Futuristic End of the World (Closed to Jurassic Parkour)

[VivianThomas]

"Alright mom, see you later! Don't forget I'm seeing Solomon in a little so I'll be home late!" Andrew smiled as he waved good bye to his mom and little sister who were getting into their car to go to the grocery store. Andrew locked the door of his house behind himself before he started to make his way towards the park to meet his friend Solomon. Andrew was excited to see his best friend since the two boys always hung out as much as they possibly could. Andrew adjusted the backpack on his shoulders and brushed his brown hair out of his eyes, his mind wandering with each step he took. Andrew waved to his mom and sister as they passed him in the car and chuckled seeing his little sister sticking his tongue out at him and he returned the gesture.

Andrew was having a great day so far and his bright smile definitely showed it. He woke up feeling great and knowing that he would soon be with his best friend made it even better. Andrew watched as the van rolled down the street and he looked both ways before crossing the street to the park. The slender boy was wearing his usual jeans, t-shirt and converse sneakers which wasn't too much different than his normal fashion. Andrew was almost to the park when he heard a loud scream and he instantly froze; his blue eyes looking around surroundings for what could've caused the scream.

"What was that?" He whispered to himself as he broke himself out of his frozen state and started to run towards the park. Solomon would be there and he would be able to put his scared mind at ease. Andrew was approaching the park when he saw a tall figure in the distance and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Solomon! Thank goodness you're here!" He yelled to the figure which seemed to be getting closer and closer quite quickly. Andrew raised an eyebrow realizing that the figure was now running towards him and it definitely wasn't Solomon. The black haired boy felt fear increase in his body when he noticed the figure didn't have a normal head and looked... corroded in a sense. Andrew knew he had to run and get away from whatever the creature was but his body and his voice were both on lock down. All he could do was close his eyes and pray.

 

[JurassicParkour]

Solomon Pike believed in God. That was a bit of a revelation for some people who didn’t know him well. He didn’t look like a believer. He was cynical and pessimistic and - this was the one that got people hung up - he was gay. Sexuality and religion didn’t seem to go together for most people but they meshed enough for Solomon. He hadn’t been born into a faith so much as it chose him at a young age. Like most things, his religion was his own. He found his own synagogue, had his own bar mitzvah, chose his own name. His parents didn’t care, didn’t even show up no matter how much it meant to him. They didn’t care about him. But Jehovah did.

Someone else did, too. Andrew.

Andrew was Solomon’s best friend. They had been best friends since preschool and they had never stopped. Andrew was the one who supported Solomon, the one who talked to him and cared about him and accepted his sexuality as part of him. Andrew had always been there for him and, even to Solomon’s cynic’s mind, he always would be. The world just wasn’t the world without Andrew in it.

They were hanging out at the park that day. What they were going to do, Solomon didn’t remember and in their present situation, it didn’t seem to matter.

He watched the news daily, read the newspapers online. He knew that there had been an outbreak of some strange disease, some parasite, in the northeast, but to his knowledge, it had been contained. It had been contained until then, apparently, because he watch as a young homeless man lurched across the street and dug his teeth into a woman’s calf. She screamed, ear-piercing, besting the man with her handbag, until she dropped it and went still, her eyes lifeless. She collapsed to the ground and that was when the creature began to devour her. Solomon, heart pounding, turned to run. Whatever wa shappening, it wasn’t isolated in the northeast and it wasn’t isolated to this street corner because he heard another ear-piercing scream from towards the park.

The park. Andrew.

He started running, his heart pounding. If these things were loose, he needed to get Andrew and they needed to get out of here. He spotted his friend not too far away but there was someone else between them. One of the creatures.

Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Solomon ran faster. He launched himself at the creature with no discernible plan except distract. The creature screamed, clawing and grabbing for Solomon as they rolled together on the ground. He felt its teeth dig into his arm, ripping part of his jacket, getting closer to his neck. Frantically, he grabbed for the gold Star of David on a chain around his neck, stabbing at the creature’s neck as hard as he could. The Star was small but sharp and after a few solid hits, the creature stumbled off of him, gushing something that wasn’t quite blood. It screamed and lurched at him again but Solomon wasn’t done. A solid punch and the creature staggered, giving Solomon enough time to kick its feet from under him and go at the head. He kicked until the creature stilled, leaving Solomon panting with the stained star around his neck and blood splattering his clothes.

“We need to get out of here,” he told Andrew, grabbing his arm. “We need to go.”

 

[VivianThomas]

Andrew was just waiting - waiting for the creature to devour him to pieces. His slender body shook with fear as he heard the creatures foot steps gaining ground. But then he heard the creatures screams and he opened one eye to see what was happening. Instantly he felt adrenaline fill his body when he realized Solomon was fighting off the create.

"Solomon! Be careful!" He yelled, fearful for his friend. The black haired boy was still shocked by the whole incident but his eyes began to wander around the area to see what he could grab to help Solomon. Before Andrew could find anything to help fight the creature off his friend, Solomon managed to get the creature off of him and taken care of. Andrew instantly ran to Solomon, a couple tears - mostly of fear and worry - running down his cheeks, and he gave his friend a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay" He whimpered out trying to get ahold of his emotions and he nodded his head when Solomon told him they had to go.

"My house is close by. We can go there for now." He said, grabbing Solomon's hand and pulling him in a run towards his house. Andrew held onto to Solomon's hand taking him the same path that he had went to the park. Andrew came to an abrupt stop however when he saw one of the creatures tearing away at a body that was lying on the ground. That must've been where the scream had come from earlier.

"Oh my god..."Andrew whispered, his hand grasping onto Solomon's even tighter as he felt the fear take over his body again. He didn't want to live in this world; this world took all of his happiness and crushed it. But as long as Solomon was by his side; he could make it.

 

[JurassicParkour]

Solomon, be careful!

Andrew’s voice echoed in his ears during his frantic scramble with the creature. Be careful, be careful, be careful. He was going to do his best but when it came down to it, what mattered was the getting rid of whatever was attacking his friend. That was the important thing. He had always had a constant, minor death wish. He wouldn’t try to take his life but if it happened, it happened.

Solomon straightened up, panting hard and shaking his head. He hadn’t been ready for a fight but a fight was what he got. He had a feeling he was going to be fighting a lot in the near future. It was a good thing fighting was something he understood.

He squeezed Andrew back but only allowed himself a few moments of emotion and reflection. They needed to get going and they needed to do it fast. He didn’t like being out in the open with whatever this creature was, especially if there were more of them. “You, too,” He said. “But we need to go.” He squeezed Andrew’s hand back as they started running didn’t he street towards Andrew’s house.

When andrew stopped suddenly, Solomon almost ran over him. He noticed instantly what it was that stopped him. “Have to go,” he said. He pulled Andrew, continuing to run. He pushed his friend in the front door, slamming it and locking it behind him.

 

[VivianThomas]

Andrew gasped not realizing that Solomon was going to continue running after his momentary pause and Andrew did his best to keep up with the taller boy. Once they were inside, Andrew bent over and put his hands on his knees; grasping for air to fill his lungs. The brown hair boy would be alright, he just needed a moment to remind himself that he was safe - that they both were safe. The slender boy slowly stood up, his blue eyes looking to Solomon in disbelief. How had the outbreak spread so far? And why to their hometown? Andrew shook his head. He couldn't let his thoughts get to him now. It was time to come up with a plan.

"What should we do now?" He asked, his fingers playing with the hem of his shirt before his attention turned to the window which was locked but the curtain had been drawn back. Andrew yelped as the creature whom had been devouring the person on the street ran straight towards the glass window. Andrew knew that if the creature continued to see them, he could possibly break through the glass. The smaller boy quickly ran forward drawing the curtain and he heard a loud thunk and screeching as the creature hit the glass. Andrew quickly jumped away; his heart pounding in his chest before his gaze returned back to his friend. Andrew didn't even know what to say; his mind reeling. This had to be a dream; this couldn't be real.

"Solomon..." The boy said softly, his brain rushing back to reality when he noticed the blood on his friend's clothing. "A-Are you bleeding?"

 

[JurassicParkour]

Solomon didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. He couldn’t stop until they were safe somewhere that these creatures could get to them. He couldn’t stop until they were behind solid walls or, at the least, somewhere more defensible than the middle of this park. When they were behind Andrew’s locked front door, that was when he stopped to relax. He finally breathed.

He shook his head slightly when Andrew locked eyes with him, asked what they should do. “I don’t know,” he said. “I need a minute to come up with a plan.” Solomon was always the guy who had a plan. He knew what to do. But this... This was an entirely new situation. He needed a minute to think. He paced back and forth, running a hand through his hair and trying to think. S sudden, loud noise from behind him made him flinch. One of the creatures smashed against the glass as Andrew pulled the curtain to. “Good idea,” he said softly.

“Am I?” He asked. He glanced down at his arm where the creature had bitten him. It seemed like a bit of an odd attack, but these things weren’t intelligent. “Yeah, I guess. I just need something to put over it.”