Nicholas DiTirro

Grade: 10

University School - Hunting Valley

Instructor: Peter Millett

The Blues

Short Story

The Blues

It's 2:09 A.M. I haven't slept in three days. I can't sleep. I'm dead if I do, but when I close my eyes the clock jumps forward an hour or two. I am all by myself, but I know I'm not the only one left. Not that everyone's dead, of course. That does not make sense. As far as I know, pretty much everyone is back at home, back in my world. But this world is theirs. The Blues, human-like creatures with blue skin, and no face. But there are others. Others who aren't like them. Others like me. I know, because on my first day here, I saw a light, through the window, across the city, where all was dark at night, a single building shone. I know if I can get there, I can be safe.

While I've been trying to avoid it, I'm beginning to run out of food to eat. I am not hungry or thirsty. Very soon, I will have to leave this building, and find food and water. The building with other people can't be far away from where I am now, but Blues fill the hallways of my building and the streets below. There I will be fed, clothed and safe.

I have made some estimations, and I've concluded that I only have one or two more days left of food and water, so I think I'll start to leave soon. Being on a higher floor of my apartment building, there's a long way down to the ground floor. I've also heard Blues walking around above and below me. I even know they are on the same floor. Finding a shiny six foot long piece of pipe in the apartment, to use as a weapon, I build up the courage to go outside.

I slowly open the door, and listen as it makes a long, creaking noise. I take one step into the hallway, and look around. There is someone, about thirty feet down the hall with their back turned. It has the shape of a human, one built like a skinny, adult male. Within a few fractions of a second, it turns around, and comes charging at me with a speed faster than any human being is capable of. The face that I hit looks identical to that of a normal human being, but I know for sure that I did not murder another man when I see that the blood emitting from its blue skin is an oily, dark color. I hear a high pitch alarm, more footsteps and shouts from all around me, and I know I have to keep moving.

Going down a flight of stairs, making the alarms only scream louder, I peek out of the doorway to find another creature. It turns around immediately, and I swing my club, watching dark blood splatter the wall as the corpse of a Blue falls. I hear something behind me. It must be no more than ten feet behind me, because the stairs are near the end of the hallway. I freeze for no more than a second, then sprint down the hallway and turn around. As I do, the creature turns around, and begins chasing me at superhuman speed.

After this encounter, I conclude that the Blues only attack if they see you. I try to devise strategies to counter this as I make my way down to the ground floor, but the only idea I have is to look down and pray there are no Blues nearby. As I reach the ground floor, I need this exact strategy to work, as I hear a few footsteps in front of me. Those few footsteps turn into a few more, and those into a few more, until there was no end to the sound. I hesitate, then walk towards the general direction of the exit, using the right wall as my guide. I distract myself from the sounds of alarms and footsteps by counting my own footsteps. I get to five, ten, fifteen, and then seventeen when I stop. Suddenly, I feel something grab onto my right shoulder. The Blue stares into my eyes, it has no nose or mouth, but I feel a breath. I cannot not explain how. Its eyes show anger. I shove off the Blue and move faster. I make it outside, and feel the crisp evening air. I can't stop here. My footsteps increase in pace. I run west, towards the building of hope.

As I run, I can almost feel myself getting closer. It is as if the light is pulling me closer, and when I look up, I see it. A building, illuminating a blinding white light. Suddenly, I feel a weight on my back, and I fall over. On top of me is a Blue. This Blue is different. It is a bigger, heavier, darker, meaner Blue whose skin is like iron. I punch its stomach, only to hurt my hand. I try to get up, but as I do, a second Blue pins me back to the ground. Soon after that, I can feel more and more Blues pinning me down, their metal hands grabbing my wrist. Some smaller Blues even begin biting my arms and hips.

I am continuing to struggle. As I do, more Blues continue to press my body to the ground and tie me up. I stare one of them in the face as they shine a light in my eyes. I feel ropes go around my head, chess, arms and chest. My eyes are beginning to feel heavy, and the bites begin to sting worse with each sting burning. I notice that the Blues smell of sweat and ammonia. The Blues are shouting, but I can't understand what they are saying. I'm terrified. I don't know what they want to do with me. I just want to be with my own people. People who are not blue and have a nose and a mouth. The Blues can't be real.

"Do you think he's okay?"

"The police officers hit him pretty hard, but he only suffered minor head injuries, and his knuckles are bruised. Once the sedation takes full effect, we will remove the handcuffs."

"Were the police officers hurt?"

"They were fine, all three of them were wearing body armor."

"How are the orderlies on the sixteenth and seventeenth floor?"

"He hit one pretty hard with the I.V. stand, and is going to need stitches. The other one is fine though. Good thing the stairwell alarm went off, or we wouldn't have known where he went. Not sure why he was running to the apartment building across the street."

"What should we do with him now?"

"Keep him sedated for the next three days, and have him permanently committed to a psychiatric hospital. Sorry, I'm a little tired. It will be nice to get out of these scrubs and put on a fresh mask."