The Last One Standing

Even the woman, whom he daydreamed of being with, when this was over, was dead. He had only talked with her once, but it was enough to build a castle-in-the-air.

He steeled himself. Their sacrifice would not go in vain. He would force himself to find a reason for the ultimate selfless sacrifice they made. He owed that to all.

He woodenly placed one foot in front of the other and trudged towards the horizon.

Traversing mutilated necropolises and plains fertilized with the chunky residue of slaughter. The dull poisoned days turned to nights haunted by neon sparkles of disease.

He nourished himself on unthinkable things. Their sacrifice would not be in vain.

The great mountains rose to defy him with their wounds. He persevered.

Descending down out of the persecuted hills he came upon the sea. He stood on the shore and stared to the horizon.

The debris-decorated surf beckoned him. He longed for the sea’s baptism.

He found a blemished piece of plastic, which might have been the wall to a child’s play pen.

He pushed the plastic into the sea and scrambled on top and kicked his way to the horizon. He had seen a blue patch of sky shining on a speck of green land on the horizon.

A storm settled in and buffeted him. The foul brine of the sea washed over him. He felt cleaner then he could remember. He loved the tempest. Sleep came upon him. He dreamt of wonderful things.

When he awoke he realized he had washed ashore face down in warm white sand. It felt so relaxing. He sleepily pushed himself up. In front of his face was a pair of feet. They were beautiful, petite and slender, with black varnish ornamenting the nails. He thought it would be too good to be a female. He risked a glance upwards.

His heart jumped in his throat. Looking upon him was the most gorgeous girl smiling at him. Her oval face was crowned in silky black hair. Behind her the sun shone, in a blue sky, around her like she was an angel.

As she genuflected by his side he smiled back.

He was deafened by his own shrieks as she began feeding upon his face.

As he slipped away to the sounds of chittering he could see a scaly tail whipping behind her lovely face.