Chapter 1

Levi's POV

Being locked inside a small apartment for eternity gave me the need to update myself about the messed-up world I live in. So I grabbed the remote control to find something worthy of being watched. Even though empty bottles, spilled cups of noodles, and crumbs lie around my living room, not to mention the upside-down half-eaten pizza on my couch, which is almost the only furniture in my house, this is better than going outside. My couch is inviting me to lie down and chill, so I jumped on it and ate the remains of my pizza. I can't just let rats have my food.

"HEY HEY HEY There! people of Reagan City, don't forget about the meat festival tomorrow morning, and the next morning after that-"

"And the next next next morning after, partner. I'm pretty sure no one will forget about that, cause we are in looooove with meat." Two extremely obese reporter talks about the upcoming meat festival, which is every day. 

"I know, I know, partner. Who hates meat-"

"I do." I shut off the television and went to the kitchen for food, searching for another batch to add to the towering garbage in my apartment. Ever since Mr. Reagan found a way to rapidly breed animals with the help of his invention, the only invention of his that actually worked, at least, people began to change. There was no more fear of scarcity, even though some species of animals had gone extinct. 

The almighty Reagan of Reagan city gave these glutton humans the opportunity to gorge like monsters. Realizing that there's no more food in the kitchen, I stormed to my bedroom to throw on a black hoodie and a pair of jeans before I took my keys to go grocery shopping. My jet black hair is fine the way it is, I'm glad I cut it short. It saves time. Plus, who cares what people think.

A pungent smell hit me after a few seconds outside. There's blood and game everywhere. Shrieks and cries of tortured animals being served for dinner echoed across the halls. I gagged and held my breath until I could go farther from the smell of my neighbor's cooking. This is why I don't leave the house.

Ding! The sound of the elevator gave me an excuse to run and escape the rancid smell of the atmosphere. Clicking the button aggressively, the door finally shut. My lungs are suffocating. Longing for the comfort of my dark and warm room even though it smelled like rotten food, I turned to the wall behind me and leaned my forehead before taking out my phone to play some music. 

Ding!

"Hey, Levi. Long time no see, girl. What ya up to these followin' months? Didn't see ya." 

I spun around when an irritating voice buzzed like tinnitus in my ear. Rocco, my black neighbor flashed his perfect teeth. "Okay, who did you murder this time?" The gamy smell that's radiating from him made me want to puke. 

"Ha! Funny." Rocco took off his bloody apron along with his shirt and walked towards me. No, it's not. 

"Just chilling. You know," I shrugged, backing away, completely forgetting the fact that I'm cornered in an elevator until I bumped into the wall that I was leaning at. I made it look like I did it on purpose. Doors, shut, now! And it did, but Rocco stuck his hands to keep it from closing. His sweat made its way down his chiseled abs. Those abs. 

"Levi?"

"Uh- yes?" I blinked

Chuckling, he stepped into the elevator. I rushed out before he could even settle in. The look of hurt plastered across his face.

"Um, if you're still mad about your dog I-"  He took one step forward.

"Don't. Don't worry, I've moved on." I understand that you failed to see his bright red collar, right?" His smoky brown eyes locked with mine as I put my hands in my pockets. 

"Yeah... Yeah! Sure, I'm just-"

"Sorry? Haha, yeah, I know. Well, I don't wanna keep you… gotta run." Hate him so much. And his sweat? It's mixed with blood, it's disgusting. I pivoted and walked stiffly to my car without looking back. The sound of the elevator door closing made me run and loosen up a bit.

The expensive black car my oh-so-busy father gave me for my sixteenth birthday, last year, greeted me with a bunch of cracked eggs on its hood. "So, another jealous neighbor tried to mess with you again, huh? I don't care." 

As I drive off, the windows of my neighbor's houses lit up, reminding me to rush and go home before it's too late.  I stuck my head out the window for a quick second to scan the upper floors of my apartment building before stepping on the gas to reach the nearest store. Almost running over a couple of dogs and a few pigs along the way. 

"Can't somebody please put them in a barn or something?!" Obviously, to me, the number of loose animals were unintentional. He just can't admit he fucked up. Now he wants us to clean his mess? 

BAA!

"Gah!" My heart skipped a beat. A goat banged its head on my car door. "Hey! Stop that! Now!" It looked at me and took a few steps back before it struck again. "Hey!" I took off my seat belt, unlocked the door, and slammed it to the goat's face when a dog appeared out of nowhere and pounced at me. I caught its head with my car door as I slammed it shut. It whimpered and whined, trying to stand up to its feet. 

"Help!" The sound of a man crying for help came from behind my car. I turned my head to look while I continued to pull my car door closed to protect myself. The man was thrashing, running around chased by a flock of birds. What is happening! 

Kicking the head of the aggressive dog off of my door without allowing it to push forward, my heart began to palpitate. The goat continued to strike its head through the door, unintentionally helping me to pull it close.

Muffled screams started becoming more audible and people from the store are panicking, running towards their car and to safety. Birds, goats, dogs, and pigs are chasing every person their eyes lock on. "Help!" I yelled.

A small bird flew through the gap of my car door and landed on my head as I kept on pulling and kicking harder. The goat saw a woman scream nearby and chased her instead.

PECK!

Ow! I hissed. The bird pecked my forehead and pecked again, and again, and it almost hit my eye. I thrashed to keep it off of me while kicking the dog off when the door handle accidentally slipped from my grip and it flew open. The dog stumbled backward. It growled, and my eyes widened. I immediately pulled the door shut but the dog was one step ahead of me. My foot pushed forward to kick one last time and felt its face make contact with the sole of my shoes. Bam! I shut the door on my ankle. "GAAH!!" 

The dog caught my rubber shoe off in an attempt to bite me as I pulled my foot in my car and the door finally shut. "My shoe…" I said, peeking outside the window. I watched the dog aggressively chews it, and the thought that it would've been me made my stomach churn. 

Exhausted, I hugged my leg and caressed my ankle, checking myself from the rear-view mirror. Spots of my face were bleeding because of the stupid bird. 

I panicked and searched around my car to see if the bird was somewhere inside but there's none. A breath of relief came out of my mouth. I don't know why this is happening, but one thing's for sure, this isn't good.

I was about to start my car and drive home when I remembered that I do not have any food at home. I won't last without it. "I need to make a plan. Think, Levi, think." 

Listening to the muffled cries of people around me, my eyes darted across the street. The store where I was about to shop is there, across the street, and I need to go there despite the attacks I just encountered.

 "Are you stupid? No. You're gonna go home? Yes. Go home to a place where you'll starve to death? Yes. Are you stupid? UGH!" I smacked my face and dropped my head on the steering wheel. The thought of trying to find edible food from the tower of garbage in my apartment is a stupid plan.

"Why didn't you just let your father send you some food you prideful idiot." I groaned. 

Light bulb! My heartbeat quickened, thinking about how brilliant my idea is. 

Ring, ring-

"Levi? Hello?"

"Dad? You picked up!"

"Are you in your apartment? Are you safe?"

"No, Dad, I'm outside. I was going to buy some groceries, but- something happened."

"What??? Locking yourself inside for months and you decide to leave now?"

"But I have to get food!"

"You know what- nevermind. You need to go home, now. I will send someone over for your necessities."

"Okay, how about you?"

"Hello? Yes, it's me. Can you send someone--" I heard his muffled voice over the phone.

"Dad! How about you?" 

"What do you mean you can't!" 

"Dad!!"

"Levi, I'm sorry I can't send someone over, the place is in chaos. But I will try."

"Well, I can't hope for nothing, I can't go home!"

I heard a door bang open over the phone. "Mr. President, we need to evacuate you, now."

"Levi, Listen to me, okay? I want you to stay in your car and go somewhere safe. I'm going to send a team over to your place, you have to wait, okay? Wait. It might take a while, but I will send them over I promise. I love you, remember that."

"BUT-"

Beep.