Moonlight Terror (Rewritten)

As the sun sets, fear is indelible, and those who linger in the darkness are ready...

The evening’s sun blazed upon me and for a moment I felt as if I would faint, but I can’t, not right now, and not under these circumstances.
So I grasp my son’s hand tighter as we rush into the store to buy some last minute food packages and drinks.
The store is the same as it always is, nowadays, it’s impossible to find one that looks decent – it’s daunting. Not only because the humanity has been stripped from every town and house, but because there is no way we can retain normality, we are stuck wondering who will we killed off next – I shiver at the thought.
I must be quick, the sun is setting, they’ll be out soon and they will be ready for me.

Hastening myself around the shop, I pick up almost anything, but as I do, I pass the cleaning supplies section. It’s hardly been touched since the day they came, because cleaning supplies are no use to anyone anymore, by the morning the towns will be wrecked and houses will be broken into, but, if you are extremely lucky, you will still be alive.
I spot water bottles in the corner of the shop, salvaged away but broken into by other survivors, so I rummage through to grab as many as I can. My son and I will try our best to ration them, after all, no help will come once the water runs out.
Suddenly, I peer out of the window, the sun is on the verge of setting and I do not dare to risk anything because the risk takers are the ones who gets killed. Everyone is probably locked away in their houses, clutching photos of their loved ones and praying – something that I find myself doing even though I am not religious.
Stumbling past the food isle, my son lets go of my hand and rushes to the food, he grabs as many as he can, shoving them in his hand, up the sleeve of his coat and even holds one with his teeth.
Rushing forward, I grab the one from his mouth and hold it in my hand as I say: “Let’s go home, Danny, the sun is setting.” He obliges and runs to the car that’s parked outside.

At this point I am surprised that my car has survived this long, I suppose soon they will figure out how to damage them, and then, they will be no used to anyone.
I often have regrets about bringing Danny into this world, although he was born before the disaster, I feel guilt-ridden. It’s an unexplainable feeling to express, I feel only those who bear children can feel the same.
I glimpse upwards and the sun catches my eye, it’s setting quicker than usual, so I open my car door, sit down and start it.
Out of nowhere, a man yells out behind me: “Wait! Wait!”
I scoff as I roll down my window and turn my head to the man, he wears a long brown hat that covers most of his face, and he looks archaic and fragile.
“They took my wife,” He reaches out to my hand which is perched on the steering wheel. “I’ll pay you if you could just keep me safe.”
I frown at him. “I don’t have room.”
He stops me by saying: “I- I just need a safe house for one night – please, I won’t be a bother, I have extra bolts and chains, please.”
I peer down in his hand and he indeed does have them, extra safety is crucial for survival, and if something does happen, at least I won’t be alone with my son.
Nodding my head, he grabs my hand as he speaks with happiness lurking on his face. “Thank you so much, my dear! You have saved me! You must be an angel; I am sure of it.” Then, he climbs in the back of my car and we linger down the streets at an intense speed.

When we reach my house, the elderly man steps out and helps my son out of the car. We all bolt towards the door and lock it as soon as we step inside.
I remind myself that there is no point into locking doors anymore, my windows are shattered, my furniture is tipped over, and what was once my dog, dead and eaten alive.
We all run towards the basement, the only sense of security for many people, I feel safer in here than I do out there.
In the basement we have a supply cupboard, which is where all of our food, drinks, extra safety, guns, crosses and bolts and chains go, as well as a few bandages and a first aid kit.
There is only lightbulb that swings from the ceiling in the corner of the room, cobwebs and spiders lay upon it, but they do not frighten me like they used too, I find them to make me feel less alone.
Grabbing blots and chains from the bottom of the cupboard, I pull open the door that leads into the basement and rush up the stairs to secure the door up the top, then once I rush back down, we use the elderly man’s chains to lock the bottom door, surely, if we have twice the safety, then nothing can get past those doors.

I wake up to the sounds of rattling, my son is asleep and the man beside me whispers: “They’re coming.”
He acts nonchalant as if he knew this would come. I mean, we all knew it would come, it was practically inevitable, but everyone hopes for one more night.
I hear them stirring around upstairs, they search under furniture and step on broken glass. My breath catches in my throat, not tonight, I mutter, not tonight.
The man reaches in his pocket and pulls out a picture of what I presume to be his wife, he smiles at her and smoothes over the picture.
“They took her from me,” He looks up as he hears the movement from above us. “They took the only thing that mattered from me.”
For a moment, my eyebrows furrow, not making sense of his words from my drowsiness.
“It’s okay, let’s just make sure they don’t get you, hm?”
His eyes dart to mine. “I tell you one thing, I will not die this way. If need be, I use this.” Pointing to his other hand – which I had not cared to look at earlier – he holds a loaded gun.
I nod, I will not spend what could be my last moments, trying to change his mind.

Then, I hear the chains from the door at the top of the stairs break, and it startles me to the core.
I brought my son into this world so he could have a life, not so it could be taken from him by those who invaded this town and seethe to take it from it.
Opening the cupboard doors, I reach for a gun and grab the bullets to load it.
Then, I hear the voices, just as other survivors have described them.
The chains on the door in front of me rattle, slowly but surely they will find a way in, and they will kill all those in their path. Although I do not want to believe it, they might just get me, this might be the night where they kill my son.
I will not give my life up yet.

The rattling grows louder, and I peer back to the elderly man, he stares at the picture of his wife with the gun to his head. I do not tell him to wait for them to come, so he does not wake my son because, Danny will be dead before he can let out a scream.
The chains on the doors break.
I breathe for what might be the last time, and I accept my fate. Crawling over to my son, I gently tuck in beside him and smooth over his head. I kiss his forehead and take one last look at him.
My beautiful son, Danny. What a life you’ve had. What a life you gave to me. It’s indescribable. The world I would give to you if I had the chance, I would do anything for you, and I love you more than life itself. I really do.
I know I have let you down, as you sit here beside me and sleep soundly, peacefully, before you are murdered right under my nose. Your father would be proud of you, and God, am I proud.
For the first time in my life, I realise I can do nothing now.
The scenes that unfold tonight will be out of my hand and inevitable, I cannot change them and although this is not my fault, I feel so angry at the fact that tonight, my son will be killed.
And, as I close my eyes, trying to trick myself into believing I’m asleep, I hear the basement door open, and I cannot tell my son how sorry I truly am.