“How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?”- John Steinbeck

  The migraine was pulsating, but Malcolm returned to awareness while sitting against the wall panels.

  Everything was blurry, even the ambience of automatic fire outside. Slowly, Malcolm’s vision cleared, and he saw a room of blood and bodies. He stood and walked over to the control panels; every operator had been repeatedly shot. Malcolm found Raynes laying in a pool of mixed blood by the radio; despite the exit wounds in his torso, his head had been smashed to unrecognizability. Malcolm kneeled over to see Raynes’ eyes were pinched with seeming rage.

  The radio on the table echoed with gunfire and screaming. “MAJOR RAYNES!? THE QUARANTINE ZONE IS BREACHED! I REPEAT, THE ZONE IS- AGH!!!”

  Malcolm finally realized the pain coming from his torso and knuckles. When he inspected his hands, there was not a dot of white skin, but blood instead. Hearing a new sound of automatic fire, Malcolm crossed the room to step onto the palisade and nearly tripped over the dead sentry.

  Liam was sitting with his back facing the checkpoint, he heaved deeply and coughed on his own chest pain. His face was newly bruised, and his camo was stained. “…This is how the World Ends?”

  Malcolm looked at the checkpoint below. Swarms of indiscernible people poured through the open gate, and everywhere had the sight of mutilation or rifle fire. A single fortification had a squad of soldiers shooting every direction until the swarm closed on them like a whirlpool.

  Malcolm grabbed his own walkie. “CLAIRET?!” he screamed. “WHERE ARE YOU!?” There was no response except the recoil of warfare. Malcolm looked back at Liam. “What did you do?!”

  Liam looked at Malcolm with disgust. “What I thought was the right thing…What do you think?” Malcolm wanted to kick Liam where he sat, he seemed to know this. “…Don’t act like I did anything you haven’t.”

  “Killing our own soldiers!?” Malcolm barked.

  Liam shook his head as the palisade machine guns rained fire down the walls. “They tried to stop me from making everything okay. I had to stop them, didn’t I?”

  Malcolm shook as the helicopter landed on the adjacent towers, evacuating all the heavy gunner squads. Malcolm tried again to raise his people. “CLAIRET!? ANYBODY!?”

  An unfamiliar voice responded. “Major Nelson…Confirm your location.”

  “…I’m outside the operator tower, over...”

  “Evac is coming to you now. Stand by…Over.”

  Malcolm gripped the walkie so hard he could’ve crushed it. He stared back at Liam. “I tried to tell you, didn’t I!? Now you’ve got us both fucked!” Malcolm held a hand to the blood-filled tower. “How is THAT to be explained!?”

  Liam dropped his head and shook it. “There won’t be any explaining anything anymore…”

  “What are you talking about?!” Malcolm barked. “YOU FUCKED THE WHOLE ZONE!”

  Liam stared at Malcolm as he struggled to stand. His face radiated sorrow as he spoke. “…I’ve been bad for you. Haven’t I?”

  Malcolm was confused. “You’re saying that now?”

  Liam put a hand on Malcolm’s shoulder, causing him to flinch. “Without me, you’re all you could be.”

  A helicopter began to descend next to them. A squad of soldiers came out to surround Malcolm with their weapons drawn. “Say something Major.”

  “I’m not infected.” Malcolm spoke. Immediately, the soldiers began to pull Malcolm towards the helicopter as Liam stared into solace. One of them shouted, “Command, we’ve secured Major Nelson! We are en route to Mercer Island now!” They were strapping Malcolm into the side seat with all weapons on him when the same soldier slapped the side of the chopper. “We’re good, GO!”

  As the Black Hawk joined the formation to Mercer Island, Malcolm stared out the spreading scene of chaos from his window. Every building closest to the gate was lit up with machine gun fire on the sprawling crowd. Malcolm stared into the eyes of the soldier across from him, her rifle was pointed directly at his head as Malcolm fell back and was asleep.

  Malcolm awakened to a calm cabin and every rifle rested on their laps. A rumble of turbulence hit them as the Black Hawk descended into a crowded park. The propellers stopped and the soldiers escorted Malcolm outside; he was taken by a wide field of army tents and makeshift watchtowers.

  There was a rush of doctors from the nearest medical tent, accompanied by armed guards. Malcolm nearly collapsed as one shouted, “BITE CHECK!”

  The soldiers were rushing him inside of the large medical tent. The doctors brought him behind a medical screen, and the soldiers stood out of view. One of the doctors held a notepad. “Please remove your uniform and rotate, Major.”

  Malcolm slowly obeyed, staining the clean patches of his uniform while undressing. His forearms were sticky, as was one of his pant legs. Malcolm slowly did a three sixty turn while the Doctors leaned in to ensure the blood was not Malcolm’s.

  “Clear!” A doctor shouted. “Get this man to the showers!”

  The medical professionals rushed Malcolm to the back of the tent outside where a series of makeshift faucets were connected to multiple water boilers. He was taken to the closest one available and given a bar of soap in his delirium.

  Malcolm rushed a feeble cleanup within two minutes and the near sauna-like water was immediately shut off, by then he was starting to energize. He realized that helicopters were pouring in from the Port Quarantine Zone; from the inside of the tent, Malcolm could hear a panicked voice. “IT’S JUST A SCRATCH! I’M NOT SICK!”

  Another sergeant spoke from beside the showers. “Here’s a change of uniform, Major. Please follow me to your tent.”

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  Malcolm took the new camo and asked, “Where are my companies?”

  “We’re assessing sir…Please change and follow me.

  Once Malcolm dawned a simple uniform often given to draftees, he was brought some distance across the field until they stopped by a tent next to the park’s main road.

  “There are other officers inside, sir.” The sergeant spoke. “Someone will get back to you shortly.”

  ‘Shortly’ would not come after some hours, Malcolm regretted taking off his watch as he sat with three other majors; one paced and two sat, remaining silent.

  The tent opened and a coated doctor stepped inside with four medics. “…Hello officers…” He sounded forlorn. “We just need to double-check that no one here is symptomatic.” The medics crossed over to each major, including Malcolm. The Doctor stepped over to him and pulled a bottle from his pocket. “I understand that you got injured out there. This should ease the pain.”

  Malcolm accepted the single oxy pill the Doctor placed in his hand. He swallowed it without a drink and asked, “Where are my people? I was with the…”

  “Major Nelson, I take it?” The Medic interrupted as he inspected Malcolm’s pupils with a little light.

  “Yes.” Malcolm saw the medic was a sergeant.

  “Are you chilly, sweaty, crampy in the neck, or all three?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Please rotate your neck. Try to pop a muscle.”

  Malcolm thoughtlessly obeyed, popping his neck in both directions.

  The medic pulled out a syringe. “Please hold out your arm.”

  Malcolm slowly obeyed. “Is the entire Zone lost?” He asked. Neither of them responded. “Answer me!”

  The doctor muttered, “…We’re still early into the incident. Evacuations are still-”

  “The whole zone is evacuating?”

  “Please hold still.” the medic muttered.

  The doctor nervously rubbed his hands before grabbing a small notepad. “…I understand you were at the control tower when the gate was opened, correct?”

  “What’s this for?” Malcolm asked.

  “The Colonel.” He answered. “What happened leading up to the gas dispersal?”

  “Raynes was nerve wrecked.” Malcolm lied. “He had to relieve himself and I found myself back in command of the checkpoint.”

  “Did you order the gas dispersal without authorization?”

  “I thought it was Tear gas.” Malcolm said truthfully.

  “So, a yes then?”

  “Yes.”

  The Doctor noted this. “Why did the gate open?”

  “Because Raynes freaked out and hit the button. After that, all hell broke loose; it devolved into an armed standoff.” .

  “How are you the only one left?”

  Malcolm thought for a moment. “Luck.”

  The Doctor noted this as well. “Was anyone in the room infected?”

  “...No.”

  The Doctor acknowledged Malcolm’s hesitation before noting his response, he then placed the notepad beneath his shoulder. “You should rest up; the Colonel will want to speak to you himself. You’ll be driven into town tonight or tomorrow morning.”

  “Which Colonel?”

  “McElroy.” The doctor and medics took their leave with blood samples and all; he left a spare pill in Malcolm’s hand. Malcolm and the other majors looked each other in the eyes, all trying to mask their trepidation.

  After several minutes, Malcolm took the second pill despite already feeling the numbing effects of the first. He then leaned against the wall of his tent while the other Majors droned on to each other helplessly. Malcolm closed his eyes to a numbing rush down his spine. His eyes opened to the sight of Liam sitting alongside the bed.

  Liam rubbed his own folded hands with his chin held down. When he finally looked over at Malcolm, he stammered as he tried to speak. “…I have to hear you say something…before I go.”

  Malcolm’s head slouched and nodded.

  Liam seemed mopey eyed. “…Do you think that if we could start it all again, be all the things we could’ve been…do you think that would’ve changed the end?”

  Malcolm’s eyes sank as he contemplated the collateral Hell following his life, causing his pupils to shrivel for the first time; his mind then dwelled on the Hell this world was descending to. Liam stared at him like their lives depended on it before Malcolm could answer. “...Why wonder what we could’ve had when everyone else is dying?”

  Liam chuckled pitifully. “I was worried you’d say that…”

  “We’re alive…” Malcolm emphasized. “That has to be enough.”

  Liam sighed. “You’re the one who’s alive.”

  Malcolm tried to sit up but almost fell over. “We’re the same!”

  “Yes, Malcolm…I don’t exist, I’m you.”

  Malcolm felt confused. “You’re my brother!”

  Liam reached over to him but was just out of touch and set his hand down. “Liam’s dead, Malcolm.”

  Now, Malcolm’s eyes started to flush, and he clenched them shut. “I can’t remember a single time with you…”

  “Hey hey…” Liam hushed. “Everything’s going to be okay…”

  Malcolm sniffled. “...Where will you go?”

  Liam smiled. “Wherever you take me.”

  Malcolm opened his eyes. “...What will you do?”

  “After my final note? Whatever you do.”

  “But I’ll never see you again!”

  Liam scooted closer. “It’s okay buddy…I’ve always been a part of you. I’ll always be right here.” Malcolm stared down and clenched the bunk to the point of near tearing. Liam then wrapped a single arm around Malcolm to hug him; He continued to soothe, “The memories will start to come back…”

  Malcolm panted. “Why did you never turn me in?”

  Liam was confused. “Because that’s never why I was with you.”

  “Not for the killings…” Malcolm said. “When you first realized that I was psychopathic.”

  Liam seemed startled and his eyes began to wander off Malcolm. Now, his eyes began to flush. “…I think…” Liam almost trailed off. “…I think that he felt guilty about being the prodigal son in the family; unlike you, the accident. I know that you’re unique, Malcolm. I know that’s why everything will be okay for you. I just want you to know that…Even though I’m not really him, when you look back on the surfacing memories, what he taught you will always be your match in this world.”

  Malcolm seethed with sadness as Liam whispered. “I have to go now.”

  Malcolm looked up. “What about the Beast?”

  “You never have to let that part of you control you. Especially once I’m done borrowing it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You may see me one more time before the End.” Liam stood up and gently nudged Malcolm to lie down. “Just relax, I got you through worse close calls.”