Young Writers Society

Better Days

1. Painful Beginnings

I woke in the dark. The dark was cold, but it was a comforting cold. The first thing I noticed was I was on the ground. The ground felt like some kind of smooth stone, and it was cold too, but a kind of cold that was merciless and could kill if it had the chance, and I could feel that cold all over my body, but I strangely still felt warm as if heated by the darkness itself. I was very disoriented, so I focused on the ground that I could feel. once I felt a little better I took a knee and tried to stand up. then I began to feel again. I immediately fell back on butt, and the back of my leg was wet, wet and warm. When I suddenly felt this warmth the rest of my body felt alien.

I decided to wait some time before trying to stand again. My back ached as I slowly reached forward, finding where the liquid came from. I found the liquid coming from a long and thin cut, realizing the liquid was blood, I quickly started to treat the wound, though I could only apply pressure. I focused on my body, feeling some liquid on my head, but it didn't feel like normal blood, I felt more blood on my left arm. My priorities changed swiftly, asses my injuries, find medical supplies. My thoughts stopped being random and organized themselves, I thought faster and only focused on surviving. I aligned my head to look past my legs and clicked my tongue. I listened for echos to know where I was in this room. I did this in each general direction, and slowly crawled toward the closest wall. It felt like some kind of metal, I knocked on it quietly. The wall sounded hollow. I first felt along the bottom of the wall, where it connected with the floor, the metal wall went into the cold stone floor, like some kind of store room. I continued to feel the wall until about a foot above my head I felt a switch. I flipped it on.

I covered my eyes as they hurt from the sudden bright light emanating off the glass on the ceiling. I slowly lowered my arms as my eyes adjusted even slower. I had a feeling the light wouldn't hold out long, so I quickly took in my surroundings. Along the other walls were tools that all of which could easily kill a man, and worse yet was that there was dried blood on most of them. I saw a counter on the wall to my left, on the counter there were two bottles, one almost full and the other 3/4 full, but both clear liquids, and a few towels. There was also a first aid kit on the wall opposite to the door and switch. I used the wall at my back to support me while I stood up. I hobbled along the wall towards to left, to investigate the bottles on the counter. as I got closer to the counter I found more blood on the top of it, sending chills down my back. Turning my attention from the blood to the bottles, I notice that they were glass containers with labels on them with letters so small I could barely read them. The bigger container contained bleach, I can clean some things later if I need to, "I should see if there's some drainage cleaner or acetone in a janitors closet when i get out of this room, i could make an explosive with this". The other glass container was filled with alcohol, "If I cant find anything else ill use this to clean my wounds". I continued to hobble along the wall until I reached the first aid kit. I took the box off the wall, I used my hand to support myself against the wall as I made my way to the ground. When I opened the box I was greeted with a full medical kit, I emptied the box, obtaining a roll or gauze, scissors, a few bandages, tape, triple anti-biotics, and some alcohol wipes.

After about 10 minutes, not sure about time I dont have any way of telling, I felt satisfied with the bandages I skillfully applied. I tried to stand again feeling the need to leave the room and find food and water. This time my legs dont collapse from under me, although they felt like they were moving on desperation alone. I looked at the tools and decided I was in some kind of butcher room. I found a meat clever among the tools and weapons, it was a big and clumsy weapon but heads would roll before I die. I started towards the door, but just as I started moving the light finally gave out and burned out. I muttered a curse or two under my breath, but fell quiet as I saw a white light come from under the door.

The light stayed on the door for a few moments before I heard someone quietly call out, "Clear Right!". I thought this comment over for a moment and realized that I heard a symphony of boots moving, "what's the military doing here?" I said to myself, "could it have anything to do with that news report?". the last thing I remembered was I was watching the news on the couch, and they were talking about a crazed cannibalism group. At the thought of this I didn't know if it even was the military and decided that I would sneak out and avoid the people, whoever they are.