Quarantine Blues

The siren’s sharp high-pitched trill jolted Kabir upright. He frantically reached for the switch to turn it off, his heart paced wildly. They were sensitive to loud noises, Looking around, he was dismayed to find himself back in the prison chamber. 

Those damn creatures had moved him again! 

He’d have to take better care where and when he fell asleep from now on. 

The defenses of the bunker definitely needed to be improved, perhaps use barbed-wire or explosives this time. He made mental notes while surveying his surroundings. At least he’d held on to his side-arm while they dragged him around. It would make the journey back to the bunker easier. 

Checking the magazine for bullets (Only three shots left, damn), he cocked the gun and moved towards the door. He found it thankfully unlocked. Perhaps their intelligence was deteriorating more rapidly than he had initially assumed. 

Kabir carefully surveyed both sides of the corridor before moving out. Although the creatures were mostly nocturnal, he had seen some of them slinking around during the day, with bloodshot eyes and sagging skin. It made him shudder as he advanced on the stairs. 

Careful not to make any unnecessary noise, he descended the stairs one by one. He was delighted to see that the creatures hadn’t bothered to disarm his traps from last night. The traps would not stop the monsters in their tracks completely but he would get a warning when they eventually came for him. Survival in the apocalypse could sometimes hinge on a few extra seconds. 

Having successfully reached the landing without raising any alarm, he made his way to the kitchen. Kabir wasn’t too worried about the creatures so early in the morning, his primary adversary would be the beast. Unlike the slow, shambling creatures, the beast was fast and ruthless. It’s actions were unpredictable and it’s motives unknowable.

As he reached the kitchen, he stumbled for a moment, his clothes were getting tangled in his feet again. Another way the creatures ensured his demise. Before moving underground for the day, he thought of replenishing his supplies. But too much commotion in the kitchen would definitely arouse their suspicions. Perhaps they hadn’t gotten into his stash at the bunker. 

“Another dry breakfast”, sighed Kabir as he shuffled towards the bunker’s entrance.

A shock went through his entire body as he heard a soft clicking sound. Kabir stood frozen on the spot, he heard claws scraping against the cold hard floor of the kitchen. They were steadily getting closer. He turned around to see his doom approaching. The first thing he saw was the beast’s snout, it scrunched up as the infernal demon sniffed the air, no doubt smelling Kabir’s fear. It was followed by a giant head, glowing blue eyes set in a wild face, fangs bared. 

The shaggy thing bounded towards Kabir. His hand raised of its own accord, he squeezed the trigger as tightly as he could. Emptying the entire clip at the mass of fur and fangs running towards him. The bullets bounced off it like pebbles thrown against a charging rhino. Before Kabir could think about anything else, the hellspawn was on him.

Incomprehensible thoughts went through Kabir’s head as the beast clamped its jaws on his neck. 

————————————————————————————————————-

Although the noise was very dull and far away, it none-the-less woke her up, perhaps it was one of those sixth sense things her mom always harped on about. Sara turned around to see Omar sound asleep, one arm dangling down the bed, soft snores emanating from a partially open mouth. Letting him lie, she got up and put on her slippers. 

Getting down the stairs was a struggle as usual, she’d make Kabir put the toys away after breakfast. Speaking of Kabir, she found the boy “wrestling” with Lyra in the kitchen. Her son was still small enough that the husky could give him some actual competition. But Lyra was always gentle with him, never scratching or biting hard enough to draw blood. Kabir had also become gentler over the years, he was pretending to choke the dog, Lyra to her credit was fake howling at a suitably high pitch.

At the sight of her entering the kitchen, Lyra disentangled herself from Kabir and bounded up to her, tail wagging, she started licking Sara’s fingers. Kabir was panting and aimed his nerf-gun at her. 

“Stay back, Zombie!” his tiny little voice proclaimed. 

Sarah had to stifle a laugh as she rolled her eyes. She had told Omar that a six year old was too young to watch zombie movies but when had he ever listened. At least he was out of the Dino phase. 

Sarah put kibble in Lyra’s bowl and fixed Kabir some oatmeal. When he sat down to eat, she came behind him and planted a big, motherly smooch on a rosy cheek. 

“Argh, I’m infected now!”, Kabir moaned, wiping at his face

“I’m gonna have to wait till the evening Siren to try again now”, he said petulantly. He looked so much like his father whenever he pouted. 

“Wait, evening siren? What’s that?”, Sarah asked, pretending to be intrigued

“When I get up from my afternoon nap”, Kabir replied with a mouthful of oatmeal 

Sarah shook her head as she made herself a cup of coffee. 

Thwack! Rang through the kitchen, she turned around to see a rubber arrow stuck to Kabir’s forehead. The boy was going cross-eyed trying to look at it. 

“I’ve captured the wild boy!” her husband proclaimed in triumph from the other side, still in his pajamas, holding a toy crossbow. 

“You’ll never catch me” Kabir bellowed as he ran out, oatmeal only half eaten. 

Omar ran after him, yelling something about putting him on display in a zoo. Sensing the excitement, Lyra ran after them too, trailing kibble on the floor. Despite her annoyance, Sarah started giggling, she could feel a belly laugh coming on. Perhaps quarantining with her Husband and son wouldn’t be so bad after all.