As The Dead Sleep, Short Story

[Anarchic]

I was really inspired by TLD and some of its challenges, including Hopeless Rescue and the story's namesake, As The Dead Sleep. I hope you guys enjoy!

 

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Another body today. I’ve grown accustomed to spotting them peeking out of the snow,  but it's never gotten easier to see them. The snowfall was mild but present, adding onto the pile of smothering, cold powder already covering the corpse. I dusted off the body- revealing a young man, long dead. His skin was a dark blue, stained by the touch of winter.

For the first time in a long time, I took my mittens off. The rabbit skin usually never leaves my hands.. But these times are always the exceptions. I let a hand drift over his frozen, open eyes, closing them shut. I buried him deep into the snow, marking his grave with a stone cairn. I stuffed his scarf between the small rocks, watching as it danced in the wind.

For 6 months, I’ve carried out this duty that no one else will. Six months I’ve fought off wolves, starvation, and the cold. As the dead sleep, I tuck them into their snowy coffins, hiding them away from this world and its cruel indifference. The snow will never melt. The sun still shows its face, but winter will never leave.

Ever since the first flare, this place has never been the same. The world is ending, yet the sun still rises every morning. No, the world isn’t ending. It’s far from over. Life will still flourish on its crust and in its seas. 

Our world is over. It's obvious to anyone paying attention. The lights have stopped working. Our cars have run dry. There’s nothing left except the snow. 

What started as a trip to see the northern lights with friends turned into a winter hellscape of proportions unspeakable. It seems like only minutes ago we were all drinking and laughing around the fireplace in the cabin. How did it get this bad? I’ve spent weeks wondering if my family back home is ok, if they are alive. If they are experiencing the same hell that I am.

I still hold onto my cellphone. When the lights dance in the sky, it flickers back to life. Even if it can't call for help, it can show me pictures of happier times. The pain and frustration of not being able to call or text my family is cruel, but the world is not only that. The screen can still show me photos of happier times. Of the days of the old world. Sometimes I hear it ringing. When I turn it on, though, all I'm met with is my reflection against the dark, dead screen.

I’ve come to the only conclusion possible: What’s happening here can only be the work of mother nature herself. Her beasts seek us out for their survival, though I wonder if the act of killing us is to satisfy their hunger or to protect themselves. We really should have seen this coming. With everything we’ve done to the earth, this is almost karmic. I used to weep for the dead, but now I imagine they weep for me.

My life is now nothing but constant solipsism. I left them behind, and this is my punishment. We were caught in the storm with the wolves on our tails. We were trying to get to the coast, find a boat. How foolish we were to think there was an end to this?

I only needed to be faster than them. When they caught Mandy, I didn’t look back.. But not even the roaring winds could drown out her screams. Louis stopped to help her, to try to fight off the wolves. Ben screamed for me to come back. I couldn't stop- my legs wouldn't let me.

After putting enough distance between us, I turned to look back. their lanterns flickered against the fur of the wolves tearing into their throats before they burnt out. I do this for them, for all of the souls who’ve drifted off into their long dark. I do this so that eventually when I join them, all will be right. I often wonder if anyone is still alive here.  If anyone else is alone and in need of help.

Today I reached the lighthouse. The one by the desolate coastline we tried to reach.

 The wolves got me good this time. I have one last shell left for the flare gun. I used the rest of them to scare off the bears and timberwolves. If by some chance someone is out there- a chance someone might see it.. I have to try. I’ll go to the top of the tower tonight and fire it

Now all that’s left to do is wait. I’ll wait here until someone arrives or until the wolf bite gets infected. Hopefully they’ll have more antiseptic. 

 

 

I can’t slip away. Not here. I have to go back to the cabin. There, I can rest. I’ll join them all there. I’ll find some of that lichen. I remember Louis telling me about the kind his grandma used to use when he'd get cut.

 I’ll survive until I can get there. If you saw my signal, come find me. Meet me by the cabin by the lake, near the tracks. You’ll know the one. Go through the fractured highway towards the coast, where the Quonset is. Go up through the paths until you find the railroad. Follow it until you make it to the cabin. I’ll be there, one way or another.