A Harsh Realization

"We did it kid, we made it out!" Oslo slapped Virion on the back of the head.

"We really did, I wasn't sure I would survive…" Tears started to stream down Virion's face, it had been a rough couple days for him after all.

"Now we just have to keep surviving. Come on, let's follow the road for now."

"That's a good idea, we still need to find food and water after all."

"Now you're using that brain of yours!"

Deciding on this course of action, Virion and Oslo began to walk along the interstate road leading out of the city. Who knows how long they walked this road for, all they saw was grass, trees, and the occasional fracture in the ground like before. They must have walked for at least half a day as now the sun was directly above them, signifying that it was noon.

After walking for a bit longer, they spot what looks like a house in the distance. Well, what they can only assume is a house. All they can tell from this distance is that it's finally something different than trees and grass.

Getting closer to it over time, they realize that it's an old log cabin, it looks like one somebody hasn't touched in years. Part of the porch on the front of the cabin had collapsed in on itself, leaving a giant hole in one side of it.

Deciding to go over to it, they both hopped the railing of the road and carefully make their way towards it. Now that they've made it this close, they can see that other than the porch being collapsed in on itself, the house seemed to be in good condition. Besides the cobwebs and spiderwebs all over the place that is.

Just as they neared the porch and were about to step on it, a small tremor suddenly shook the ground under them, and it was getting worse with time.

"I don't like the feeling of this kid, stay alert." Warning Virion, Oslo pulled out his crossbow and began looking around for any sign of danger.

Nodding his head, Virion pulled out his pocket knife, still looking at it dejectedly. He wanted a weapon as well, anything besides this stupid knife.

The tremors started to get worse and worse when all of a sudden, it sounded like something popped out behind them.

Before being able to realize it, something had taken a bite out of Virion's leg. It wasn't that big of a wound but it was alarming that he didn't even have time to react.

"It's like a mole, kid! It hides in the ground!" Oslo alerted Virion of what it was, apparently having seen the thing.

"Why didn't you shoot it then?!" Virion seemed angry, rightfully so.

"I didn't have time, it was extremely fast. I only caught a glimpse of it before it was back in the ground."

"That's just great." Virion sighed to himself while looking around for where the creature might appear from.

While looking around, Virion noticed a pile of wood that had been cut in half. Almost like it had been done with a woodcutting axe.

'An axe? Is it still here?'

Not wanting to hesitate for long, Virion immediately dashed to where he saw the split wood. Hoping the axe would still be there, and it seemed his luck had paid off. The axe seemed to have been stuck into a log.

Grabbing the handle, Virion pulled and tried to free the axe, but it didn't budge.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Virion was genuinely angry at this point, he was upset that he couldn't even pull an axe out of a tree.

As he struggled to pull the axe out, another bite was taken out of his leg. Still not a big wound, but over time it would certainly add up.

Slamming his hands against the side bit of the handle of the axe, Virion tried budging it from the tree as best as he could. He hit it from the top and it moved a little, and then he followed it up by hitting it from the bottom. He did these actions in rapid succession, not even thinking of what he was doing. It was as if he was doing such a thing from instinct alone.

Suddenly, the axe popped free from the tree.

"Aha!" Seemingly happy he did it, Virion shouted out in joy.

Which was immediately followed by another bite to his leg.

"I'll kill you, you bastard! Stop biting me!" Shouting at the ground in a rage, Virion swung his axe at the ground around him, hoping to hit the thing.

All he managed to hit however was dirt.

"Swing behind you kid! I can see it coming!" Shouting at Virion, Oslo seemed to be watching the show.

Immediately turning around and swinging at the ground, Virion felt the axe connect with something hard. Struggling a bit to pull the axe out of whatever he hit, he swung it again right after, hearing a cracking sound.

Panting loudly from the sudden adrenaline rush running out, Virion slowly struggled to pull the axe from the ground. As he does so, blood and dirt cover the edge of the axe. Seeing such a sight, Virion realizes that it's actually dead, that he killed it.

He doesn't feel as bad as before, he's starting to get used to all of this. Whether that's a good or bad thing however he doesn't know.

"Good job kid!" Oslo walks over while looking into the small hole the axe left behind in the ground.

"Would've been nice if you helped." Virion glanced at Oslo with a side eye while still panting.

"Would you have liked me to have tried to shoot it but accidently hit you instead? Exactly." Oslo says as if it's a matter of fact. "Now let's search this house, there could be good stuff inside."

With the both of them walking inside the house, they can see that it was only made to accommodate a single person. There was one bedroom, one bathroom, a kitchen, and something that could barely be considered a living room. The living room was so small you could probably only fit about four people in it.

With Virion sitting his axe down, they started looking around some more, they found a small little kitchen, all it had in it was a normal sized refrigerator, a sink, a couple cabinets, and some cooking utensils.

Looking through the refrigerator first, the main thing they found was some really old meat which already had mold growing all over it, turning almost all of it white and green. Other than that however, was a bunch of water and condiments. It seems like whoever lived here was a frugal eater.

Moving onto the cabinets next, they come across quite a lot of canned food. There were at least two cabinets full of different canned items. There was corn, pears, pineapple, carrots, there was even quite a lot of potted meats and the sort.

"We hit the jackpot!" Virion exclaimed as he rummaged through all of the cans, seeing all the options they had.

"Let's choose something to eat, we haven't had a proper meal in a while."

Thinking about what he wanted, Virion chose some normal potted meat and corn. Oslo also chose his meal which consisted of potatoes, corn, carrots, and some potted spam. It seemed Virion was just going straight for some food while Oslo planned on making something.

After trying the stove without any luck of it working, Oslo showed Virion how to set up a fire. Showing him step by step which wood to get, how to pile it, how to make tinder to start it, to lighting it using the kindling.

Amazed at how Oslo knows all of this, Virion watched and learned intently, this was something that would be very useful from now on after all. There were no utilities or anything of the sort anymore, in due time, all of it would disappear.

All forms of lighting, all forms of gas, of heat, of energy would disappear. It was only at this point that it was hitting Virion how devastating this was. His entire life as he knew it had changed. There was no more living in luxury, you would have to question if you'd even be able to eat your next meal. Wonder if you can even make it back to those you care about.

The world had now become survival of the fittest, or perhaps that isn't an adequate description. It has become survival of those who can best adapt, those who understand the struggle and can still thrive in the dangers and struggles that are to come. They would have to forsake everything they once lived by. They would have to adapt to this new and brutal world.

Realizing this harsh truth, Virion shuddered at the thought.

'Would I have to do bad things to people? But why? Do they deserve such things happening to them? Why should I do such things? No! I won't! I'll do my best to help them, to make sure they don't suffer! I don't want them to go through the same things I did!'

All of these thoughts ran through his head in an instant as he grew determined for what he wanted to do. He wanted to help people, to make sure they don't have to suffer such horrible fates. He knew it may be a naive way of thinking, but everyone deserves to be treated good don't they?

Quietly eating his food, Virion repeated such things to himself in his head, growing more and more determined. You could even say it was on the verge of desperation. A desperate struggle, a desperate determination, one that burned as bright as the sun inside of his heart.