'theodore lizano's life gets turned upside down'

It had been a long night of drinking and raising hell. To Theodore, it was just another normal Tuesday evening. Picking up younger gullible girls, driving them around in his Dodge Charger, he couldn't think of a better way to spend his free time.

The eighteen year old had no reason to hate life and he didn't. Sure, it had it's up's and downs but those ups are what made pushing through worth it. Everything had been going great these past couple of weeks.

Finally clear of probation and any charges from the state, Theo was a free man with a brand new car and zest for life. No more ankle bracelet, no more fake friends- just work, girls, booze, good times, and money.

What made the young boy's heart beam even brighter was the fact his ill mom was finally getting dismissed from the hospital. Her cancer had gone into remission not too long ago and she was now able to return home.

So there he stood, in his cleanest striped collared shirt trying hard to look his Sunday best on a Wednesday afternoon. Despite the shiner glistening a purple hue on his left eye, the boy couldn't have looked any better.

There was a goofy grin fitted on his pink lips as he set up what seemed like hundreds of balloons in their three bedroom apartment. They needed to look nice for his mom- the one who taught him to love and care for women.

Orange balloons were the main attraction since the store didn't have more colors. He had gotten a couple green, yellow, purple, red but orange, that 'weirdass' vibrant tint decorated the entire area.

"Shit looks dope." Theodore chuckled lowly snapping a fast picture to send to his younger brother, who actually went to school that day unlike him.

It wasn't that he didn't want to graduate, he just hated normal days of school. Wednesday's were regular classes, ones that made him feel like a complete idiot except mathematics were he felt like a freak genius.

Numbers had always come easy to him- I mean, what was there to say? He loved seeing them go up in his bank account every payday.

His dream life would be living in a luxurious house with a seven figure salary and a pretty Hispanic woman who stayed loyal. Unlike the girl he was in a relationship at the moment. Although they claimed their love for one another, neither of them had been faithful ever since she cheated not too long ago.

It was the only fucked up thing happening right now but he didn't like thinking about it.

Theodore's guarded thoughts were interrupted by a ringtone. Seeing the caller ID, the boy's face brightened as he was fast to push accept. Pressing the cellphone to his ear he answered, "Ay." There was happiness strung in the simple word. "I got all the balloons ready and the cake and everything-."

The person on the other end breathed like they were about to say something before sighing. "Mijo." His dad's tone didn't sound the way he had expected it to causing his smile to falter.

"Yeah?" Theodore's voice was hesitant, not sure if he wanted to hear what his dad had to say anymore. He hoped it was some sort of sick joke that his parents were playing but when a sniffle sounded on the line, he knew it wasn't.

'Mom is coming home today. Mom is better.'  He internally reassured himself.

"Pick up your brothers from school and come to the hospital." His father's voice sounded firmer than seconds ago as set a task for his eldest son. "We have to say bye." With a simple click, the call ended leaving Theodore with a sense of shock.

It took a while for what had been said to settle in. Nothing made sense right now because lately, everything had been going great. Now, he was going to have to drive himself and his younger brothers to the hospital for something they all wished they didn't have earlier preparations for.

Today was supposed to be the end of it all. Everything bad in his life was finally supposed to be gone but the worst news had just been delivered. He couldn't imagine a life without his mom- she was there for him through thick and thin. They had a mother and son connection stronger than anybody else out there. He loved her with all of his heart and just like that, she was being ripped away.

There was a pressure on Theodore's chest one that hurt his heart causing it to skip multiple times. He winced lightly still staring down at the cellphone. Nothing around him felt real and although he had a job to do, he found himself unable to do anything.

Why did this have to happen?

A vibration sent the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up straight. Putting his vision into focus, he breathed in, holding the air inside as the boy's younger brother texted back.

"Hahahah dope." Parke stated in the message.

There was no way he'd be able to tell Parke and George that their mom was finally dying after weeks of assurance that it wouldn't happen anytime soon. It made him feel everything at once but mostly the type of pain so powerful it almost felt like nothing at all.

Not able to breathe properly, Theodore gasped finally looking up at the decorated household with tears dampening his eyes. Snorting lightly, a sob escaped the back of his throat causing him to look down once again and wipe the tears away.

Clenching one of his hands into a fist he felt so sad, so fucking devastated that he didn't know what else to do except coil his fingers around the thin smart phone and throw it against the nearby counter. The glass from the objects screen instantly shattered but by the type it hit the carpeted floor, Theodore was already walking out the front door.

Once in the car, the boy gripped the steering wheel and let out a wailing sob that sounded more like a furious howl. Chest heaving up and down, he shoved the keys into it's ignition allowing the sport car to roar to life. On normal days the sound would give him a sort of pleasurable satisfaction but today it only bothered him.

Pressing down on the pedal, the boy reversed out of the parking space, cutting the wheel in a jagged manner that left tire marks on the pavement. The smelt of burning rubber was the only thing that calmed him down a bit but not enough to make him stop to get into a better state.

He had something to do and if this was going to be his moms last day on earth, he didn't want to let her down. She needed to see her children- the babies that always keep their head up; her baby boy's that had, even through past mistakes, made her proud to be their mother.

They were one of a kind- her handsome, hard working boy's.

Just up ahead blocking the entrance out of the apartment complex were multiple military vehicles, parked up and down the neighborhood. Dozens of soldiers wearing black or camouflage uniforms pondered back and forth. They were taking people with them but only a certain few.

Theodore saw this when it was too late causing him to turn the wheel tightly making his car skid slightly off the road to avoid the blockade. It caught the attention of multiple military personnel making them speed towards the commotion. The boy's foot pushed the brake as he looked around confusedly.

Before Theodore could take in what was around him, there was a booming knock on the drivers side window catching him off guard. "What the hell-?" He mumbled, cautiously rolling down his window. A woman in a military uniform stood stoically in front of him. "Hey, what's happening?"

"Get out of the vehicle, sir." Theodore tried to protest but it only made her voice more stern. "Please, get out of the vehicle. There is an evacuation."

With a confused look the young man did as he was told, swinging the car door open. The soldier gripped the top of it creating a clear pathway.

As another bombarded him with questions Theodore found himself unable to answer any of them, distressed about a crucial duty waiting to be accomplished.

"Hey," He interrupted the interrogation. "My mom's in the hospital- she's sick." The information came out quick. He let out a light determined huff. "I have to pick up my brothers to go see her."

"Where are your brothers?"

"Uh," He hummed. "One's at the middle school and the other's at the high school." His fingernails nervously scratched the back of his neck as the the soldiers gave each other a look.

One of them reached for his arm making him instinctively back away. None of this was normal at all- everything suddenly went to shit and having as much military as there were in the small town wasn't natural.

They had explained why they were there to him briefly but Theodore was too busy thinking about his own mother to listen about the virus that had broken out nationwide- 'an epidemic' he remembered them saying that.

The boy was the right age, healthy, and looked well built. Valuable enough to be useful in the future. It was obvious that taking in a concept like this wouldn't be easy but the soldiers didn't know how badly today was already going for him.

He just wanted to see his mom before she passed.

"I have to go to the hospital, man." Theodore repeated with narrowed eyes.

"We can't let you do that." The woman in all black replied. "You have to come with us." Her hand reached out for him once again.

"No!" He exclaimed frustratedly. Why weren't they listening? "I have to get my brothers and go see my mom." To them he sounded like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

They didn't have a lot of time.

"Where your brothers are is already too breached." The man spat impatiently. "You have to come with us now so we can get you to safety."

Those words, they didn't make a lick of sense to him. Overall, Theodore just didn't fucking care about what they had to say. Instead of listening he turned around and planned to head back into his car when a strong hand ripped the boy's arm, twisting it in an uncomfortable manner. The soldier shoved him against his own car making the young man wriggle in pain.

"What the hell?!" Theodore groaned, his face smashed against the window of his charger. "I didn't do anything!"

They needed to leave immediately if any of them wanted to make it back to base in time. The helicopter were ready and others were already starting to leave. Anyone close enough could hear the propellers zooming into the sky with a buzzing so loud that it practically shook everything on the ground.

"Don't make this difficult."

Having been arrested multiple times Theodore knew what that meant and how bad it could be if he did exactly what he shouldn't do. Forcefully, his muscles slowly relaxed underneath the soldiers hold and Theodore executed defeat.

"You're coming with us." The soldier sighed pulling him away and guiding him to the large vehicles. "If your brothers were smart they got out of those schools before it got too bad."

Since he didn't listen before he was utterly lost. Trying to put mismatched pieces together only hurt the late teenagers brain causing him to look at the man forcing him onwards.

"What're you talking about?" Theodore spat.

The man only huffed, flustered with the idiot and simply pushed him into a group where another uniformed man helped the boy into a large green military suv.

They sat him next to a girl that looked around his own age. There were a handful of young looking people with different facial expressions sitting in the same position he was. Some were even younger than teenagers making a special type of fear grow inside of him.

Looking beside him once again, Theodore could've sworn he'd seen the girl next to him walk out of the apartment across from his family's own. Something about her face looked so familiar but there was so much happening he couldn't figure out why.

She didn't look confused at all, just anxious as her hands tightly held onto the backpack in her lap. He heard her swallow roughly before nervously biting down on her nails.

Theodore usually didn't spark up a conversation with random strangers. He was pretty shy in a less typical manner but this wasn't a place to let that get in the way. He needed to know what the hell was going on and pushing through the nerve wrecking thought of having to speak to someone a stranger was a small price to pay.

His mouth parted but the boy was cut off by a soldier whistling to catch his attention. Without warning the black backpack he bought for school was tossed into his lap.

Theodore's eyebrows furrowed down letting out a light breath and got up, "Hey-!" A thin hand grabbed his arm yanking him back down where he once sat.

"Don't do that." The girl advised in a soft yet firm tone. Her brown eyes didn't leave his for a second and just by staring into them he remembered who she was. "They're soldiers with guns, Theo. Don't be stupid."

He didn't know how he could have ever forgotten her.

Olivia Monterrey had been Theodore's first kiss back in middle school. They were walking back home together after a school dance that neither of them had any intentions of staying at. She made the first move but even till this day, although she had forgotten her face, he always told others that he pressed his lips onto her's first.

"Olivia, what the fuck is happening?" Theodore's deep voice sounded muffled as the engine purred.

The suv slightly rocked back and forth causing them to both turn, glancing at the soldier that hung at the opening of the vehicle. They were there to make sure none of them had any intentions of jumping out.

Children whimpered in their seats, crying for their parents who were doing the same. They all had packs that contained the most essential things a human needs. If you were someone who was lucky enough to get a sympathetic soldier, you got an object or two that they thought would help keep you sane.

Olivia and Theodore's shoulders bumped into one another's as the tires rolled underneath them, taking every civilian inside somewhere unknown. The groveling wails grew louder making Theodore regretfully turned to look at a woman being held to the ground by multiple soldiers.

What the hell was happening?

With parted lips and widened eyes he snapped his attention back to Olivia who fumbled with her thumbs, a single tear cascading down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away- not wanting anyone to see her in a weakened state.

Theodore saw it anyways making his face soften and the shoulders holding him up tense, not knowing what exactly to do. He was awkward in situations like these- when someone showed so much emotion it rattled the earth underneath them. The boy was used to hiding it just like the girl.

"It's been on the news." Olivia's soft voice stated quietly. She turned to look at him with a flat facial expression. Her nose shriveled slightly as a sniffle shook through it. "A virus that makes you really sick."

Theodore's face fell instantly wondering if that's what had caused his mother to have a sudden relapse. "Like-." His eyebrows knitted together, turning his entire body to face her. He chose better words. "What kind of virus?"

"A really bad one." Was all she could say. The news hadn't really given much details, not like they ever did. Society couldn't bare to handle the truth especially one that could cause extreme chaos. "It's contagious and scary."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard," Olivia cautiously eyed the soldier who balanced themselves steadily with each bump and turn. Although they could be listening it didn't seem to matter to her- someone needed help and the girl could give it to them, even if it wasn't a lot of it.

Focusing back on Theodore's brown eyes she breathed, "It makes you dangerous like really crazy."

As ominous as the information sounded Theodore didn't believe a second of it.

In the past, the media had caused a rise in people due to mentioning diseases that didn't even make it into their country. To him, it didn't seem likely that a single illness could cause this much riot. Something else had to be going on- the authority never told anyone what was between the black and white, he knew this all too well by now.

But, she looked serious, like super serious to a point that it made him feel as though he was talking to a superior individual.

Theodore didn't say anything because there was nothing left to say. It'd only be more pointless details about a subject that didn't quite call out to him. He liked things straight and to the point- a young man that appreciated when someone didn't beat around the bush.

Curving back to a more formal way of sitting, he took a fleeting glimpse at those around him before separating his legs enough to set the backpack between them. Zipping the bag open, he rummaged through what was inside, praying that whoever packed it collected his cellphone. Practically ripping the fabric apart, he searched through every pouch finding himself growing peeved at the fact that someone he didn't even know raided his household.

A family home that had been decorated wall to wall for a 'welcome back' get together that would never happen.

In a way, he was lucky, well, in the eyes of younger children he would be. A couple of 'The Avengers' comics had been stuffed in there amongst pairs of clothing that didn't even belong to him. Everything in there wasn't anything of his and that made a certain flare of animosity burn through the vessels in his heart.

The only objects in there that were truly his own were the two expensive pieces of jewelry he had bought months ago. One was a gold crucifix while the other only a plan silver chain without further decorations.

Accommodating everything but something helpful at the moment, Theodore closed the bag and dropped it down to the floor from whence it came. Peeking below at the diamond encrusted watch on his wrist, which he got on sale during Black Friday of last year, he felt impotent like a fish being taken out of water.

They had ripped him away from somewhere he felt safe without warning. All he could do was stare, look back and forth from one person to the next, knowing that none of them could assist him. He wanted to go back into the fresh water, swim where he needed to go- to who he was supposed to be with.

"Hey," Turning his attention back on Olivia who tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear, staring up at him. "Do you have your phone-?"

Theodore was interrupted by a motion that forced him forward, making him plant his feet and flex the muscles in his body so he wouldn't go flying into the child positioned across from him.

"Stand up and wait until it's clear for you to get off." The soldiers deep, demanding voice ordered slapping the hard metal with a gloved hand.

They all did what they were told.

Theodore rose slowly, bending over to grab his black backpack off the floor, pausing when he saw something that certainly wasn't his own next to it. Picking the book up, he saw a pudgy reaching hand in the corner of his eye making him look up to see a little girl, shakily pull back in when his eyes met her's.

The young man gently handed the literature to her which she snatched back in a hurry. It didn't surprise him, she was most likely scared out of her mind considering the situation. With the corner of his lips tugging upwards in a genuinely comforting smile he stood taller causing the child to hug her book tighter.

A rough pull forced him forward before pushing him to the edge of the now accessible exit. Hopping off, he landed on his two feet and squinted from the bright sky before taking in the landscape surrounding them.

They were in a large paved clearing that instantly settled into his mind as the private airport not more than ten minutes away from where he lived. It was in the middle of a gigantic field with cows kept behind a fence nearby. A bundle of tall pine trees were closer bringing a better smell to his nose than animal shit.

A single pitch black helicopter rumbled not far from where he stood causing a powerful gust of wind to hit everyone. He put his hand up against his forehead, attempting to block the dirt from getting into his eyes when they started guiding him towards the machinery.

"Keep your head down!" One of the soldier's said, shouting over the noise that only got worse the closer they got.

Theodore wanted to pull away and run but when his feet tried to plant themselves, it made the hold that was on him harder than before. He grunted as they helped get him into the aircraft where another person secured a seatbelt around him the minute he was sat in an uncomfortable spot.

"You're going to be okay, son!" An older man screamed in an attempt to comfort the teenager. He patted his chest, "We'll keep you safe!"

Theodore was too distraught to say what was building up in his throat. He wanted to take his brothers wherever the hell they were going because at this point, it felt like he'd never see them again. Even if they were little bitches, he didn't want to leave them here especially if it wasn't okay to stay.

There were three seats besides the two that were already occupied by the pilot and the co-pilot- Theodore already occupying one of them.

A random kid was put into the lone seat that was diagonal from him and unlike the other younger children he'd seen, this one didn't seem as disturbed as the others. The boy couldn't have been older than eight years old yet he looked more out together than Theodore did, curiously peering out the window that had a clear view of the scenery.

No more than twenty people stood in multiple lines, each with their own assigned personnel. It didn't take long for him to realize that they were groups- not everyone was going to the same destination. Another unusual thing he noticed was how every civilian ranged from certain ages- he only saw five adults in the midst of them.

Feeling one last person enter the helicopter Theodore felt a little less nervous when he saw that it was Olivia. Unlike him, she thanked the man who clasped the seatbelt onto her. Thankful that they were together, he felt the need to say something but before he could they were being lifted into the air.

Clutching any metal of the seat he could, his chin tilted upwards in an antsy movement. Blowing thick clouds of air into the atmosphere, he tried to remain calm. It'd be his very first time riding in an aircraft and to say the least, it was probably the worst thing he's ever experienced.

Olivia saw the pale faced boy keeping his eyes shut even when they were already securely zooming through the sky.

He felt a warm touch on top of his shaking hand. It wasn't expected making him open his eyes and look to the side only to see the girl forcing a smile for his own benefit. Although it was anything but natural, it worked well enough to make his body relax and the sick sensation turn into nothingness.

Neither of them knew what was to come next but as the hours piled on and the sun settled into a darker color- their fingers were now intertwined. Whatever were to happen, it was set in invisible stone that they'd face the world together.

It's awful, tragic actually, how humans build a foundation forgetting that life only supplies sand.

"We're almost there!" The pilot assured through their microphone allowing them to hear her more clearly. She sounded relieved and even happy for them. "We just have to pass the city."

None of them saw the rogue emergency helicopter threatening their chance of existence before it was too late. Like most things, it advanced without caution, striking the tail rotor with a fanatical draft.

They were spinning uncontrollably into the ground while the other burst into a spontaneous fireball, already having suffered a far more fatal hit.

Theodore growled, terrified clenching his eyes closed as the spastic movement thrashed the boy's body around like a rag doll. Olivia's clutch was unbroken, breaking his thumb from pressure as a shriek erupted from her throat. The unknown child was now wailing up until what was supposed to keep him safe, wrapped around his fragile body too roughly when they crashed into the earth, left him with several unsurvivable injuries.

Olivia's hand went limp on impact. Her head thrashing forward in a way that snapped the bone that held it up upright. It twisted abnormally, leaving the brown irises of a once bright young woman with so much ahead of her forever stuck in a ghastly position. Olivia's mouth hung open as the last thing to come out of her mouth was a cry to a martyr up above.

The pilot and co-pilot were unrecognizable. Their faces smeared across shattered glass that dug itself deeply into the dirt beneath them. Their work in the force was over and years from now, people wouldn't even remember what they had once looked like.

The machinery crashed in an angle where it was lifted, landing on it's left side looking like a paper airplane that pummeled downwards.

Through all the dust, debris, and damage- Theodore wheezed back into consciousness hours after with a terrible ringing in his ears.

He dangled to the side closest to his friend, being kept from falling only by the harness on his upper body. Eyes bulging out of his skull as he instantly struggled to rip away from the seatbelt that kept him trapped with multiple corpses, he struggled to stay awake.

"Olivia?" He coughed but all he heard was a groan- an animalistic one that he ignored until seeing the state her body was in. Whatever noise just came out shouldn't have been able to leave someone in that state.

Unknowingly to him, Olivia had reanimated- another victim of the virus that damned humanity. Another snarl rang out of her before her teeth snapped together and her mutilated hand ferociously searched for food.

Yelping in terror at the twisted body of the young girl now trying to reach him, adrenaline finally found Theodore who once out of the straps, barely caught the opening where the latched exit had once been closed shut. Pulling himself upwards with all his might, he bellowed in complete agony before falling to the ground roughly.

Struggling to his feet, the boy couldn't see a single thing. Everything was now dark and blurry to the point where it didn't look like he was on his own planet anymore. Desperately turning in circles he huffed erratically, finally catching the sight of a stream of lights.

Theodore didn't know where he was or where he was headed as he trudged to the random spars of lighting. He tried to form words but nothing coherent came out. Sprinting like a headless chicken he clashed with a metal pole sending him backwards on an uneven ground.

Gurgling on blood that rose into his mouth, he leaned his head to the side. His body landed in a peculiar manner, his feet spread apart with one hand clutching his stomach whilst the other sprawled across the woodsy surface.

A mixture of crickets and snapping branches berated his eardrums. Unclear visuals of what registered as a person shot through blotchy eyesight.

Without enough strength or willpower to stay awake, Theodore's eyes fluttered shut just as an elder man frantically scooped him up into his arms.