniversary!” he exclaimed, thrusting a bag towards me with excitement evident in his eyes. Stepping back slightly, I couldn’t help but giggle at his enthusiasm.
“Happy anniversary to you too,” I replied, accepting the bag from him. Peering inside, I gasped in surprise at the contents.
“Meat,” I whispered incredulously, locking eyes with my boyfriend, who was grinning from ear to ear. The significance of what I held in my hands wasn’t lost on me – in a world where meat was a rare commodity, possessing it could spark conflict and even violence.
“Where did you get this?” I whispered; my voice tinged with concern as I glanced around discreetly.
“I... um... I stole it,” he confessed, his tone hushed as he glanced over his shoulder, sensing the eyes of curious onlookers.
“You what?!” I exclaimed in a hushed tone, but Nick quickly covered my mouth with his hand.
“Shh!” he urged, casting another wary glance around us before guiding me away from prying eyes.
“Who did you steal it from?” I pressed; my voice lowered to a whisper.
“Today is our anniversary, and I wanted us to have something special to eat,” he explained.
“But who did you steal it from?” I insisted, my unease growing with each passing moment.
Before he could answer, dread settled in my stomach as realization dawned upon me.
“Oh no,” I groaned, shaking my head in dismay. “Why would you steal from the Red Teeth? They’re called the Red Teeth for a reason.”
“I had to. They’re the only ones with meat, and they’ve been hoarding all the animals, leaving us with nothing,” he defended his actions.
“That’s all the more reason not to steal from them. They’ll kill us if they catch us,” I admonished, my voice tinged with anxiety.
“Don’t worry, they didn’t catch me. I made sure to outrun them,” he reassured me, a hint of pride in his voice.
“Dumbass!” I exclaimed, slapping him lightly on the head. “They might have followed you here, you idiot!”
Just as the words left my mouth, the sharp crack of gunfire shattered the air, accompanied by an enraged roar. My heart leapt into my throat as I looked up, spotting armed men perched atop a dilapidated building, their weapons firing indiscriminately into the air.
