August 24th, 2016

I lay on the bed, staring at the roof, feeling as though I had ascended to the clouds. In my arms was a woman cradled within. It was almost like a dream, that was broken by the reality of her warmth, scent, and breath on mine. I flicked her hair away as I placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead.

Time was slipping away. I had to leave soon, it was almost dark. Despite not truly wanting to, I found the strength to get my body up. It creaked like an old car giving away my movement.

Her hand gripped mine, "Don't go," she pleaded.

My heart almost fell as I looked at this angel coiled up on the bed. "I have to," I said to her, "but don't worry, I will come back soon." I slowly got up, removing the sheets.

I was on my feet in nothing but my boxers. I took up my pants and grabbed my shirt and quickly changed before my other mind did the thinking for me.

One last glance back at her to see she was fast asleep on the bed. How did I get this lucky?

A smile etched my face.

I walked out of the bedroom, got through the hall, and down the stairs. I slowly closed the door, locking it from the inside. It slammed shut.

Now then I have to head home. Before this, nightmare begins again.

In the car, the last words she had muttered over pillow talk came back to me. They will do a full search for my father tomorrow. What would be the outcome and the officer what was their connection to each other?

Betty's lights came on and static from the radio greeted me. Nothing but loud static, damn, have to get this radio fixed. Betty pulled on to the road as her lights flickered. There was hardly any real traffic on the road and before I knew it, I was home slightly before eight o'clock in the night.

I parked Betty in the regular carpark along with all the other cars. This was the first time I had seen the carpark this full was everyone at their apartment or something.

Getting out of the car and remembering the strange behaviour I had seen from Ash's mom in the carpark. What was that all about? It crossed my mind as I walked up the stairs.

Rainbow was probably waiting and this whole hell of a night again. There must be a way to end this, I hope. I can't grow old doing this shit.

Standing in front of my home, I slowly placed the keys in and opened the door. What greeted me was a gloomy room and the howling of the wind against the blind.

Flipping the switch, the light illuminated the room which gave me the sense of the dullness in my apartment compared to where I had just been. Soon, however, things will definitely be much better.

I walked towards the bedroom where I had left Rainbow and turned on the bedroom light to find that she was not there. No snake, no Rainbow, strange.

Rainbow I called but there was no answer. I frantically searched around the entire apartment shouting her name, but there was no Rainbow at all.

Now drenched in sweat despite it being cool, my thoughts raced around. Where could she have gone? I kept saying over and over again. I can still survive this, I did it before, didn't I. Ash was the one who saved me. I couldn't ask for her help, she wanted nothing to do with me.

Would I have to face this alone?

The clock ticked as a final eerie countdown to the time left. I turned on the TV, hoping to find news about some monster destroying the city. Flickering through all the news channels hoping that one would say what I was hoping for and give me some clue, some direction where to go but nothing. It was almost as if she didn't exist.

The time was near.

It was almost the end of the rope and still no signs of her. I almost hoped to have heard her knocking on the door. If I am going to die, then I won't do it begging. I refuse to stoop to that level, even though I am afraid.

Shit!

The clock went haywire as I was taken back there, back to this hell. I closed my eyes and tried to drown out all the deathly sounds.

I have to survive this.

***

The real battles always begin in the mind.

I fell right back into my room. The blistering wind greeted me with an orchestra of loud screams. The smell of dead bodies and intoxicating fumes choked the air. The sky mocked me with its thundering lava looking form and time clocked sitting in the air.

I must survive. I must win.

The first question that pondered my mind was should I stay here?

Was Ash downstairs, I knew she would not come, but why did I want to hold out hope? Were those green monsters downstairs?

Go to the red door you will be safe there, that's what she had said. That's where she had said to go. But how in the fuck am I going to get there? This location was far from safe, my roof was off showing me the outside by simply looking up and these creatures fly.

I squeezed my hands together and wiped them on my pants. I slowly breathe in and out to take in the situation. What are my chances of getting outside and making it there alive? I looked through the window.

It looked like utter desolation.

There was no safety anywhere out there, nor was it to be found here. I have to get to that red door, I kept thinking, and there I would be safe.

I slowly got up from the defaced debris ground. Approaching the door step by step, I hunched. When I reached it, I placed my ear upon it but it was quiet, nothing but the whistling wind. I took my time as I opened the door, poked my head out, and looked left and right, still nothing. I was hunched over as I headed towards the stairs, each time taking and picking my steps to be as quiet as possible. Everything was heightened for me and now and then I kept looking back but nothing was there. I reached the steps and I took my time going down.

I swore I heard something coming from behind me. It sounded like a door being flung in. Had someone else been up there? No, I didn't want to find out I slightly picked up my pace down the stairs. I saw the car park, but there was nothing there except what I expect in this world. I continued my crouch stance and headed the way I went the first time. I had come here with Ash. Now by the alley where I had ran and left her behind, when she had displayed what sort of monster she truly was.

My brain stumped to recall the directions first left and then right, look for the red door. Would Ash be there, was it safe for me?

The road was quiet as I made my movements. First left, then right and there standing before me was a red door. The monstrous two headed fiend whom I had met before was standing there seemingly guarding the door.

Did it know what was behind it?

Was it possible to fight and win? It had not seen or heard me yet. Almost in its own thoughts as it gazed off at the sky.

Okay, I can do this.

Searching around for a weapon the rocks nearby caught my eye. Arming myself with three of them and contemplating how to approach the monster.

Wait, perhaps there is another way. Yes, I have the correct solution. This couldn't fail one bit.

I got up from my crouched position, which had me hidden away. Gathered as much confidence as I could and walked straight towards the monster.

My heavy steps caught its attention as its two heads shifted towards me.

"Come here," It said, taking steps towards me.

"Do you know who I am!?" I shouted, "I am Rainbow's right hand."

The creature stood perplexed as it tried to understand the words that came from my mouth. Had it worked?

"Rainbow's right hand, I don't know who that is, but you are human like me. The door behind me is safe for all humans, I'm not bad." It pointed at the door, "Come follow me."

It didn't wait for my response as it walked towards the door. I slowly followed it, wondering what was behind this door. It waited for me as it opened the door. I walked behind him peering the room.

What I saw was nothing like I had expected. People and they were alive, Men women, and children walking around in the back.

"Come inside."

It walked in first and I followed it to the end of the steps. At the bottom I was flanked by many different people: they were starved, dehydrated and some looked about to collapse. They were shelves that seem to have some rations on them on the right-hand side of the room. People just huddled together with no actual space.

"Follow me," it said as it led me further down these halls. So many people were here and so many children. It was bizarre, some were dressed as if they weren't even from the same time period.

The creature led me to a room at the end of a long stretch of darkness with barely any light. Armed men waited guarding a door raising their hand, bringing me to a halt as they conducted a search on me. The creature waited and as they were done and nodded it pushed open the door further ahead of the guards.

"Here is another human," it said.

As I entered, the room, four men stood around a table. They all look hardened and even in far better condition than the people I saw outside.

The creature departed as the door thudded shut.

"What is this place?" The words slipped from my mouth.

"This is the haven for the damned and the forgotten." One man replied, "Did you get dragged here by someone you know or made a terrible deal?"

"I was dragged here."

"Well get comfy mate, it's going to be a long time. How did you manage to find us here?"

"The strange monster outside had led me to this location."

"Oh, you mean Frank? Yeah, he's been exposed far too long out there and it started to mutate his body. It turns you like them, you lose your mind and your senses bit by bit."

The man on the left spoke, "It won't be long before we have to put him down."

"I am so confused, how do you survive here?" I queried.

The man on the right said, "I guess it would be confusing to see it all like this, I was too until I found this haven."

The man in the centre spoke, "We get help from a special girl, but we also do our own searching and pillaging of what's left in this city."

"Haven? Then why are there this many people that looked starved and on the verge of death?"

The man on his right interjected, "It's not as easy as you think."

"Not as easy?"

The man in the centre responded, "Food is a limited resource, it's hard to get it as it is. Do you see the same outside that we see with those creatures lurking? Many good men lose their life for meager gains by the creatures, by humans, its chaos."

"And those children I saw some were newborn?" I questioned.

The man on the right, "People have nothing better else to do."

The man on the left, "They were born here. What do you expect when people lose hope?"

The man in the centre, "Agreed all though it creates more tension of food. These children help give the people a glimmer of hope."

"Who exactly are you? The head of this...community?"

"I guess you could say that. On my right is Mark Hunt, he's in charge of our food and rations. The left is Donald Weeks and he handles the scouts and recruits. Finally, my name is Bernie Walters, I make sure everything is running as best as it could. You barraged us with questions before, we could identify ourselves, but I understand, I was in your position before not every day we get someone walking in."

"Okay, my apologies, my name is Domenic."

Donald responded as he scratched his beard. "This isn't no hotel pick an area and find something to do to contribute to our cause. Something we deemed you good at."

"You can get a job assigned to you from tomorrow. If you don't pick one by the end of twenty-four hours," Bernie said. "Now then we have other things to discuss." He raised his hand for me to leave.

Even here the world is still the same as I left the weird creature was outside. It carried me to an overcrowded area to stay. Damn, it was so crowded all I could do was stand. Despite this, it was quiet even though crowded with people and children. It was almost as if they were all dead and merely existing at this moment.

I couldn't stomach being here any longer. The heat outside was more comforting and as I stepped out to trace back my steps. I came upon the red door that I had entered. No one seemed remotely interested in me or what I was doing. Some people, though look strangely disfigured as I was about to step towards the door. It opened before me and standing right before me was Ash.

She carried many bags on her back, food, water, and even clothes. She dropped them on the ground.

Her face was tense there was anger as she rushed towards me sweeping me with comical ease off my feet. Before my body landed on the ground she caught me and laid me on her foot. Was she going to kill me now?

"Wait!!" I shouted.

"Why should I wait? You're a monster, one who plays by their games. You lost my respect the moment you did what you did. I should kill you right now."

"How do you know?"

"Because with this eye," she moved her hair aside, "I can see what you really are."

There was a crackling sound as I was sucked back into the hole.

The time had passed.