The War

        “In 2015 war was declared between the United States and China”. The person on the other side of the screen said.

         Tom lost count of how many times he had watched the video, but it was the only thing for him to do. He looked around the room as the words kept etching in his ear. He was sitting at the table, with his cup of dirty water placed at the top. The room didn’t have much, a window which shed some light inside the room, a bed in the corner, a desk, table and an old television set that kept replaying the same show.

         “Two years later…”

         “Two freaking years later!” Tom said as he placed his head in his hands. “Two Fucking years later we ended it all. Selfish Americans almost wiped out humanity.”

         It has been five years sense the last nuclear bomb, and the sky still had a green tint to it. The temperatures dropped significantly, practically starting another ice age. Over 3 billion people died within the first three years of the war being declared. The year to fallow, almost 4 billion people had died on top of the three. Tom had no idea how many people are still alive, but he had not seen anybody since.

         Grabbing the cup of murky water, he brought it to his lips. He savored the tingling sweet taste of it, the way it quenched his dry lips and calmed his nerves. Pulling the cup away, something in the reflection of the rippling water caught the attention at the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see what the white blur could be. The sensation hurt his eyes, which made him squint and look away. Rubbing his eyes which were watering, he turned back and the white blur was gone.

         I got to get out. Get out of here. Tom chuckled as he started swaying from side to side contemplating his actions. If I go out, there is no return. I would be roaming around a deserted planet that holds almost zero life and hope I find some place better than this. OR. I can stay in this fucking hell hole and continue killing myself. His thoughts soon ran wild. If I DO go out, I am GOING to see things that I did not want to see. Mutated, mangled bodies for chance. Maybe they couldn’t keep up with burying people with the rising death toll that they just laid them out in the streets. Millions of dead, lifeless bodies just laying there, staring at whatever lost sole that was brave enough to pass them. These thoughts haunted him, and are the reason why he stayed in this god forsaken shack.

         A shadow ran across the window causing Tom to jump and almost falling out of the seat. He ran over to the window and moved the curtain to expose the outside. The terrain was as rugged as always. The sky was dim, a fine blanket of snow had started to accumulate over all objects, the buildings were part rubble from all the explosions and from when people started attacking each other. Across from his shack was a swing set. The swings had always caught his attention, how they just sway back and forth all day… no care in the world.

         Looking side to side, there was no one in sight. I swore I saw someone… or thing. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the window trying to put his act together. I didn’t imagine it… And that white blur, I know it was there. Opening his eyes, a face was staring at him through the window. The face put Tom in shock, its big black eyes fixed on his, red bumps with white puss oozing were scattered among its expressionless face and its hair was clumped, with bald spots exposed all over.

         Being able to move, he jumped back punching the window with instinct. The window did not break, it felt as if he punched a steel wall. The bones in his hand crunched as they shattered when the glass did not.

         “SHIT!” Tom yelled as he held his broken hand, grinding his teeth as he saw a few pointy bones tearing through his skin. Blood was pouring out and falling to the floor, splashing as they collided and started to form a small puddle.

         He looked up at the fucking window, which was not glass, but bars. Tom was confused.

         “Did you hurt your hand again Tom?” A nurse dressed in white was looking at tom through the barred window. “Haven’t you learned not to punch the window yet?”

         The pain subsided as Tom looked up confused. The room was completely padded with blinding white lights on the ceiling and no TV. But the war…

         “But the war,” Tom said slowly as the bloody puddle started touching his bare foot, the warm wet sensation made him cringe.

         “Tom, there has been no war.” She said as she unlocked the door, walking in slowly with a small white container filled with pills reaching towards him. “As soon as you take your medicine I’ll take you to the doctors and we will get your hand fixed.”

         “Seven billion people dead.” Tom said in a dazed confused state.

         The nurse noticed the empty cup sitting on the table and reached into her fanny pack pulling out a bottle of water. She turned the cap until the seal cracked and the water was breeched. She poured some into the cup and handed it to Tom.

         “Here take your medicine.” She reached up towards his lips, which opened. Placing the pills in his mouth, she then moved his hand which held the cup up to his mouth and poured some water to help wash it down. “Good boy Tom... Good boy.” A smile lit across her face.

         



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