Escape From Thera: Chapter 2

Even with my new scarf the air smelled dry and tasted like hot chemicals. Walking along the street and keeping close to the sides was my goal because the streets were less safe now than before the meteor. Glancing toward the sky the sun was starting to set, turning it from orange to an angry angry green and getting darker.

That was good. Sun goes down that means certain things would be going to sleep. I shuddered even thinking about those monsters. If I didn’t have to run into one of those monsters I’d be a happy woman. But I was overdue for a meeting with one. Or maybe five. Fuck that noise.

It was weird to see so many cars just littering the streets, all empty and scattered to the sides like toys of some giant child. The streets weren’t even, instead they were cracked and broken apart. Going toward one of the cars and I climbed onto the top of it. After a bit of walking I had shifted the quiver to my thigh instead of my hip. Getting some vision of the area around me I rested my hand over my eyes.

More of the same for the next few blocks but toward the four-way intersection things split off. A small park where tiny trees loomed over some benches for dog walkers and the like was now overgrown with huge thick trunked trees. Those trees were pouring over into the streets so going past there was going to be a bitch and a half.

So not going straight down so I’d probably have to go left and right. A few of the buildings nearby weren’t that big. If I could get a decent boost I’d be able to get all the way up there and maybe that’d be a safe place to sleep during the day.

Sliding off the car and back to street level I set my path forward. I passed Jerrets and I frowned. I remembered that popcorn shop. The cheese and caramel combination was always the best. My mom used to love eating there and when we did city trips it was how we ended them.

Now the shop had broken glass, the sign falling off the hinges but still bright yellow in color. For a moment I thought about going in to see if the popcorn was still there but I doubted it. Not to mention it had probably gone bad at this point. Or radio acive. Still it was a shame that it was gone. Making a face I went over to the shop and just stood in front of it. Just closed my eyes and remembered the sounds of how busy this street was with the cars, the people, the birds.

Reality brought me back with a sharp sound. It was a can being kicked. Whipping my head toward the sound I ducked down and directly behind a van. Back flat against it I listened hard, straining my ears to find the cause.

My fingers twitched against the van and my eyes flicked to them. They couldn’t sit still but the rest of me was fine. They tingled like when I used my powers. But why? Shaking my head, I went back to listening and started to hear footsteps and now voices.

“Come on man I’m hungry. Let’s have a little now and we can finish the rest on the second half of the walk.”

“I keep telling you no. We won’t have enough food that way. Besides you’re not gonna be satisfied with half a meal anyway.”

“God. I’m tired of trying to find fucking food.”

“Then start hunting for something. Cause that’s the best you’re gonna find now. Ain’t no shit like chips or chicken anymore.”

“Yeah yeah I know. Fuck off.”

Two voices arguing back and forth. By the sound on them they weren’t coming toward me but they were going to pass probably at the intersection up ahead. Running into any one else usually ended bad. Someone hurt or dead. I learned to avoid people pretty early on.

Taking a very deep breath I set my bow down. Grabbing the top of the van I lifted myself up and glanced over the top. Just barely I could see two shapes walking across the street. They were wearing I think jackets and hats. I could see something in both their hands. Probably guns. Everyone but me had guns these days.

Dropping down I stumbled for a moment but picked up my bow again. I’d just wait for them to go away and then walk the opposite direction. At least in a perfect world that was the plan. In reality plans never work out.

As I walked I kicked a rock and it went further than I thought. It actually flew across the street and smashed into a window. The glass shatter was so damn loud. Like it was on a goddamn microphone. Standing still I listened to the sound echo around.

“Hey did you hear that?”

“Probably just some giant rat. Hate those damn things.”

“Hey a giant rat taste real good when you fry it up.”

“Still thinking about your stomach?”

“Yeah I am. Problem?”

“You want the rat go catch it. In fact, if you can get it I’ll even fry it for you. Just don’t complain when it bites you and runs away.”

They both laughed, that laugh that guys do, and I could hear him running my way. Gripping my bow tightly I darted to a nearby car. Stumbling against the uneven ground I fell into the grill and scrambled to the side door.

I heard the boot steps crunching against the street as the guy ran forward. Holding my breath, I shut my eyes. My heart was beating like a hummingbird and my fingers tingled as if they were Charlie horsed. I was panicking. Still panicking even though this wasn’t my first rodeo.

He was swearing under his breath as he walked. If he came near me I’d have to fight him. Reaching to my leg I grabbed an arrow. It’s solid plastic frame helped settle the mounting panic in my mind. Placing the arrow on the rest I quickly went through the next chain of events.

I’d probably kill him. He wouldn’t be the first person I’d killed. But the thought of killing someone made my heart beat slow to a crawl. Sound echoed in my ears like long empty caverns to my head. Wasn’t my first rodeo, not my first horse to put down. I felt my powers wake up just like I felt back in the shop. I just needed to not miss.

I was knee deep in my process, psyching myself up when chirping snapped me out of it. Chirping like a cell phone. I knew those things didn’t fucking work anymore. So what was the sound?

Opening my eyes, I stared at the bizarreness of it all. Even in this broken ass world. In front of me was an alleyway. It looked no better than the rest of the city. But within that alleyway was a large red and brown chipmunk. Like a normal chipmunk but the size of a German Shepard. It stared at me, its fat cheeks jumping up and down as it stared at me.

 “Holy shit jackpot!”

Apparently, the guy saw it too cause he was running over. The chipmunk freaked at the sudden sound and darted out of the alleyway and onto the street. It sprinted past me and it smelled awful in the process. No idea where it was trying to go, didn’t care. Turning back my eyes met with the barrel of a gun and a gruff looking man.

“You find your mouse yet?”

“I found something better than a mouse George. Get over here.”

I stared at him and I couldn’t read that face. Everyone’s face had an edge of insanity to it now. Just a few notches to the end of it that could flip a switch and blow someone away in an instant. Why couldn’t I just find a nice person to chat with? Not enough of them left in the world.

My eyes flicked from his gun to his hands and back and he took a step forward. I wasn’t going to fire a shot off before I was missing a chunk of my chest. I could hear footsteps coming and there’d be two. I had a chance with one guy, I was screwed with two.

Letting go of the arrow fletching slowly, I flexed my fingers. I could feel the strings from my finger tips and they had latched onto the gun. It was a hand held metal death machine. A shame if it backfired on its owner.

My strings worked into the barrel of the device. Pinching my fingers, I crushed the middle of the barrel slowly. In my head I could see the pipping closing into a narrow peep hole too small for even an ant to crawl through. No way a bullet was getting through there safely. The footsteps were getting closer.

This guy was taken care of. I could shoot the other guy and be done here. That’s the plan Jenny. Let’s make it happen.

“Don’t try anything stupid. Hate to blow away the pretty body.” His tone made me shudder. I could feel the appraising gaze of someone who looked at me like a prize. Some things even an apocalypse couldn’t change.

Boot steps circled around the hood of the car and he was going to  bebehind me. For a second I realized that if this didn’t work I was going to die. Not the first time I gambled with my life and probably not the last. It was the only way to survive.

Taking a slow breath, I grabbed the tip of the arrow and stood pulling back as my magnetism worked. I felt it resisting my pull, making my arm wobble slightly. The guy came into view seconds after I stood. The guy behind me shouted something but I was already letting go.

Slicing through the air, the arrow missed its target and instead slammed into a cars back window. The glass shattered startling the man. My eyes widened and I realized that not only had I fucked up now I was probably going to die. Death by looter bullet.

An explosion echoed behind me and I nearly jumped out of my skin. The gun I blocked off must have backfired. The other guy panicked by the sound and dropped his hand from the gun. My hand instinctively went to my thigh and drew another arrow. Drawing it back fully, my powers kicked in on full blast.

The arrow flew from my hand instantly and it spiraled to its mark. The man’s chest was torn asunder, cloth and flesh tearing away as it became a part of his being. The force took him off his feet and against the back of the car.

Whirling around I crouched another arrow coming from my thigh quiver and I fired. The man took the arrow in the chin and it took him off his feet. He fell backwards blood spurting like a geyser from the wound.

Holy shit. Holy shit I just did that. My body ached and I almost fell to my knees. I mean I missed the first shot but I got the rest of it down. I felt the grin on my face and knew I looked like an idiot. So glad that I was wearing this scarf. Laughing again, I slumped back against the door of the car.

Grunting jolted my heart back into action as I whipped my head to the side. The man I’d shot in the chest was trying to move again. The arrow didn’t kill him. Shit.

Forcing my legs to work I stumbled to my feet and gripped my bow tighter. Carefully drawing another arrow, I made my way toward him.

He was gasping at the air trying to reach for the arrow but he couldn’t. Our eyes met and the anger and pain in them didn’t do it for me. He was just another guy. A guy who would have killed me given the chance. And now he was dying because I was better this time around. I still felt bad. In another life we’d probably have never met.

My arrow stuck out like a lightning rod and I gripped it tight, mumbling. “Sorry the world sucks dude.”  Shoving the arrow deeper into his chest he gasped hard and then I yanked the arrow out. He jerked again coughing a few times and slowly went still. My arrow was caked in blood and gore.

Making a face I used his pants leg to clean it off the best I could. Going back to the other guy I grabbed the arrow under his scraggly beard but it got stuck. I gave it a few yanks but it was stuck in there way too hard.

“Seriously?”

Shaking my head hard I let it go and glanced at my quiver. Counting the arrows slowly I scowled. I only had 21 left and I doubted I’d find another shop again. So unless I was going to stick with this area for the rest of my life I needed to figure out how to find more.

I ignored the guys gun and went through his pockets as well as his bag. There were some matches, bullets, a knife with a sheathe and a screw driver. Going to the other guy I found a lighter, grease, a flask, and, jackpot, some wrapped bread and cheese. It was food. Real food.

I damn near cried on the spot. I had eaten enough charred giant rat to last me the rest of my life. Finally, something different. Where they got I from I didn’t know. Didn’t care. It was mine now. Setting my bag down I stuffed the bread and cheese in the front most pouch. Right next to the skinning knife and water bottle.

I opened up the bigger pouch and put the lighter, the grease, matches and screwdriver there. I had to move around my magnetic flashlight, old wallet, stale crackers and a mostly empty jar of peanut butter. The flask went in my back pocket and the knife sheathe on my belt loop. Lifting my back onto my back it felt a little heavier and that was kinda nice.

Glancing at the sky it was getting darker. It’d be night soon and that’s when patrols would be on the streets. I had to find some place to stay for the night or at the very least get off the main streets. Standing up and tightening my hat and scarf I started walking again. I got to the intersection when I glanced at the street signs. It was still standing and even legible. What luck?

“If I follow this street all the way, I can break into her old residence hall.” I thought aloud and then smiled. “It couldn’t hurt. Might even have a place to stay for a while. I just hope it’s still standing.”