Dawn broke bright and early the next day. Doug woke groggily, stretching his limbs painfully. His muscles ached from lying motionless on the bunkbed mattress for so many hours.
Groaning softly, he sat upright and peered out into the main room of his bunker. His stomach growled angrily, demanding breakfast.
Without wasting any more time, Doug rose unsteadily from the bed and staggered to the kitchen to choose a meal from the teetering stack of cans that threatened to fall and crush the table. He quickly chose a can of peaches. As he ate his meager selection, he considered how best to spend his day.
For a moment, he toyed with the idea of heading outdoors again. Given what had happened recently, however, he was terrified of the idea. But he knew he had to locate some more diesel fuel soon, considering the storm had lasted much longer than he had anticipated, causing him to have to resort to using up most of his reserves.
If I go outside today, it has to be during daylight hours. Otherwise, I won't stand a chance against whatever lurks out there.
He didn’t like his odds, but he couldn’t just continue to wait around until he entirely depleted his tank and because entirely reliant on only Solar and wind energy. That would leave him vulnerable when his security system couldn’t maintain power.
Despite his hesitancy, he decided it best to venture outside. This time however, he would arm himself with more than just his sawed-off shotgun. After making sure the weapon was loaded and ready to fire, he picked up a machete hanging on the wall rack and slung it across his shoulder. Then he grabbed a couple of throwing knives, which he tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket. And just in case, he grabbed his Glock pistol from the holster on his hip before heading towards the exit.
Outside, Doug surveyed his surroundings warily. The sun shone brightly in the clear blue skies overhead, casting long shadows across the ground. To the north and south, two large mountains loomed over the horizon, towering high above the surrounding terrain. The trees along the perimeter of the property swayed lazily in the gentle breeze, occasionally rustling faintly as they moved. There weren't any clouds in sight, giving the impression of endless sunshine and warmth.
That's good… at least it finally stopped raining.
Above him, birds sang sweet songs of praise to the rising sun, filling the air with pleasant sounds. For a brief moment, Doug forgot all about his worries and anxieties, simply basking in the beauty of nature.
What would it to be like to be completely oblivious to the dystopian world around them? How wonderful would that be?
Checking his surroundings one more time, he crossed the yard and unlocked the gate. Taking care not to make too much noise, he opened the gate leading to the street.
Beyond the gates lay a his former neighborhood, but it was hardly recognizable. Many of the homes had been reduced tobroken concrete blocks, shattered glass windows, and piles of rubble. Abandoned vehicles littered the streets, their tires flat and caked in dirt and dust. Debris blocked the roads, creating many impassable barriers.
Ahead of him, the road led to the local shopping mall, located near the edge of town. On either side, houses stretched out in orderly rows, separated by wide open spaces. Some of these areas were occupied while others remained abandoned, each home marked with signs declaring it as such. These were the homes belonging to families who lived in the suburbs. Most likely, they fled to safer locations after the Rapture and the resulting chaos and looting.
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Nowadays, most of the survivors preferred to stay inside their pockets of heavily fortified compounds rather than risk venturing outside. They believed that the chances of encountering trouble were far greater outside of the safety of the walls.
I need to find some Diesel fuel somewhere…
Once Doug reached the outskirts of the city proper, he turned left onto the nearest major highway. Traffic along the highway remained stagnant - just as it had been for weeks now with hundreds of abandoned vehicles.
I can only imagine the chaotic scene.
With billions of people disappearing in an instant, vehicles in motion had suddenly become driverless. Cars and trucks plowed through one another at random, smashing into one another, flipping over, bursting into flames, or colliding head-on. Those that managed to remain intact became trapped on highways due to the sheer number of stalled vehicles ahead of them.
Most of the drivers must've perished in the initial impact. Who knows how many died after running out of gas or getting caught in a pileup?
From the looks of it, this stretch of highway hadn't received any attention since the disaster. Even though the government claimed to have set up checkpoints to keep looters and bandits at bay, Doug doubted anyone dared to brave the dangers of the outside world anymore.
A little ways down the road he could see three Semi trucks parked haphazardly alongside the roadway, blocking both lanes of traffic. Several cars had crashed into the rear ends of the semi trailers.
Jackpot.
Doug headed over to the closest truck and opened the tank cap. Inside, several hundred gallons of diesel fuel remained untouched.
Doug beamed in victory. While he siphoned the fuel into his gas can, he kept an ear trained for any sign of danger approaching from behind. Fortunately, the area appeared to be relatively safe. Nobody roamed nearby, nor did he hear any distant gunshots or screams of terror. Everything was quiet, peaceful; almost eerily calm given the circumstances.
The closer he got to filling his container, however, the less confident Doug felt about returning to the bunker without having secured additional fuel. Without enough diesel to run his generator and pump water, he wouldn't be able to live comfortably. At present, he only had ten gallons of fuel that he could carry. It would take at least 10 trips to get it all. Plus, he'd have to worry about protecting himself every step of the way.
There are plenty of armed men roaming around out here. But if I don't secure some more fuel soon, I'm going to die.
Suddenly, Doug heard footsteps approach from behind. Turning slowly, he spotted a tall figure standing by the trailer next to him. Before he could react, the stranger raised a handgun and pointed it directly at his chest.
"Don't move!" the man said firmly. "This is your final warning."
Doug froze.
If this guy shoots me, it'll be lights out.
His heart raced wildly within his ribcage, beating rapidly. A sudden wave of adrenaline coursed through his veins, causing him to shake uncontrollably. With sweaty palms, he gripped tightly on his machete and revolver, preparing himself for whatever fate awaited him.
The gunman stood on the opposite end of the trailer, his eyes darting nervously back and forth. He wore black combat boots, faded jeans, and a denim shirt stained with blood. His hair was short and spiked, framing his square jawline and piercing hazel gaze. From the look of him, he was probably in his mid twenties.
After assessing the situation, Doug decided it wasn't wise to provoke the stranger further. Instead, he held perfectly still, hoping the man would eventually give up and walk away. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed when the assailant stepped forward once more, bringing his gun dangerously close to Doug's face.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked coldly.
"Look, buddy. I don’t want any trouble. Just put down the gun and we can talk," Doug pleaded.
Without answering, the stranger brought the barrel of his weapon closer to Doug's forehead. As the barrel pressed harder against his skin, he felt goosebumps rise on his arms. Despite knowing better, he didn't dare to speak again until the man lowered his weapon slightly.
Taking advantage of the situation, Doug moved quickly and snatched the pistol from his grip. When he pulled the trigger, the hammer fell soundlessly.
Empty chamber, eh?
He tossed the pistol aside and retrieved his Glock instead from behind his back. Now equipped with two weapons, he looked the stranger dead in the eye and smiled confidently.
"So, why don't you tell me who sent you?"
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