"I still can't justify it" - a short story

“Well crap.” I said out loud, to no one in particular. I did that a lot more recently, which is probably what got me into this mess in the first place. Ever since the robots attacked, and killed her I hadn’t been able to keep my mouth shut. Ever since I watched her drop to the floor, robot spider claws embedded in the back of her neck, I had been running. Running from the bots and from myself. I could still see the metal spider looking at me, choosing me as it’s next target. I could still feel my hand fumble for my old möller, can still hear the “crack, crack, crack” as I all but emptied the clip into the spider … and the final resounding “CRACK” as I put the final bullet into her head. I will never forget that moment. The moment when I realized that she was too far gone, living her final moments in agony. I know that bullet was sweet release, but I still can’t justify it. Anyways, ever since then I think I became a little crazy. Sometimes I’ll catch myself rambling to myself, like just recently. I had been wandering through the woods, old möller in hand, ranting to myself about how cheese might have saved her, when I stumbled across a group of murderers. They had swords and guns for hands, and red lights for eyes. With no warning they started running and firing bullets at me. All the bullets hit the trees or the ground, and it was obvious they had never bothered to practice their aim. When faced with these three murderers I did what any hero would have done: I turned around and ran as fast I my legs could move. I didn’t look back. I heard one of them jumping, and landing behind me with a thud, but I didn’t look back. I ran for what seemed like hours, until I couldn’t hear them anymore. I saw a field up ahead and sprinted towards it like a madman. As I left the tree line I let out an ecstatic whoop, which flew across the field, and attracted the attention of a large metal tower. “Well crap” I said out loud, to no one in particular.

The tower turned and let out a low robotic groan, then shifted it’s weight balancing it’s bulk on it’s two legs, making the earth groan as it did so. It let loose a barrage of missiles straight at me. One landed directly beside me, sending me flying through the air, and smashing into the ground. I felt blood fill my mouth, and even then I thought I might be able to stand up and run away, until the sun was eclipsed by a metal blur, and I felt myself pinned down by the murderer’s sword arm. It would have stabbed me again and finished me right then, had a blast from a submachine gun not shredded it, sending it flying off of me. Staring at the blue sky I couldn’t see what was happening, but I could hear bullets flying, people shouting, and machines dying. I heard the tower groan and fall over, and I heard a deep voice exclaim,
“Johnson, here’s another one.” I heard footsteps approaching and felt hands search me. I felt my möller pried from my hand, and my flares rummaged out of my jacket pocket.
“Christ Jesus, Andrew. We leave for one week and everything goes to hell!” I heard the deep voice say.
“We can mourn him later, Leroy, we need to hurry, we might be able to save the next one.”
The sky abruptly spiraled into black, and as my conscience faded I could only feel grateful that they didn’t take the photograph of her. I hope when I see her she’ll forgive me. I know it was sweet release but I still can’t justify it.


Hope you guys enjoyed, sorry about any and all grammar, spelling, logic errors, etc.
Edit: fixed a spelling error (probably missed some though :man_shrugging: oh well.)
Edit 2: fixed spelling error and grammar (again, probably missed some stuff)

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Thank you for the story. I admire your writing deftness, like the text loop from “Well crap” to the initial “Well crap”.

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I really liked that. Just no words come to mind on how to express how I feel about that. Just speechless.

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