A Child Cries

I really dislike children. They are loud, obnoxious, selfish little brats who believe the world revolves around them. Sure, I know they don’t understand how harsh and uncompromising reality is. However, my opinion remains unchanged.

Though I have to admit, it’s not exactly the children that bother me. It’s the crying. Not the annoying kind where they stamp their feet in protest out of anger, mind you. Rather, it’s the type that pierces your soul and makes you empathize. The type when they realize the most precious person to them has been taken away by a cruel twist of fate. The type just moments before they die like everyone else.

It…

Tick.

Two weeks had passed since I first arrived in this place, and everything played out like the others. ‘Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. Those who do know history are doomed to relive it.’ It seemed that phrase continued to ring true in every world.

The chaos continued to grow as the violence in the streets raged. On almost every street there were at least five or six dead for some reason or another. People had already formed factions to monopolize the non-perishable food and drinking water. A few still tried to rely on money to get their way, but here, it rarely stopped a bullet.

From what I could gather out of the radio, there were a few countries that were relatively peaceful. Though whether that was due to united hands trying to stop the crisis or autocratic propaganda, it was hard to say. It wouldn’t help either way. Even if you were to go to the bottom of the Challenger Deep, you would die regardless once the gamma ray burst arrived. Speaking of, that green dot in the sky had grown a bit. Weird, given my knowledge of physics, but maybe this world operated on a stranger set of principles than the others.

Tick.

As for me, I explored the area, currently going through the fourth apartment complex. At first, I tried searching for a department store, but no matter where I looked, I couldn’t find one. So, after a few days, I gave up and started raiding any vacant apartments. It wasn’t hard to get in – most of them either had a giant hole or an open door, likely from those running to a shelter. Still, I wasn’t sure if it was by luck or coincidence, but the clothes were either from men or women of a completely different stature. A bit inconvenient, but I didn’t have anything better to do. Plus, it was easier to clean up nearby scum, so a win-win in my book.

This condo was the same as the others – no good clothes, no non-perishable food, and no power. The sofa was comfy though, and although the building was falling apart, it was mostly intact. With the sun going down, I decided to crash here for the night. Sleep wasn’t necessary; after all, I was a doll. However, wandering the streets at this time was a fool’s choice for an average person. I would probably be fine, but with my dwindling bullet count, I’d prefer not to be in such a disadvantageous position.

So, with my eye on the clock, I kept watch out the window as the green-lit moon rose from the horizon.

Tick.

CCCCRRRRAAASSSSSSHHHHHH!!!!

Tick.

Just as the uneventful night came to an end and the black sky gained a brighter hue, the building shook. It felt like an earthquake, throwing me to the floor. Plates and glasses shattered while any loose shelving made the noise even louder. Then, as fast as it came, it disappeared, leaving only the familiar destruction behind.

However, that wasn’t my main concern at the moment. Instead, a faint sound captured my attention.

“...w… ……h……”

Someone was still here.

Tick.

Since I could hear it, the noise likely came from the condo above mine. So, I grabbed my belongings and rushed up the nearest staircase, making sure to have my gun at the ready. While I had to be fast, I also needed to be cautious. Who knew who else was lurking in this building? Getting assaulted was not on my agenda.

As I exited onto the floor above, I headed down the hall, checking the room numbers. The sound became clearer as the odd numbers sped past.

“Waaaaaahhhhhh… waaaaahhhhh…” The high-pitched noise was unmistakable as I finally arrived at the suspected condo. I tried turning the doorknob, but it was locked.

“Hello!?” I raised my voice just loud enough so the people inside could hear me. “Is anyone in there? Are you okay?”

“Waaaaaahhhhhh… mommy… waaaaahhhhh…” Well, that confirmed my suspicions. However, I didn’t hear anyone moving on the opposite side of the door. I tried calling out a few more times, but the person on the other side continued to cry. However, their voice grew quieter with each minute, so I had to take some drastic actions.

Tick.

“Okay, move away from the door! I'm going to open it in 3! 2! 1!”

Bam! Bam! I shot the door knob, destroying the mechanism enough to push open the door with a solid shove. Dust billowed out of the entrance and pieces of rubble littered the floor, meaning that the room had likely collapsed. With a cautious step, I made my way closer to the crying. It sounded like it was coming from the living room.

Tick.

“Waaa… mom…” A young girl, likely no older than ten, laid on the ground, weeping as she called her mother’s name. She pleaded over and over again as she stared at the ceiling, trying to get her attention. However, her mother would never respond. Only an arm remained sticking out of the rubble, grasping the girl’s ripped off hand. She was in such a state of hysteria, she didn’t even notice the pain, nor the blood pooling out. The girl’s eyes were hazy, indicating she was already far past the point of no return. I doubted she could even hear me. Even if I tried to save her, there was no way I could move the rubble pinning her lower half.

All I could do was watch as the girl died in front of me, crying her soul out.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

I really hated these moments.

Tick.

“Mmm… aah… aah… waaaaaahhhhhh…” Another cry rang out from further down the hall. After a bit of hesitation, I took my eyes off the girl and quietly walked towards the sound, opening any doors with only the slightest noise.

In a room just off to the side was a crib. Inside, a baby boy slowly moved its arms and legs, trying to grasp an invisible something in the air. His eyes squinted, but he wasn’t able to move his head. He cried out for his mother, probably hungry or in need of a diaper change.

It was nearly impossible for a baby to survive on its own in this apocalypse. Even if the mother was still alive, the constant attention would wear her down. Supply runs would be impossible because the baby could cry out, notifying others to her location. The worst part was he wouldn’t even live to remember any of this. The world would end way before then.

I could try to take care of the kid, but then I would have the same complications. People had taken over supermarkets and other food stores, so obtaining any more formula would be difficult, assuming any was still not damaged here. As much as I wanted to believe there were good samaritans there, they would probably ask for something in return – something I could not give them.

Tick.

I stared up at the ceiling, similar to the girl, as I came to my decision.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.