The Inhabitors

Levi sits idle at the radio. Shifting through different frequencies. Waiting for someone to answer him, to tell him if it’s safe, if anyone’s alive. 2 weeks without contact, he would’ve gone stir crazy by now if it wasn’t for Zoey. However, she hadn’t been much of a talker since the radio silence. ‘Hello? This is bunker 7, is anyone there?’ Levi repeated in hopes to hear a static voiced reply. Nothing.

It’s been 3 years since the attack. The Inhabitors took over earth, everyone went into hiding. Unsure if it’s safe. The radio has have given them everything they know of these creatures. There are three types. The Barins. the smallest of the 3. Easy to kill, about the size of a small dog. Then there’s the Orions. Much more difficult. Human sized and strong. Many have killed them, but many more have died. Then there’s The Mother. There is only one of her. She measures to 5 meters tall. Impossible to kill, the leader of ‘The Inhabitors’. No weaknesses.

They’ve been in this bunker together for 3 years. There were others. They got curious. Curiosity kills. They never returned, never radioed back from another bunker like they said they would. Now there’s only them two.

‘Hello? This is bunker 7, is anyo-’ Levi starts to repeat before Zoey turns the radio off. ‘Give it a rest. If someone was alive they would’ve replied to you before. Zoey walked back over to the kitchen, continuing to cook them a meal.

After dinner Levi switches the radio back on. But he doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t repeat the monologue he’s been repeating through the last two weeks. He just leaves the scratching noise of static on low volume to fill the background noise. It’s always been on in the background as they sleep and go about their days. Listening to it has become a habit to them.

They wake to the radio frequencies shifting and screeching throughout the bunker. ‘Turn that off’ Zoey insists, half asleep with her eyes still shut. She grabs a pillow pressing it against her ear to stop the noise from being heard. Levi stands up, staggering towards the radio. He yawns as he slowly starts to spin the frequency dial off. ‘-anyone hear me-’ a broken voice asks through the radio. Levi pauses. His heart drops. A survivor. He quickly sits down and turns the frequency dial back till he hears the call clearly. ‘Can anyone hear me?’ the static voice repeats. ‘Yes! Yes I hear you’ Levi declares. Zoey looks at him and freezes.

The man on the other side hears them. he tells them of a safe haven, a chance of survival. ‘In 2 days from the coast of Buddenburg we have a ship. A working one. All survivors must get here by sundown on the second night. It’s our only chance of survival. Any survivors not here by then will be left behind’. The instructions are clear. But can they make it? 2 days to travel approximately 85km is not impossible at all. However, with The Inhabitors infesting the streets, make it a suicide mission.

The chance of a better life is better than just living day to day under a bunker. In agreeance they pack a bag of supplies. They gather their things and head for the safe haven.

The bunker door screeches open. The sun is blinding and bright. The first time seeing it in 3 years. Their eyes ache from the sight. The air smells so clear. Nothing like rusted metal and dirt from the bunker. Levi looks back at Zoey. As if to see her under the light of the sun for the first time. They never knew each other before the bunker. It’s odd to them, the idea that they would’ve never met. Her golden hair glistened in the sunlight. Her blue eyes were crystals. She looked happy. He hadn’t seen that expression in the bunker for many years. He always had a crush on her, but he knew nothing would happen from it. She had a boyfriend. That’s all Levi really knew about her. Even after 3 years she still hasn’t given up on him.

He unfolds the map in his hands. He looks in all directions to determine where to start heading. ‘This way’ he instructs as they start to walk towards a mountain in the distance. Zoey glances at the map to ensure they are heading in the right direction. The excitement and fear courses adrenalin through their body.

They walk for what feels like hours. The sun slowly starts to lower behind the mountain in the distance. As the sun slowly starts to set the sky is painted such beautiful colours. Pinks, oranges, reds, and purple. Something they’d taken for granted in their past life. ‘isn’t it beautiful’ Zoey insists. Levi smiles, it is quite beautiful. They stopped soon after sundown at an abandoned caravan.

The door budged with some force, and they entered. The caravan had looked as if it had been untouched for the entirety of the 3 years. There was one bed. They would share. Zoey looks at him and pulls the blanket down for him to join. Levi accepts the invitation. ‘Can you grab the torch and map?’ asked Zoey as she shifts further to her side. He unzips the back and hands them both to her. The torch lights the room up. ‘we’re here’ points Levi. They’d covered most of the area already. ‘How much longer do you think we have?’ she asks. ‘About 8 hours’. Zoey switches the torch off and shuts the map. She leans across Levi to place both on the floor. ‘Good night’ Levi stated as he shuts his eyes.

They wake to the sun slipping through the crack in the curtains. Levi shakes her awake. Her tired blue eyes slowly blink open. She quickly removes her hand from his chest. He can’t help but smirk.

They both get up from bed packing their stuff back into the bags. Levi spots something glistening in the light at the corner of his eye. He turns to a heart shaped locket. Besides the dust, it’s in perfect condition. Levi takes the necklace from the bench placing it in his pocket to keep safe.

The trek for hours under the blistering sun. Levi follows close behind Zoey looking towards the map. He bumps into her as she stands frozen on the path. He looks up. His heart drops to his stomach. His entire body trembles. Orions. They haven’t spotted them yet. Levi unzips Zoey’s bag, retrieving both of their sharp kitchen knives they brought as weapons. He holds one beside her for her to grab. She takes it. Levi begins to zip the bag up. This time the Orion hears them. it charges at them. its two claw arms pointing forward. Before it makes contact Levi pushes Zoey to the side whilst jumping off the other side. The Orions claws make contact with the tree they were standing in front of. It’s stuck. It’s body jolts as it attempts to force itself free. Zoey takes this chance to gather to her feet. She takes her knife forcefully puncturing it through the back of the Orion. Its shrieking wail in pain causes her to clasp her ears. The Orion pulls its claws free. It rapidly twists around knocking Zoey to the ground. It walks over to her. Levi lies idle on the ground in shock. Zoey scrambles on the floor quickly grabbing the knife she previously dropped on the fall. She shuts her eyes as she stands up diving towards the Orion. The knife penetrates it’s skull. Oozing black blood squirts from opening. Zoey pants. Her heart is racing. She looks towards Levi. Black blood covering her face and hands. ‘Thanks’ she sarcastically says. She lends her hand down to pull him to his feet. He cowardly takes her arm, finally breaking from shock. ‘Let’s keep moving’ she insists as she starts walking ahead.

The distant sound of laughter and chatter echoes towards them. Their hearts start pounding. They made it. Zoey begins to pick up pace into a sprint. ‘Survivors!’ voices shouted as the emerged onto the coast. Everyone surrounded them. no familiar faces. Zoey searched the crowd. ‘Has a Rhys came here?’ she asked an older woman next to her. The woman shakes her head. ‘I’m sorry dear, I haven’t heard anyone with that name come by here’ she replies.

Levi looks around crates and boxes are being carried onto this large metal spaceship. He’s never seen anything like it. ‘Just in time’ a male voice stated as he entered from behind the huddled group. Radio guy. ‘I’m surprised you made it here alive’ he says looking them up and down. ‘Do you mind helping lift some crates onto the ship?’ he asks Levi. However, Levi knew that was more of a demand.

The ship slowly rumbles as it starts up. Levi continues to carry crates onto the ship. There were many different crates. Crates of food, supplies and weapons. Levi stands admiring a crate filled with grenades. Again, something he’s only seen in movies. As he lent down he heard a distressing screech. The vibrations travelled through the sand. He looked up from the crate. Everyone started running for the ship shrieking. He made out the words ‘THE MOTHER!’ buried in the screams of others.

Emerges an enormous monster like creature. Nothing he could ever imagine. He looks around for Zoey. He spots her running to the ship. Her hands are massive claws two meters long. Her screeching yell burns their eardrums.

Zoey tries to run. Her feet sinking in the sand with every step. Her heart pounding in her throat. She finds herself wishing she just stayed in the bunker with Levi. He wasn’t the worst company. She finds herself trying to search for him. Hoping anything that he isn’t one of the bodies being ripped apart.

She spots him. Relief floods her body but only for a second. He isn’t on the ship. He froze. Again. She directs herself towards him, she can’t let him die.

Levi stares at The Mother. Lifeless bodies are being flung from the coast in all directions. He spots Zoey she reaches him grabbing his arm. He stumbles from the force ‘We need to run!’ she yells.

Zoey grabs a gun from one of the crates near them. She cocks it and fires. The Mother wails in pain. However, the shot didn’t slow her down. She starts making a direct beeline towards them.

Levi finally wakes from his shock. Heart pounding, he runs for the crate grabbing a grenade. He turns back and runs in front of Zoey forcing her to the ground. The Mother forces her claws through his stomach. As she lifts his dying body, she wails her victorious scream. Levi pulls the pin releasing the grenade into her open mouth.

BANG!

Her body explodes. Blood and body parts paint the golden sand. Levi lies, still empaled by the claw. Zoey runs to his aid.

‘You saved me’ she cried as he looks at her. He reaches into his pocket, handing her the necklace. Screams of Barins and Orions surround them in the distance. ‘Come on we need to go!’ the man yells. Zoey leans in to kiss Levi. Their lips softly touch. As she pulls away she looks back into his eyes one last time. She watches the life fade from him. She staggers to her feet clasping onto the heart shaped locket.

The thick door lifts shut. Barins and Orions emerge onto the coast. The sound and sight of them is cut short by the shutting door. With a rumble the ship takes off. Zoey looks at the silver heart locket. She opens the clasp as she places it around her neck. Forever a memory of her friend.