The Dark

Jack felt the weight of the dark settle around him. He heard nothing but Libby’s whimpers. When the lights went out, he told her to sit in the living room and wait. He dared not light his kerosene lamp or turn on the transistor radio. He knew that night made them vulnerable and any noise or light would alert the Creepers to their presence. So, he waited. And he planned. He knew better than to believe that they would be rescued by the National Guard. They were on their own. He sat with his father’s 12 gauge across his lap. If anything so much as breathed in their direction, he was ready. In the morning he would take stock of the food and water and begin fortifying the top landing on the stairs. It overlooked the front door, and would make an excellent defense post. He knew Libby would soon run out of her Lithium but there was nothing he could do about that. All he could do was make use of the supplies at hand.

The last report he heard was that Creepers had been spotted in Dallas. That was five hours away from San Antonio, but there was no guarantee that they hadn’t already begun infecting and infesting his city. By his calculations, it was 2am. That meant 4 long hours until sunrise. He felt the cold metal of the shotgun in his hands and remembered the first time his Dad took him shooting. But his father was dead. Or worse. He pushed the thought from his mind and settled back in his chair. Thinking about his parents would only make him weak. And he could not afford to be weak. He has spent his short lifetime building up walls that would now help to ensure his survival. Besides, he had Libby to think of. He always had Libby to think of. She was careless and irrational. But she was brilliant. She had a way of either lighting up a room with her sunshine or sucking all the air from the atmosphere. She was like a tornado. He looked across the blackness at his sister. He could just barely make out the edges of her shape in his mother’s rocking chair.

“Jack…”, she whispered softly. “I’m going to keep you safe”. He got up from his post and put his head in her lap, and the small part of him that was still a child allowed his big sister to comfort him. They sat together until sunrise. Jack’s head rested in Libby’s lap but the shotgun remained trained on the front door.

Reviews

[paul]

excellent story telling
i love the name 'creepers
also love the description of Libby's ability to change the atmosphere in a room. this is a brilliant aside amidst a creeper's story.
and the last paragraph, with the human touch.
and the excellent imagery in the last line

[Mr. Revan]

you just maded me happy again! such an interesting and rejuvenating write for being shortly crafted..
amazing