Before the apocalypse
Mikhail's POV

He threw another punch, and the guy was knocked back, stumbling, before he fell to the ground. The crowd that had gathered around him are full of whispers and laughter, which no amount of effort of tuning out could block. He looks up to see most people are staring at him. All they saw was the blood on his knuckles and the guy he had beat up groaning on the school floor.

"Mikhail Emmersen!" He turned as the principal stalked down the hallways towards him, a furious and disappointed look on her face, her long skirt rustling around her legs as if sharing her frustration. "Someone get this boy to the nurses office. Mr. Emmersen, you're coming with me."

He didn't argue or fight her as she led him to the office. They had done this a million times. It was almost like clockwork.

"Mik?" A small girls voice said from an open classroom doorway. Her and a few other kids had rushed to the doorway to see what was going on. But that girl that had spoken was his little sister.

"Go back inside, Ana. Everything is alright," He said to her as soothingly as he could as he walked by. She remained standing there though, her hand over her mouth.

"I'm going to have to call your mother," His stomach in his throat, the principal gestured for him to sit down in her office.

***

"What the fuck were you thinking?" His mother backhanded him hard across the face the second they got inside the house. "You got yourself expelled! This was your last year, Mikhail! You had just a month left!"

"Mom!" His two younger sisters, Anastasia and Annika, and the youngest, his brother, Ivan, were all walking through the door behind them. But it was Anastasia that had spoken. "Mom, stop it! You don't know why he did it! Mikhail, explain to her why you aren't the bad guy!"

He remained silent, knowing there was no point. His mother would never listen to him. She didn't care about any of their feelings. It's why Dad had finally quit and left his family. His children. He wouldn't put it past his mom that she wanted him gone, too.

"Anastasia, go to your room and get your homework done. The same with you other two." Their mom said, frustrated and still fuming. "This is between your older brother and I."

Anastasia, with a look of sadness, trudged her way upstairs. Annika followed close behind her sister, but not before giving him a quick, apologetic smile. Ivan trailed her, without a word. No doubt Annika would stay with Anastasia, like usual. Anastasia was prone for frequent seizures and should never be left on her own.

"I can't believe I raised such a disgusting, disobedient child!" His mother pulled on a tuft of his hair so he couldn't go anywhere, although he wouldn't have tried leaving anyway. His mother was a strong, broad woman. Besides, he didn't want to fight her. It wasn't worth it anymore. "You are a loser just like your father!"

"Well, someone has to deal with the morons that keep picking on Ana!" He yelled back finally. "If I'm a loser because of it, then I'm glad to be a disgusting loser! And I'm sure dad would say the same about you!"

"How dare you!" Another hard slap to the face made him sway on his feet. His face stung brutally. "And this is about Anastasia again? If Anastasia is having issues than she should report it! Now go upstairs! I don't want to see you for the rest of the night! And forget about dinner!"

***

"Knock knock," He tapped on his sisters' bedroom door. He had avoided them for most of the night. He has heard the girls laughing and studying, and didn't want to interrupt.

Annika was in the bathroom washing up, but Anastasia was in her bed, a romance novel grasped in her small, gentle hands. She was smiling, looking as if she were enthralled with the story. He almost felt bad for interrupting her.

She was like a doll. She had dainty, careful fingers and round cheeks that never left her, even though she was in ninth grade. Her head was a mass of tight, dark brown curls that reached her shoulders and her eyes were a calming, chocolate brown. Even her heart matched everything about her.

He had always loved her, though he knew he should never pick favorites. But he couldn't help it. How despite everything, she was always kind, always vigilant, and always saw the best in people. Nothing could kill her spirit.

"Mikhail!" Her face lit up and the smile on her face got wider. She set her book aside as he came to sit on the bed beside her.

"How's the book?" He asked.

"Really good, but..."

"Not as good as a conversation with me?" He joked, giving her a goofy look. She giggled.

"No, my books are never that good."

He smiled, but got more serious. She saw the look on his face change and clasped her hands together.

"I wanted to make sure no one else has touched you other than that guy I beat up today?"

"No," she looked down at her hands, "they are too scared too."

"I'm not scaring them enough if there are still kids that are picking on you." He sighed. "I will destroy the world if I have to in order to protect you, Ana, you know that."

He had meant it. If it meant hurting anyone—even killing—he would do it for her. She deserved all the happiness in the world, and he was determined to make sure she got as much of it as possible.

She had gone to the school before and they did nothing. And it wasn't like their mother was going to listen to her either. So he had to step in. He had to do something.

"I know that, Mik," she threw her arms around him. "But I don't want you to get in trouble anymore."

"Don't worry about me, sis," He said, drawing her to arms length. "Just worry about being the sweet angel that you are. Let me handle the rest."

"I just wish you'd live your life, Mik. You're always protecting me and I feel like that's why you don't have any friends, or many hobbies. I mean—you use those throwing knives, but Mom has a fit about those."

"Yes," he laughed and she joined in. She, too, was probably remembering the time the both of them snuck out to play with them. "Yes, she certainly does."

He heard the bathroom door open and the light click off and he stood up, but not before he leaned down to kiss his sister on the forehead.

"I love you, Ana."

"I love you too, big brother," she smiled a brilliant smile at him. "Always."

***

A shrill scream woke him up in the middle of the night. Ivan sat up on the other side of the bedroom as he did, rubbing at his eyes. Mikhail, faster than lightning, violently threw back the covers and ran for his sisters room. It hadn't been Anastasia screaming. It had been Annika.

When he reached their bedroom, Anastasia was still in bed, but the covers were thrown back, showing Anastasia in her white nightgown. Annika was frozen next to her, sobbing uncontrollably. He froze too, his brain not comprehending. Then his mom rushed in and checked Anastasia's pulse.

"Annika, take your little brother downstairs." Their mom rushed back into the bedroom for a phone. "Mikhail, you too! Get downstairs, you'll only be in the way!"

"Ana..." Everything was sinking in and he stumbled toward her. Surely she must only be sleeping. She can't be... "Ana... wake up, please..."

"Mikhail, get out!"

"No! Wake up!" He shook his beloved sister crazily. "You have to get up! Don't you dare leave me here! Wake up!"

He dragged her to the floor, beginning to do CPR. She wasn't going to leave him. She wasn't allowed. So why wasn't she getting up?

His mom yanked on his arm, throwing him away from her. He sat in the middle of the floor, sobbing helplessly. He never cried when his dad left. Or when his mom beat him. He never cried to any pain. Except this pain.

Whenever Anastasia had a epileptic episode, it would feel like this. But this was worse.

She was gone.