Roaming the Living Wastelands
By J.M.Wolf

Part 3: Road to Devastation

11/02/12

*click* The video camera slowly powered up and started recording. There were hanged clothes and frightened furs in the background. They were all cowering against the wall of what looked to be a women's clothing store. The fur holding the camera was shaking with fear, making the camera shake in sync with him. Mumbling could be heard coming from the cameraman, something Spanish in a fear stricken tone. "Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo. Santificado se---" The Spanish fur's prayer was cut short. A tall panther in a suit could be seen reaching towards the cameraman, but could not be seen what he did that made the fur stop praying. One of the panther's huge black paws came up to the camera lens, darkening the video image.

"I can't do this señor." The cameraman's heavy Spanish accent could be heard in the darkened video feed. No matter how hard it was to understand his thick accented speech, pure fear was easily recognizable in any tongue.

"You can do it, just focus. Ignore everything around you." The paw was removed from the lens. Slowly, the panther backed away from the camera. He could be seen mumbling things to the cameraman, reassuring him that everything would be alright. He looked right at the camera, which was still noticeably shaking. The panther cleared his throat. His shaking paw raised a microphone up to his muzzle.

"Panic fills the streets of Kansas City! Local furs have gone insane and have started to attack their neighbors and loved ones. A huge uproar has swept over the entire city making streets unsafe. But rumor has it; we aren't the only ones under this type of attack. Out of town furs who passed thought the city have claimed similar events in other places across the country. Here behind me, furs from not only Kansas City, furs from locations across the country have been cornered by the hysterical civilians that now roam the streets."

The panther raised his free paw and made a "come here" gesture at the furs behind him. A dark-brown bloodhound got up, attempt to that is. Furs around him helped the canine up. As soon as he was up and gained his balance, he walked towards the panther. The camera zoomed into the canine's face. He was an old bloodhound. His days of sniffing out furs or anything that caught his fancy were way behind him. 

"Please, clearly say your name and where you're from into the mic sir." Said the panther, as he raised the microphone up to the canine's muzzle.

He first licked his dry lips, causing drool to fall onto the floor under him. The panther ignored that. "My name is William J. De la Tour. I was raised and lived all of me life in New Orleans, Louisiana." He licked his lips once more. The camera followed as the mic shifted back to the panther's muzzle. "Now Mr. De la Tour, what brings you up into Kansas City?" Mic and camera back to the canine.

"Me daughter was worried 'bout them missing reports 'cross the country. So she invited me to her home up in Wisconsin while all this stuff run its course," the old canine coughed, "I was on me way, but then I stopped here to buy her a lil' gift. Next thing I know, me and these other folks here get chased into store by them freaks out there."

The microphone and camera shifted once more, but for the last time. "What are your thoughts on what may have caused this period of mass insanity?" Question time was over. Loud roars and shrieks could be heard outside of the camera's view. Every fur could be seen turning to the source of the disturbing noise, the camera followed. Everyone gasped at the sight. Women, men and children could all be heard screaming in fear. The ungodly shrieking and glass breaking echoed in the store as the monsters could be seen breaking through the large display window.

The camera hit the floor, tilting the view of the video sideways. Frightened furs could be seen running to the rear of the store. Their feetpaws were the only thing visible, but it was easy to tell they were running from danger. The screams and yelling were soon drowned in the growling and shrieking of the rabid furs. Limping paws passed in front of the floored camera, leaving a trail of their past victim's blood behind. 

A blood-covered footpaw kicked the camera as it kept limping to its target. The view changed. The sight was unbearable and breathtaking. Screams of agonizing pain distorted the audio feed. Cubs screamed for their moms and dads, but we're soon silenced as their throats were ripped out by the monsters’ sharp fangs and bare paws. Parents had to witness their children get eaten alive. Others were lucky in a way, drowning in their own blood and tears, not witnessing their cubs’ slow death. 

The abominations gave no mercy. They continued to bite and claw at the pile of unfortunate furs. Blood pooled under the bodies. Quiet moans for help could be heard, but soon silenced as the furs died one by one. They all lay there dead with organs exposed, except for one. It was a young jaguar, what was left of him anyway. He slowly crawled his way towards the camera with the bare bones that were left where his paw used to be. Tears exited his right eye, the only eye he had left, and disappeared into his blood soaked face. He reached the camera. His exhausted and mutilated body dropped to the floor in front of the recording camera. He looked right into the lens, tears still falling from his eye. His muzzle slowly opened. Blood gushed out as he let out a quiet cough. "Auxilio..." His head dropped on the forming pool of blood as his final breath left his tortured body. The life could be seen fading from his green eye. All that was left was the blank stare of a helpless dead fur and the sound of the infernal shrieking monsters in the background. 

Auxilio...help, there was no help coming. They all knew that, but they all refused to accept the horrid truth.

*****
11/07/12

"Fear not my fellow furs, we must let this widespread uproar run its course. The nation is in a state of depression, but will soon return to its orderly self in a couple days. Don't lose hope, for hope is what will save our nation from these challenging times." 

The broadcast was the same across the world, just in a different tongue. Politicians knew there was no hope for all furkind, yet they lied to the entire fur population like they were a bunch of cubs. Furs attempted to hide from this hysteric state. Few succeeded, many failed. The world was rapidly changing around everyone. Changing, but not for the best.

On November 7, 2012 at exactly 12:35 p.m., all forms of communication seized to function. The lying broadcast loop was cut short, only a monotonous ring exited all televisions across the world. Landlines and all cellular phones became obsolete. Furs could not contact loved ones to check up on their situation. Unable to establish Internet connection covered all computer monitors across the world. Why did this happen? Nobody knew. The government didn't give an adequate answer; they just said "Good luck bitches" and disappeared. 

Every fur was left to fight, unprepared for what lied ahead. The world moved on but the furs just stood there, slowly dying one by one. Some however, rose to the challenge. Instincts kick in, the will to survive is strong. Here is where the fight for survival begins.

***
"PIECE...OF...SHIT!" A loud thumping noise filled the gaps between the angry wolf's voice. His red paw continued to ram his cell phone against the wall. The phone's screen was in bad shape but two bold words easily stood out; No Service. "Fuck your shit!" The phone flew and landed across the room before he finished cursing at it.

"Calm down," the black-white wolf sitting in front of the computer monitored hissed under his breath. He didn't even turn to Mike; he continued to lightly slam his paws on the keyboard. "They'll hear us and that's the last thing we want right now." He began to frantically click the computer mouse. The clicking got faster and faster, but soon stopped as he swept the mouse off of the desk. "Fuck." He turned away from the monitor. "Why did they have to shut down the Internet?" Xer looked up at Mike, hoping to receive an answer. Mike just shrugged.

Xer turned back towards the monitor. He let out a loud sigh. "What the hell do we do now?" he tossed his head back, now facing the ceiling. "Is there anything we can even do? I mean," the wolf lifted his head up and quickly got up on his feet, "if the government couldn't do anything, what makes us think we stand a chance? We don't even know what the fuck is going on." He turned around towards Mike. He was staring furiously at his terminated phone that lied on the opposite end of the room. "Now it has a reason to not work." The black-red wolf turned towards Xer and nodded in agreement.

Mike exhaled. "Now it can rest in peace." There was now silence in the room. Both the wolves’ ears twitched, closely listening for the first time to the muted noises coming from outside. Quiet scream for help could be heard coming from outside the walls. They just stood there listening, trying to stay as quiet as possible. A loud thump echoed through the room as something crashed into the outside of the wall. A blood-curdling shriek pierced through the wall with ease, making the fur of both wolves stand. They exchanged looks, contemplating what they should do. 

"Should we help?" Xer mouthed to Mike, still listening to the commotion.

Mike frantically shook his head, causing his head fur to toss side to side. "No," he growled, trying to stay as quiet as possible. He crept closer to his mate, "we try to help, we'll end up needing help ourselves." A large thump came from the nearby window, the shriek turned into shrieks accompanied by screams for help. They both turned towards the window. Shrieks got louder, screaming slowly faded. A deep wheezing replaced the screams, and then everything got quiet. Chewing loud enough to be heard by the wolves was all that remained. 

Both wolves gulped at the sound of chewing and snapping bones. They turned to each other, both wearing looks of fear on their faces. "Good thing we didn't go outside," Xer whispered, "or else we would have been the dead ones."

Mike nodded. "I told you so." He stuck his rough wolf tongue out at his mate. "Good thing you decided to not be stubborn like always." Xer laughed but quickly covered his muzzle, stopping the loud laugh in its tracks. That wasn't the only thing that stopped. Xer and Mike both noticed the agonizing sounds of mutilation had been silenced. Mike opened his muzzle but Xer quickly brought his paw up and held it tight. The wolf didn't resist, he stayed quiet and listened. They must have left ran through Mike's mind.

He reached up and removed the white paw from his muzzle. Xer just kept looking at the window, thinking the same thing as his mate. Mike looked at the window then towards Xer. "They're gone." Practically yelling, he assured his mate there was nothing to worry about. The black-white wolf quickly turned towards Mike. He reached up with his paw to cover his mate's muzzle, but it was too late. The loud words had been said.

Growls and shrieking resumed, louder and angrier than before. Paws slammed against the window from the outside. The volume of the crazed furs' violent cries suddenly increased as the window shattered. The pungent smell of rotting meat and wet fur followed the cries into the occupied room. "Fuck!" Both wolves yelled as one. Shrieking and thumping could now be heard now at the doorway to the apartment. They were trapped like a mouse in a maze, except there wasn't cheese waiting for them at the exit; only bloodthirsty "furstrosities”.  

"What the fuck do we do now?!" yelled Xer, not caring about staying quiet anymore. There was no need to stay quiet; the murderous furs already knew their location. Thanks to all the videos he's watched, audio feeds listened to and news articles read, he knew what their fate was going to be if they didn't find an escape soon. "Fuck! They got the exits blocked." Images of mutilated furs filled his mind. He started hyperventilating, the idea he and his mate might soon be just another number in the toll of dead furs joined his negative thoughts.

Mike felt the shaking Xer grip onto his arm. Mike himself was shaking, not wanting to go through the same thing that happened a few days ago. He could hear the door slams getting louder and louder, soon he heard a snapping noise, a bone perhaps. No, not a bone He turned towards the door. A huge black line split the door down in half, light from the outdoor lamp crept into the room through the crack. Fuck, there has to be a way out. His eyes lit up. What about the..."bathroom window!" he yelled out completing his thought. Mike turned and grabbed his mate's paw. Xer looked at Mike, confusion and fear contorting his face into an odd expression. "The bathroom window!" screaming right into Xer's face, "that's our way out!" He pulled, practically dragged the black-white wolf into a door way at the back of the room.  

The door slammed shut as they both entered a small dark room. Just in time too, a loud snapping noise came from the room they had just exited. Seconds later and they would have never made it to the bathroom. Growls could be heard, but nowhere near the bathroom door. Mike turned towards Xer. His mate's blue eyes were all that could be seen in the dim room. The only light coming in was from the gap underneath the door and a street lamp near a small window. He raised his red paw up onto his muzzle, running it across as if closing a zipper. Xer could only see the red fur of his mate's paw, but he knew what the gesture meant. He rolled his eyes, Now you'll stay quiet. 

Mike's paw move away from his muzzle and pointed to something behind his mate. It was the small window that welcomed the light into the room. Xer nodded, Time to get the fuck out of here.
    *****

Both furs slowly dropped to the grass-covered ground below the window, first Xer then Mike. They could hear growls and screams leave their neighbors apartments. They weren't the only ones under attack. The plague finally reached the tiny secluded apartments. Their home was no longer the safe haven they believed it to be. 

"Let's get out of here," Mike got close to Xer, holding him. Not wanting to lose him. "at least far away from here, a place where they can't hurt you." A combination of anger and fear filled Mike's hushed voice. He was tired of not knowing what caused all this, but so was everybody else. Most of all, he didn't want to see the love of his life killed by some blood-craving lunatics. He feared he would freeze up, just like at Wal-Mart days ago. "So any ideas of where to go?"

Xer nodded, "Where do hurt people go to receive help?"

"The hospital?"

"Exactly," Xer nodded again, "now to find out which direction the hospital is." Both wolves scanned their surroundings, still holding each other. All they could see was the road running up into the city and a huge parking lot at the opposite end of it. "We can take one of..," he suddenly became silent, the shaking resumed. "Don't move." Mike was about to question his mate, but then he saw what caused the sudden command.

A dark figure was slowly sneaking its way towards them. They both froze hoping it wouldn't notice the two bait wolves out in the open. The figure stopped, just feet away from the two canines. Slim arms rose holding a long unidentifiable object, a broom stick perhaps. "Duck!" yelled Mike right at Xer. As both wolves hit the grass, the object swung at the area above where they used to stand.

Now was his chance, Xer lunged forward at the dark figure. The attacker dropped his weapon as the wolf went full force at him. A white paw was raised, clenched, ready to pound at the now grounded attacker. Fist swung forward at incredible speed, "Stop!" but the grounded fur's words were faster. Xer's fisted paw stopped at mid swing, an inch or two away from what used to be the target. "Please stop. Don't hurt me." The mysterious fur began to weep. The wolf got a closer look at the crying fur as the dim street cleared the darkness from his face. It wasn't a horrid being who needed to be taught a lesson, it was just a kid.

Mike got up from the ground in a flash and went over to where his mate pinned the swinging fur. He was surprised how far his mate launched himself and the attacker. As he approached them he saw his mate lower his fist, now getting a better view of the attacker's face. It was a kid, more of a teenager actually. It was another wolf. His violet eyes easily shown in the dim lighting, revealing his tears. "Are you alright?" Mike got down asking the pinned wolf.

"Hey, what about me?" asked Xer, insulted not being asked about his well being.

Mike looked at his mate, sticking his tongue out at him. "You know I know that you can take care of yourself." Xer laughed, quietly, and nodded. Both turned their focus to the new wolf in the pack. "So you never answered my question."

"I'd feel better if this dude got off of me." The wolf yelled, struggling to get free.

"Oh shit," Xer laughed once more, "forgot I was on-top of you." He quickly got up on his feetpaws. The floored wolf sat up and took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Better?"

His violet eyes looked up at the canine that was sitting on him. The unknown wolf wiped away his tears and forced a smile, "Much better. And thanks for not killing me. Name's Tom by the way."

"I'm Xer," He pointed towards his mate, who was still down on the ground, "That’s Mike." Mike tossed his hand up, giving a flimsy wave hello and smiled. "So what you doing out here alone? Where are your parents at?" Both Mike and Xer quickly noticed Tom's eyes tear up. He began to weep again. They both understood what happened. Different characters, but the story was all the same. "We're so sorry. I wish there was something we could do."

The weeping wolf looked up, tears spilling from his bright eyes. "Don't leave me here. Please take me with you." Tom turned towards Mike, "I don't wanna face my parents, especially after what they've turned into."

Mike and Xer were both confused. "Kid, I don't want to be rude or anything. But, aren't your parents....you know....dead?" asked Xer what both he and Mike were thinking.

Tom wiped his tears away once more. He slowly got up from the ground, still a bit shaken from being tackled to the floor. Mike reached for the shaking fur, helping him up. Tom nodded at Mike letting him know he could manage to stand by himself. The wolf removed his red paws from Tom. "So...Tom, about your parents." Mike brought back Xer's unanswered question, "the dead don't just rise and start punishing their kids." He felt Xer hit him upside his head. "Don't be rude," mouthed the oh-so-serious Xer.

Tom laughed at the scene of Mike getting hit. "You guys already know what's going on. You don't need me to explain." He looked at Xer and Mike, now both confused and lost. Tom's jaw dropped. "You guys are serious. Damn, I guess only certain people know. Wow," Tom exhaled, "how do I explain what's going on? I guess I'll tell you what my dad told me is really going on, but not here." They had all forgotten about the monsters that just tried to eat them. This wasn't a safe place, but they had an idea of where to go.

Three wolves made their way across the dead street, careful not to attract any attention. They reached the large parking lot full of abandoned vehicles. Dozens of cars to chose from, but only one caught their sight; a car with an open door with the keys already in the ignition. Bingo.

Tom joined their pack. Now it was three wolves against the fucked up world. Mike and Xer didn't know exactly what was going on, but they now knew someone who did. Someone who actually knew what was really going on.

What is going on?