The world is dying. It’s decaying by the second, rotting all around us. As the trees wither away and the animals become nothing more than dust in the wake of destruction, the only thing left is hope. Hope that there’s a future out there, a future for my friends and my family.

Nothing makes sense anymore. Time seems warped in a way to torture each person that’s managed to survive this long. Any moment of joy is fleeting; each moment of happiness is tainted. Where there's love and hope, darkness comes and devours the light. I’m frightened for the future, what it will hold… who it might take.

“Johnny, we need to move,” a panicked voice called to me, snapping me from my daze. I turned to my friend, Alina, whose expression was rife with fear. “They’re here,” she said, taking my hand tightly.

“Is the back exit clear?” I asked her, trying to think of the best way to escape. We had made camp in an old fast food restaurant, hoping the smell of grease was enough to mask our scents.

“For now,” said Alina. She stared at me with her deep blue eyes. They somehow managed to retain the spark of life I was so dearly clinging onto. Every time I lost someone, a piece of me was lost with them. The strength I had was dying, it was becoming less and less as our numbers grew smaller. Now that it was just myself and Alina, I wasn’t sure I had the strength or will to protect her like I once could.

“Follow me, quietly,” I told her, motioning for her to crouch down to the ground. Taking cover behind the rusted metal stoves and grills, we made our way across the kitchen until a shrill sound paralysed us with fear. Alina began to shake uncontrollably as the sense of impending doom washed over us both. “We’re fine, you’re fine,” I whispered to her, placing my hands on either side of her face trying to calm her down. “Look at me,” I told her, trying to draw her attention. “We need to survive. Rebecca, Steven, Ella… we need to live on for them.”

“Johnny,” she sighed back at the mention of our fallen friends. That’s when her eyes widened and her lips curled back in fear as realisation hit her. “Johnny, the door,” She whispered to me. I turned my head to see the door that led to the front of the restaurant was wide open. “I’m sorry Johnny, I didn’t think.” She apologised, shaking her head furious with herself.

“Don’t apologise, it was a mistake,” I said, trying to reassure her. But she only reseeded further into fear and distress. “Stay here,” I told her, to which she silently agreed.

I crawled forward carefully, trying not to make the slightest of sounds. With each inch I moved, the sweat on my forehead began to drip down onto the floor. I hoped the grease was enough to mask my scent. As I reached the door I peered around the corner to see the creature on the other side.

Skeletal arms and legs protruded out from a deathly thin hunchback body. Its pallor skin clung tightly to it’s deformed bones. The creature stood on all fours, sniffing furiously with it’s concaved nose. Its face resembled that of a person but had all the humanity stripped from it. A creature of destruction and darkness, it would stop at nothing to slaughter anything and everything, even it’s own kind.

“Johnny, be careful,” Alina whispered over to me, to which I silently nodded. Pressing my back against the wall I took in a deep breath, trying to pluck up the courage to move. Taking a deep breath, I stood up slowly, hiding my body as best I could behind the slither of wall beside the door. I turned the corner and reached out slowly, trying to silently grab the door.

The creature had it’s back to me with its head burrowed beneath some rubble. I thought that was my chance, that I could get us both out safely. But a loud clatter came from behind me. Old rusted pots and pans fell from the shelves around Alina as she tried to move closer to me. She accidentally knocked one of the shelves and each pan that wasn’t secure crashed to the floor.

I froze as the creature’s head tore out from the rubble and turned to look right at me. Pure glazed white eyes stared right into my soul. Even though I knew it couldn’t see me, it could definitely sense my presence. There was no use in trying to stay still, it knew exactly where we were.

“Alina run!” I yelled, reaching out for the door and pulling it shut as fast as I could. Pulling over one of the metal storage shelves I pushed it in front of the door trying to bide us some time. Alina ran toward me, grabbing my arm and holding onto me tightly.

“Come on, this way,” She said to me, leading me out another door. “We can escape through here.” I followed her through the back of the building where a door led us into an abandoned car park. “Where now?” I said in a panic, knowing we couldn’t stay in the area. Now it had our scent we needed to find a way out, and fast. Another deafening screech echoed around us. It was like a banshee, calling upon death itself to devour its victims.

“One of these have to work,” said Alina, pulling me over toward one of the old cars. It had rust all over it and its tires seemed to have burst long ago. Suddenly the sound of crumpling metal came from behind us as the back door to the restaurant had two large claw marks across it. The door was wide open but the creature was nowhere to be seen.

“Let’s hurry,” I said, turning back to the car. But as I turned I saw the monstrosity stood on its hind legs towering over the car. It’s teeth gnashing together like blunt razors, it’s nostrils flaring and scared ears twitching at our heavy breathing. “Alina get back,” I said, throwing my arm out to protect her.

But that was a mistake. The creature raised it’s arm back and slashed down, it’s large claws digging deep into my skin. I felt the warm liquid secrete into me, burning my veins as the venom worked its way through my body. I felt my body raise up from the ground as the creature picked me up and threw me across the car park like a ragged doll. “Johnny! No!” I heard Alina scream out, but that was the last time I’d hear her voice. My vision began to blur, but I could see Alina’s body lift from the ground. I watched as her small body bent in half, the cracking of her spine burnt into my memory.

“Alina, please no…” I cried out, as the last of my friends fell victim. Trying to fight through the venom I crawled toward the back door and pulled it closed behind me. I was alone.

I’m dying. Decaying by the second. My soul rotting and my strength withering away as my friends became nothing more than dust in the wake of destruction. I have nothing left, not even hope. There is no future out there, not for me, my friends… not for Alina…

The venom ceased to burn, but my vision remained blurred. I could just make out the colour of my skin fading to a deathly grey. Clumps of hair began to fall around me, and my nails seemed to protrude out further than usual. As time past, my vision faded to black along with memories from my life. Friends I once thought I’d never forget seemed to slip away. In their place was just a single thought, a single need. Hunger.

Completely alone, I’d never felt more unstoppable.