Blue Through the Grey
Beyond The Walls
PART 4: HOPELESS
Emily. I can't remember the last time I was called that and I really don't miss it. The air is damp this morning and also extremely cold. I can't just make a fire in the middle of the woods, It'd be like sending smoke signals to the aliens. I tie up my long curly brown hair in a string I found. All hair ties broke and it's pretty hard to tame these curls. I slip on my boots, tuck my pants into them, put on my coat and then my overcoat and now I'm set. My bag has been a burden on me for quite some time now but I have to deal with it. I have to remember that there is aliens and I can't just run to the store and get things. Out of the trees and onto the road where death awaits. Bodies, frozen until spring rolls around. I can't imagine the stench of thawing corpses. It makes me want to puke. Even if I did puke, there'd be nothing coming out. I am literally starving. Is this their way of killing us off? Letting us wander around until we finally die of starvation? I bet they enjoy watching us die. LOOK AT THOSE HUMANS, WATCH HOW HOPELESS THEY BECOME WHEN THE WORLD IS THROWN INTO CHAOS. You're right Aliens, I am hopeless. At the beginning of all this, I thought they'd be friendly. But when they sent down their drones and their plagues, I knew that this was war. A war that we could not win. This isn't the movies, we aren't going to fly to the mothership, shoot them down and have coffee when everything is over. No, this war...it won't be over.
The pavement crackles beneath my boots, like walking a never ending gravel road. Crunch, Crunch, Crunch. All these abandoned cars, did their owners flee or were they vaporized by the giant green laser? I'm swept off my feet and launched into the air, strangled by a net. What the hell? Is this some sort of alien trap? a trap set by looters? Oh and there's my knife, perfectly placed on the ground below me. The top of the net is tied to a rusty light pole and a thought pops into my brain. YOU CAN REACH THE KNOT. Then I'll fall and most likely crack my spine. OR MAYBE NOT, YOU NEVER KNOW. I'll try. I lean up, grabbing the pole with my legs to keep weight off of the knot. I'm able to get it loose and as soon as I do, I lose my grip and fall straight to the ground. My back crashes against the side of a car then I roll to the ground, moaning in agony. I quickly get up, there's no time to worry about pain. I grab the pistol from my bag and look at my surroundings. Nothing, there's no one. This trap was probably set a long time ago. Then there's a buzz coming from my right ear, then the sound of trees snapping and crashing towards earth. I get behind a car and peek through the back windows. A drone breaks through the woods and hovers a few feet above the ground. Scanning the area? I turn around and look at the treeline directly in front of me. Maybe I could make it if I run, it already knows I'm here. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath then spring to my feet.
I launch towards the treeline like a bullet leaving a gun. I enter the woods, limbs slicing across my face. I don't think, I just run. I can hear the drone following close behind, the trees falling in its path. Then there's an explosion to my left then to my right. I'm being shot at. One hit with those lasers and I'm toast. Explosion. It sends me flying forward and tumbling down a hill. Branches poke into every part of my body. Tumble, tumble, tumble. I finally reach the bottom of the hill, rolling into a tree. I lay there, taking in everything. My family, my friends, my school. They say you see those things right before you die. But I was not about to give up. I lay there until I know that the drone is gone, which is about fifteen minutes. I drag myself to a stump and lean against it. No serious wounds, a few slices on my face, fingers, nose and forehead. Nothing that will kill me. I am in a world of pain. I haven't felt this much pain...ever. I reach into my bag and pull out a picture of my mom and dad. I miss them, I miss the way things used to be. They died only a few weeks ago. Their bodies just couldn't handle it anymore. I never broke down and truly cried. There was no time for that but now that I'm sitting here, alone and broken, I let it all out. Feelings that I've been holding in since the beginning. It all is coming to the surface. Why did they have to go? Why didn't I die too? Is there a plan for me? All these questions and no answers. I end up falling asleep here, bad idea. But when I wake up, there's nothing but silence. The drone probably thought I died. It's dark now and I can barely see my hand in front of my face. I make my way back up the hill and onto the road. In the distance is a light...electric lights, shining upward like everything is normal. I run, I run towards it. My breaths heavy and the snow cakes on my eyelashes. I'm not just running, I'm sprinting. The sign of life gives me a boost of energy even when it's all been drained. Closer, closer, just a bit closer. Then a bright light shines in my eyes and put my hand up to block out the blindness.
Two men dressed in fatigues stand outside of the gate. They point their guns at me but soon lower them when they realize I'm not the enemy. One of them walks to me and takes my hand. He studies my face and I study his. I could answer every question on a test if it was just about his face. I feel tears run down my dirty cheeks. He smiles and the gates open just enough for him to escort me through. I'm handed off to another guy which hands me off to a woman which leads me to a shower. I insist I bathe myself but she says I'm too weak. After I shower, she places something black in my hand. A damn hair tie.
Emily. I can't remember the last time I was called that and I really don't miss it. The air is damp this morning and also extremely cold. I can't just make a fire in the middle of the woods, It'd be like sending smoke signals to the aliens. I tie up my long curly brown hair in a string I found. All hair ties broke and it's pretty hard to tame these curls. I slip on my boots, tuck my pants into them, put on my coat and then my overcoat and now I'm set. My bag has been a burden on me for quite some time now but I have to deal with it. I have to remember that there is aliens and I can't just run to the store and get things. Out of the trees and onto the road where death awaits. Bodies, frozen until spring rolls around. I can't imagine the stench of thawing corpses. It makes me want to puke. Even if I did puke, there'd be nothing coming out. I am literally starving. Is this their way of killing us off? Letting us wander around until we finally die of starvation? I bet they enjoy watching us die. LOOK AT THOSE HUMANS, WATCH HOW HOPELESS THEY BECOME WHEN THE WORLD IS THROWN INTO CHAOS. You're right Aliens, I am hopeless. At the beginning of all this, I thought they'd be friendly. But when they sent down their drones and their plagues, I knew that this was war. A war that we could not win. This isn't the movies, we aren't going to fly to the mothership, shoot them down and have coffee when everything is over. No, this war...it won't be over.
The pavement crackles beneath my boots, like walking a never ending gravel road. Crunch, Crunch, Crunch. All these abandoned cars, did their owners flee or were they vaporized by the giant green laser? I'm swept off my feet and launched into the air, strangled by a net. What the hell? Is this some sort of alien trap? a trap set by looters? Oh and there's my knife, perfectly placed on the ground below me. The top of the net is tied to a rusty light pole and a thought pops into my brain. YOU CAN REACH THE KNOT. Then I'll fall and most likely crack my spine. OR MAYBE NOT, YOU NEVER KNOW. I'll try. I lean up, grabbing the pole with my legs to keep weight off of the knot. I'm able to get it loose and as soon as I do, I lose my grip and fall straight to the ground. My back crashes against the side of a car then I roll to the ground, moaning in agony. I quickly get up, there's no time to worry about pain. I grab the pistol from my bag and look at my surroundings. Nothing, there's no one. This trap was probably set a long time ago. Then there's a buzz coming from my right ear, then the sound of trees snapping and crashing towards earth. I get behind a car and peek through the back windows. A drone breaks through the woods and hovers a few feet above the ground. Scanning the area? I turn around and look at the treeline directly in front of me. Maybe I could make it if I run, it already knows I'm here. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath then spring to my feet.
I launch towards the treeline like a bullet leaving a gun. I enter the woods, limbs slicing across my face. I don't think, I just run. I can hear the drone following close behind, the trees falling in its path. Then there's an explosion to my left then to my right. I'm being shot at. One hit with those lasers and I'm toast. Explosion. It sends me flying forward and tumbling down a hill. Branches poke into every part of my body. Tumble, tumble, tumble. I finally reach the bottom of the hill, rolling into a tree. I lay there, taking in everything. My family, my friends, my school. They say you see those things right before you die. But I was not about to give up. I lay there until I know that the drone is gone, which is about fifteen minutes. I drag myself to a stump and lean against it. No serious wounds, a few slices on my face, fingers, nose and forehead. Nothing that will kill me. I am in a world of pain. I haven't felt this much pain...ever. I reach into my bag and pull out a picture of my mom and dad. I miss them, I miss the way things used to be. They died only a few weeks ago. Their bodies just couldn't handle it anymore. I never broke down and truly cried. There was no time for that but now that I'm sitting here, alone and broken, I let it all out. Feelings that I've been holding in since the beginning. It all is coming to the surface. Why did they have to go? Why didn't I die too? Is there a plan for me? All these questions and no answers. I end up falling asleep here, bad idea. But when I wake up, there's nothing but silence. The drone probably thought I died. It's dark now and I can barely see my hand in front of my face. I make my way back up the hill and onto the road. In the distance is a light...electric lights, shining upward like everything is normal. I run, I run towards it. My breaths heavy and the snow cakes on my eyelashes. I'm not just running, I'm sprinting. The sign of life gives me a boost of energy even when it's all been drained. Closer, closer, just a bit closer. Then a bright light shines in my eyes and put my hand up to block out the blindness.
Two men dressed in fatigues stand outside of the gate. They point their guns at me but soon lower them when they realize I'm not the enemy. One of them walks to me and takes my hand. He studies my face and I study his. I could answer every question on a test if it was just about his face. I feel tears run down my dirty cheeks. He smiles and the gates open just enough for him to escort me through. I'm handed off to another guy which hands me off to a woman which leads me to a shower. I insist I bathe myself but she says I'm too weak. After I shower, she places something black in my hand. A damn hair tie.