AFTERMATH

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It was the aftermath of the event. The landscape was torched and scarred, and the plains now had a purple poisoning which descended as far as the human eye could see.

Duncan sat down on the crest of the plains and looked out towards the battered skyline.

What have we done to this place…?

The We was a plea to humanity. Right now, it was just about survival. Doing what they had to, in order to make it through each passing day.

Duncan had done somethings he was not at all proud of. He shot a man over a can of Coca-Cola, his desperate urge to taste something reminiscent of normality outweighing his moral compunction to respect life. This was after the events of course…

His life before the events was a dull and monotonous affair that didn’t involve any slaughter and pillaging. The event had changed humanity. And like the skylines descending over the earth, humanity also now had a purple poisoning deep inside of them.

Whatever it was that was descending upon our natural world was descending upon ourselves.

Duncan turned back towards the others. His gun was slung over his shoulder, his cleaver was in the other hand and his face was caked in blood which was now drying and crusting over.

Duncan had done many things that he wasn’t proud of. And not all of them were in the name of survival. Some of it was for greed, some of it was to fit in to this new world and some of it, was just because it was there to be done. And Duncan had dealt with the weight of these actions in a pragmatic and apathetic nature. Not that he was a pragmatic and apathetic person. It was just to avoid dwelling on the past and himself.

But of all the things that Duncan had done, this was by far the worst. The absolute worst. And despite all of the humanity he had lost, he not lost enough to dwell on this moment right now and to dwell on it forever more.

The fire rose up in a flame and Duncan felt the extreme heat from the barbeque. He grabbed himself a plate and walked towards his hunting party.

Kevin held out a plate of finely cut meat sliced against the bloody bone.

Duncan stared down as the blood oozed from the loin.

“This one is nice. I think it was that child. Really tender.” Kevin said, offering the meat to Duncan.

Duncan had done somethings he was not proud of. But this was the absolute worst. He grabbed a fork, stuck it in the meat and shovelled it into his face.

But it tasted so so so good.

“Could be another four days before we eat again.” Kevin said and slapped Duncan on the back.

I think it was that child.

I think it was that child.

I think it was that child.

The words hung in the air; tormenting Duncan.




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