“Give me! Give me!”

I listened from the kitchen table as my brothers, both twins, grabbed for a toy robot.

My mind wondering as I watched them, so innocent from the ravaging moments of grief from losing Mom.

“Boys.” My father warned as he finished up the eggs he had on the stove. Sam and Evan both stopped and looked up at him, and then without any words made their way to the table. Since she’d passed they had tried their best not to upset Dad. It worked most times than not.

He sat plates of bacon, eggs and toast in front of us without any more words. He used to be so full of life, I thought silently. We ate in silence the clock ticking in the back of the room, the sun coming in the windows to kiss my cheeks and make my eyes squint.

“AJ I hate to do this to you but I have another late shift at the hospital.”

“But Dad-“

“Ah-Let me finish! I’ll leave you the car, the boys want to go to the park and I need you to run by the bank this afternoon to deposit rent money.”

I raised an eyebrow but nodded my head in agreement. Dad never left me the car, for good reason, but I still didn’t have to be happy about it. When he did leave me the car is was for emergencies only except if the boys wanted to go somewhere. Which meant I could sneak in a few stops by bribing the boys. I snuck a glance at the boys who were smiling down into their breakfast, they had always enjoyed our adventures especially since they didn’t have to tell dad. And I always replaced the gas anyway, so it balanced out.

“Okay.” I say, my eyes still on my plate and he gives a satisfied nod. He’s happy I didn’t argue with him. I huffed inwardly, I missed my mom.

Five hours later were standing in the huge bank my father used in downtown New York. You could always hear the honking and traffic even outside of the city limits, but it created a great distraction when laying in bed at night.

“I want to go to the park.” Evan grumbled to Sam.

“Sissy will take us after. Be patient.”

I grinned to myself as I listened to my brothers. Sam was so sweet and always listened to what I had to say because he knew I would never steer them wrong. I was one of their biggest protectors now. I had no choice in that matter when mom decided to take matters into her own hands. The boys started to play rock paper scissors while we stood in the longest stretch since The Green Mile, my foot started to tap with anxiety.

“Next,” a lady to my left called and my feet started toward when screams echoed outside. The room shifted as people turned and began to watch the horror outside.

“Oh my god, Jack!” A woman screamed in horror as a man outside the window jumped onto her husband and started ripping at his flesh. Blood spattered the window and the woman dropped to her knees with wailing sobs. I grabbed my brothers and pulled the close and screams and panic wafted through the enormous room. Then the gunshots started and more blood spattered the walls. My brothers were crying now and I didn’t know what to do, I was frozen. Then the windows blew in and my ears are ringing as I no longer have my brothers in my arms. I’m lying on the floor with my head throbbing.

My ears are still ringing from the gunshots that echoed through the hall seconds before. Screams, so many screams as flesh is torn from bone and bullet casings litter the ground.

Military Men.

I was still sprawled on the floor, my brothers groaning as they tried to pick themselves up. I groaned in pain as I hurried them to me. They were littered with cuts from the airborne glass but other than that they looked fine. Tears came to my eyes and I hugged them fiercely. We will get out of this, together.

“Everybody down and do it now!”

I felt as though I could hear the pin being ripped from the iron grip of the gernade. I watched as the dark skinned man lifted his hand over his head and let the ball fly.

My only thought?

_Oh shit._

The bomb was going to our left so instinctively I barrel rolled to the right bringing my brothers with me, slamming into concrete as the explosion rocked the building. Everything went fuzzy and my head felt like a wasps nest.

“E-Evan?” My speech was slow and thick “Sammy?”

“I’m okay.” I hear Sammy’s voice creak from my left. My vision was still so blurry, I shook my head trying to gain back some kind of sense.

“Evan?” I say again, hoping for an answer but nothing comes. Sammy starts to cry heavily, his tiny squeaks throbbing through my head.

“Sammy, where’s bubba?” I ask softly.

“He’s in pieces sissy.” He sobs, my heart clinching with needles. My vision was finally starting to clear and I wish I had been blinded and how selfish was I for thinking that when his twin brother lay feet from him?

His torso was in half and his beautiful blue eyes, now glassy with death lay on Sammy. My brother who survived laid in a pool of his own urine as he sobbed for his other half. What will I tell Dad? Oh God…

A hand on my back, and than another as someone picks me up. My scream is bloodcurdling as they wrap their arms under my legs.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Just a broken leg. You’ll be alright.” A warm male voice says in my ear and I moan in pain.

“What’s going on?” I manage.

“The apocalypse.” He whispered back.