End of Oasis: Final

As William slept many things weighed on his sub-conscious. His body wondered what it would have to do in the coming days. Perhaps even just the next morning. He had no love for who he was, and what he’s had to do in the past. Despite that, his mindset differs when confronted with necessity, and he has no problem with doing what he must. And his body is capable. And as it stands, that’s all that really matters.

“Wake up princess!” Rash yelled as he splashed a bucket of sand in Will’s face.

“What the fuck!?” Will said. “A bucket of sand!”

“Get off your ass and maybe next it’ll be a bucket of water!”

Rash and William walked through the camp. People around them appeared to be preparing for war. Sharpening blades, and cleaning firearms. William clenched his chest tightly with his hand. His eyes went blank and suddenly he wasn’t seeing what was right in front of him. He saw a future. One with blood spilled, staining the sand, red being the only moisture in sight, and it was pure tragedy.

“Humanity doesn’t exist anymore…” he whispered.

“What was that?!” Rash asked. “Speak up!”

“Sorry sir. I was just talking to myself.” Upon saying that Rash stopped dead in his tracks, forcing William to bump into him.

“Wow you’re delirious. We need to find that water as soon as possible.”

Rash grabbed his motorcycle, and William jumped on the back of Rash’s Harley. Rash revved the engine, and it was the loudest noise in the already bustling camp. This was a point of pride for Rash. The motor was so powerful it nearly shook the Earth. Rash smirked as William sat there with a nervous expression.

“Won’t they hear us coming?” Will asked.

“Maybe.”

“Well doesn’t that worry you a little?”

“Ha! What, are they going to pick the body of water up and move it!?” Rash pointed before bursting into laughter. “We’re going to scout ahead. Once we find it we’ll radio back to Seth and give him our location. And then we’ll take that water.”

“So negotiation is completely off the table?” Will said as Rash looked at him annoyed.

“Negotiation?” Rash put his finger on a pair of dog tags. “Negotiation doesn’t exist.”

The two of them headed North. Driving stakes of rebar into the ground as markers for Seth and the others to follow. The cloud of sand and stone being kicked up dwarfing what Will’s CB77 was capable of. The urgency was utmost. Rash knew diving headfirst into war wasn’t the most effective way of tackling this situation. But the whole camp was already knocking on Heaven’s door.

What could they do? This was a question that Rash had thought about. If they attempt a negotiation and it leads nowhere then they all die of dehydration. If they choose to let this opportunity go they die of dehydration. But if they fight… if they fight they die with hope. They die having given it their all. To Rash that seems better than simply falling asleep one night and being consumed by the endless sand dunes left the world over.

“I don’t envy our future selves.” Will yelled. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited. It seems like we’ve got a few more cards left to play before the games over.”

“Yeah… it’s a new lease on life for us. I remember years ago, before I found you and indoctrinated you and Beverly into my tribe. We had traveled out West, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. We had somebody with us who knew how to purify the salt water and it seemed we were going to make it after all. Surviving off the coast. Like the ancient Egyptians when they drew their water from the Nile.”

“The Ocean. It was all gone wasn’t it?” Will had asked.

“No, it was still there. It had become a corpse. Jagged rocks of pure white. The sodium had built up in the most peculiar way, and the fossils and leftovers of thousands of pieces of sea life laid petrified beneath it. It was so terrifying, it was heartbreaking, and it was…” Rash had paused in a thought of remembrance.

“It was what?”

“It was… one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.”

The two started coming up on a large dune. As they rode through the desert they both thought they saw the makings of a mirage. But the fact that they both saw it was the telltale sign it was reality. Rash came to an aggressive stop in the sand as they neared the peak of the dune. The look on the two’s face was serious as it could get. But then suddenly Rash’s lips formed a smirk as he looked down at the Oasis in the distance.

The large group of people below scurried to prepare for battle. Digging in and trenching up. The weapons they bore were even more primitive than Rash’s and their clothing even more primitive than that. Rash knew this was going to be a cinch in how easy this was going to be for them. He’d feel guilty if he weren’t so fucking happy. “We’re going to plow over them like a steamroller.” Rash said.

“Something doesn’t seem right. They’re already preparing for battle, but they don’t seem to know we’re here. They were already prepping for war before we arrived.” Will had pointed out.

“What’s the big deal? They already encountered you right? Why wouldn’t they be ready for an attack?” Rash replied.

“I didn’t leave any loose ends though. Unless…” Will’s spirit broke at the thought.

“What is it?”

“The Metallic Order.” Will said. “The two men I ran into said they’ve had a run in with a powerful group of people with firearms, probably explosives and armored up in iron and steel.”

“Damn…” Rash said. “It’s too bad, we’ve still got no choice. Let’s rendezvous with the others.” Rash said as he jumped back on the bike with William right behind him.

Following the stakes along the way Beverly, and Seth drove the cargo truck leading the charge. Several trucks and Jeeps rode behind them, both women and children armed and ready for battle. Seth’s hands sweating as he held the steering wheel. Everybody following along seemed to have the same feeling of unnerving resting in their gullet. But not Beverly. She looked out the window with a sense of melancholy. Seth noticing her managed to calm down and loosen his grip on the wheel.

“How are you so calm right now?” Seth asked, laughing nervously.

“I don’t know. I guess I just don’t see a point in feeling anxious.”

“Really? We’re about to be fighting for our lives soon though. You aren’t afraid?”

“We were already fighting for our lives. It’s the same old shit. Part of me was happy that was all about to end. Willy always holds onto hope, and I love that about him… but this past week when we’d just given up. I don’t know, I was having fun and relaxing for really the first time. And all I wanted to do was drink, and to party, and to fall asleep next to the one I love and just not have to get up in the morning but now we’re here…” Beverly monologued but managed to maintain an expressionless face throughout.

To Seth this was incredibly sobering. He pondered if adding more fuel to the fire was necessary. He felt similarly to Beverly not too long ago. But for him that may have just been accepting the inevitability of his situation. And now that a new stood before him creaked open, he knew he just had to pass through it. He didn’t know for sure what was best. But he knew Rash always said to keep moving forward. Now the opportunity to was there, and it couldn’t be passed up.

As the tribe drove they could see a speck off in the distance. It was Rash and Will. The whole gang was together. Now was the moment leading up to the moment of truth. Seeing if their future would be assured. Will told the rest of them to be vigilant. That a much more powerful and far more organized enemy may exist. Despite this the warning, while being taken seriously was still dismissed. Mainly because it needed to be. The fight was underway. They had no choice.

“All right everyone! I know we’ve all had to fight to survive! And for many of us this won’t have been the first time we’ve had to kill…” Rash reiterated as Will clenched his shaky fist. “But just because we’ve endured hardship, I know this doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. Just remember, regardless of if you fall in battle today… we were all already dead to begin with.”

“You heard him.” Seth said somberly. “Let’s lock and load.”

Meer minutes later the tribe arrived at The Oasis but had no time to prepare. As predicted the battle had already begun without them. The Metallic Order had already begun their assault and much to the shock of both Beverly and Will they were just as the two strangers described them. Brutal, rustic, and of course metallic. Iron clad, and sporting weapons Rash and his group just weren’t prepared for.

Ammunition was still limited but compared to what the people of The Oasis had it seemed infinite. Men wearing what could barely be classified as clothing let alone armor were being shot in the head, disemboweled by rusty spears spilling their guts, and run down by trucks spitting their blood had their heads not been crushed. Burnt to crisps by vehicle mounted flamethrowers. It had barely been more than an hour since Rash and Will had been here and yet over 50% of the Oasis forces had been depleted while it seemed the Order’s had barely been touched. Of course this slaughter enraged Will even further.

“THOSE BASTARDS!” he said, “IF THEY HAD JUST TOLD ME THE TRUTH… IF THEY HAD JUST ASKED WE COULD HAVE FOUGHT THIS TOGETHER! WELL FUCK THAT!! THEY’LL ALL MEET A SANDY GRAVE!”

“Willy!” Beverly yelled to get his attention but was ignored.

Will ripped his CB77 motorcycle from the trailer of one of the trucks. He jumped on, started the engine, and readied his steel pipe. He was going to go in for the kill. Or more appropriately said, all the kills. He threw his goggles over his eyes and snarled. Almost in tandem with the rev of the engine. He sped off and then down the sand dune, letting a battle cry that seemed to go on for miles. It was both blood curdling and boiling all at once.

However, this would not go unnoticed. A lieutenant of the Metallic Order’s forces would immediately catch wind of him. It was the same scout from the previous night. Nimble, petite, but very muscular despite their slim physique. And still adorning that same iron skull face plate. The very face of menace. This lieutenant was ready for him and readied their sword. A Japanese Katana. Dulled from it’s repeated use in combat. The Lieutenant stood ready, unwavering with nerves of steel. Those nerves however softened upon an entire tribe’s emergence from behind the dune. Led by Rash, as he pressed forward with charisma and conviction.

As Will had approached the warring factions, he did not discriminate. The first person to enter his path as he drove was a member of the community of Oasis. And like a 60’s teenager smashing a mailbox, his steel pipe would meet their skull. Him and his motorcycle already on to the next one before the previous body had hit the ground. Next would be a member of the Metallic Order. No visible blood need be shown. The enormous clanking sound that erupted from Will’s pipe meeting their headgear and the massive 2-inch-deep dent that appeared seemingly out of thin air was all that was needed to make the point. He was a force to be reckoned with. And as far the Order knew there was about one-hundred more forces to be reckoned with right behind him.

Will’s bike would be trashed as a piece of jagged steel hidden just below a few layers of sand would ruin his tire, causing a wipe out. But the destruction from his initial assault wasn’t over yet. His bike had spun off into the direction of one of the Metallic Order’s flamethrower mounted trucks. The wielder of which, in a panic would set the bike ablaze. This being a massive mistake, because as the flaming bike hurled into the side of said truck it triggered both to explode. Killing several members of both the Oasis, and the Order.

Will’s vision was a blur, and his hearing was static. He saw a blurb flash across his line of sight but was in no condition to react. The blurb was a member of the Order preparing to thrust a spear into his heart. Luckily for him Beverly had caught up to him. She pulled out her 38. and shot the attacker twice in the chest until he fell. She then knelt down to help snap him out of it.

“Willy!” Beverly said but Will couldn’t comprehend.

“Willy!” Beverly yelled again as Will began to come to.

“Willy!” Will was wide awake now.

“Bev?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m glad you’re okay.” She told him with a smile.

Will smiled at the sight of her. Maybe it was the adrenaline, but he saw her in a whole new light as before. However his heightened senses would pose to be both a blessing and a curse in this case, putting an end to one of his last moments of serenity. He shoved Beverly out of the way, drew his iron pipe from beneath the sand, and clashed with a katana causing a spark. The spark that ignited the flame to the fight of his life.

Meanwhile, Rash and Seth fought practically back to back. They needn’t speak to communicate with each other. Brass knuckle equipped to his right hand, and 9MM pistol in his left, Rash massacred anything that came at him. Be it Oasis community members and Metallic Order members alike they all fell. Craniums smashed so hard the eyes popped out, and kneecaps popped before being finished by an uppercut. Seth lacking a lot of the brute power and instinct that Rash had was made up for with skill and precision. He’d slash and gash with a switchblade. Weaving his blade through the air and into openings in the enemies’ defenses. His blade swiftly pierced necks, and between ribs. Blood pouring like a bottle of wine that’s been knocked over.

Both had prowess unparalleled. But as the members of their tribe fell one after the other in battle, they garnered more and more attention. As a member of the Oasis community picked up a spear from the Metallic Order she charged Rash with intent to kill. In an instant Rash felt a spray of warm liquid grace the nape of his neck. As he looked over his shoulder he saw his longtime friend and comrade Seth impaled before his eyes. His eyes twitched, the only expression he felt was pain. But in a split second he took that pain and transformed it into anger. He grabbed the spear from the sharp end, still lodged through Seth’s body and pulled the woman towards him with ferocity. Punching the woman so hard with his brass knuckles that it had crushed her nose and snapped her neck. Two more casualties.

Rash still had the ability to keep fighting. But as he looked around, too many members of his flock had succumbed to a violent end. He fell to his knees in shock. Only having the ability to stare off into space with his jaw dropped, a man wielding a lawn mower blade as a weapon swung from behind. As that first swing made contact with his neck, he did not scream, resist, or show any emotion. And as the swings kept coming, his head was eventually lobbed off.

His head rolling in the sand. Another casualty.

As the Lieutenant fought with Will, they had desperate clash after desperate clash. Will tried hard to avoid hits from the warrior as their slim physique allowed them to weave in and out with ease. One quick slash here, and another there. Though not fatal, Will was being slashed up something fierce. He bobbed and weaved as much as possible to avoid a fatal blow. But soon he felt himself teetering on the edge. Behind him was The Oasis.

In the moment he found himself entranced by its beauty. He had been entranced for so long that he’d almost forgotten he was in the middle of a desperate struggle. Luckily for him the Lieutenant too was distracted by the flowing splashing waters sparkling beauty. He saw this as his opportunity to strike, and he took a full swing with his steel pipe, smacking directly into the Lieutenants face plate as it flew off the warrior’s face. The jagged skull-like mask found itself amongst a pile of debris and garbage. Almost as if it were no different, as opposed to the symbol of fear it was meant to represent.

Shiny black hair, smooth like silk draped over the warrior’s face. As she looked up at Will with a battered nose and soft brown eyes attempting a brutish stare Will had been fooled twice, finding himself entranced by beauty once more as the petite figure finally made sense when paired with this beautiful Japanese warrior. This time however Will would not snap out of it in time. He would soon be pierced through the chest by the blade as it narrowly missed his heart. Unfortunately the wound was still fatal. As Will began to fall into The Oasis, he grabbed hold of her silky hair, dragging her in with him. They both fell in creating a large splash.

Pushing away from each other to gain ground they both de-submerged. Will had lost his coveted weapon in the water, While the warrior still had hers. She readied her sword as he scrambled to find his weapon. Just as she was about to strike though, a large fuel truck belonging to the Metallic Order crashed into The Oasis. They both witnessed thousands of gallons of gasoline and petrol fill the water, polluting it. Suddenly they both looked around. There was virtually no one left, and no water to sustain the ones that were.

The warrior looked at Will. She saw him gasping for air while putting pressure on his stab wound. She suddenly felt ill. A sense of guilt perhaps? She couldn’t even be sure of what she felt. She took a moment to enjoy the cool sensation of water soaking her from head to toe as the sun beat down on her. She enjoyed a moment of peace before turning her blade on herself and ending her own life.

Will was shocked. But that shock had been quenched by relief. But it wasn’t until his fight or flight instincts had deescalated that he truly felt the damage done to his own body. He slowly lost the ability to stand as the water cradled him like a baby. It felt good he thought. As if the water had literally begun to wash away his sins of the past, and he forgot about his brutal struggle. He stayed there, swaying back and forth in The Oasis, waiting for Beverly to come pull him out of the water. This was his last moment of serenity.

Minutes Later…

Beverly pushed an Oasis community member off her that she had killed in self-defense. As she stood and began walking she had noticed the battle was over. With only a few members of each faction remaining, and a polluted water supply, potentially the last ever there just didn’t seem to be a reason to keep going. They must’ve all felt this way because even as they dispersed they didn’t go with the few remaining members of their own groups. Opting instead to simply vanish into the horizon of the desert. For it was as Rash had said, they were all already dead.

She searched for Will, not wanting to believe that it was over until she’d seen it with her own eyes. And before she knew it she had. She saw him lay peacefully in the water. No longer with her. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go she thought. But despite the overwhelming sense of melancholy that had once again taken her over, there was a bit of happiness too. That was the smile plastered on Will’s face.

“Will…” she said. She considered entering the water and floating side by side with him. But she couldn’t bring herself to. After all there was no point in relishing this wondrous place if she couldn’t actually do that with him there, truly there at least. Instead she said her goodbye to him with a faint smile and a single tear, and vanished into the desert.