Broken Seals

Nuclear war. It had been feared for centuries since the first bomb was dropped in 1945. However, as technology continued to advance, and tensions were stretched like rubber bands over a watermelon, it was created. Jokingly called Armageddon by its creator, the nuclear bomb created in the US was the strongest ever made, and that would ever be made. No one knows, or remembers, what happened to make the President launch Armageddon upon the East. Not the eastern countries, but the Eastern United States. Survivors along the Western border immediately tried to send in rescue teams. However, the bomb had completely decimated the eastern side of the country. Washington DC was a crater three miles deep into the crust where the bomb had been detonated right over the capital. Unknown to survivors, the same thing had happened in all nuclear-capable countries. Conspiracies of government “suicide” pacts rose up. The next morning, almost as if a cosmic being was playing a joke on the destroyed civilization, the being later named War rose from the crater left by Armageddon. No one knew if it was truly one of the Christian horsemen, but it seemed only fitting to name it that. Where it walked, brother turned on brother and the despairing cries of survivors were met with silence. Over the next year, the three other horsemen made their appearance, each disappearing months after ravaging what was left of the United States. Famine arose in the desert of California. Where it tread, any plant life died. Animals fled, leaving humans desperate and on the edge of starvation. Pestilence arose in Washington. Where it appeared, thousands died and many more became lifeless zombies supported by the ones around them that still harbored humanity in their souls. Finally, last among the beings was Death. This one was different. It appeared in towns full of survivors slowly dying or going mad and gave death as a mercy. If a survivor fought against death still, refusing to give up, they were left to continue fighting. Death only took the willing and only death remained after the other horsemen had left.

No one knew what other countries faced, because all communication was reduced to those brave enough to travel to other survivor built towns to gather news. An estimated 500,000 people still survived in what was formerly the United States. The formal governmental structure broke apart, but leaders stepped up and tried to rebuild a sense of civilization in the towns that remained. Large cities were targets of the horsemen and were hit hardest by disease, so most fled into more rural areas. Members of what was formally the US Armed Services became either mercenaries or joined forces with police to create squads to protect the survivors. One year after the detonation of Armageddon and the disappearance of three of the horsemen, survivors began to rebuild. Yet, when any town or village began to grow, disease, infighting, or famine would destroy the progress. Though the ghastly horsemen had disappeared, all except Death, their curses remained. Many began to speculate, and religious texts were brought up often. Not as prophecy, but as a resource for discussion on what may have occurred. Many believed the seals were the countdown of humanity, that four had been opened, and that three remained.

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People used to say that staring down Death is a sacred experience, that is should be honored. That may have been true over a year ago, but now staring down Death is a different experience. Especially when Death is a human-shaped being with solid silver orbs where eyes should have been and smooth skin where the mouth and nose would have been.

He asked for death. Amia slowly stood from beside her cousin who had died at Death’s command moments before. Reese’s face was relaxed, the slight smile he had given her still on his face; his words of love still resonating in the air around her.

“He did,” Amia confirmed, wiping the tears from her face, and looking at Death.

I am sorry for your loss. A small shock went through Amia as Death’s voice reverberated in her mind, soft and androgynous. She had heard that Death was kind, but she was unprepared to experience it for herself. She wanted to hate it, wanted to scream in the face of one of the beings that heralded the end of civilization as they had known it. Something stopped her though, an inability to take out her anger on a being that had helped her cousin. Reese had been dying slowly for a week, gangrene rotting him from the inside out after a wild boar had torn into his abdomen while out hunting. They both knew he was dying, and they had finally discussed calling upon Death last night. Amia understood he would have died slowly, fever ravaging his mind and his wound causing him extreme agony until his last moments. Death had been a mercy for Reese, but it had left her alone.

Finally looking down at her hand where Reese had shoved his necklace, she felt a tear fall. She recognized the anatomical heart-shaped moonstone. As she turned it in her fingers, she accidentally pressed on one of the atria, and it fell open. Surprised, Amia studied the symbol inside. Her college days told her it was the Hebrew symbol for the number 5. Confused, she closed the locket and placed it around her neck.

That was unexpected. Death’s voice in her mind surprised her.

“Why are you still here?” She had heard that death always disappeared moments after killing someone. Instead of answering her Death lifted her cousin into its arms. “Wait, stop what are you doing?” She had never heard of Death moving a body.

I was going to move him onto his bed. Do you want him to stay here? Amia almost immediately said yes but stopped. Reese deserved a proper burial and death. Staying on the couch covered in sweat and infection wasn’t going to give him that.

“Take him to the bathroom, I am going to wash him,”

A few hours later, Reese was laid prone on his bed, a flower she had miraculously found outside placed on his chest. Amia had expected Death to leave, but it had watched and moved Reese for her when she needed help. It was dark out now, so she would bury Reese tomorrow, and use this time to mourn him.

The next morning, eyes swollen and sore, Amia watched as Death dug a shallow grave in the Washington woods. Death had disappeared a few times, appearing again moments later. She could only assume he had mercy killed others. Amia wondered how many he killed a day. How many people were even left in the world? Amia’s village had around twenty people and she was the sole trained soldier in a five-mile radius. There had been more, but they all left, hoping to find out what was happening. She had considered going with them but didn’t want to leave the people here without a trained fighter. Humanity showed its best during catastrophes, but it also brought out the worst in others. Gangs traveled all around the surviving states, killing and stealing from the groups they ran into on the way. Her village was made up of mostly older survivors, few willing to learn how to fight.

Movement drew her eye back to Death as it placed Reese into the grave. An hour later, they were both sitting in her living room.

“Why?” Amia finally asked again. Each time before, Death had distracted her or simply didn’t answer.

Do you know what your necklace is, where it comes from? Its question surprised her, and her hand drifted to the locket she had slept in.

“It’s an heirloom. Our grandmother gave it to my aunt, she gave it to Reese, and Reese gave it to me. It’s been in the family for ages.” Amia answered, confusion still coloring her words.

Hmm. Did Death just hmm into her head? As Amia was about to comment, it reached out and tapped the necklace where it hung between her collarbones. Interesting. What’s on the inside?

“The Hebrew symbol for the number five,” She didn’t know how it was possible, but Death’s blank face and silver orbs seemed to show surprise.

I never would have expected to find the seal with a human. This is an interesting quandary to find myself in.

“A seal? As in one of the seals that released your lot?” Amia’s entire body felt flash frozen.

May I see the locket? Amia numbly lifted the necklace and handed it to the being before her, and with a flash Death disappeared. What the fuck? Moments later, hard knocking drew her attention to the door. Shoving down her shock and anger she opened the door to the terrified face of her neighbor Alice.

“Mia, I am so sorry to interrupt you and Reese, but there is a group of men with weapons in the village.” Without mentioning Reese, she quickly grabbed her duffel bag, shoved the ready-to-go knife and gun harness on her back and ran into the village. Going around buildings Amia approached the village center and stopped when she saw the men standing there. Weapons up and ready as they yelled out for supplies. Amia startled as Death appeared beside her.

I must admit, I did not expect this turn of events. Amia had a feeling it wasn’t talking about the men. I was not aware the fifth seal was a person. Death seemed to notice the men and sighed into her head. I respect the human survival instinct, but in this form, it is quite ugly. Amia continued to stare at Death until a scream drew her attention. Reacting on instinct, she quickly threw one of her knives and without bothering to watch the man holding Jack fall, she threw three more knives, dropping four men in seconds. Consider me surprised again, but we do not have time for this. Amia was reaching for another set of knives but stopped when the two remaining men fell to the ground, dead before impact. Turning she looked at Death in surprise, but it just shrugged, grabbed her arm, and everything went black.

Waking in fight mode, Amia reached for a knife and scanned the dark space she was in.

I am sorry, I should have explained before Travelling. I was in a rush. Amia finally found Death standing in the corner, three other similar creatures around him, each had blank faces and orbs where eyes should be. Silver, red, gold, and white. Amia backed up, recognizing that these must be the other horsemen.

She does not seem like much of a martyr. Amia heard a new, rough but still androgynous voice in her head. The white-eyed being stepped forward. You are unexpected.

“So are you,” Amia replied, backing up into what felt like a cave wall. Were they in a cave? Or underground? “I was under the impression you three had ended your visit.” None of the beings in front of her reacted but Death stepped forward.

Amia you are the fifth seal. If your seal is released, it is only a matter of time before the last two are released and this world will completely die. A small sob-laugh escaped her.

“It is already dying. How could I stop that? What do you mean fifth seal?!” Even Amia was a little taken aback by her screamed question. Too much had happened too quickly.

It means you are the only thing stopping the complete destruction of your species. They can heal. Amia didn’t miss that he said they, not you can heal, they can. The fifth seal must be completely locked down. The only way to do that is for the martyr carrying it to die. Amia held her breath, shaking her head as she looked from one being to the next. You must die.