Fight or flight

Numb.
Simon’s heart grew heavy yet he felt as if the numbness was pulsating through his veins.
Every step seemed an eternity.
All concept of time was lost- as his world came to a grinding halt.
“What am I going to tell Emmy?”
“How will we cope with money and jobs?”
“How can I provide for her?”
“Who is going to look after her?”
“Who is going to look after…me?”
“I can’t believe she’s gone”
A thousand voices asking a thousand questions and an answer was nowhere in sight.
He dispelled them all into silence as he approached the house that once was his family home; He stopped and examined the building…everything seemed so dark now he thought as he lifted his eyes to the sky-
Took a deep breath and entered.

The curtains were closed and the TV was on a little girl curled up infront of it underneath a duvet
Simon looked at the screen it was the news.
“And now the local cities are branding this epidemic a disaster as millions mourn for the loss of…click”
Emmy looked up…
“I don’t like you watching that, you know I don’t” Emmy surveyed his face.
It was tear streaked and grey. “What’s wrong Simon? Is mummy ok?”
Simon lowered his head and she knew…and started to sob,
“Em the thing was…well she’s…gone now….gone.”
“To Heaven!” He quickly corrected himself remembering the age of whom he was speaking to.

It was getting late Emmy had cried herself to sleep in his arms, he covered her up then put the news on low,
“Thousands have began looting downtown and many people have been injured in the rush for food, there are now people dying in the streets as the hospital have no more staff or provisions,
Houses and community centres are becoming under attack”
Simon jumped up and looked out of the window, it was eerily quite beneath the soft lamplight…”we have to get out of here” he whispered to himself.
He looked at himself in the mirror,
He made himself jump slightly as he gazed at the corpse looking back at him for a moment he thought he contracted the virus itself. His eyes were glazed and he just looked drained,
Emmy slowly opened her eyes to the figure shaking her gently
“Come on Em we have to go”
She looked half asleep and half puzzled as she sat up and her brown curls fell back
“I am not going to school today!”
Simon looked down at her half smiling then continued “No we have to leave- Its too dangerous for us here now”
”where will we go?” cried Emmy in a panicked tone.
“Its ok we will find somewhere I will look after you”
And so they walked out of the house and out of typical lives forever.
Still numb, still fretful Simon felt his stomach turn as he had now become a man and had the responsibility of not just his own life but the life of his little sister.
They walked the streets with nothing but a rucksack.
Simon didn’t exactly plan where he was headed but he thought if he could find others then they could help.
They both walked half dazed barely saying a word to each other,
Silenced by the decay and rotting of a once “normal” city one thing was clear this was no epidemic not like the flu or SARS this was something else, this was permanent alright.
Even the buildings looked less healthy…It didn’t look as if help was close to hand.
“HEY! HEY YOU!” startled Simon turned to face a girl only about 14 “This is my territory”
“Pardon?” Half wondering if she was speaking in another language “Look we’re sorry we seem to be a bit lost” as he was saying this Emmy stood behind him looking very timid.
“We need somewhere safe to stay” he continued
“What tribe you with?” she interrupted putting her hands on her hips and examining him.
Simon felt self-conscious and confused as he avoided looking her in the eye.
“What do you mean tribe?” He said in a slightly moody tone
“Your strays then?” she said looking at them up and down
Simon was getting frustrated…this conversation was getting nowhere
“Look forget it we’re going now!” He took Emmy by the hand and proceeded to walk off swiftly.
Only to be faced with a gang of five more.
He frowned and Emmy cowered close to her brother as they decided to circle round them both like playground bullies,
Simon was half scared half-disgusted if he didn’t have Emmy to look after he wouldn’t care about what they did to him anything was better than this living nightmare.
“Stay back!” warned Simon picking up a piece of wood broken off from a nearby window they looked at each other and smirked.
Everyone knew it was hopeless even him but he swung blindly a few times hoping they would back off but to no avail, He managed to hurl one blow quickly swooping it into one guys stomach and again in another members leg,
He felt a sudden loss of control in his arms as one member grabbed him from behind.
Someone approached him obviously the leader from the way he smirked triumphantly.
“A stray then?” the leader smiled as Simon tried to fight off the big sumo like captor who held his arms from behind.
“We don’t all consider ourselves dogs” Simon replied knowing it wasn’t really going to help but he couldn’t suppress the sarcasm in his voice.