Flannigan Jr. began to squeal in misery outside the door. Devon just sat there staring at the wall. James ran to the door and started beating on it with his fists.
“Flannigan! You have to let us out of here, Flannigan. Flannigan!”
The boy outside only sobbed louder. James looked back at Devon. He was still just sitting there staring. “Devon, maybe if we both slam into this thing, we can get through!”
Devon only sat and stared in reply, oblivious to James’s very presence.
A single gunshot went off and Jr.’s sobbing sped up in near hyperventilation. James kept watching Devon, hoping he would snap out of it, but he just kept on staring. Except for Jr.’s sobbing, everything was quiet for a long while. Devon sat and stared and James stood against the far wall, waiting for one of the two, either Jr. or Devon to snap out of it, so he could get out of this place. He didn’t know who to root for more. He didn’t want to lose his last friend in the world, but if Jr. didn’t come to, they would probably both die soon. The car engine drawing near seemed to get both of their attentions. Devon stood up vacantly and Flannigan Jr. seemed to be whimpering something. James called to his friend, “Devon? You there?”
No reply.
The engine’s pitch rose as it became louder. Devon doubled over, moaning in pain. James moved closer to console him automatically, but when he was close enough to see Devon’s face, he backed off quick. His eyes glowed yellow and the veins in his head bulged unnaturally. The car’s brakes screeched outside as Devon turned and gazed at James in mindless fury.
“Devon, it’s me, remember? Devon, please.” But it was too late and James knew it. The man was no longer human. Outside the door there was a crash of shattering glass and Jr. screamed. The sound seemed to distract Devon for the moment and James backed in the corner by the door. He leaned against the wall and it creaked, redirecting Devon’s attention.
James jumped when the gunshot went off and Jr.’s screaming abruptly stopped. Devon took slow deliberate steps in James’s direction. James heard the familiar click of the lock and the door flung open followed by another single gunshot and the thud of dead weight hitting the floor.. He knew it was his only chance. Lunging forward, James slammed into the door, knocking it into the man holding it open.
“I’m gonna enjoy killing you, you whiney son of a bitch,” Barger said from behind the door. A large rifle and Barger’s head peaked around the door. James pushed the door with all the strength he had, wedging Barger in the door and knocking the gun to the floor. A shot fired, ricocheting off the far wall.
James slammed into the door again, harder this time. Barger let out a yell, his head and arms the only thing still in the room. James pulled away from the door and Barger collapsed in a heap. James ran forward, picked up the gun from beside Barger, and poked him in the back with it.
He let out a moan, startling James and causing him to pull the trigger. A single shot went into Barger’s back, blowing a huge hole in it. Blood and bone splattered against the wall and out the open door and his body twitched. The world tilted in James’s stomach and he fell back against the cot and sat down, Devon’s legs lying still, underneath him.
8
Smoking a cigarette and looking out across the parking lot in front of the store, James was not at all surprised to find his car gone. At this point, what did it matter? He was the last of his kind, he knew that beyond a doubt. He walked through the double doors and out into the empty world, the rifle gripped in his hand, its barrel resting on his shoulder. The darkness was spreading from the east again, taking up a third of the sky. They were still trying to get the last remaining life.
He pictured the yellow-eyed bastards up there laughing with the knowledge that they didn’t even have to kill off the last community remaining of the one species that could’ve put up a fight. Completely human, Barger had done that for them. James remembered that brief vision he had of the people thriving and bit down on the filter of his cigarette. He knew from the flash they wouldn’t risk coming down from the sky until they had cleansed every speck of life from the world.
He might be the last man on earth, but they would still have to come and take it over his dead body. Feeling strong and healthy, he walked out into the sunset, a look of angry determination covering his face. He wasn’t sure just how long he could survive in this barren world, but he was damn well going to find out.
Robert S. Wilson is the author of
Check out his blog at http://shiningincrimson.blogspot.com where you can listen to audio episodes of
