(OLD) World to Ashes (book one) - OK K.O.!

Chapter Three - Breaking Down

K.O. continued lying on the ground for a good while until he managed to get back up and walk over to Colewort and Potato. "So, how much food did we manage to get?" He asked, pulling out his knife and taser and setting it on a small table that Colewort had found in a dumpster a long while back.

"Four and a half bags," Potato responded as she scooted over toward the bags of food. "Most of it is stuff that you'd find in a cabinet, so we're good."

She peeked inside the bags and pulled out some of the items. There were cups of noodles, cans of vegetables and other various foods inside them.

After looking at the food they got, everyone went to put it up next to the microwave. He didn't even remember how they had found the microwave, but all he knows is that it must've been thrown out because of how bad of shape it was in. He honestly was surprised that it still worked when they tested it out the night they found it.

"Well, I guess it's time to go to sleep now," Potato said with a yawn. "I'm tired."

K.O. nodded and walked over to his cardboard bed and lied down, covering up with the carpet he used as a blanket. It was rough and scratchy, as well as falling apart, but K.O. didn't really care. It was all he had, and he was grateful that he had at least something to cover up with.

He lied his head down on his own stuffed bear that he got when he was just a toddler. He doesn't know why he kept it, but he did keep it and he was glad.

He stared into space and started to doze off, sleeping peacefully for the rest of the night.

***

"But dad! You have to trust me!" Darrel shouted, obviously annoyed that Boxman wouldn't listen. "There's still heroes out there! It's why I was knocked out!"

Boxman rolled his eyes, unconvinced by Darrel. "Darrel, we wiped out all the heroes one year ago," he stated, crossing his arms. "There's no heroes left on this planet."

"But dad ---" Darrel was interrupted by Boxman shouting at him to shut his mouth. He quickly closed it and looked at his dad in a strange way, almost if he were hurt by what was said.

"You don't understand me when I say heroes were wiped out, do you?" Boxman hissed. "There. Were. No. Heroes! Now stop your fantasies and go your room!"

"But ----"

"NO BUTS! GO. TO. YOUR. ROOM. NOW!"

Darrel let out a sigh and slowly walked back to his room and flopped on his bed. He knew that he was zapped by a hero, there was no doubt about it.

Mumbling curse words under his breath, he turned his light off and went to bed. Though throughout the night, the thought of heroes still being alive lurked in the back of his mind and invaded his dreams.

When he woke up the next morning, he knew he had to tell Shannon and Raymond about this.

Maybe they'd believe him.

***

K.O. woke up with a silent yawn and looked around the room to find that Potato and Colewort were still asleep. Sighing, he got up out of his bed and walked over to the small patch of dirt that was on the ground and sat down in the middle of it, starting to think about things once again.

He remembered the sudden news flash on the TV while watching something with his mom and the insane panic. How everyone fled to safety, but only a few people have survived the nuke. He shivered at the memory of the screams and cries that faded into the distance almost immediately. Yes - the screams were brief, but they seemed to go on forever and echo in K.O.'s mind.

After thinking about some other things, K.O. finally shook his head and stopped. He sighed and picked up the stick lying next to the patch of dirt and started to draw with it.

He drew himself standing in front of an empty area with millions of debris on the ground, and at the top of it he wrote the words hell is here with a spiky bubble around it.

Afterwards he set the stick down and started to clench his fists as he stared at what he made. He felt the tears threatening to spill out, but he forced them back. He didn't want to cry again, he's already cried enough.

He tightly closed his eyes as flashbacks of distant memories started to fill his mind. He just continued clenching his fists and kept his eyes closed as the flashbacks continued to remind him of his awful life.

Eventually, he let out a loud scream and started punching the dirt, erasing the drawing he created. He was breathing heavily, tears pouring out of his eyes and onto the floor. His body was shaking and he couldn't control himself, he really wished he could've been one of the many heroes to die.

While he had his head down and tears pouring out, he heard Potato's voice from behind him. "K.O., are you okay?" She asked.

At this moment K.O. just looked at her in confusion. He didn't mean to wake her and Colewort up with his shouting, he didn't want to worry them.

But he woke them up and possibly made them worry about him.

And he immediately regretted it.

(A/N) A bit sick today with a headache, but I managed to update! Also I'm at my grandma's right now so I'll be limited on WiFi because I can only get it when I go to the office area because she can't get it in her apartment

Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please vote and comment if you did, and I'll see you guys in the next one! ^.^