- 106 years after the apocalypse -
"Cham-Cham..." Kassie said, her hands on her hips, a stern expression on her face. "How many times did I tell you not to chew your—" but she was cut off by a loud sound.
Whoosh—Boom—Boom.
Kassie froze, her hands clenching at the edges of her kirtle as the sounds continued. She took a deep breath, then turned around, rising onto the tips of her feet to look through the window. What she saw made her breath hitch and her hands tremble.
She moved quickly toward Cham Cham and pulled him into her arms. "Cham Cham, I need you to stay quiet for Mama. Can you do that for me?" she said softly, just above a whisper, already moving toward the cabin's back door.
Tich, where are you? Please be okay... she thought, draping a leather cloak over Cham Cham
She didn't waste time. She moved quickly, Cham Cham in her arms."Mama? Are you okay? What was that boom boom sound?" he said, in that oblivious tone, just leaning his head over her shoulder, clutching her clothes tightly as the leather cloak covered him.. "I can't see, Mama..."
"Shh, my little rascal, everything is okay. Just be quiet for Mama. We are going for a trip—Papa is waiting outside, okay?" she said, her tone shaking slightly, her hands holding him tightly.
She finally got out through the back door—and could fully see what was happening...
It was a small village, no more than twenty cabins at best. Everyone knew everyone. She saw it—a horde of monsters, strange green creatures running out of the forest toward the village. Already, one cabin had been attacked—screams could be heard...
"Mama...?" Cham Cham said, his voice shaky, clearly affected by the screams. A sniffle escaped him. "What is happening? Where is Papa? Mama... Mama..." he said, starting to cry as he buried his face into her shoulder.
"Shh, Cham Cham. You can't cry, okay? Papa is here—I can see him... just be quiet for Mama, be quiet..." she said, her tone slowly breaking to a plea as tears threatened to spill over her cheeks. "Please... my little rascal, be strong."
She started running toward the far side of the village.
I must find Tich... I must find Tich... Tich, please be okay... Cham Cham needs you... I need you... she thought, as tears began to fall down her cheeks.
A voice cut through the storm of screams and monsters' growls. "KASSIE! CHAM CHAM!" a man yelled. It was loud and shaking, yet it cut through everything and landed on Kassie.
She turned around and saw him.
"Tich!" she said, breaking apart, tears falling openly now, her lips trembling. "You're okay... I knew you would be okay..." she said, running to him.
He embraced her, Cham Cham still in her arms, the leather cloak hiding his view.
"I'm here, Kassie... it's fine. Everything will be okay. Now we must run. I need you and Cham Cham to be strong for me and stay quiet, okay?" he said, his tone calm, his hand moved to Kassie's cheek, gently wiping away a tear.
He took Kassie's hand and pulled her with him as he started to run.
"How are you doing, buddy? Papa and Mama need you strong. Don't cry—show your Mama how big and strong her little boy is," he said, his tone clear even through the background of screams and growls.
Kassie and Tich could see the stone wall where the chief's cabin lay.
It was broken.
Kassie's breath stuttered. She stopped, Tich was pulled backwards.
"Huh? Kassie, what are you doing? We don't have time..." he said. The calm from before seemed to vanish, urgency now showing clearly on his face.
"Tich." she said.
Just one word—but it made his face turn ashen.
"No. Don't even think about it," he said, his tone firm, though he had lost his calm. His hand tightened around hers. "I won't let you... you won't make me see this, you understand? Now you're going to start running, or I'll fucking pick you up and do it myself."
His breathing turned slow and heavy.
Behind them, he could see it—people running from the green monsters. Kara, the blacksmith's wife, being jumped by one. Tarion The blacksmith kicking it away, pulling her into his arms.
"Do you understand, Kassie?!" he shouted.
It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at her.
He pulled her to him roughly, Cham Cham still in her arms. He could feel the tension, still hear the screams and the monsters' growls.
This was it.
He started to cry, his voice barely understandable between sniffs. "Mama... Mama... I want to go home... I want to go home..."
Kassie took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
I can't let my own fears risk Cham Cham. Pull yourself together, Kassandra, she thought, as she began to rock him in her arms.
"I'm sorry, Cham Cham... did Papa scare you?" she said, her tone soft, barely audible amidst the chaos.
She looked back at the terrors unfolding behind them and gulped audibly. "Tich, please... I could help them... those are our friends," she said. She tried to look brave, but she couldn't stop her teeth from chattering.
"No."
One word—that was all she heard before he picked her up into his arms, holding her tight against his chest. He was breathing heavily now, his eyes locked onto a specific monster.
It was taller than the others. Its color was not green, but dark blue. Its eyes were hollow, and at the top of its head was one black horn.
It looked right at Tich.
It started to walk slowly toward Tich.
Tich froze in place, his face turning ashen, his breathing quickening.
What is that...? It has no pupils... why is its horn black?
He bit his lip—the metallic taste hit him and broke the frozen spell.
He started to run as fast as he could.
"Before you think of saving others..." he said, but cut himself off. "Just don't look back, Kassie—and don't let Cham Cham look back."
He kept running until he finally reached the stone wall. He could see the chief there, along with others from the village.
But the large wooden gates were already closing. The villagers' faces were grim, yet none of them stepped forward to stop it.
"Oi! Vernom, wait! Don't close the gate...!" he shouted. It was more of a plea than a shout, his hands tightening as he pulled Kassie closer against his body.
He could hear the monsters getting closer. The screams from before had stopped—now only the sounds of bone and flesh could be heard.
He glanced back once.
He regretted it immediately.
What he saw—those green monsters eating the corpses of people he once called friends. Kara's body—her limbs torn apart, a terrorized expression frozen on her pale face.
And he could see the black-horned monster. It kept walking slowly toward them.
"Vernom, please... please! At least let my wife and son in... please!" he said. He had started to beg. He didn't care anymore, he bit his lips again blood trickled down his jaw, falling onto the grass beneath.
I can't let them die... I can't, I can't... anything I could do... come on, Tich! Come on, think, Tich! What would your father do, Tich? he thought.
Then he saw it.