ThE InFEcTed YoUth

Remember that scene at the end of 1982's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, When that boy Elliot is saying goodbye to that ugly little alien crying like a little baby. E.T. reaching his finger out and touching Elliot's finger. Oh man, that movie touched everyone back the day. Back when children were actually sweet and innocent, NOT ravenous piranha-like monsters who'd eat your goddamn brains out in a matter of seconds. Man, those were days.

"I know sweetheart, I miss those days too." Summer tells her husband David. She is holding her 4 year old daughter Rebecca around her chest while sitting on the trash-laden bunker floor. David guards the bunker with his rifle.

Rebecca takes her thumb out of her mouth and turns to her dad. "Daddy, I'm hungwee, wire we still down here. I wanna go home." Rebecca is dirty from head to toe in soot. Her little feet covered in mud up to her knees while still wearing her pajamas. Rebecca's Ten year old brother Tommy interrupts his little sister "Dad, already told you Becky. There's monsters up there. We will get sick if we go up there." Tommy moves Rebecca's blonde bangs out of the way. "Dad will get us out of here, okay." Rebecca smiles, places her thumb back in her mouth, and lays her head back on her mom's shoulder.

David peers through the small gap on the bunker hatch above him and all he sees is a reddish-orange dusk color. But it's not dusk, it's actually night time. There are so many fires burning throughout the whole city it almost resembles dusk. Emergency sirens are blaring continuously, when David decides to close the hatch. The sirens and city sounds suddenly stop and the bunker is completely quiet. He turns to his family huddled and cuddling in the corner of the small bunker and locks the secondary bunker door behind him.

His worrisome voiceover speaks to us. "A few years ago, these fancy scientists created a new breakthrough serum that could cure any allergy anyone ever had. It was the greatest thing ever, it really was. Billions took that serum. Our government approved it in record time. Their leading expert, Dr. Foster even proclaimed that it had benefits and that even those without allergies should take it. And just like the sheep we are, we all took it. Boy, was that piece of shit wrong. A few months after the serum was given to people with and without allergies. Some kids started to develop side effects not foreseen by the "careful" testing. Millions of children all over the world became infected by this "MAGIC SERUM". It started out as a few incidences. Nothing serious or news worthy. But then Children started attacking everything and everyone out of nowhere. No one knew who was infected or who wasn't. Those Infected Youth hid their Malicious intent so well. They would attack in groups like a piranha. People would be bones in mere seconds. Well, last year the U.S government, by law and executive order, started taking every child under Sixteen years old into custody. They gave us ALL a final date to turn in ALL our kids to be put into quarantine and inspected. Well, let's just say, after the President was mauled, to the bone on live TV, by his own grandchildren, I didn't do that . Five months after that asshole was eaten, the U.S. Government put out kill orders for ANY kids and families found outside past that date of deadline. That was two months... Right now I'm down here hiding with my family, in my neighbor's bunker, waiting and hoping for everything to go back to normal. Only problem is this bunker is running out of food and my babies are hungry."

Summer is leaning her head against the concrete wall as she gazes at David intently guarding the bunker. She then looks down and sees both her kids are finally asleep. Tommy laying on her knee as Becky snores on her lap. Summer quietly calls to David, "Honey, we have to get them some food, we can't be eating this crap every day." Pointing to cans of Spam. "I know, but I can't leave you guys here alone," replies David. Summer reassures, "It's okay, I got them, they're asleep. Just try and make it quick like last time. Just please don't get caught, you know they're serious about the curfew." David agrees with Summer and knows what he has to do.

David checks his ammunition bag and pulls out a 9mm Glock, walks over to Summer, and places it beside her. David says, "If anything happens, just do what do what I showed you okay?" Summer nods at David.

David reaches into his filthy shirt and from around his neck he pulls out his heart-shaped necklace. He places it over Summer's head and kisses her forehead. He rubs his thumb on her cheek and says," I love you." Summer echoes his sentiment. David smiles at Summer, grabs his rifle, heads to the bunker door, and slowly undoes the Bunker door lock. David winces at the door trying to be as quiet as possible.

David locks the bunker behind him and walks out to the bunker hatch. He goes up the ladder steps and takes a cautious peek out. He immediately smells what can only be described as a human barbeque. Piles of dead body firepits fill the streets. Some fires are still going strong from fresh cadavers being thrown in. David cautiously climbs out from the bunker and goes on his journey to search for food and supplies.

Inside the Bunker, Summer gazes at the bunker wall as she strokes her husbands heart-shaped necklace. Suddenly, out of nowhere, her son firmly grabs his mom's arm, and takes a deep satisfying sniff. Enjoying her scent like she was a some kind of Steak. Summer is confused, "You okay sweetheart?" Tommy suddenly jumps to his feet and his head twists in unimaginable directions and his face morphs into a ravenous monstrosity.

Summer freaks out and takes hold of her gun. As she is about to aim it at her son, Rebecca suddenly clamps on and bites Summer's hand. The bite make Summer drop the gun. As Summer attempts to reach for the gun. Tommy catapults onto his mother and chomps down on the side of her neck and head. As Summer screams in intense pain, Rebecca vaults onto her mother and both the children commence to mutilate and eat her body like piranhas.

Afterwards, both the children lie down in the corner, cuddle up together, and they both go to sleep. All that is left of Summer is some flesh still hang off her fingertips. Wrapped around her dead fingers is the heart-shaped necklace wide open with a small photo of her family.

To be continued...