I stepped out onto the desolate streets, my eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of life. The silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated the city. I had been here before, or at least, I had seen the map that they had created. It was a crude illustration of the city's layout, highlighting the best routes to take and the safest places to hide. I had managed to replicate it from memory, and now I was using it to navigate these treacherous streets.
My backpack was filled with a decent amount of goods, enough to sustain me for a while. I had been on the move for days, and I knew that I had to find a way to protect myself. That's why I had broken into a gun shop, hoping to find a weapon to defend myself. But I was too late. The shop had already been ransacked, and the shelves were bare. A note written in paint on the counter read: "Competition starts soon. Good luck."
A chill ran down my spine as I read the words. Competition? What did that mean? I knew that I had to be careful, but I couldn't give up now. I remembered a story my dad used to tell me, about a time when he had bought a gun for his friend. The shopkeeper had pulled out a gun from a secret stash, and I wondered if there was something similar here.
I searched the shop from top to bottom, looking for any hidden compartments or secret stashes. And then, I found it. A small compartment hidden behind a shelf, but it was empty. Whoever had been here before me had already taken the gun.
I cursed my bad luck and continued to search the surrounding buildings. I moved quietly, not wanting to attract any attention. As the sun began to set, I spotted a small convenience store. I slipped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light.
The store had been looted, but I managed to find a dagger hidden among the empty shelves. It was a small comfort, but it was better than nothing. I knew that I still needed to find a more protective weapon, but for now, the dagger would have to do.
As night began to fall, I knew that I had to find a safe place to hide. I couldn't move at night, not when the competition might be lurking in the shadows. And I couldn't move in the morning, not when I would be easily spotted. So I decided to move at sunset, a gamble, but one that I was willing to take.
I made my way to a public clinic, a place that I had spotted on my map. I slipped inside, my eyes scanning the empty halls. The clinic was deserted, but I knew that it was a good place to hide. I barricaded the entrance from the inside, but arranged things to make it look open and unsafe, so no one would think someone was hiding there. And then, I slipped into the restroom, locking the door behind me.
For the first time in days, I had a chance to take a fresh bath. I had collected a gallon of water and soap from the ruins, and I reveled in the feeling of clean skin. It was a small luxury, but one that I savored. As I lay on the cold floor, I knew that I had to be careful. The competition was out there, and I was just one mistake away from disaster. But for now, I was safe, and that was all that mattered.
The next day, I set out once more, my makeshift armor and dagger at the ready. I moved stealthily, always on the lookout for signs of danger. Days turned into weeks, and I began to lose hope. Had I made a mistake, following this map? Was I searching for something that didn't exist?
And then, finally, I saw it - the street where Gaspard and the team were supposed to meet. But as I turned the corner, my heart sank. There was no one there, only ruins and bloodstains. And then, I saw the body. The blue jacket, the familiar shape of the shoulders... my heart dropped, and I froze.
"Eron Henriqua Nallos!" I called out, my voice trembling. "Is that you?" I took a step forward, but then I detected movement. I hid, my heart racing.
As I caught my breath, tears stung my eyes. "How can you cry for someone you barely knew, but not for the man who was always there for you…" I whispered to myself, thinking of my father. The pain and guilt washed over me, and my tears flowed even more freely.
"How could you, Eron... How could you leave us like this?"
Just as I was lost in my grief, a hand touched my shoulder. I spun around, ready to defend myself, but it was Sam. The teenager looked exhausted, but his eyes sparkled with relief as he saw me.
"Kira," he whispered, collapsing into my arms. I held him tight, tears streaming down my face.
"I'm sorry, Kira," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
I hit him gently, trying to process my emotions. "You! What happened? Where's Gaspard? What's going on?"
But Sam just shook his head, his eyes welling up with tears. "It's a long story, Kira. We have to get out of here, first. It's not safe."
As I looked around, I knew he was right. We had to keep moving, to find a way to survive in this treacherous new world. But for now, I just held Sam close, grateful to have found a piece of my past in this desolate present.
I stepped out onto the desolate streets, my eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of life. The silence was oppressive, a heavy blanket that suffocated the city. I had been here before, or at least, I had seen the map that they had created. It was a crude illustration of the city's layout, highlighting the best routes to take and the safest places to hide. I had managed to replicate it from memory, and now I was using it to navigate these treacherous streets.
My backpack was filled with a decent amount of goods, enough to sustain me for a while. I had been on the move for days, and I knew that I had to find a way to protect myself. That's why I had broken into a gun shop, hoping to find a weapon to defend myself. But I was too late. The shop had already been ransacked, and the shelves were bare. A note written in paint on the counter read: "Competition starts soon. Good luck."
A chill ran down my spine as I read the words. Competition? What did that mean? I knew that I had to be careful, but I couldn't give up now. I remembered a story my dad used to tell me, about a time when he had bought a gun for his friend. The shopkeeper had pulled out a gun from a secret stash, and I wondered if there was something similar here.
I searched the shop from top to bottom, looking for any hidden compartments or secret stashes. And then, I found it. A small compartment hidden behind a shelf, but it was empty. Whoever had been here before me had already taken the gun.
I cursed my bad luck and continued to search the surrounding buildings. I moved quietly, not wanting to attract any attention. As the sun began to set, I spotted a small convenience store. I slipped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light.
The store had been looted, but I managed to find a dagger hidden among the empty shelves. It was a small comfort, but it was better than nothing. I knew that I still needed to find a more protective weapon, but for now, the dagger would have to do.
As night began to fall, I knew that I had to find a safe place to hide. I couldn't move at night, not when the competition might be lurking in the shadows. And I couldn't move in the morning, not when I would be easily spotted. So I decided to move at sunset, a gamble, but one that I was willing to take.
I made my way to a public clinic, a place that I had spotted on my map. I slipped inside, my eyes scanning the empty halls. The clinic was deserted, but I knew that it was a good place to hide. I barricaded the entrance from the inside, but arranged things to make it look open and unsafe, so no one would think someone was hiding there. And then, I slipped into the restroom, locking the door behind me.
For the first time in days, I had a chance to take a fresh bath. I had collected a gallon of water and soap from the ruins, and I reveled in the feeling of clean skin. It was a small luxury, but one that I savored. As I lay on the cold floor, I knew that I had to be careful. The competition was out there, and I was just one mistake away from disaster. But for now, I was safe, and that was all that mattered.
The next day, I set out once more, my makeshift armor and dagger at the ready. I moved stealthily, always on the lookout for signs of danger. Days turned into weeks, and I began to lose hope. Had I made a mistake, following this map? Was I searching for something that didn't exist?
And then, finally, I saw it - the street where Gaspard and the team were supposed to meet. But as I turned the corner, my heart sank. There was no one there, only ruins and bloodstains. And then, I saw the body. The blue jacket, the familiar shape of the shoulders... my heart dropped, and I froze.
"Eron Henriqua Nallos!" I called out, my voice trembling. "Is that you?" I took a step forward, but then I detected movement. I hid, my heart racing.
As I caught my breath, tears stung my eyes. "How can you cry for someone you barely knew, but not for the man who was always there …" I whispered to myself, thinking of my father. The pain and guilt washed over me, and my tears flowed even more freely.
"How could you, Eron... how could you leave us like this?"
Just as I was lost in my grief, a hand touched my shoulder. I spun around, ready to defend myself, but it was Sam. The teenager looked exhausted, but his eyes sparkled with relief as he saw me.
"Kira," he whispered, collapsing into my arms. I held him tight, tears streaming down my face.
"I'm sorry, Kira," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
I hit him gently, trying to process my emotions. "You! What happened? Where's Gaspard? What's going on?"
But Sam just shook his head, his eyes welling up with tears. "It's a long story, Kira. We have to get out of here, first. It's not safe."
As I looked around, I knew he was right. We had to keep moving, to find a way to survive in this treacherous new world. But for now, I just held Sam close, grateful to have found a piece of my past in this desolate present.