Trophy Hunting

There were never many days worth remembering, even before most of humanity was wiped out.

One of the few was not long ago, my nineteenth birthday. My boyfriend of one month, Hunter, had came up from behind me to gently wrap a chain around my neck. A white gold heart shaped locket rested on my chest. It was the first real piece of jewelry I ever had. It was so beautiful. I was not used to such beauty in my life. I had thought for sure this was a symbol of love. It was not long after that day, that feeling of love was so harshly tested.

It all seemed to happen so fast. We were told to stay in our homes at all costs. Ones we knew who eventually had to go out for supplies never came back. We would test our luck and move in the shadows at night to scavenge the neighbor’s homes who had left. We always made it back fine. We waited for more information on what was happening in the world but nothing new was ever reported. Just “Stay inside.” Until even those instructions stopped coming though.

The neighbors in the nicest home on the end of the block had never seemed to come back since the first broadcast. One evening we broke in and hit gold with the massive pantry in their basement. We stayed for months. But soon everything dried up in our neighborhood. Hunter was always angry, always stressed. A much different man than that first month of winning me over. There were no good days for him anymore and that meant no more for me. Still, we only had each other and we had to venture out further not knowing what was out there.

We packed the few supplies we had and some weapons. He had a few hunting knives and a gun. We left early one morning with the day light on our side to get a clear look at what was outside our own neighborhood. We started to drive toward the city center to have a look before hitting the highway. It was completely massacred. Windows shattered from looters, cars wrecked and dead bodies littering the streets. Seeing it all still didn’t clarify what was even happening. It was just a horror show. We decided to stop to scavenge what we could. We made our way into the pharmacy and put the few worthy items in a basket. When we stepped out, there they were. Five men with guns pointed. Hunter raised his hands up as I dropped the basket to raise mine. They demanded we drop our weapons. We emptied our pockets and kicked them over. I pushed the basket forward too. "Here take these, its all that’s left in there."

They laughed. "I believe we will be taking you. Unless he has a problem with that." One challenged.

Hunter didn’t miss a beat when he pushed me forward, offering my life for his. "Have her."

The locket that typically felt cold on my chest felt on fire. As fear rose up from my stomach, searing my lungs burning my throat. I ran. I ran faster and harder than I ever had. Through the open pharmacy door through the back. I didn’t even know what was going on other than what I was running from. They had guns, I thought, could I have been shot? Would I even know with this much adrenaline pumping through me? No, I’m still running faster and stronger than I ever had. They couldn’t have fired. I must have been too precious to wound, they wouldn’t want to mark their hunting trophy. I kept running as far from the pharmacy as I could. I dodged all kinds of debris from wreckage, weaved through abandoned vehicles, jumped fences to cut through yards. Frantic but precise with every move. In the chaos I could faintly see shadows of figures around me but I couldn’t trust them enough for help. I never knew if I was going to run into someone just as bad as those I was running from. Running like a scared rabbit, was I just going to end up in another trap?

My legs started to feel heavy and my lungs were aching for air. I needed a hiding place. I approached a couple large corpses laying against the back of a house. They could easily hide me if I crawled underneath them. No, I had to find some place better. I tried the corpse couple’s door, it was unlocked! Quietly I made my way through the house. First to the kitchen to get a new weapon. I found a chopping knife then I swiftly and carefully made my way upstairs for a good vantage point. I found the master bedroom, it was clear. I pushed the dresser up against the door. The balcony would provide me with a good escape if a few of them tried to barge the door. I sat on the bed for a rest. But not a complete recharge, not yet. I watched through the window. Garbage floating through the street. All but that was still. It was silent except the pounding in my ears from my blood rushing. But that soon started to slow down and my mind started to grab the steering wheel back from my survival instincts. Anxiety rather than reaction started to kick in. How long do I wait here? Did I actually lose them? What now?

Days had past before I heard screaming in the streets. I could clearly see him in the broad daylight, a young man was running in my direction. I watched from the balcony window as a shadow figure caught up and pounced on him. By the time I ran downstairs and flung open the front door he was being torn to shreds. Blood flung up into the air as the creature dug into the man. The red blood seemed to just disappear into the shadow. The man let out his last cries of agony as the creature let out a triumphant wail. Then suddenly but gracefully, someone dropped down right in front of me. The only light was the glow in her white eyes. She was completely dark, like a human body covered in coal. She just stared at me, as I took in its features, I realized she looked exactly like me. A mirrored shadow of me. I was armed with my kitchen knife held at my hip. But I had no desire to drive it into her. I backed up and closed the door.

I don’t know exactly how much time had passed since that day. Months roughly. It just all bleeds together. I do know how much better off I was alone though. Not relying on a “big strong man” to protect me once danger struck. I used my own skills to scavenge and stayed cautious and aware at all times. I no longer paid mind to rationing. Having to fight for survival everyday, I needed my strength. I got used to being alone pretty quickly once there was no choice. Although my shadow creature didn’t raise fear in me, the one mauling the young man to death in the streets did. I never saw them out in the night, so I felt the most at ease travelling in the dark. After depleting one house of supplies, I would move onto the next. My slender frame glided through the shadows, while the ground below my feet was barely grazed by my soft but quick tread. I made it a mission to make it to the North side of town. It was the nicest area the town had to offer. I was never so fortunate to have known anyone that lived there. I house hopped in my travels to get there until I was close enough to have a home to easily retreat to if needed.

I left late one evening in hopes that if anyone was there, most of them would be sleeping. Once I made it to the area, I stayed covered in the thick tree line along the back of the gated community. I could hear fire crackling. Someone’s out here. I quietly moved forward toward the sound. I stepped closer to the gates to peer in. There they were, those men and Hunter with them. Sitting around a fire, eating and drinking. Like friends on a Saturday night. I retreated a bit further back into the darkness to watch in anger while I waited for my chance. A few of them at a time headed into the mansion behind them. I waited until Hunter was last there. The bitch has to clean up the mess. As he gathered up beer cans I started to move. The crinkling of the cans and rustle of the bag would drown my foot steps. He turned his back to dispose of the trash. He walked out of the light of the fire and down the property into darkness. The rustling of cans in the bag made it easy for me to quietly and quickly sneak my way. Although the way the drunk was stumbling, I may not have needed to be so quiet.

I strung the chain around his neck. Before quickly pulling it back towards me tight as I could. I pulled so hard he fell back on top of me. But I never let up. I pulled even harder once on the ground. He continued to grab at the locket to pull but he could not grip it properly. He fumbled more as the chain cut his skin and blood covered the locket. He gargled some before the struggle stopped. He laid motionless as I kept pulling on the chain while moving it back and forth. I had to make sure, so I sawed through his neck, carving into muscle and tendons until I felt it was enough. I pushed him off me and got to my feet. I couldn’t see much in the darkness, but the locket now shimmered red in the moonlight. It really was beautiful but it looked absolutely silly on him. I suppose it looked that way on me as well. The light of the fire dimmed. I looked over to see someone standing in front of it blocking its glow. A shadow figure approached. It was her again. She walked to me and paused for a moment before continuing past me. I contemplated taking the locket in case one of those men made the connection. But as I turned away from it to follow my shadow further into the darkness, I knew I had nothing to worry about. As I followed her, the path was illuminating with every step as flames fled towards the mansion behind me.

There were never many days worth remembering, not until now.