Song and Artist: ".Com Pt. II" by Motionless In White (song and picture in media, and also inspired by The Purge movie as well)
If you don't know what The Purge (movie) is, it's basically about a specific day each year in America where there is 12 continuous hours (7 pm to 7 am) of all crime, including murder, is legal until the siren blares again in the morning, ending the Purge. All medical services and help is suspended during that time period of 12 hours. Watch the movie, I recommend the second one "The Purge: Anarchy". It's a very cool and awesome movie.
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"This is not a test. This is your emergency broadcast system announcing the commencement of the Annual Purge sanctioned by the U.S Government..." The announcement lady said on the tv like every night of this cursed holiday.
Alex watched in anticipation, hugging the stuffed pillow she's brought with her down to the basement. She thought to herself that it was such a stupid decision of her to even come here to Los Angeles to visit Johnnie and Bryan when the Purge was just a few days ahead, even her parents forgot! And worst of all, Downtown L.A is where heavy Purging happens the most in all of America.
"Are you alright?" Johnnie whispered to her right. She stared at the blue screen of the tiny television in the dark room known as their basement of their apartment. Oddly enough, all of Johnnie's and Bryan's neighbours left the building hours ago, going out to Purge somewhere in Downtown, leaving the secured basement all to themselves.
"Yeah yeah I'm good, I think." She breathed. The Purge happens at other towns far from where Alex lives back at Texas, but the thought of her knowing that she's in L.A, right in a building in Hollywood, the town where almost everyone Purges in America, really doesn't put her at ease.
The siren blared, signalling that the purge just commenced. That means 12 continuous hours of no medical or police help whatsoever.
The basement doors opened, letting light shine into the dark room. Johnnie and Alex snapped their heads to Bryan, who opened the doors holding bags and bags of food and a gun. He shut the doors locked, muffling the sounds of the sirens yet again.
"It's okay guys, it's just me. I brought food and water that'll last us for tonight." He explained and opened a lamp, illuminating the huge and empty concrete basement. Alex looked down at the gun, a sniper, in Bryan's hand, then to his belt where a hand gun was hanging.
"B-Bryan, are you... Purging, tonight?" Alex gripped onto the pillow tighter.
"What? No, no the guns are just for a precaution. If someone tries breaking into the basement or our apartment upstairs, then I'll be prepared to attack back," Bryan explained. Alex nodded slowly, a feeling of protection filling up her body. Bryan was the adult here, she knows that he'll protect them.
"It rarely happens though, don't worry." Bryan reassured her. She nodded slowly, taking everything in.
"Sorry, it's just that I've never been near a city where anyone Purges a lot, and the thought of me in a building right in the middle of Hollywood doesn't feel safe at all," She frowned. She feels so scared, this never happened to her before at purge night.
"It's okay, once we get passed through these 12 hours, in the morning everything will be alright and safe again," Bryan smiled. Alex calmed down. She rubbed her right eye and picked up the remote for the tv. She turned on the news channel, which of course was live footage of people purging in downtown.
"This year's purge is looking pretty nice," the reporter man said. Alex stared at the screen wide eyed. The live footage shown a man in an ally beating, or should she say chopping, his victim's limbs and face with an axe.
"Okay I think that's enough purging news," Bryan turned the tv off quickly.
"We'll be alright Alex, don't worry." Johnnie smiled at her. She nodded and looked at the bags.
"So uh... let's have dinner."
The three stayed up talking and eating their food for tonight in the basement, everything going okay. It's already 1:00 am, 6 more hours remaining for the purge.
"And then Jeydon was like,'Yea totally, I'm sooo manly,'" Alex imitated, earning a laugh from Bryan and Johnnie.
"Yea, it was pretty funny if you asked me to be honest," Alex laughed again, remembering the story she was telling about Jeydon.
CLANG! BANG!
The sound of wood breaking and a gun shooting got Bryan up to his feet, picking up his sniper.
"Shit! Someone's raiding the building," he whispered.
"What?!" Alex whispered in a panic. She stood up and so did Johnnie. She began to breath really fast as she held onto her stomach, she felt like barfing, that's how scared she was.
"Shh..." Johnnie hushed. Once the room was silent, they heard footsteps walking slowly upstairs. Then the sound of an apartment door being knocked down echoed.
"Oh fuck no," Bryan said angrily and turned the safety off on the gun before walking to the basement doors.
"Bryan! W-where are you going?" Alex asked in a panic.
"Someone broke into Johnnie's and I's apartment right upstairs. They're probably trying to steal or kill someone or something. Just stay here with Johnnie, don't open the basement doors until I'm back." Bryan said and started unlocking the chains. Once he did, he stepped out and closed the doors. Johnnie went over to the chains and secured the doors locked again.
"It's okay Alex, he's gonna attack the person and he'll be back," Johnnie reassured her.
"What if something bad happens? What if they find us? I can't die yet, Johnnie! I'm too young!" Alex was already crying, what if something bad happened to Bryan or her?
"It's okay, just sit down." He walked over to her, rubbing her back to comfort her a bit.
"Yea, yea... I need to calm down," she breathed in and out. She sat against the wall on the ground, hugging herself with her eyes closed.
They sat there until Alex felt calm again. She looked up at the ceiling facing away from Johnnie, listening quietly.
"Johnnie, do you think Bryan got the man already?-" she turned her head to Johnnie, just to have his fist collide with her face. Alex scrambled up to her feet whilst grabbing her face. She stared at Johnnie in shock, who he was also standing up.
"J-...Johnnie?" She asked. Johnnie smiled, cracking his knuckles whilst walking slowly towards her.
"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do this? This is such a good opportunity,"
"What do you-"
"Shut up!" Johnnie's voice echoed.
"I don't have the weapons or armour to go out there during purge night," he scoffed.
"But now since Bryan is dealing with some idiot upstairs, who I know he will take down, and I'm alone with a girl down here, I have the free will to do whatever I want!" He laughed. Alex stared at him, is she hearing him right?
"Johnnie, don't let this purging shit go into your mind, you're a good person, don't do this! I'm your friend, Johnnie!" She pleaded. At this point tears were falling and cascading down her face. But despite that, Johnnie shook his head with an expressionless face, staring right into her eye.
"No. I want to hurt you. You have no idea how bad I want to hurt you." He ran towards her. Alex yelped and ran as he chased her around the basement. Johnnie jumped and tackled Alex, making her scream.
"Johnnie! Stop it, I'll do anything please stop it!" She screamed.
"Bryan! Bryan, help!"
"You idiot, this basement is soundproof." Johnnie laughed.
Johnnie punched her again, making Alex's nose bleed. She whimpered and tried the last of her effort to crawl away. She only crawled a few inches away before Johnnie dragged her towards him again. She cried as Johnnie picked her up and slammed her back against the cold concrete wall. Alex choked on her own sobs as she tried to blink the tears away. She saw Johnnie's sadistic smile, making her sick to her stomach. Bringing her head up a little, she tried spitting in his face.
"Fuck you," Alex said through gritted teeth with tears still falling down her face. Johnnie kept that same smile on his face, loosening his grip on her.
But to his surprise though, Alex brought her hands up and wrapped her fingers around Johnnie's throat. His eyes widened in surprise and initial shock. But Johnnie quickly brought both himself and Alex to the ground, him strangling her back.
Alex flipped both of them over, her on top now. She punched Johnnie and continued to strangle him. He stared at her green eyes as she stared back at him. Alex's eyes drifted to Johnnie's mouth where a red liquid started to drip. She saw the blood to start to trail and drip from Johnnie's mouth. She stared at it in awe.
She smiled.
"Ha. Haha HA!" Alex laughed out loud. She finally knew why people like purging. It was fun. It was so goddamn satisfying. She finally gets it.
Oh boy and did it feel good.
Johnnie looked shocked, but a warm smile reached his face. While she kept her laughing, Johnnie took this opportunity and slammed her back against the wall again with his hands holding her neck, but not strangling her.
Alex face held fear again as she stared up at Johnnie with wide, green eyes. They both stared at each other in silence.
Johnnie examined her face. Her right eye was bruised and purple and there was blood trailing from her nose to her mouth.
Alex examined Johnnie's face; not so much damage, but blood was dripping from his mouth to his shirt.
Johnnie kept his gaze at her face. Then all of a sudden, Alex smiled a little, a happy expression on her face making Johnnie smile back. Her expression changed as a sly smile reached her face. She opened her mouth to speak, and the words sounded like music to Johnnie's ears.
"Let's dance,"
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Listen to the song ".Com Pt. II" by Motionless in White to understand the one shot better.