Power Out

        My eyes winked wildly as they tried to adjust to the darkness surrounding me, but the inky blackness did not clear away. All there was to see was darkness, and that sound, that horrible gut wrenching sound. Screams from men and women were filtering through my walls and into my now awake ears. Why were people screaming? Why is it so dark? Did the power go out? Is that why people are screaming? These thoughts rushed through my mind as I outstretched my hand into the darkness. I found nothing to assist me in lighting my room. Grimacing, I got out of bed and quickly walked to my bedroom window. The sight outside was bleak and bloody, and full of screaming running people. The street lights were out but the full moon above was enough to light what was happening. People were running from other people, bloody, crazy looking people. My hand covered my mouth in horror as I watched a young man get tackled to the ground by an elderly woman. She struck his chest over and over again with her fists until finally she bit into his neck and tore out his screaming windpipe.

        I backed away from the window and let the blinds fall shut, “What the fuck…” My voice was barely able to leave my dry throat, all the moister had suddenly disappeared from my mouth.

    The memories of earlier that day flicked through my mind; there had been a news report about some sort of virus going around, but that was all. There had been no reports of crazy old people turning psycho and munching on others. I quickly tried to remember if I had locked my apartment doors’ deadbolt; I hadn’t. With the screams from outside still pouring in through my open window I hesitantly moved through the thin hallway that led to the kitchen, I bumped into a few things in the darkness but no one grabbed me. Outstretching my hand, I tested for where the door knob was, my hand grasped the cold metal and I reached my other hand up to slide the deadbolt in. Before I could do so the door knob jerked in my hand as if someone was trying to open the door from the other side. Reacting, I clenched the door knob tight even though it was locked. The jerking stopped and was instead replaced with the door shaking in its frame as someone kicked and punched at it from the other side.

       Cold shivers ran down my scalp to my chest as I slid the deadbolt shut then stepped away from the door. Whoever was on the other side continued to beat on it though. My eyes narrowed as the door knob made a cracking noise, the small lock had broken. I took another step back from the door and bumped into my kitchen table; a plate fell and smashed against the linoleum floor. The beating on the door intensified. I began to shake as I franticly searched the dark kitchen for a weapon. My hands turned up empty; I couldn’t find the knife draw in the darkness. Another cracking noise came from the door and I heard it swing open a few feet behind me. My spine went stiff, the sound of heavy labored breathing filled the room and it wasn’t coming from me. I froze and stared at where I thought the door to be, the hallway outside was just as pitch black as in here. I heard a boot squeak on the floor as they walked towards me. My mind searched and searched for a way out of this, a way to survive, a way to live and not be eaten. My heart was thundering inside my chest, there was nowhere to go, no escape, no retreat, nothing. The breathing stopped a foot in front of me. I could feel their eyes staring at me through the darkness. Their hands caught hold of my night shirt and I let out a terrified scream. They threw me forward and my hip ached as it collided with the wall. I couldn’t see my attacker. I couldn’t see anything. But they knew where I was. Before I could scramble off the floor and out the door they were on me, bashing their devastating fists into my chest and torso. I howled in pain as ribs cracked and organs bruised, my skin split and hot blood began covering me. Teeth pierced my neck and my screams became gurgled. The attacker’s fingers clawed at my flesh as they bit down over and over again, tearing away chunks of me. My mind went fuzzy as I felt the warmth of my blood draining onto the floor. My eyes still searched the darkness for the image of who was killing me, but they found nothing as I died.

©Copyright 2014   Property of Julia R. Young