I stepped out of the lift of the underground shelter I grew up in. The metal flooring was designed with a rough surface to improve traction, but I wasn't really admiring the metal building that was the entrance to the shelter. Instead I was looking at the harsh white light beaming through the large opening at one end of the room.

I was soon to step out here to take those steps to other shelters meet new people see interesting places.

However a short harsh alarm sounded along with the whirr of motors as a terminal popped out of the wall on a robotic arm. Apparently I was expected to be on my way immediately. I sent one last look at the opening big enough to allow multiple trucks through before I started walking for the terminal.

The big room was a place for deliveries to arrive, so it more like an unloading area than a garage. However it was all automated, not a single soul in sight, or any vehicles for that matter it just felt dead even if there was no dust. There was an actually mechanics bay underground connected to a lift for vehicles if they needed work.

Me, I signed up to be one of those delivery people. However my pay working below cleaning and canning meat wheat was only enough to get me a good pair of boots and a pack to head out with. Somehow the walk seemed short even though it took me at least a minute to make it across the room.

As I got closer to the waiting screen I eyed the area around it, there was shutters along most of the walls as they hid the delicate machinery hidden behind them. But other than that there was only the indent in the wall where the arm carrying the screen would normally be stowed away.

I pulled the terminal angling it towards me, reading what was displayed. It was disappointingly official. Two things really and only a confirm button.

1 New package 1 Job required package Confirm

I promptly touched the confirm button and the terminal retracted out of my hands and folding itself flush with the wall, however the shutters next to it well, shuddered open with a crashing noise that made me wince at the abruptness of it. But behind those shutters was an amazing sight, I saw a rack of shelves behind it where an automated arm pulled two cases off a shelf in a single grab before placing them on a conveyor belt that seemed surprisingly low tech compared to the rest of this place.

Then with a little alarm the belt started moving extending out from the wall only to stop just before the two boxes would fall off the end.

With a shaky hand I checked the label on the large box, it was the size of my torso and at least twice as thick. There was a electronic tag on it, labeling it for it's destination so I couldn't tell what it was so I couldn't open it. This crate must be my first job, to deliver this to the big city. The smaller one was, well similarly sized but it was actually much thinner. This one was for me.

I opened it up and saw the pack I ordered. A flat metal frame with straps on one side to hold that frame against my back, and more straps on the other side to tightly secure my packages. I however was taken aback by what else there was in the package.

There was more then what I had bought. Besides my sturdy boots, there was one more item. Mainly a large suit that was designed with tough fabric to be hard to tear through. I didn't have to wonder who snuck this into my package, I had talked to her about what I was planning long ago. Maybe I should have told my mom I was leaving today... Seems she had found out anyways.

I quickly put it on zipping it up appreciating the tough synthetic fabrics and put on my boots before I wrapped my first package up with my pack noting how the pack had pegs to slot into the hard case to secure it. Then I wrapped the fabric of my package around the box before I shouldered it. Leaning forward as I pulled the shoulder straps down to get it firmly in place.

That was when I noticed I missed something. Inside the box in the corner was a small eye piece. It was a HUD. Not much use but it was good for interfacing with facilities without going to a terminal like I had just now. Picking it up the small piece of metal fit to the side of my head curling around the ear as the thick.. well not glass but some other transparent material displayed the HUD.

The greasy fingerprint told me all I needed to know about who sent this tiny marvel. It was the mechanic, he... well I hesitate to say he liked me but I don't think he actually liked anyone. Always angry that one, but apparently he was just bad at expressing it as he gave me this.

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It was obviously something he put together quickly from the scraps of three of four broken ones, but it was perfectly functioning. Slotting it on my head it activated before it did anything else it prompted me for my identification.

Wait that was supposed to be in the box as well. I looked down not spotting it and looked around some. However suddenly the HUD presented a crisp blue triangle on a hidden pocket of my new suit. Fiddling with the seam revealed a zipper that once unzipped I was able to pull out my new ID.

The hard metal card was layered with electric contacts no words or pictures visible. Just looking at it was enough for the HUD, it flashed registering my ID with the setup showing what the card was saying electronically

Name Thomas Becket Age 22 Home Shelter Great Forest Job Delivery man

Obviously that last one was new, if I had this just a day before it would probably have said factory worker or something like that.

I stowed my ID back away when I was startled by the noisy retracting of the conveyor belt as the shutters noisily closed hiding the hidden machinery behind the palace.

I realized that now was the moment. I was about to leave for the first time. See what the world was really like...

I turned my head towards the opening. It was up a long slope the room itself still completely underground. It wasn't lost on me that the design was such that if something happened to the building the walls would collapse dropping the massive slap of a roof over this room sealing it while leaving enough space for anyone inside to bring equipment up from below to lift it back up when it was safe.

I gulped trying not to think about what would be out there to require that kind of safety. Sure I read the things saw the pictures... But it was like reading a fantasy, it wasn't real until I was confronted with the architecture that was born from this post apocalyptic world.

Stepping out onto yet more metal the harsh light seemed to die down as I looked around and took a deep breath of real air for the first time. It felt thick, and it was wet? If that was even possible. There was giant trees surrounding the building I had just left. The ground area was dark shaded by the thick foliage of the trees and above was the open sky above this building where the trees couldn't grow because of this shelter.

A ping in my ear from my HUD revealed to me I had a message. It was from the mechanic no doubt he had been watching me through the cameras waiting for the moment I left.

'Hey kid, saw you just left. I wanted you to know I was the one that ratted on you. When you told me you were leaving yesterday I went straight to your mom and told her all about it."

God damnit, that guy. I skimmed the rest of the message, it was very long winded for the guy who would sooner shout people out of his little area of the mechanics bay. However I realized it wasn't just him, it was also my mom. No doubt he had written some crude two sentence goodbye but was forced to do more by my mom standing over his shoulder.

Eventually it came to it's conclusion where I read what pretty much summarized the entire letter in a single spot.

"Anyways, just wanted you to know that your mom loves you and all that. She doesn't want me to tell you that she knew you were leaving and forced me to send this message.

Don't die out there kid."

That sounded much more like him. I stepped off the metal pad into the shade of trees as I headed south, down the hill towards the river where I would follow it until I hit my destination. A city on the ocean, with a dock.

The floor under the trees was surprisingly clear I expected there to be bushes or grass or something, no it was a layer of dead leaves on top of hard dirt.

I tried to remember what I had learned about what happened in the past. But failed I think I fell asleep one too many times in history class. But I do know what the result was. The rain, it is what has caused the most damage. It accelerated the growth of plants and animals to an absurd degree. The massive trees surrounding me were obvious with that fact. Each one would require at least three of me to wrap my arms around and that's just the small ones.

And along the way I found a giant paw print that I could lay inside of. I saw the layer of water and tracks of smaller animals in it so it was fairly old.

I decided a short time into my journey to climb a tree and get a real look at the landscape. It was awe inspiring. Being inside all my life I had longed for open spaces and didn't even know it, having no ceiling feeling the difference in temperatures. Inside I think I was starting to feel trapped. Air perfectly regulated with a constant temperature and humidity, the same meals the same cold metal walls.

Now though looking out I smiled seeing a distant mountain.

Only to have my expression stiffen as the distant mountain moved. It wasn't a mountain, but a giant turtle so large that on it grew plants and trees no doubt some creatures living on it as well.

I swallowed as I returned to the floor. Maybe being in the forest is a good thing, no doubt there was probably some dangerous creature that would snap me up. No wonder we effectively abandoned the surface. That thing was by far the largest thing I had ever seen size alone would deter any predators.

Luckily I wasn't headed for that thing, so I resumed my journey this time with a keen eye on my surroundings not for gazing around in wonder but for any hidden dangers I might have missed.