The world has ended.
89Please respect copyright.PENANA6O6lGWe7il
It was a silent end gifted by beings beyond human comprehension. Things that fed off any emotion it could find. Every light and joyful thought was consumed. Every shadow and depraved thought was savored then devoured.89Please respect copyright.PENANAD19wFq1GRr
89Please respect copyright.PENANAkiylPidCTU
All things were dragged screaming into the black mist.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAhKmPpwxgyq
Now, only 2 humans remain.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAfHjXPatPxs
In this wasteland filled only with misery lies a mother and her male child. Both leaving behind names. For what use are names in this ash-filled hell?89Please respect copyright.PENANAy03E4PNXJw
89Please respect copyright.PENANArQpzBVjRHA
The only thing to make this bearable was most animals. Beings driven by pure instinct weren’t dragged away. The only ones taken were the ones closest to us.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ5MpQhCKv
“Don’t cry child, lest you bring doom upon us.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANArzyDFcIhuL
“I promise mother, I just…”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAZyxTn045nq
“Enough, we’re lucky enough to be able to bare Rex. He was…a brave dog.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAk0rtqrdJBJ
“…He was.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAxEJtNAeI4P
The two say one last prayer before that too was detected and devoured. Hope had no place here. It couldn’t and shouldn’t exist.89Please respect copyright.PENANAuX1lNTRPUy
89Please respect copyright.PENANAx0Yo5kYfBY
So they left it behind. The grave built by sticks and dirt. The last thing tying them to a happier time.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAkFtJA1WBhC
“Don’t dwell on the past. That happiness will only bring pain. Either will endanger us.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA5iFGhiyke7
“Yes, mother.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAUcRcOTbZ0L
The rest of their days don’t matter. It was an endless cycle of the same gray day. Scavenging, eating, shitting, and sleeping.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAjBfNVZ8Hve
Emotionlessly existing for its own sake. Their tale unworthy of telling until they couldn’t scavenge anymore. Until eating became painful. Until there was nothing to shit out. Until sleeping brought only nightmares and whispers from the mist.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAOkhXTJqJkE
As usual, the only story worth telling is one filled with pain and tragedy.89Please respect copyright.PENANAxdM5rnlENx
89Please respect copyright.PENANA5dKONTWyMg
“I’m-
89Please respect copyright.PENANAJHBzhRzCSF
“Don’t say it child, I already know. We will find something edible at the next town. But to get there we need to…sleep.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAj3YuwJmWP6
“…I understand.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAwupkeZhcgy
“Close your heart off to it. It will pass.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAly223KZsOU
“It never does.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA9PtxDggLqE
“Be silent!”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAYZOdjNvrOb
Her voice reverberated throughout the city and instantly she realized her mistake. The mist begins to shift and writhe. They smell the anger, desperation and despair.
89Please respect copyright.PENANA80nHQor8nK
“Mother?”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAUftnn5y9OY
“Calm child, give me a moment.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAi5XHBcOVgJ
She closes her eyes and within a few moments opens them again. Within those brown eyes lies nothing, a void of emotion. A lifeless husk that refuses to die just yet. Satisfied with the death of her true self, the mist stills.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAcbTG5Chpme
“Like that child. Do as me and we’ll survive.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA7NgdLqI8RM
“But I want to live.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAXEaY9Z8Seu
“We can’t afford that. Think rationally and get rid of that light in your eyes. It’s time for you to grow up. I won’t be here forever and you’ll need to survive the world long enough to find another survivor.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAxIP8nmy0vz
“…I’ll try mother.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAzhS63yB5Zt
“Don’t try, do.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAU0sj6eOdIQ
As many times before, the child closes his eyes. After a minute, he opens them again. Within those blue eyes lies…something, a dying ember. A husk that wishes for life but is denied it. Unsatisfied with the performance, the mist slightly stirs.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAITOtBV2ikz
“I’m…sorry.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA7r54hJVkln
“…It’s fine, you’ll get one day.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAwJUc1JL4RW
The 2 escape the city before they lose what they assume is daylight. Luckily, they find a dead tree to sleep against a few yards outside the city limits. They take out their worn and torn blankets out of their bags. Out of the child’s school bag comes a blanket with Sonic on it. Out of the mother’s backpack comes out a plain gray blanket.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAo2SPqnVeZM
They get into position against the tree and close their eyes. Eventually, they’ll go to sleep.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAoVcwEj0SbF
…89Please respect copyright.PENANA8frgujhjCl
…
89Please respect copyright.PENANAAKIWFONsES
“I have no choice.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA1fW5z617zy
The child wakes up to see his mother’s dead eyes looking down on him and her hands around his neck.
89Please respect copyright.PENANA05Fd76HupG
“I can’t make it to the next city with you endangering me. It’s the logical choice if I want to survive.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAS7PerpjhUz
The boy kicked, scratched, and fought back against his mother. But it was to no avail.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbHIaMQfUgb
“Shh, just go to sleep child.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAYik6ZNk9VO
He wanted to live. He didn’t want to die because-
89Please respect copyright.PENANAmxN7pO2D6S
Wait, why did he want to live?
89Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZxdGKVqza
The child looked to the right. The child looked to the left.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAOJM5rHgdU9
There was nothing.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAaXFETk71pB
Only pain and devastation. Why live in such a world?
89Please respect copyright.PENANAFca768Vu7x
As those thoughts consume him, his hands slack as he accepts death. It could even do some good. His mother is getting too skinny after all…
89Please respect copyright.PENANAtVR081nSkP
So he gives in and waits for his mother to choke the life out of him. But something else broke first.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAQwlKGavnyB
A tear.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAVwFnupAm6e
Her mask slightly crumbles as tears begin to fall from her left eye. The child caresses his mother’s cheek in her time of need.
89Please respect copyright.PENANArKuHVdyw9a
“Don’t cry for me mother. You need to eat and pain will only bring doom upon you. You’re right, I will only endanger you.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAoON45umq8F
Her grip weakens and her eye fills further with water.
89Please respect copyright.PENANALlDOf82JFf
“Don’t stop mother. Kill me, please.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA7OssLNMxf2
“Why should I live anyway.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAkx2GGv26VZ
The embers in his eyes slowly evaporate, leaving a lifeless void in his eyes. That change in her son was all she could take.
89Please respect copyright.PENANANzlX5ywrGv
She removes her hands from his neck and embraces him.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAc7I3rQWlrZ
“Because hope still lives within us!”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA6oKsMYPmg1
“W-What?”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAUE8r9rzZTp
“I’m sorry son, I…was wrong. This is not the way.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAB69aBkX5kA
“Even if we must end, it won’t be by my hands. We’ll go as humans, not the living dead.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANA4L53praq7z
The child’s eyes widen and he returns the hug with renewed warmth.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbtLMPdAvjK
“I love you, Zachariah.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAMeBbxXCdWC
“I love you too, Abigail.”
89Please respect copyright.PENANAznIH53qrBH
The lifeless husk regains the light in her eyes and the embers of the child explode into a kaleidoscope of color. All of their bottled-up emotions resurface and manifest in warm tears.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAbWmafS00RM
But it matters not.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAe2oAwhirEZ
The creatures of the black mist feel this and move to consume the last living light. It slowly encircles the pair. Their ravenous hunger can be felt in the soul.
89Please respect copyright.PENANA4UO7fM7rTO
Their world was about to end but they choose to accept it. Not out of despair but because they finally found the truth.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAEWRw4SMiNJ
No more words were necessary. The mother and son ignore the madness, finding peace in each other’s eyes. Within them lies love and warmth that drowns out the voices all around them.89Please respect copyright.PENANAW3L4T9Gdfl
89Please respect copyright.PENANAVwrJAg4iIA
The creatures of the mist feel this and fully envelops the last ones. Devouring all that they were and could be.
89Please respect copyright.PENANAZvPjEv6uTw
The only victory they could claim? They didn’t scream and they finally lived a moment worth living. A story truly worth telling.89Please respect copyright.PENANAI8pFuOwk3H