When All Hell Broke Loose

No one knows how it happened. Just one day the sky fell and the whole world turned upside-down. The so-called experts had been crying wolf for so long no one really took them serious anymore; at least until it was too late. People went crazy. Friends turned on friends, and brothers on brothers. It was even rumored some religious nut-job on the east coast claimed it was divine punishment from god, and so he somehow sabotaged a nuclear plant and caused its meltdown. Now I don’t know if it’s true, but I wouldn’t doubt it.

I remember thinking we would be okay out here in West Texas. There wasn’t really all that much that could do us harm in the middle of nowhere. Oh, how wrong I was. It seems Lubbock only has enough food for all the people in it for four days. Without a constant influx of food dropping down I-27 to feed the masses things got real ugly real quick. The city tried to establish martial law using the local guard unit, but this is Texas. You get your first gun right after you pop out and the doctor slaps your ass. Now the guard put up one helluva fight, but attrition simply wore them down. Armed groups ruled as neighborhoods turned into one group’s or another’s turf.

It was dark days, and they were getting darker when a ray of light shone in. Some real army boys were supposed to be coming in to set things right. They were broadcasting on all frequencies, and all you needed was a working radio to hear them. They arrived one morning as the sun was coming up. Everyone thought the crazy nightmare was over. Everyone thought wrong. Whatever was going on elsewhere those boys brought to Lubbock. And if you thought it was bad before, all hell broke loose now.

I was one of the lucky ones. I lived thirty minutes from town, and unless you knew which roads to take you would have to be lucky or completely lost to find the place. That was the way I liked it; just me and Kitty and no one to bother us. I had stockpiled food simply because I never knew what I would want for dinner and it was easier to just buy in bulk. Of course I had to go in for perishables but I had enough in cans and boxes to see me through for a while. And if it came to it, Kitty could catch his own food.

I was still thinking whatever was out there would pass me by and eventually things would get better. I am a pessimist at heart so I still wonder why I would think that. Maybe it was wishful thinking; I don’t really know. But one day my own individual sky came crashing down on my head. I was tending my garden. I don’t mean to brag, but it was one helluva garden. I could freeze most of it and have food all winter long. I had planned to borrow my mother’s canner for what needed canned, but that fell apart with society. I simply hoped her and the ol’ man were doing okay.

I was tending the peppers when I noticed someone coming. It looked to be a small woman looking all beat to hell. Now I wasn’t too worried; even if she were a triple black belt in the art of I’magonnakickyoass, in her shape she wouldn’t be a problem. So I went to ask her what she wanted. She didn’t seem to hear me. So I grabbed her shoulder, gently shook her, and asked what she wanted. She seemed to be in shock and still didn’t answer, so I shook her again. Finally she looked up and lordy, lordy was she a sight. Her eyes were pools of blackness and blood coated her lips. I tried to take a step back, but was just a little too slow.

Hell, my reflexes never were the greatest, and they sure as hell failed me this time. Before I could move she was on me. Now she didn’t fight like a triple black belt in the art of I’magonnakickyoass, she fought like a rabid mountain lion on crack. She was scratching and hissing and howling like a banshee. I was doing pretty good fending her off, and then she bit me. Now that really just pissed me right the fuck off. Now I’ve always said I’ve got the sight of god, everyone is equal in my eyes be they man or woman. So I punched the bitch in the mouth, grabbed her left arm, ducked under it and heaved her over the shoulder.

Now there was another reason I really liked this place. There was a storm shelter/cellar behind the house. It always reminded me of my grandma’s house cause she had one also. I would like to say I planned it, but honestly I was just lucky that when I heaved that woman she ended up flying straight through the door and down the steps. Now I’ll admit I aint the Flash, but you’re damn skippy I had that cellar door shut and fastened before she hit the floor.

With that taken care of I took stock of the damages. Other than a few minor scratches the bite on my arm was the only real damage I had taken. It was then that I heard the woman coming up the stairs and hit the door. I just laughed at the “whump” I heard. The old wooden door had been replaced with a steel exterior door. There was no way she was opening that thing. Thinking I better take care of my bite wound or I’d end up with herpagonnaids I went inside to the bathroom.