A woman and her kid were cornered inside a neglected mall. Everything was decaying and falling apart after The Outbreak and, subsequently, The Purge. Both events didn’t stop the creatures, and humanity got used to a life of scavenging and military-like settlements.

But now Mary and little Josh were cornered and there was not much to do. Mary had a rational idea of taking her kid with her during her scavenging for supplies. At first, the idea of leaving her 9-year-old alone was not an option. However, the current situation made her regret her choice.

Everything blew when she had to shoot one creature that noticed their presence. She knew they had to leave fast. So they ran erratically, not sure if she wanted to hide or flee. In the end, and after more shots, she got enough time to settle in a small shop in the mall. But the creatures are mad and banging on the gate. It is just a matter of time. The bangs are becoming louder and louder. So are the gnarly screams.

She pondered for some seconds. She could not think straight, but she knew that she could not bear the idea of Josh being torn apart by those fiends. If they are to die, she wants it to be as painless as possible for her loved one.

She gathered strengths from whatever place she could, and even though she was hesitant, she closed her eyes. Josh was too scared to be rational. He was paying too much attention to the ferocious noises from outside. Good.

“I love you,” she said. And before Josh could realize what was going on, he heard a loud sound that destroyed all his thoughts. He possibly heard his mum’s screams scrambled too, while, in a split of a second, his reality vanished.

Mary was screaming and crying. So much pain. She put the gun in her temple. And heard just a click. She pressed twice, three more times, but just clicks. No bullets. She cried even more, but that is fine; at least Josh had it painless. She could bear the pain. Maybe.

The frantic noise outside made Mary sure that she did not have enough time. So she closed her eyes and waited.

And while she floated in her thoughts, the noises became distant sounds in her head, but gunshots pulled her out of her trance. Machine-gun shots.

Two soldiers burst into where Mary and her lifeless Josh were hidden.

“We heard gunshots, ma’am. We came to hel–”

But the soldier stopped his words when he saw the saddest woman in the world screaming desperately in tears.