It's the year 2021.

A flu like virus (COVID-19) has sent the whole world into lockdown for a year now. At first it was forced, now it's from fear.

That was until a few months ago.

Most adults who get the virus die so they don't dare go out into the open now. It's been noticed that people under the age of 20, who the virus doesn't majorly affect. They want their freedom, so they took it.

We overpowered the government, they can't stop us without getting hurt. Now Australia is filled with rioting gangs of violent teenagers. Melbourne, where I am, has three major gangs separated by colours, all at war for superiority.

***

"Blair! We have blues on ground floor!" screamed my brother Asher.

We are the leaders of orange. Blue is our biggest rival because the greens are too busy fighting themselves to try and get to the top.

We've inhabited the Eureka Tower and are able to see anyone coming for us. Blues want that ability but not bad enough to send more than small groups to attack per attempt. We outnumber them.

"That's the fourth time this week, they're gonna run out of people soon. I'll go down and help whoever's there already," I say as I grab the spiked cricket bat out of the corner and make sure my knife is still in my black leather jacket.

Clasping my taped hand over the out of service elevator cable, I slide at a high speed down multiple storeys until I see the stuck open door to the second floor where I leap off the cable.

Obviously the second floor is already under attack. They never make it further than the third floor.

Most of our best fighters are down here but it doesn't mean we don't get hurt too.

Another girl of similar-looking age to the girl at my feet lunges at me with dagger, so I swing the bat in my left hand above my shoulder and with the force of her running and that I'm putting into the bat, it pushes a large crater into her side. Before she can realise what just happened, the bat is brought straight into her skull, splitting it into a crimson mess.

I'm not as cruel as to hurt the people making the smart decision of already retreating, however there's a tall boy holding a machete over Colton's throat with nothing more than Colton's foot against the boy's stomach stopping him from beheading my closest friend. I don't mind forcing my knife in between his shoulder blades.

The fabric of his grey shirt quickly absorbs the red colour from the wound. He drops the machete and flops to the ground like water falls down a waterfall.

Colton stared down at the boy's face growing pale.

"Thanks." He puffed.

"No problem." I reply with a fraction of a smile on my face that disappears along with everything else when a forceful impact comes to the back of my head.

***

My eyes open to blurred vision. The only thing holding me up is a rope binding me to a chair placed in front of two figures. I snap back to attention when I realise the two figures are from blue and I'm their prisoner.

The first boy to talk had the blue bandana around his neck and had messy dark hair.

"Let's get right to it shell we. Where does orange keep the vaccine?"

"Maybe if you numbskulls accept our leadership we'd give it to you." My voice was groggy but my tone was still fierce.

The second boy's fist was brought down on my cheekbone with incredible force.

"Cut the crap. We know who you are Blair Peirce. We know you lead the orange and that you know where the vaccine is and where we can get it."

"Well, you guys should already know then, that I'm not telling you and no one else knows. Bad luck I guess." No amount of pain only enhance my level of smart-ass.

I notice the colour of the second boy's hair is that of the ocean right before his fist made more contact with my face. When I regained my focus, I spat the blood in my mouth from his punch straight into his face.

The first boy, who I'm beginning to think is the leader here, grabs his arm to stop retaliation.

It feels like I could be hallucinating but I swear in the corner behind the two boys is Colton, holding his finger over his mouth signing to be quiet. He looks a mess, I can't be certain if the blood is his or not, but by the fact he's standing there now holding two knives gives the impression it's not.

"Ok..." Right as the first boy with the bandana begins to speak, again something stops him abruptly and he plunges straight to the floor.

Both the second boy and I look in shock, his life raging at me one minute and the next nothing.

Colton bolted to the chair that I sat in, frozen. He untied the splintering hessian rope and grabbed me by my arm, dragging me out of the dark room and up a small set of steps, only to put us vulnerably in front of an army of blue soldiers all looking as blood thirsty as a fox in front of a dying rabbit.

I turn to see Colton whisper through the sweat dripping off his chestnut hair.

"Crap."

MORE FROM SHOUT 2020, here.

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