Chapter I
Akira was the oldest of 6. After the world was purged of adults, she took over running the family. She was 14, and despite being mature for her age, it was still hard. She was pretty enough, with long black hair and big brown eyes. Her younger siblings looked like her, with dark hair and chocolaty eyes. After her in age was Marcus. He was 12, but even he understood that he had to act older if he were to survive. Then came 10 year old Marta, whose hair was so dark black it had a purply sheen to it. Then Thomas, who was only 8, and had a love of airplanes and always had a toy airplane in his pocket. After Thomas was 6 year old Taylor, who just wanted to be allowed to eat gummy worms all the time. Last was 4 year old Greta. She had blue eyes, like their father, while everyone else took after their mother and had brown eyes. Akira’s best friend was named Denver. He had only one sibling, Murray. Murray was 7 and Denver was 15. Murray had a never ending love of dinosaurs.
“They’ll come back one day, you’ll see!” He said to everyone he met. Akira always shook her head and laughed when he said this.
“Hopefully not when we’re around,” she’d tease. “How would you like to live next door to a Tyrannosaurus Rex?” Murray always replied with excitement. “That would be the greatest day of my life!” Denver always laughed at that reply. Akira would shove him playfully.
“Oh shush, Denver!” She’d say, laughing. “You know very well you wouldn’t like it any more then I would!” Denver agreed that he despised the idea. Akira and Denver lived a couple houses apart. Because there were no adults, there were no taxes, but still there were limited supplies of running water, electricity, AC and heating. In the day, people didn’t use lights, but rather they flung curtains open wide, and used natural light. The sun was the only spot of light in the world. Without adults, there’s no one to make electricity, food, or purify water. There is a limited supply of everything. Once you’re out, you’re out. Denver and Murray went to the store a while back when the government took over and stole a few of the water bottles, a few pop cans, some bread, some deli meats, a steak, granola bars, crackers, cheese, vegetables, fruits, and finally some cookies and cake. The plumbing works on and off. Same thing for everything else, for that matter. Akira sighed. She turned to Marta, who was playing at her feet.
“Will you go find Denver and tell him to come over here with Murray?” She asked. Marta nodded, and ran out the door to find Denver and Murray. A little while later Marta returned with Denver and Murray.
“What do you need us for?” Denver asked impatiently. He really had nothing to do but he was feeling impatient because he had dinner to cook.
“I need to go find some more food...” Akira trailed off. They both knew it wasn’t exactly safe to go out by yourself, especially if you were trying to claim food. “Akira, let me go. You know it’s not at all safe with the people who search the empty halls. The monsters the government has sent aren’t any better.” Denver knew of the viscous beasts that the government has created are viscous monsters from myths and stories. Things like Minotaurs, aggressive Pegasai, defending their territory and so much more. Denver begged Akira not to go. Akira shook her head stubbornly.
“If you go, I go.” She said, “Marcus can watch Murray, Marta, Greta and Thomas. We’ll go quickly. I just need more bread. We can find that at the old grocery store.” Denver went along. He needed apples anyways. As they walked along, Denver sparked a conversation.
“Do you remember when the government stole our parents?” He asked. Akira gave a humorless laugh.
“How could I forget? The worst part was, they didn’t use force. But they lied.” Her voice was bitter. “They told them that they need to show them some ‘official papers’ and they got in the car and didn’t come back. And now we’re here.” Denver always frowned when they brought up his parents. They were wonderful people who cared for him but were often mulch too busy to go out to eat or spend time together. It’s been pretty much the same without them. They continued to walk to the remains of the small grocery store. It was very badly damaged but they could see the bread through the display window.
“This’ll be too easy.” Denver said. They broke the door down and began searching around. Akira swiftly snatched the bread.
“Did you need anything?” She asked, clutching the bread. Denver shrugged.
“No not really I just…” Then he saw something that caught his eyes
“Jackpot!” He said he had noticed a chocolate bar sitting in the open waiting to be taken. He swiftly stole it and put it in his pocket. They walked outside to see a surprise. A small gang was awaiting them. Four boys and two girls. One of the boys had a knife.
“Listen up, maggots! You can’t take our food and expect to get away with it.” Said the boy with the knife, a big, brutish boy with a face that looked like he’d been slammed into a brick wall as a baby. Denver, rash and brazen as he had always been, yelled right back.
“Your food?! Does it have your name on it?!” The leader was taken aback. Then he smirked.
“No but it’s about to have a lot of blood stains on it!” Now it was Denver’s turn to be taken aback. It was six on two and the gang had a knife. He wasn’t just intimidated, he was terrified. Akira nudged him.
“Run farther into the supply room. I’ll hide outside the door. Lure them in, I’ll block off the door. Run out the other door, and block it. They’ll be trapped in long enough for us to run.” She said out of the side of her mouth.
“Get them.” The leader said. With lightning like speed, Akira and Denver ran to the store hoping that their plan would work. Akira ducked behind an empty shelf outside of the supply room. Denver ran in. The thugs didn’t notice Akira was hiding, and charged into the room after Denver. Quick as a flash, Akira used all her strength to shove the heavy shelf against the door. Denver almost made it to the end when he felt a tug on his t-shirt.
“I got you now!” The leader said. Denver began sweating. Then he noticed a banana cream pie standing on the display case nearby. He grabbed the pie and smashed it into the leaders face, which loosened his grip. He ran to Akira.
“If you’re going to do something do it now!” She quickly shoved another shelf in front of the other door, then the both ran out of the store and down the street, trying to put distance between them and the thugs. Denver ran with Akira. The thugs eventually escaped, but by the time they did, Akira and Denver had already escaped.
“That was too close.” Akira panted when they finally slowed down. “You want to stay at my house tonight? Just until the thugs have left the area.” Denver nodded. Then, Akira noticed that he was taking out the candy bar he grabbed before the thugs invaded. Except it wasn’t a candy bar.
“I may have nabbed the thug’s knife when I slapped them with a pie.” Akira shook her head. “That was both brave and stupid. Now they’re going to hate us even more.” Denver chuckled.
“Well at least we stand a better chance against them.”
“Yeah, but we’re smaller than them, and outnumbered. Not much of a ‘better chance.’” Akira sighed. “Let’s hope we can just avoid a fight until this all blows over.” Denver nodded and they walked back to Akira’s house. They got home and Akira let them in. Marta appeared at top of the stairs, looking wary. Her face relaxed when she saw it was Denver and Akira.
“Oh. It’s you.” She said, then yelled up to the other kids. “Murray!!! Denver’s here!!!” Akira laughed.
“Easy tiger.” She said, “Denver and Murray are sleeping over.” Marta looked confused.
“Why?” She asked.
“We got some good bread, and Denver said he was going to show me how to make a soup to go with it.” Akira lied, glancing at Denver as she said it. Denver kept his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted to do was worry the children.
“Ok.” Marta said happily, running upstairs. Akira locked, then double locked the door.
“We have to tell them eventually.” Denver said. “The thugs will be here sometime, they won’t stop till’ we’re dead.” Akira shook her head, as if by doing so she could make it untrue.
“We’ll find a way.” She said to no one in particular. “Now we better find a way to make some soup, or we’ll be busted.” Denver laughed.
“Do you honestly think I know how to make bread soup!?” He asked, teasing her about the excuse she made.
“I said soup to go with the bread.” Corrected Akira. “Not bread soup.”
“Well darn you got me all excited!” Denver joked. They walked back into the house, and put some chicken broth into a large pan. Akira added some chicken and noodles and what little flavoring herbs they had left.
“There.” Akira said with satisfaction. “A meal fit for kings.” Denver laughed
“We’ll have to settle for children.”
“Well now we’re kings.” Akira pronounced. “And this meal is fit for us, so it’s a meal fit for kings.”
“Well that does make sense.” Denver agreed. They waited for it to finish cooking. Finally, Akira pronounced it ready.
“Go get the children.” She told Denver. “I’ll set the table.” Denver yelled from the stairs
“Hey guys! Dinner is ready!” He came back into the kitchen. Akira laughed and rolled her eyes at his method of ‘getting’ them. She ladled the soup into bowls and set enough places for everyone. Just then, all of the children came thundering up the stairs, hungry and ready for dinner. Murray leaped onto the chair and immediately frowned.
“I thought you said dinners ready. Dinner isn’t in front of me!” Murray complained. Denver rolled his eyes. Murray was never one for patience. They ate their meals in silence, only the occasional talking being about dessert. There were no sweets to give however. They finished dinner, and Akira looked out the window.
“Denver, will you close all the curtains? I don’t want people to see in our windows, because I’m going to turn on the lights.” She asked.
“Sure thing.” Denver said. As Denver did that, she cleared dishes, putting them by the sink. She’d wash them tomorrow when she could use the water from the rain barrel to wash them. Denver came back from shutting the curtains, and they began turning on lights. Their siblings sat in the living room, playing with toys, not paying any attention to Denver and Akira.
“See? They won’t find us.” Akira said. “We’re perfectly safe here.” Denver nodded but still felt uneasy. He put everyone in danger stealing the knife. After a little while, it was getting late so Akira put the younger ones to bed. She and Denver sat in the silent living room, each thinking to themselves. Suddenly there a rough pounding on the door.
“Open up punks! We’ve got you! And we’re going to make you pay!” It was the rough voice of the squash-faced thug. They were caught.
