Plagues

Chapter 4

Saturday and Sunday my parents were both out all day. I knew they were wrapping up Christmas shopping, because that was exactly what I was doing. I bought my mom a gift card to a spa just down the street from the condo and my dad an ACOG 4x adjustable zoom scope for his rifle, as well as a Blu-Tooth ear piece to use with his phone.

I worked Monday, Christmas Eve, until seven, and then made my way home to get changed to head over to my mother’s aunt’s place, where the family traditionally gathered for the occasion.

I came out of my room before heading out, buttoning up my shirt and the contents of what was under our tree snagged my eye. I looked over to see a large box with a smaller box atop it, both wrapped in a light green glossy paper with smiling Santa faces all over. I stooped towards the mystery gifts and saw a tag on the little box with my name on it.

To, Al

All our love. Merry Christmas.

Love, Mum and Dad

I wanted to pick the boxes up and give them a shake, but should it be just an AK and not an ACR I didn’t want to go into Christmas morning with disappointment. I just ran my fingertips over the smooth material as the Santa’s beamed towards me in their holiday cheer.

I arrived at my great aunt’s at around eight and joined the family in the merry get together. I ended up having a beer and chatting about the slow year 2046 was for movies with my only cousin Lou. He was shorter than me although two years my senior, with quaffed black hair and crisp blue eyes like the sky on a crisp and clear winter morning. We talked about the anticipation for the 2047 lineup however they were releasing a remake of Dawn of the Dead next December. Neither of us was excited about that as we both saw the two progressively worse remakes of the original released since 2013, and agreed it was just fine the way it was.

At around eleven, my parents and I departed for home and, exhausted from the fanfare at work, I went straight to bed.

I woke up the next day with excited anticipation. I had managed to convince myself that although the ACR was what I really wanted, the AK is an assault rifle nonetheless. After buying those same types of grips I got Kali, and a reflex sight, it would be plenty good enough to take with me when I go down to the beach with the hunters. We opened up stockings and I pulled out a reflex sight as one of the stuffers. That’s one thing I could tick off the list. I was feeling really good now about the killing machine under the tree. At around nine we left for my mom’s brother’s house for breakfast and more gifts, as was customary for my family on Christmas day.

After a hardy breakfast of eggs and tomato paste on whole grain toast accompanied by fruit salad, muffins, juice, and coffee (which was available with some Irish cream), we opened extra gifts in the living room. The rest of my family had opened their own gifts at their homes before coming down. Lou had previously owned an M4, but today he was toting a FAL762. He was now officially apart of the FN bandwagon in my family.

“Did you get a rifle, Al?” he asked.

“I think so.”

“Haven’t opened gifts yet, right?”

“No, not yet.”

“What are you hoping for?”

“An ACR.”

“What?” he gasped with a laugh. “Bushmaster? You traitor! What would your dad think?" He gave me a nudge and chuckled.

As the afternoon settled in upon the day, people started packing it in as most had dinner engagements. My parents and I headed for the car. Whilst we waited for my mom to do her lingering goodbyes, Lou came over to me.

“There’s a maniac just down the street there,” he marked. Down the road, eastward, in the little suburban nest ,a lone maniac, dragging the weight of Jack Frost with it, lumbered towards us. “Care to give ‘er a go?” He invitingly handed over his FAL.

I took the gun and sighted up the target through the adjustable zoom scope he had also received with the gun. The creature spotted me, but before it could ring the brunch bell, I shut it out with a round between the eyes.

“Damn, nice shot!” he enthused as I returned him his weapon. “Hopefully you get that rifle.” He smiled and we shook hands goodbye as he went over to his family’s car.

After a sleepy and quiet ride, we reached home. My dad put on coffee and brought out the Christmas cookies left out last night. He poured us all a cup of coffee and we gathered around the tree by the fireplace as I distributed gifts. My mom started with her gift from my father. She got an attachable monitor for her M4 that would allow her to automatically put an alert out with her current position to needed emergency services upon destroying a maniac. They kissed and exchanged a “thank you” for a “you're welcome”, and then my father chose to open my gift to him. I sat waiting politely as he stripped the wrapping away as the anticipation of my gift burned in my stomach. He was quite pleased with the scope and ear piece. He joked he could now hold a conference call while sniping maniacs. Finally, it was my turn. I started with the little box on top. I knew it was going to be standard NATO 5.56 rounds for what I knew to be the AK in the bigger box. What I actually unwrapped was a box of four, thirty round clips of 6.8 millimeter rounds. In a hit of confusion, I looked to my parents who were trying their damndest to stifle proud smiles. It suddenly dawned on me and I ripped off the wrapping paper on the bigger gift to see the beige of an ACR 6.8 through the plastic window on the box.

“Oh, my God! Thank you!” I excitedly cheered, tightly hugging my mom and sharing a firm handshake with my dad.

My mom “oohed” and “ahhed” over her gift from me, and my dad was excited about his gift card to Harry Rosen from my mom.