Tales from Postapocalyptia Pt. 2

"Fine but..." I said reluctantly as we shuffled out of the old shack, "I wanna see mom before we go into town."


     As we stepped outside the old shack, I immediately smelled the burning wood emanating from the watch fires lit all around the town. Up from the hill where my house is, you can see for miles around; not that there's anything really worth looking at. I don't know much about how the world ended, but I can tell from the black and desolate landscape that there was a lot of fire. Everywhere I look I'm greeted by stretches black char with occasional patches of brown earth scattered about like spots on an animal. The few trees that are left are either burned remnants of their former splendor, or useless stumps chopped down for fire wood; courtesy of humanity. Somehow, though, humanity still finds a way to live. Even from up here I can hear people bustling about, parents calling for their children, wives yelling at husbands, and merchants trying to hock the last of their wares before they close down. It's amazing seeing how this town I call home has managed to survive in this hell we call a planet.

     I say "our town" because it doesn't actually have an official name according to the Council of Seven, our post-apocalyptic excuse of a government. Stationed in the city of New Eden, about fifteen miles or so outside of town, the Council rules the surrounding region through the consensus of the (as the name implies) the word of the 7 Councilors. Their decrees are, of course, enforced by a substantial military group known as the Coven. I personally don't know too much about them, just that they've got a huge stockpile of old weapons and tech. We're out here in the wilderness reduced to rotating watches while New Eden still has a functioning security network. How's that for a fair and just leadership?

"You're thinking about the Council again, Ian. Stop it," Alice said, jarring me from my thoughts.

"Oh, uhh...huh? How did you know?" I asked.

"I know you, kid. You should know that by now, Mr. Genius man."

"Al, I really wish you'd stop calling me kid. I'm older than you for god's sake," I said as we made our way down the blackened hillside to the town below.