Aurora Bennett

The day was July 1, 2060. The Humans and Apes were at war; 200 Humans to 20 million Apes. In the latest battle, ‘Battle of the Beasts,’ almost half the Human population died, leaving 101 Humans behind.

‘Latest Human War Leaving Half the Population Dead’

My body shakes as I reread the headline for the 30th time now.

I couldn’t believe what was happening. More than half the population died within an hour. What were we going to do about this? Why isn’t anyone doing anything?

I look around at a few other humans. I was the oldest one here at just 23 years old, while the others were 16, 14, 8, and 9. It was my job as the only adult to protect them and with most likely, no other adults…I’m the one who has to defeat them…

I was going to go get food for the kids when shrewdness¹ surrounded me.

I started to shake. Questions flooded my head. Were they going to attack me? Is this how my life ends? If I die, what will happen to the kids?

The apes were just looking me up and down. They weren’t attacking me. I could try to get away but how?

I started taking small steps backward. I could try to run away since it doesn’t look like they want to attack me.

I started to back away, the beads of sweat slipping down my forehead as I inched backward, watching these animals stare me down with nothing behind their eyes.

Throughout this showdown, I thought maybe, just maybe, I could get away, get home to those children I longed to see again.

Snap

The noise brought my heart to my stomach as my eyes shot wide, I narrowed my gaze to the floor to see bundles of dead and flimsy tree limbs.

The shrewdness of apes seemed alert by some of them standing on their back legs.

My palms felt sweaty as my brows furrowed, my breath shaky with pants and my heart and blood pounding through my ears, the only thought in my mind was those children…

I quickly turned my heel and raced off for where I wished to head home, the road under my feet roaring and shaking from the apes giving chase. I balled my hands into fists, I dare not let these animals make my children fend for themselves.

Suddenly, I felt something heavy on my back… too heavy, but it was gone as soon as it left, though it still sent me flying forward. As my body skids across the ground, I catch a glimpse of the apes coming my way, shouting angrily. This can’t be the end, can it? I can barely lift my head before one lifts its arms, coming down twice as-

“Alice, sweetie, come down to eat!” I hear my mom yell from downstairs.

I heard the door creak open and I whipped my head around to see who it was.

My mom stepped in and signaled for me to come with her. “Come on Alice, no more diddle-daddling, it’s time to eat. I made your favorite!”

I put my ape figurines down and I followed my mom downstairs. The image of my recent adventure burned in my mind with the screams of the innocent.

Shrewdness – A group of apes