I woke up, tired, rattled, and tied.

Wait, I was _tied?_

__

__

What the hell? Where was I? I looked down, sure enough there was rope around my body that bined me to a chair.

I heard someone mumbling, whispered cryptic messages. I looked up, some rando who’s hair was frizzled and choppy, with wide-eyes was stepping out the kitchen, knife in hand.

“Y—you! Y—you’re gonna die! I’m gonna kill you...

“Beautiful, ain’t it Chris?” Sean said, rifle in hand as he stopped his horse at the waterfall.

It had been ten years since the zombie apocalypse had taken over the world, and very few of us were still surviving. I had been one of the lucky. Sean and I had gone to junior high together, then we left together running from our friends who turned into undead monsters. We had taken shelter together, ...

I looked at him and he looked at me. What kind of luck had I just gotten? He was walking out his apartment the minute I pull up.

He stared at me for a hot second, then bolted. I chased after him, sprinting faster than I ever have. I used all my track star energy and pushed myself harder. My legs were crying out in pain and my feet were already burning, but I knew I couldn’t stop.

I pushed my ha...

If only this world had shown me a little more mercy. If this world showed me empathy then it wouldn’t be on fire. If it only showed me a little compassion I wouldn’t be standing in front of the fire that would destroy it.

If they showed pity, I wouldn’t be inhaling the dark, ashy smoke that was rising from the fire. I could feel the flames on my skin, burning, pinching, and cracking at it like a...

The damp, misty air hit like a soft tsunami, sending shivers along the body, goosebumps rising. Breathing in felt like breathing under a pool, except this was nice.

Birds, monkeys, insects, and bugs all filled the silence, all sounding like a choir. Beautiful, imperfect, and elegant in their sounds. The heartbeat was in sync to them, trying to reach out and become one.

A mix of smells hit the no...

It was that time of year again. Hunt day.

Ever since my country was occupied, the government set up a program where they select one volunteer hunter who will chase a random town for twenty-four hours every year.

That town happened to be mine this year.

The Hunter went to the middle of Main Street. He said in his speech he was a “hide-and-go-seek” man. That he wanted us in random buildings for hi...

Life wasnt easy these days. The government had been running low on minerals and supplies to the point neighboring countries were getting ready to invade us.

And we had no power to do anything against them.

That was until the Ship.

No one knows where it came from, who it came from, or why it came, but all we knew was we had to exploit it.

Humans, that’s what we’re made for.

The minute the govern...

My name is Carson, fourteen and still single. And I’ve always been that way.

I was in my bed one day, on my phone, when my friend—Kyra—texted me.

_Okay but like_

_Did my hair look better straight or curled_

My heart skipped a beat. For a while now I’ve liked Kyra, and she’s been embedded to my thoughts like a virus to a computer. I saw her on the TV, she was in my dreams, I was restless without ...

The chambers slowly defrosted.

Henry opened his eyes slowly, hand in front of his eyes. It was hard to see with the blinding light.

Slowly, his foot automatically moved out, but upon impact his legs shook and he fell.

His hands hit the Antarctic-cold ground, a sudden jolt throughout my whole body.

“Sir!” someone called, though he could barely hear out his ears, and everything sounded muffled.

...

I was in school, per usual. I was learning about the Civil War, but I really I was just doodiling next to my notes.

My name was Tanner Ukule. I was a fourteen year old eighth grader. I’ve always wanted love, always wanted to hold a girl’s hand in my own, but the past two times proved failure. This time I was after Sam Kim, my speech and debate partner in the mock trial.

Though, I feel it’ll only ...