The Fallout

Oli’s P.O.V

“Oli…wake up…” a hushed voice roused me from my sleep, but exhaustion still pulled my eye lids down. The owner of the voice sighed, before poking me in the sides repetitively. I groaned, flickering my eyes open to see Austin's smiling face; his eyes were half closed, clearly he had just woken up himself. I yawned, noting then that I wasn’t laying on a mattress or the ground, but I was lying halfway on top of Austin. I shot up like a dart; embarrassment flooded my cheeks as I cast a glance down at my hands.

“Sorry…I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.” I commented while he laughed.

“No, I fell asleep too; and your fine! I don’t mind cuddling with you.” He admitted, and I swear I could see a faint blush rise to his cheeks.

“Your brothers looking awfully cozy.” Austin broke the awkward tension as he turned his head to look at the other row of sofas. Matt was laid out on his back with Tom between his legs, fast asleep on his chest, I snickered.

“Punks.” I retorted, standing from my spot and stretching out my limbs, Austin followed suit.

“Austin, Oli! I know you’re awake so come here!” Tino’s called from the front of the camper, I waited for Austin to make his way down the steps to move the curtain, then followed him. I plopped down on the last step, waving to Tino.

“Well looks like a farm house, and if my calculations are correct, we’re in North Dakota. It looks abandoned, so...want to set up shop here?” The drummer pursed his lips as he pointed out the 3 story household. It sat a bit ways off on a large enough plot of land, a barn was stationed on the corner and a long drive with a gate was in plain view.

“Sounds great, let’s scope it out first.” Austin chimed as Tino turned into the drive, I felt something shift in my gut, something wasn’t sitting right with me about this place.

“Oli, you keep watch of the RV, Tino and I will be just a moment.” Austin tossed me a hand gun as he and Tino grabbed two large black guns and exited. I sighed, moving from my spot and sitting by the door. Matt and Tom began to stir behind me, but I kept my eyes trained on the door.

“Where are we?” Tom inquired with a yawn,

“North Dakota, Austin and Tino are scoping out a farm house right now.” I replied tiredly, Matt came up behind me and ruffled my hair.

“M…Morning Oli…”he choked out; I tossed my head back and smiled.

“Morning Matteh, you have no idea how nice it is to hear your voice, mate.” I said contently as he smiled.

“It’s…nice…to ta-talk.” He replied, walking over to one of the bags and grabbing water for the three of us.

“They…won’t mind…right?” he questioned, holding them out to us, I shook my head.

“Not at a-“

BAM BAM BAM BAM

I halted my sentence and glued my eyes to the door which was shaking like someone was trying to break it down, I sighed, figuring something bad had happened and Austin and Tino had to run back.

“I’m coming.” I called, grabbing the handle and unlocking it, as soon as I did, regret flooded through me.

“Get out, now.” A gruff looking man raised his pistol to my head, he was surrounded by a few others who were all toting weapons of their own. I gulped, dropping my gun and throwing my hands up in surrender.

“Let’s move.” Another man added, grabbing me roughly by the hair and tossing me to the ground. I yelped as my body hit the hard pavement, he pressed his large gun in my side.

“I said let’s go!” he seethed, and I reluctantly complied, hopping back up to my feet and trudging the way that Tom and Matt were being led. We were taken behind the house, were a considerably large group of people stood in a circle, the gun men pushed us to the middle. I gasped when we were finally in the center, Tino was on his knees with a pistol aimed at the back of his head, and Austin was in a similar state. Though his head was raised high, eyes alert and darting to catch every movement…and they once again, maintained a steady red glow.

“Now…you all are going to learn a lesson before you die, don’t fuck with my land.”An older man in a farmer’s hat emerged from the crowd as I was sent to my knees by a kick to the back of my leg. I groaned as my bones hit the grass, my hands catching the remainder of my weight. I looked over to Tom who was shaking, and Matt who looked ready to bite someone’s head off…but Austin was making me nervous. It was almost like I couldn’t look at him or I’d be sucked into a trance, but I felt like I had too. His aura reminded me of a black hole, you knew you shouldn’t face it, knew you would be sucked into it, but you couldn’t turn away.

“What about this small one? Huh? Should he die first?” The farmer pressed the gun into my head, using his other hand to grab me tightly by the hair. I cried out harshly as he smacked the barrel into my head, I heard Tom scream for him to stop.

“Don’t you dare.” A dark voice bellowed, fear sunk in but I raised my head. Austin's eyes were trained on me, their faint glow was now a strong vibrant light, I heard the man behind me grunt.

“You some kind of freak?” he chimed, earning a laugh from the large imposing crowd, I kept my eyes trained on Austin's. I couldn’t look away, no matter how hard I tried.

“So who do you want to die first then? I still say we kill this tattooed menace.” The man chuckled, pushing the gun harder into my skull and yanking my head back once again.

“Try me. You’ll fucking regret it.” Austin growled, and I mean growled. His voice was beyond low, the frequency of it sent chills down my spine, a thick tension filled the air.

“I may just do that.” The man answered, using his leg to kick me square in the back, I screamed in pain as my body plummeted forward, but his hold on my hair held me above the ground. I finally closed my eyes, accepting whatever was about to become of me, but that’s when I felt it. A low tremor ripped through the air as a gut wrenching popping noise exploded from around me, I heard a low yell that quickly turned to a pained scream. I fell to the earth as the man who held onto me, finally let go. When I hit the ground it sloshed under me, a vile stench rising to my nose, I quickly turned over. Propping myself on my elbows and peeling my eyes open, Tom and Matt were still on their knees, with their eyes screwed shut and their hands covering their ears. Tino was passed out, a dark purple bruise was brandished on his forehead, but that wasn’t what made my breath hitch. Gone, everyone was gone again, just pools of blood and guts, their bones were nowhere to be found, Austin was pinning someone to the side of the house, the farmer.

“What are you? You’re a monster! Let me go!” The old man cried, trying his hardest to flail out of Austin's grasp, but to no avail.

“Go to hell.” Austin cursed, closing his hand on the man’s neck, his body imploded. Splattering myself and everyone with tremendous amounts of blood and other matter, I shook my head as Austin fell to his knees; a scream escaping his lips once again. Against my better judgment, I crawled through the mass of guts and blood, making my way over to his shaking frame.

“No! I'm sorry!” he cried, punching the ground which resulted in blood splattering around it, I grabbed his shoulders off the ground before sitting down and laying his head in my lap. His eyes were screwed shut, but I could see tears escaping no matter how hard he tried to push them back. I stroked his hair out of his face,

“Austin…don’t cry.” I pleaded, feeling my eyes swell with tears as well, part of me asked what I was still doing here. Austin had just brutally slaughtered over a dozen people, and I was trying to comfort him? I knew he couldn’t help whatever was going on in his head, but that didn’t stop the fact that it was horrifying. He could easily snap, kill me,Tom, Matt and Tino, but I had some inexplicable faith in him, faith that he wouldn’t.

“I'm so sorry.” He sobbed, turning so he could bury his face in my stomach, I sighed. Running one hand through his matted and bloodied hair, and the other up and down his back,

“Please stop crying.” I practically begged, my body began to tremor violently until the next thing I knew, I was bawling my eyes out. I don’t even know why I was crying; perhaps it was because of what I had witnessed, the fall of the world, the brutal deaths and mutilations caused by those chemicals. I didn’t know if it was for my parents, who were surely dead, the friends I had lost yesterday, or for the fact that one of the only people I cared about was terrified of what he had become.

“Oli…oh please don’t cry.” I felt Austin move off my lap, and then two strong arms encircle me tightly, I eased into the embrace.

“Matt…Tom…you okay?” Austin choked out,

“Yeah,” They answered in unison, I felt Austin clear his throat.

“Tino!” he called, a loud grunt was his answer.

“You okay?” he questioned again, Tino muttered a “Peachy.” I forced myself to breathe in and out quickly, trying to calm myself and catch my breath; luckily it worked.

“Oli…I'm sorry for making you cry,” Austin reached down, grabbing my chin and lifting my head so I was forced to look into his eyes, his brown eyes.

“S’okay.” I whispered, relaxing into his hand.

“I'm sorry you all had to see that…I couldn’t help it…I can't control it, it consumes me when it happens…just takes complete control of my body. I'm sorry.” Austin stated quietly,

“Yet again, you saved us.” Tino commented, I glanced up to see him on his feet, helping Matt and Tom up,

“I didn’t mind, it was better than dying.” Tom admitted hoarsely, holding onto Matt for support, the drummer nodded his head.

“We need to improvise some showers, we look like we were in a horror film…” I cleared my throat, everyone chuckled despite the situation and truth of the statement.

“Our life is kind of a horror movie, isn’t it?” Tino laughed, I felt a snicker rise through my throat.

“It is.” I chuckled it out. Laughing, we were laughing like mad men who had lost everything, and had nothing left but each other, but...that's what we were. We were mad in a sense, these 4 people were probably the only people I would ever hold close to me for as long as I lived, but that’s enough for me. I was thankful to have them, to at least have my little brother, my best friend, and my two new ones as well. I was scared, yes, but I was thankful, not only for the company I had, but for the fact that I was alive. I was breathing, and that had to mean something…right?

Notes

Title Cred: Bones Exposed - OM&M (this is a much better song than the first single, lol. You're Not Alone was meh, not my favorite. I do like B.E A lot though :P)

more violence, and gore. Dear god, I liked this chapter, relatively uneventful, actually...BUT character development, and some reflection was needed.

please leave some feedback!

Xoxo
Siren