The Kids From Yesterday

We'd been on the run for a little less than a month now and things were getting tough. We were running out of food, snapping at each other due to exhaustion, and needed to find a permanent place to stay.

"I wish we could go home..." Audrey sighed as we were walking around in Zone 4.

"Yeah well we can't without being arrested for treason..." I grumbled. Audrey looked at me hurt. I just starred at her grimy face. She backed down and started sulking.

"Jen- erm Python, knock it off." Freddie warned. He was kinda like our leader out here. I rolled my eyes and trudged on. Mark wrapped his arm around Audrey to comfort her. He was being unusually quiet today.

We kept walking for about another hour when Mark finally spoke.

"Tomorrows your birthday Freddie er I mean Nightmare" he said quietly while making a check mark in a tiny calendar he carried around with him.

"That's right...you'll be nineteen Freds" I said with a bewildered look on my face. We were all having trouble adjusting to calling each other by our new names.

Freddie just shook his head.

"Birthdays don't matter here...and Phantom, why do you keep carrying that stupid thing around anyways?" Freddie asked. .

"I like to keep track of the days...It just keeps me sane I guess..." Mark replied with a shrug. We continued walking in silence.

"Guys look..." Audrey interrupted. Our heads snapped up as we saw a tiny grey rectangular shape in the distance about half a mile away.

“I think we found our new home…” I said with a small smile on my face. Everyone grins at each other and starts running towards the building.

When we approach the building, we can see that it’s a rundown farmhouse. The windows are all boarded up with cheap plywood and covered in graffiti. The door in the front was locked with pad locks and chains.

“Well let’s try around back!” Mark cheered as he ran ahead of the group. Everyone had their guns out. Well except for me because Freddie made me give Audrey mine.

“Get behind me Python” Freddie muttered.

“I wouldn’t have to if you let me have a gun…” I growled but I still did as I was told. We found the back door locked as well.

“Hey yo anyone here?!” Mark yelled as he banged on the door. Freddie shielded me behind him with his arm. I get it that I’m his little sister, but the whole protective older brother spiel was getting on my nerves…

“Audrey, want to open it up?” Freddie asked. Audrey nodded and shot the lock off the door without even blinking and the door creaked open.

Then there was a flash from a ray gun. I saw Audrey ducked and my brother fell to the ground.

“Freddie!” I shrieked as I dropped down to his side. Freddie’s face went pale and he was gasping for breath. Blood was pouring from his chest.

Audrey and Mark shot into the dark corridor. I ripped off my jacked and wrapped it around his chest to try and stop the bleeding. I felt tears filling up my eyes.

“Oh shit Freddie... Oh shit no no no!” I whimpered. Freddie smiled weakly at me and handed me his gun.

“Take it” He rasped. I started sobbing as I took the gun from him.

“Don’t…don’t cry Jen…it’ll…be ok.” He gasped as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it so hard his knuckled turned white.

“Love you …Jen… You’ll…you’ll be fine…” he rasped

“I love you too Freds…” I sobbed.
He managed to form a weak smile then took his last breath and slipped away. I closed his eyes and kissed his forehead.

“Happy Birthday Freddie…” I said quietly as I sat there with my big brother’s head in my lap holding his limp hand. Audrey and Mark came back doubling over out of breath. Their faces fell when they saw Freddie.

“Oh no Python...I’m so sorry…” Audrey sighed. I just kept looking at my brother’s still face. She tried to put her arm around me but I just shrugged her off.

She ducked…and he got hit…It would’ve probably just grazed her shoulder… but she ducked... I hate her…I wish she had died instead…she killed my brother… I wanted to scream this at her at the top of my lungs I wanted to punch her right in her dirty snobby cocky face… the coward…

“...We need a proper funeral…” Mark said interrupting my thoughts. I looked up at my best friend and nodded my head.

“Yeah… I’d like that…” I sniffed. Next thing I knew Mark had a 6 foot hole a couple yards away from the farmhouse under a dead tree. He found a large stone and spray painted his name, birth and death date.

“Python…we’ve got to move him now…” Mark said as he reached his arm around my shoulder. I nodded my head. I still hadn’t moved from his side.

“Thank you Phantom… this really really means a lot…” I said quietly. I kissed my brother goodbye one last time and helped Mark change him in Freddie’s cleanest clothes and wrap him in one of the sheets we found in the house. Audrey helped Mark and I carry Freddie’s body to his grave.

“Bye Freds…”