Should've Heeded

Here, a glimpse into a post-apocalypse world where Armageddon lies ruined amongst the land. Two men speak choice: Fight, or succumb to the demons that lays waste to the earth. What role welds the two?

Duo of men consisting of a elderly gentleman and a spry young man sit together by a blazing fire. Upon the edge of outskirts.

"Are you willing to fight?" The young man asked. Stroking the fire before discarding the twig into the inferno.

"What? Me, fight?"

"'What?'" The youngster mimicked ennui, unblinking. "How is this possibly confusing?" He sighed dryly. "Just answer the damned question, yeah?"

"I-" The elderly's incentive seems to waiver.

"Are- You- Going- To- Fight?" He stated gruffly. "Answer." His attention still not leaving the wisps flames.

"What is there to fight for?! The world is in f*****g shambles. I'm not sure if you noticed lad, but that town we grouped in and left had burning bodies overflowing the pits!"

The young man stayed silent. His expression stoic in the red and orange tones.

"..You don't see a purpose in fighting?" Looking tore the man. His pitch monotone, but recognition hinted in his orbs. The man flinched a bit, but kept his composure.

"No." He held eye contact with the young man. "I see it nothing but a waste of time." He growled. The young man attention lulled back to the flames.

"You're a fool. You don't belong here. Leave." He blunted.

"What? But I-" The gentleman began to sputter.

"If you value your f*****g life-" He replied, cutting off the elderly. His tone carried aggressiveness. "I suggest you high tail it out of here. Now. Clearly this place isn't where you need to reside."

"I.. I don't under-"

"Those who can't see the light." The young man gestured to the sky. The elderly glance up quickly, nothing but black.. " Lack the incentive of survival. You need to leave before your malpractice causes you to drown." His voice a tad laced with amusement.

"Drowning?" The gentleman's brow furrowed at the sudden tone adjustment.

"Yes." He partly grinned. Dragging his eyes away from the flames, establishing eye contact.

"How could someone with the likes of you know this?" His eyes narrowed. The guy wore a mischievous grin. The elderly man shuttered.

"It's my job to know." The gentleman's breath hitched, his eye bugged for the slightest of moments. He let out an exasperated chuckle.

"Oh, I get it." He shook his head. His timely face adorned a scowl. "You're f*****g crazy! I'm going to leave on my own terms!" His tone sadistic. The young guy grinned, matching the gentleman's malice.

"You better hurry." Several low gutturals erupts in the distance. "They're coming, they smell your ignorance."

A shot echoed.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you." The elderly sneered. Having risen to his feet. Pistol in hand. "No body insults me and gets away with it!" He lowers his aim. Leveling it directly between the youngsters eyes.

"You should be more focused on saving your ammo and running. I am not your enemy. That and besides the fact I doubt someone of your stature can land such a meticulous shot."

The gentleman growled.

"Why you little s**t!" He bellows with a cry of frustration. He pulls the trigger setting off multiple shots. Dust rises in exertion. "Damn fool should've listen to his own advice." He snickered.

A light fit of chuckles erupted, melting in sync with the sound of fire crackles. The geezer froze in place.

"My, you're still present?" A voice said mildly amused. The elderly's legs buckled, dropping his pistol. He shakily backed away.

"B-But how?" The rusted dust cloud begins to settle. An outline of a murky silhouette stands out, unmoving.

"I-I.." He gulped. "I shot you several times! P-Point blank!" He started in hysterics. "You should be a heep on the ground!" The young man sighed. He stood just as another series of animalistic growls ripped through the open space. The gentleman paled. Noticing it coming from the previous town they ventured.

"You should've left when you were given such a gracious chance." Suddenly the ground started vibrating. The gentleman's head darted over to the young man's face, then tore the direction of the town. Fire, bellows of smoke wafting from several areas, rubble and other chaos induced town misfortunes. But nothing coming at the two. No packs of animals, raiders.. Or even mythical monsters. The elderly gentleman's face plastered with confusion. He darted his head around, trying to find the source that causing such a quake, growing by the second. He glances at the young man, all blood seemed drained from his body. He grew pale and cold.

The young man's feature were disrupted and distorted in a stomach churning grin. He looked the elderly dead in the eyes, pointing tore the sky. The man, dejected, looked up. A blood curdling scream erupted from his throat. The reverberations causing tears to rupture his vocal cords. His voice now coming out lurched, dried and pained. His eyes stayed glue to the sky.

Malicious shadows engulfed the sky. Snarls, screams, fits of hysterical crying, along with sickening snaps, gushings, blunt objects slamming into nothingness was the only noise around. Crackling of the fire was even deffened.

The elderly gentleman couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Creatures.. No mere human could ever conjure up such anomalies in even the most fucked up state of beings. They were wafting, breeding and showing over and over slaughtering of towns they visited.. They projected these scenes as if these things where some kind of smoky movie screen at some air show. The elderly coughed, his throat haggered from abuse drawn blood. The foulest of smells covered his whole body. Each intake of breath was like a toxic gas. It burned like he was downing formaldehyde. His insides felt like the were liqifying.. As if he were drowning. His eye snapped back to the young man just mere meters away. Looking as if nothing was happening, unaffected by their new found company. The spry youngster laughed lightly, the smell of lavender came off him.

"My what a predicament you found yourself in.." He sighed covering his face with his hands, shaking his head in disappointment. "I tried to help you, warn you. Hell I even guided you out of that burning clumps of bodies." He pointed his free hand's thumb tore what would be considered the direction of the town. Being surrounded by theses.. Demons the elderly gentleman quickly, without realizing he lost his sense of direction.

"You poor uncanny fool." The young man continued. "You think you ran into me by chance? No, dear sir. I came to your aid. You stumbled right into a barbeque." The elderly's eyes widened in realization. The youngster was silent for a moment, allowing the horrid information to sink in. "As soon as you looked to the sky, you rolled the dice to your final chance." The elderly man choked out a reply of confusion. Silently hoping the young man will understand his plea to further explain.

"When I asked you if you were willing to fight. That question determined your outcome of your escape from these.." He gestured above. "... Monstrosities.. When you rejected the will to fight.. They-" He once again gestured above. "Took a break from the cook out and started there journey to you." The elderly's eye welled up, understanding what his actions has caused him. The youngster watched in pity.

"Listen.. I know you are unable to talk, but are you wanting to hear the rest?" The youngster asked calmly. The elderly stiffened, contemplating. He shook his head solemnly. The youngster nodded. "The reason I am not effected by this situation is because I was sent to help those in similar situations as you were in at the the town, and currently in at the moment. I have protection to withstand these foul a******s." The man was awed. Then ashamed for treating this young man after his attempt to help him. "I have to be going soon. I'm disrupting things being here. My job is almost done I'm apprehensive to say."

The man froze. Tears overflowed.

"Let me give you some truth." He walked over a kneels down, patting the elder man's shoulders. The air smelled of lavender. The elder man inhaled deeply, Grateful to have a small break from the foulness of decay. His body felt warm, energy swelled his lungs and tracked through his body. Things seemed to heal. His ears rung slightly as silence engulfed his sense. He looks up at the now grinning young man. Then tore the sky, the demons still covered its vastness and reeled the same images.. But somewhere in the endless movement, the man notices a

spec.. Almost like a star.

"I've stated previously that those who can not see that light, lack the incentive of survival.." He said cautious. "But lacking incentive doesn't mean you can't survive.." He said slowly, emphasizing. "Those who lack something.. Can gain it with a.." He glance to the sky and back to the elderly. "Speck of motivation." He winked, handing the elderly his pistol. The elderly looked in awe. The gun felt lighter and looked.. Not of this world.

The spry man patted the gentleman once again and walked away.

A loud cry of rebellion thundered, along with multiple gun shots.

The young man grinned, without looking back, it's his job knowing full well of the out come.