Creative Writing On Crooks

The crack of gunfire in the defining darkness drew him from his sleep. He silently awakened his raw-boned family. Sitting up and listening to the pandemonium which lay outside of the windowless skyscraper. The fire danced around creating demonic shadows upon the walls and across their gaunt faces. The man held his wife’s only hand as they rolled back to their sleep. The lemon soured light beamed throughout the city resting like a gargantuan beast, overpowering the horizon. The Dilapidated buildings, the burning city, a destroyed world. Once again he was first to rise.

Untangling himself from the sheets he stood staring with watchful eyes upon the city. Leaning over the barrier and squinting, the edge of the next dimension was just visible.
The chalked coloured walls entrenching the city. The Master had erected them for fear that animals would get in, or that the animals inside would get into his perfect world.

Before the great separation The Master spoke to the masses like a medieval god, preaching the hymns of a new world, a perfect world. A world that only involved the perfect. The deformed and defected were casted out of fear in this city as to not tarnish their utopia.

The separation had extracted all goodness from the city leave a hollow casket of poverty and crime. The family had been planning to leave for some time now. Crime was worsening and the day was soon approaching when it would affect them personally. There was no other choice but to leave the inner city and find refuge amongst the outer regions. Through their travels they came across many people. Some speaking of an entrance to the utopia that resided to the east.

And so they gathered what was left of their scarce belongings of an alien world and continued upon the journey.
It was dangerous with a young infant, but to stop was to give in to death. Occasionally they were chased by Southerns or Crooks, but at the slight hint of a gang they would vanish. Gangs roamed the claustrophobic alley ways like a pack of wolves. The gangs had no blood feud between members, no wars, no quarrels. They only killed, raped and devoured those who were found on the streets.
People thrashing themselves against the walls like encaged apes. The screams of anger and pain enlivened the air as the family ventured closer. The fear constricted life in the city. Fear led to riots and rioting led to death. Death led to fear. They walked on towards the edge of the city silently. “What do we do when we get there?” the woman whispered. “Get over”, he intoned. “How?” The man could not answer allowing the silence to join the conversation. He wrestled with his thoughts fighting to stay sane over the shattering silence.

A low growl emerged from behind. Slithering from around the corner of the street, a gang member. Men around laughing delirious sounds, like a strange language. The man’s eyes were blood shot with hunger and insanity. His stature large resembling more of a large beast than a human. The family fled like rats. Their derelict shoes beat hard against the harsh pavement but the women’s legs could no longer bear the child weight of her
child.

Fear struck. He could not bear the loss of the only two things that he loved in this world. He turned facing the beast. His hungry eyes fixed upon the child. “Run” he announced in a calm voice. He ran towards the beast. Fear led to death. That was the last she saw of her first love. She ran, struggling to bear the weight of her child in hand, hatred feeling in heart. Each panting footstep like a metronomic tick. She continued, ever afraid of what may become of her if she did not reach the wall. Scared of rape, or being eaten. Or worse, turning into the insane beast that devoured her husband. She staggered on like an old beggar with a slight dilution of a better life. Finally she reached the chalked wall.
Towering over her. Impassable, Impenetrable, impossible. Holding her child close to her chest weeping. Tears running down her face like a demented water colour. A deranged masterpiece lost in time. “Quickly, Come.” She looked hurriedly looked around to find who the voice belonged to. “Come. Quick, before they find you.” “Who?” replied the woman? “The guards”. The woman clutching her daughter tightly to her heart walked towards the voice. A decrepit pile of rubble and ash with a small hole towards the rear. “It’s okay,” the voice said. A small path dropped out from underneath as she made her way the small tunnel. A small spec of light gently grew as she ascended. Looking out upon this new world she looked around.