The Last of our Kind

Once upon a time, there was war. And not just any war. It wasn't nation fighting nation. It was the whole world fighting itself, as if its job was to eliminate our entire species. Fathers and mothers were ripped away from their families. Brothers were fighting brothers. And in some cases Parent was fighting a child.

The whole world was in chaos.

This war had been going on for so long, none of us quite remember what even started it. No one remembers what started the war, or what side they were on. Or even just what they were fighting for. It was just war, and when you are 10 years old, you were recruited into the warriors, unless declared otherwise.

All we knew is it was tearing the world apart. And it seemed like there was no end in sight.

I watched as a young girl, my friends were moved to orphanages when they got news their parents didn't make it. It was worse for the girls, because everyone always wanted the boys. Sons would be good warriors. Girls could only be menders and gatherers and nurturers at my age.

But that wasn't the end of it. Some children were left altogether. Those were the hardest. They died on their own.

One night it got so bad, I knew something had changed. Mom and Dad put me in a bunker with the rest of the children. I knew about this bunker. Some of the older kids called it 'the end of the world shelter,' whatever that means.

No one had used it before, but it had been prepared for us, just in case... Just in case of what, no one would tell us. We were only told it was time.

"I want to go with you!" I demanded. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I knew I didn't want to be like Tina and Gemma, who didn't have a home anymore. If I could keep Mom and Dad close to me always, then I would never lose them.

"No, Lizzy. You stay here and take care of the little ones!" Dad insisted. "That is your job, remember?"

Yes, I remembered. But it didn't make it any easier for me to deal with. I didn't know when or even if I would see my parents again. What would happen if they died and I would be all alone?

I looked around the bunker in dismay. There was only around 75 of us left. The rest were... just gone. No one knew where they were. I don't know what happened to the children in the orphanage... They just disappeared.

There was a group of kids my age over in the corner playing a game of cards, but they are not my responsibility. And most of them were warriors so they would not be taking care of the small children.

My parents were both warriors. I hated it. I know I wasn't the only one there who felt like everything was falling apart. I could see the littler ones, who were begging to see their parents. They were holding their comfort animals, cuddling together, seeking comfort they couldn't find anywhere else.

"Mom... Please! I can help!" I insisted. I knew that was a lie. I was not a warrior! I was a nurturer... which was why it was my job to stay with the little ones. But I would say anything to stay with my parents for even a little bit longer.

"No baby. You stay here with Derek and Jaxx. Their parents already left, and we need to go help them," Mom said softly while she kissed me on the head. "Now, I need you to say in here with all the children and wait for us to come fetch you."

All I could do was blink away my tears and nod my head. "Okay, Mom. Just hurry back, okay?" I squeaked.

And then the door to the bunker closed. The lights all blinked for half a second before they stayed bright and solid. It didn't help my nervousness in the least.

I blinked back my tears. I didn't like it in here. There was food to last us for a week at most. There was water and even a working bathroom. There were simple games, coloring books and a few reading books for entertainment. But this just wasn't home.

"Hey Liz," Derek came over and gave me a hug. I leaned into his warmth. He was strong and he smelled familiar, like the outdoors and fishing at the pond. His arms felt like home. "It's gonna be okay," he promised.

"Der, I'm so scared!" I sobbed into his shoulder. I didn't mean to be a crybaby. There were enough of those already. I was one of the oldest children in the room. Derek was the oldest, and next was Jaxx.

"Don't worry Lizzy," Jaxx said, sneaking up behind me, wrapping both of us in a hug. "We're brave and we'll protect you. You don't have to worry, because we will never leave you."

"He's right, Liz. We'll be together forever. No one will be able to tear us apart!" Derek insisted, placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

My face flushed red. Derek has never done that before. I guess Jaxx was feeling left out because he kissed my other cheek, before he tickled me from behind.

I giggled as his red curls tickled my face. He can never keep them in order. He was always trying to make me laugh, even when I was sad. And I think I needed that right then.

"Hey! Wanna hear something funny?" he asks, looking down at me with a silly smile, his blue eyes glinting with amusement. I was pretty sure it was going to be good.

"What?" I giggled. Jaxx has the wildest stories, and he knows they make me feel better. I think Jaxx is allergic to sadness.

"I saw this badger on the way here, and he was directing a bunch of ducks in the lake. I think they were working on a shelter for the other water animals. But the badger wasn't looking where he was going and ended up getting hit in the head with his own stick!" Jaxx snorted.

And just like that, I was okay again. I was still in Derek's strong arms, just listening to something ridiculous Jaxx had seen. I have no idea if he made it up or not, but it seemed like something only he'd come across. But all I could think of was maybe life wouldn't be so terrible if I had my best friends with me.

"Okay, Liz, you wanna help me check out the little ones?" Derek asks. "They need you now. I think it would be easier if they were able to sleep now and wake up in the morning or when their parents come for them."

He knows I like to watch over the children. That is why they call me a nurturer. There was a reason I was put into this class at the age of 3.

In our society... or what is left of it, we have different classes, like healers, leaders, builders, warriors, farmers and teachers. There are also those who are in charge of justice, like the police, but they have been recruited as warriors.

I was classified as a nurturer, and it was my job to take care of the children and even the elderly... We don't have any of those anymore. They all disappeared, just like those lost in the orphanage.

Derek and Jaxx are both leaders and warriors. I know if they had been old enough, they would've been taken away from me too. I don't know if I would've handled that well. But we are all best friends and we seem to fit together.

Many of the younger children had been crying after being left by their parents. My heart ached for them. It wasn't fair! No one should have to go to sleep and wonder if they will be left all alone in the world when they wake.

I cuddled them, reassuring them the best I could. It helped, a little bit.

"You will be fine, Finny. Your Mommy and Daddy will come back for you," I whispered.

"It's okay to cry, Sara. But I'm here for you, until your parents come back to get you," I cooed.

"Don't worry Ollie. Der and Jaxx will play ball with you in the morning," I promised.

Derek and Jaxx were doing the same thing. And I knew for a fact that Derek and Jaxx would be happy to play ball with the little ones the next day. It was amazing how good they were with the little children. Maybe they would make good daddies when they grow up.

Then I pick a book from the limited stack we had and read to them as they fall fell asleep on their sleeping pads.

When the last of the young ones had drifted off to sleep, I snuggled between Jaxx and Derek. They wrapped their arms around me, and I felt so safe and secure. I didn't want them to leave me. Not like Mom and Dad. I had a feeling when I opened my eyes, the world would be a very different place.

"You are really good at that, Liz. You will be our Queen," Derek teased, nuzzling his face into my neck.

"Queens are only in stories, Der! You know that!" I chided him. There were no such things as queens and kings and fairy princesses. There were only generals and warlords. It was best not to pretend, especially when it felt like the world was going to disappear.

"Well, you can be our Queen, Lizzy. We will follow you!" Jaxx insisted, wrapping me in his arms from behind, snuggling into my dark hair.

"The sunset hue paints a rainbow across the sky," Derek whispered the words to an old lullaby. "In the gentle breeze softly dance the sleepy butterflies. Close your eyes and dream. Far off places; outer spaces; bunny races; dream. I will keep you safe in my arms tonight..." he sang.

I fell asleep in the arms of the two boys meant to lead us into a new world. But how could we have known that at the time? They were only 9 years old and I was 8!

Days went by and no one came for us. I took care of the little ones; promising things I had no right to promise. I gave what comfort I could, but I was the last nurturer. And taking care of the children was a big job.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, looking at our depleting food supply. I barely had enough to provide for one more day. I don't know where it all went, but we were in desperate need of help, and we weren't getting any.

"Let's get outta here before we all die," Derek suggested, looking around to all the young ones, looking to us for care and guidance. We were all they had left.

"But we promised we would wait!" I whispered, looking at all the hungry faces. None of them were happy to be in this big box. We all wanted to leave. But what were we supposed to do when we left the bunker? No one told us what to do then!

"Liz, I don't think anyone is coming," he whispered into my ear. I could feel his concern flowing through him, right into me.

I knew exactly what he meant. I'd been trying to keep my hopes up, but it didn't seem like anyone was left to come and get us. I really didn't want to think about it, but it was a new truth I was going to have to deal with, whether I liked it or not.

"We'll be okay, Lizzy. We can protect everyone," Jaxx insisted. "That's what we were training for... We just didn't know it would be this early."

I tried to give a brave smile. "Okay. Hey, everyone?" I called to the rest of the crowd of tiny bodies. "Are we ready to go outside?" I called in the cheeriest voice I could manage.

Some of the older ones cheered and high-fived each other. I saw the younger ones nod and even a couple clapped their hands in excitement.

"Okay," I say, clapping my hands, trying to keep up the excitement. "We're going to all follow Derek!" I called to the small children. I didn't care about the kids who were our age, they could fend for themselves. "Make a line! We can pretend to be a great snake!" I explained.

And that got their attention. There were lots of giggles and smiles. They had been so bored that even a silly game of following the leader would get them excited.

"Alright! On the count of three!" Jaxx cheered, getting even more excited smiles, while he was standing on Derek's right. He put his hands on the great door with his best friends. "One... Two... Three!"

And then Derek and Jaxx pushed! The door must've been very heavy because they had been struggling with it. But with a mighty shove, they finally got the door open, and we followed them out into the woods.

We all blinked as we stepped out into the quiet morning sunlight. For a moment, no one moved. The breeze blew a strange smell that can only be described as death.

And then we were surrounded by the animals. They normally kept to themselves. Many of the animals are sentient and able to communicate. They have watched us destroy ourselves, just waiting for the inevitable.

"Welcome children," an antelope called to us, standing tall and proud. "We are sorry for your loss."

"Our loss?" Jaxx asked nervously. He looked around like he expected out parents to pop out from behind a tree and yell surprise. But there was no one there. Just the animals.

"Yes," a great wolf nodded. "The loss of the human race. You are all that is left in this world."

We froze in shock. How could we be the last? I don't know why we hadn't figured it out before. But the animal kingdom has ways of communicating across great distances, and if they said we were the last, then we had to believe them. Animals never lie.

And then the sniffling and crying began. I went and comforted as many as possible, but I was also dealing with my own sense of loss. My whole family had died. I as all that was left.

"Do not despair, children," an eagle called from the treetops, in a reassuring tone. "We will take care of you."

"Yes, we have lovely homes prepared for all of you," a mother bear grumbled sweetly as her cubs came out to greet the littlest ones.

And so, we were all separated into homes. We were taught the ways of healing in nature and the world of animals. We were put into homes that would suit our talents.

Derek was in a family lead by the wolves. Jaxx was put into a family of elk. I was placed in a family of Bob cats. Everything was different, but we all adapted.

My new family taught me how to hunt and protect each other. They showed me how to play and find happiness in dark times. They showed me love that I didn't even know was possible.

And we finally found peace on the earth.

That was 10 cycles ago... But lately Derek has been getting restless.

"It's time!"