Days are Gone

Days are Gone is rated matured and might contain graphic depictions of violence, sexuality, strong language, and/or other mature themes that is not suitable for young readers. Reader discretion is advised.

- - -

Who would've thought this day would come? Didn't expect the world to end up like this. It just came out of nowhere. Not a single information from the government, nor media was released about the pathogen's whereabouts. Signals and communications were cut just a week after the outbreak. Everyone had gone insane knowing that there wasn't enough information sent to the public. All they told us was to stay away from any suspicious looking individuals and go to the nearest quarantined zones assigned on our places.

Cure? I don't think there's something you can do to restore this monsters roaming around the streets of every damn cities back to their usual selves. They're basically dead... and you can't cure death. The only thing left to do is to stay alive each day, that's how the world works now.

- - -

I exhale through my nose as I pull my knife out of a man's forehead. Blood can be seen flowing on his face down to his neck. His growls stopped and his body dropped on the wooden floor.

"Goodnight." I whispered.

I walk towards the kitchen and saw blood scattered across the floor.

What happened here?

A bag and a piece of paper can be seen placed at the top of a table. I picked up the note and read what's written on it silently.

(Probably my thirteenth day out here. Unfortunately I'm a dead man now. I managed to get away from those creatures that came out of nowhere, but one of them got a chunk of my hand, talk about being unlucky.

Who am I? I'm just a nurse who happened to be on a duty the day it all went to shit. The hospital where I work was overrun by patients infected with the disease. I tried to get back home but the only street leading to my house was blocked by numbers of civilians and infecteds mixed with them. I panicked and drove at the opposite direction. When I made my way out of the city I ran to the mountains. Thought this place was safe, guess I was wrong.)

"Poor soul."

I place the note back at the table top and stare at the corpse of the man I killed few seconds ago.

The disease ended his life and turned him into one of those lifeless corpses. Just like what the old movies encrypted on everyone and their great-great-grandparent's brains.

I reached for the bag and opened it. Surprisingly, there's a 9mm inside and six bullets on the side pocket, not that much but it'll do. I loaded the pistol with bullets, pull back the cocking handle and turn the safety on.

"Rest in peace." I said while staring at the guy's dead body for a few seconds before leaving the cabin.

"Got anything?" she asked as soon as I got out of the door.

I tied my hair ignoring her question. We need to get out of here. The sun is about to set and this cabin is not a good place to stay. The chances of them finding us here is pretty likely.

"You're... so cold Cyra." Isabelle uttered. I looked at her, she's pulling the tip of my shirt.

I sighed. "Belle, we need to move before- "

"No..." she interrupted. "Let's go back, it's been a week since we left them, I'm sure they already forgave us."

"They will never... forgive us Belle" I replied, she stared at the ground and hugged me afterwards.

"They were mad at me. I didn't meant to do that, so why?" she cried.

Poor girl, she's only ten and now she's experiencing problems that most kids at her age can't comprehend.

"Come on let's go, it's getting dark." I smiled, patting her head. She wiped her tears and nodded as a response.

I decided to put my bag on my front and carry her on my back. She needs some rest since we've been walking for days, not to mention her badly injured left foot.

After minutes of walk, Belle got my attention with her fingers pointing on a unique rock formation; a cave like opening can be seen below a huge tree.

Nature never fails to amaze me.

Luckily it's empty and no signs of animals living here, the inside is not that spacious but two persons can fit by the looks of it.

I cut down some shrubs nearby with my trusty knife to act as a cover for the entrance, this is a perfect camouflage especially tonight when it's dark.

After arranging them, I went inside and saw Belle looking at me with hands on her belly.

"Hungry?" I gave her a bag of chips and it brought smile on her face, such a precious kid.

"How about you?"

"I'm full, don't worry about me." I lied.

Darkness began to envelope the whole forest and moonlight starts to peek through the shrubs I placed at the entrance. I glanced at Isabelle who's sleeping beside me and sadness starts to build up inside me.

Cant deny it, her beautiful face really caught the eye of that guy.

"After what he did to Belle," I clenched my fist as I look at the dark skin on my right forearm, the nerves surrounding it already turned black. "and after what they did to me."

The sounds of rustling leaves and murmuring men got my attention. I peeked at the entrance and saw couple of flashlights scanning the area.

It's them, I knew it! They're still searching for us.

I stepped back after one of them pointed a flashlight at my direction.

Footsteps are getting louder as one of them stood in front of the entrance taking his time peeing. It looks like he didn't notice that there was a small entrance covered by shrubs.

Quickly, I grabbed a disposable syringe and one of the vials that I have inside my bag; I insert the needle into the rubber top of the bottle and filled the syringe with an unknown liquid.

I inject it on my shoulder and slowly press the plunger until its empty.

Their voices are fading, it looks like they're leaving.

"I'll be back Belle, this game of pursuit... ends tonight."

I crawled outside with a knife on my hand, and a handgun I hid on my back pocket, just in case things get rough.

The last guy's humming can still be heard, he's not that far and I can still see him even with this darkness.

His buddies were far up ahead scanning the bushes and trees with their flashlights while he''s taking his sweet time walking and zipping his pants.

"Adios."

I run straight at him and prepared for an attack, the sound of my boots touching the ground got his attention, but it's too late. A single kick right at his body sent him flying towards a tree.

He tried to get back up but his corpse can be found lying on the ground with a knife buried on his head, such force it pierced the skull with a single stab.

I grab the knife handle with my right hand and surprisingly pulled it out easily.

"One down," I looked in front of me and counted the number of flashlights. "Seven more to go."

I better end this soon and return to Belle.

- - -

Minutes passed and I successfully killed six of them.

Surprisingly only three of them had guns and started firing at me. But their aim was the worst, Belle was a better shot than these grunts.

"What a waste of ammunition."

Infecteds are gonna rush in here because of those gunshots, that's for sure.

"Get up." I threatened as I walk towards the last guy alive.

He's lying on the ground after I punched his face. I took the rifle from one of his comrade's corpse and remove the magazine while I walk towards him from the darkness.

"Don't make me repeat myself." I warned, pointing the gun at him.

Left without a choice, he stood up. But as soon as the moonlight struck my face, his knees weakened and fell at the ground once again.

"Wh- what are you..." he stuttered. I can see his eyes trembled with fear after what he saw.

I'm not surprised.

"Tell that guy, were not coming home. Oh wait, it was never a home; It was hell." I scowled, throwing the rifle at him. He then looked at me with a confused expression.

"Take it, so you can survive on your way back to that hellish place."

But instead of running away, he pointed the gun at me and pulled the trigger, yet not a single bullet came out.

I then showed him the rifle's magazine that I removed earlier, his eyes widened.

"You really think I'll let you live huh?"

"Traitor!" he threw the gun back at me and crawled away.

You just dug your own grave.

I strangled him from behind and broke his neck. Thus, ending his life.

"Insects."

I grabbed one of the rifles they dropped on the ground and scavenged every bullets I can find from the corpses.

I guess that's it...

I decided to head back to the cave and check for Isabelle. But when I got there, the shrubs covering the entrance were lying at the ground, leaving the cave open to anyone who wants to enter.

"Belle..."

My heart started to race as I ran towards the entrance. I went inside but the only thing left was the bag of chips and the used syringe with a glass vial beside it, no trace of Isabelle and my Bag was left.

Did they took her!?

I sat down to calm myself but I started to hyperventilate. In just a few seconds, an unimaginable pain can be felt on my whole body.

Crap... it's kicking in.

I crawled and managed to get out. I scanned my surroundings but my eyes became misty and my vision blurred.

"Belle..." was the last word that came out of my mouth before I pass out.