The Wasteland

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Year 2123, the supposed to be futuristic and well developed nation of united alliance is now a desolated wasteland were the products of nonsensical people flooded the surface. It is almost a hopeless planet that the climate is also affected by the human's negligence. Air is now unbreathable, water is contiminated and the soil were unhealthy either. But the journey from the wasteland is just a beginning as the end of this mile walk is a so-called paradise of salvation east from here were a group of more disciplined yet weird people gathered and made their safe haven. The new Nippon. That is our goal. Me and my group consisting of a skilled crafter, Jonas. A skilled fighter, Andrew. An experienced medic, Hannah and a veteran captain, Redford. We are also from a group of survivors residing inside a wasteland. We are assigned to go to the new Nippon to call for rescue and also as the elder says, "We are too young to die in here."

Redford smile at what the elder had said as if it was a compliment because he is in his 40s.

"So, Ryan. Where we will head to now?"

Redford asked me as we reach the first explored wasteland from our survivor's camp.

"I'd say we go here after a left turn." I point towards the abandoned city NY. You already what those two letter means, its hard to mentioned it because in the books they just use letters instead of the actual name of the existed places. I remember when reading the author's note, "I don't want to remember the nightmare of the slow decay of this country. So just memorize the paths and roads of the map. No more field trips because as years goes by these places will have new names."

Back to our journey, Hannah noticed a white cloth acting like a flag standing out between the rubbles. She also mentioned that it is not reported by the scavengers when they arrived yesterday meaning it is just fresh built flag.

They became more cautious for that thought. Jonas and Andrew immediately take positions for security. Me and Hannah goes for cover too. Only Redford stands out in the middle between wrecked buildings. He then shouted out of the blue that we are also surprised too.

"Whoever are near me! Please reach my voice and we will help you!"

His voice echoed in the area.

Seconds later, an arrow hits his head straight through from right forehead to his left chin. We're all shocked at the scene. Hannah almost shouted as she saw Redford get down on his knees then his whole upper body gone down on the ground.

"Ryan... get out of here while we distract them, I know where the arrow comes from." Andrew whispers to me, we are just meters away and the are is eerily quiet. Jonas quickly made a barrier made out of rubber and planks near him protecting his side. Then he saw a figure running in front of him going from right to left. While me and Hannah goes crouching to the direction where Andrew pointed out.

Suddenly, an explosion started blasting near Andrew's position and a shout of man was heard. "JONAS!!!" that is Andrew's voice. This time Hannah let out a shout. And I was stunned on what I saw. Jonas' upper half body were near us with blood spreads on the ground. Andrew starts a wild spray of bullets with his automatic rifle from the direction where the bomb came from. I also saw thrown bomb but ignores it because I trusted their skills but then trust is not enough if your opponent is more skillful. I forced myself to stand up from kneeling down and pulled Hannah. She struggles as wanting to help Andrew, "stop! We are not going back! He can handle it! Trust him! Just. Trust. Him." As we pull away, my eyes met Andrew's eyes from a distance and then I saw a surreal vision. "Is that a grim reaper?" No, it is just a delusion. It is really a person with a knife behind Andrew. *Slash* My tears goes down as I saw Andrew bathes in his own blood as the person slashes his throat from behind.

In just half an hour, three of us died. Hannah is still crying and blaming herself for aiding them. I keep comforting her and keep telling her not to blame herself. "Be strong Hannah. We are not here to just surrender and die. We will avenge them after we gone to that safe haven. " Hannah is still crying. At such a young age, Hannah experienced this traumatic event. "I can endure any painful operations or surgeries just to save everyone in the camp but not like these that my friends are dying near me." Hannah speaks. "For now, we are safe in here." I said like it is really safe but in reality I am also trembling and a moment later while we are hiding. I saw him again from the cracks of the wall. My eyes became wide open. That is the same man who killed my friends. Why is he still looking for us? Are they not enough?! What should we do? What should I do? Right. I have Hannah. Hannah, I know you loved as your friends. But things might change a little. I... took a dark turn at this moment. I carried Hannah while she sounds asleep to an old storage inside the abandoned restaurant. It has a thick steel door that can be shut even its a bit rusty. My body heat ignores the danger of being heard as I forcefully closed the door. Hannah almost wakes up but I quicky gags her mouth with my long towel, this surpises her and immediately fights back as she saw me unbuckling my belt and going to open my pants.

"What the , what are you doing?!"

Hannah panics and asked me horribly.

"I know, I know. Hannah, this might be our last moments. So why not just give in and do what lovers do." I told her and resume on what I am doing then lunge at her. Unexpectedly, she had triggered her adrenaline and pushed me back that my body slams on the steel door.

That hurts but it was nothing to me becaus-

I did not finish my sentence as a loud bang was heard behind and a large blade impales my stomach. Blood pours from my mouth and of course from my open stomach then slowly my mind goes black.

- His body fall down after that man slowly pulls out his blade. What even more shocking is he penetrates the thick steel storage door from outside. That thing aside, I must escape this room but how?! Then another loud sound comes from the door. Repeatedly and then the door fall down towards outside, the dust emerges and a figure appears. The murderer, who kills my friends. He just stands there looking at me. "We need women." He speaks. Immediately my mind go wild in a negative way. This killer will take me to his gang and will use me until I die. I quickly pull my revolver from my handbag and point it to my chin. He didn't even move to stop me. "You didn't pull the hammer." He said and noticed it, why did he point it out?

"Are you making fun of me?!" I shouted and crying at the same time. He leaves just like that. I lower my gun and fall down sitting near Ryan's body. I looted his things especially his binocular and his bag of lockpicking tools then I leave the area carefully. Looks like the man isn't following me. As I am walking, I remember what Ryan says about the route towards the new Nippon. The abandoned airport, right. But I made sudden stop as I saw a pack of malnourished animals that I cannot describe if they're wolves or stray dogs but one thing for sure they are not friendly.

Seconds later, a sound of crunching footsteps I heard behind me. Even though it is also evening, I figured it out instantly who is the man behind me. Its him! The murderer! He is following me, like a thought it will be. This time I go for the kill but I saw him cocking his head left and right while speaking in a minimal volume, "Would you rather die from a pack of coyotes than going with me?" Why would he ask that, the coyotes are far away and he is in front of me. Of course, he is more a threat than those coyotes. "No, I'm not insane to think like that. This is also my way to avenge my f-friends." Why did I stutter, I see. Ryan almost rape me.

"Friends, huh." He replied. "To be honest, I can survive your gunshots but I can't survive a pack of wild animals." He added.

"That is just a bluff. I can kill you right now. I will just aim at your head."

"Right. Let's say you killed me. Could you kill the sixth coyote after you shoot the other five?"

My mind goes blank. I don't have time for this math shit. He just wants me to get distracted.

"Enough!"

------

That time a bullet just scraped my right shoulder. She didn't know the recoil of the revolver she's using. The sound of gunshot alerts the coyotes and immediately run towards the sound surprising the panicked girl. The girl didn't even do a second shot and just get his gun slipped from her hand, next scene I saw was the coyotes ripped her body parts apart even the bag she's carrying. I just watch her and her eyes met mine. Shouting, bawling and silence. Only the gnarls of the coyotes remains and then one coyote sniffs its surroundings for more food, it walks past me and then goes around. Standing still and not moving at all is still a thing in this hopeless wasteland. But also, hostility can be sense by wild animals. I then moved to sit in a nearby broken wall. The coyotes noticed it and slowly approaches me, that's when I unequip my mask. Looking directly at them. They all cower and as soon as I move my blade they all ran away. This is what you get after years of living in the wasteland.

My quest on looking for women was failed. But these loots are a good find. For now, since its just my third day on the surface I will continue to look for women.

(End of chapter 1. Thank you for reading.)