Aaron's hands gripped the handlebars of his oiled bicycle as he pedaled down the quiet suburban street. It had been ages since he'd ridden this thing, but Alice had taken care of it, and it still functioned like a charm. The chill of the early evening air cut through his jacket, and he couldn't help but think about how surreal this all was.
The voice, the ominous proclamation, and now the reality outside his window were nothing short of bizarre. As he pedaled, he couldn't ignore the scenes of chaos unfolding around him. People were acting like they'd lost their minds, smashing windows, and looting stores. The very fabric of society seemed to be unraveling before his eyes.
Aaron's heart raced as he witnessed some individuals attempting acts of violence, horrifying attempts at rape, and the police struggling to maintain order. It was like something out of a nightmare, a world where humanity had given in to its most primal and destructive instincts.
Fear coursed through him as he pedaled harder, his determination to reach the supermarket and find Alice intensifying with every turn of the wheel. The supermarket was just a few blocks away, and he had to get to her, to make sure she was safe amidst the madness.
'Please be okay sis'
Finally, he arrived at the supermarket, the scene outside resembling a war zone. Abandoned cars were strewn haphazardly in the parking lot, and shattered glass littered the ground. He secured his bicycle and rushed to the entrance, heart pounding.
The automatic doors hung slightly ajar, a sign of the chaos that had erupted inside. Aaron pushed them open and stepped into the trashed supermarket. Shelves were toppled over, food and products scattered across the floor. The eerie silence inside was a stark contrast to the madness he had witnessed outside.
"Alice!" he called out, his voice quivering with desperation. "Alice, where are you?"
He navigated his way through the wreckage, his mind racing with worry. Every second felt like an eternity as he called out for his sister. He couldn't lose her too, not after everything they'd been through.
As he approached the back of the store, he heard a muffled sound, a soft whimper coming from somewhere nearby. His heart leaped in his chest as he followed the sound, his footsteps quickening. He rounded a corner and came face to face with a closed closet door.
"Alice?" he whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and fear. "Are you in there?"
There was a moment of tense silence, and then, a faint voice responded from behind the door. "Aaron... is that you?"
Relief washed over him, and he hastily tried to open the closet door, but it was locked from the inside. Panic surged through him as he realized his sister was trapped.
"Alice, I'm here!" he said, his voice trembling. "Hold on, I'll get you out."
He frantically searched the area for something to break open the door. As he scanned the debris, his thoughts raced. What had happened to her? Why was she locked in the closet?
With a piece of broken shelf in hand, he began prying at the door's lock. His hands were shaking, and his heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the lock gave way, and the closet door swung open. Aaron's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Alice sat huddled on the floor, tears streaking her face, her clothes disheveled.
He rushed to her side, his concern turning to anger. "Alice, what happened? Are you okay?"
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and shame. "Aaron, I... I was hiding from them. Those people out there, they... they were trying to... I didn't know what to do..."
Aaron's eyes turned red, not with anger at his sister, but with anger at the world outside, at the chaos that had taken hold. He pulled Alice into a tight embrace, his voice trembling with a mixture of emotions.
"It's okay, Alice," he said softly, his anger now directed outward. "I've got you now, and I promise, I'll protect you. No one is going to hurt you, not while I'm here."
"Damn looks like we got lucky boys"