The soldiers had survived this long by using a drone. That was how they found and got to Valen. They said it had a battery that could last for days, and could charge using solar energy, but no doubt, it wouldn’t last much longer without conservation. It had been three days since the fall of the city. They were packing up the tents bright and early. The sun scorched heavy onto Valen’s brown eyes through the trees.

Soldiers busily moved around as quietly as possible, loading new magazines, and counting what ammo they had left. They had to save what they had, which was why the drone was so useful for both navigation and avoidance.

In the morning, John had told Valen that there was another group of civilians in a tent and that he should stay with them. He didn’t. He wanted to help the soldiers.

Valen saw Captain Kang, who was carrying dark green ammo crates. They were about the same height. Captain Kang noticed Valen approaching and set the crates down.

“Thank you,” Valen said, firmly locking eyes with the captain. “For everything.”

“No problem,” she evenly replied.

“Lancey and I were at my cabin. It has canned food and tools and whatever else you guys can find.”

“How far?” Kang asked.

“Two or three hours,” Valen responded. “What happened to Cleveland? Is that where your group came from? My family’s there.”

“Sorry, Valen. It’s destroyed. Gone,” she said. Valen’s eyes darkened, as if they lost some of their light. Kang continued, “Nothing left. All buildings higher than two stories are demolished. No human is there anymore, or anything earthly,” she paused, studying Valen. “Come with me.” The captain led him to a circle of people sitting on small crates of ammunition and grenades. Gomez was there, as was John and another person Valen didn’t recognize.

“You know John and Gomez,” she motioned to them. “This one,” she patted the helmet of a young man with dark skin, “is our drone operator, William.” He held a large tablet in one of his hands and offered the other to Valen in a handshake. Valen shook it. He didn’t feel like talking to people, but he came with the captain anyway.

“William, pull out your map,” the captain ordered, and William followed; and then she turned to Valen. “Where did you say that cabin was?” She pointed at a spot on the map that William gave her. “This is us,” she said, and then moved her hand to the left. “This is the city.” She handed the map over to Valen.

“It doesn’t have much food,” Valen said. “Only around a day or two’s worth.”

“Animals are gone. Foraging isn’t a good enough source. Drone’s power needs to be conserved,” she stared at Valen. “I’ll just check if it’s on the way. If not, then we won’t go.”

“On the way to where?” Valen asked.

“The capital, Washington,” Gomez answered. He was sharpening a large knife while sitting on an ammo crate. “We got an order through our radios right before it cut out for everyone to try to make it to the capital.” So, there was somewhere safe. Valen studied the map in his hand and the two spots the captain located. He recognized a highway his family used to take to the cabin. His family. He paused. The captain lightly tapped his shoulder.

“You okay, kid?” Kang asked.

“Yeah,” Valen affirmed. Using the highway that he found, he located where the cabin was. It was between their current position and the city, but slightly closer to where they were.

He pointed at the spot and handed it to William. “The cabin,” Valen clarified.

“We’d have to backtrack,” William said, tilting the paper map towards Captain Kang. “It’s not worth it. We’re better off heading towards the front lines and picking up what we find on the way.”

“Alright,” the captain said. “Get me a route and let me know when you’re ready.” Ten minutes later, they were. The large troop marched quietly in a straight line, scared of what they might attract if they were too loud. After the first hour, they took a break for William to scout the area head on his tablet and large camouflage drone. It seemed like this was routine.

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Valen was placed with the few other civilians, who he hadn’t interacted so far. There was a married couple, and three other people on their own. While the soldiers carried rifles and explosives, they were carrying supplies: food, water, ammunition, tents, and other reserves, but Valen and a fifty-year-old man were carrying Lancey’s stretcher. Even though Lancey wasn’t moving himself, the stretcher rocked back and forth with every step, causing him to wince in pain and curse.

“Thank you both and all, but can you try to walk more… still with every step?” Lancey said.

Valen smiled. “Be quiet, patient,” he said. The tall man that was helping to carry Lancey with Valen had long, tied-back, brown hair and a pair of black sunglasses on. His name was Frank, and he looked like he came straight out of a rock concert. Frank chuckled.

“This isn’t some sort of game,” a voice said from behind them. It was Gomez. “Stay quiet and stay moving.” He walked past them, looking ahead.

“Party pooper,” Lancey muttered. Soon, they hit the large highway William was aiming for to start their route. It had about twelve lanes, all freshly painted with lines, and was separated halfway in the middle by a concrete barrier. Seeing the interstate without any moving cars on it made Valen feel odd. It was so different, void and eerily empty, from what it should be. Everything was so different. There were a few cars on it, completely still and evacuated; but some of them even looked like crumpled paper, obliterated, likely due to an unfortunate encounter. It seemed not many people were able to try and escape by vehicle.

The group couldn’t travel on it, not when it was in the open, nor could they risk driving on it; but they could walk alongside it, a bit into the trees and cover. Eventually, this way, they had to come across food and towns, which was currently their only plan for obtaining food and supplies.

They had been walking for four hours. Clouds covered the sky, hiding the sun and leaving the world in a pale murkiness. Lush trees of many types - yellows, dark greens, whites, and pinks - flourishing in the time of Spring, reached up into the sky. Numerous tall trunks stood imposing along the sides of the highways, shielding the party from most views.

Ahead, an exit branched off from the highway, and somewhere up in the front, the leaders of the group, primarily Kang but also Gomez, John, and William, decided to follow it after a short meeting. Valen was still with the other civilians. He remembered what Gomez told Captain Kang last night. How he was baggage that would only cause more deaths. He tightened his hands around the handle of Lancey’s stretcher. He didn’t want to be useless; he wanted the opposite.

The exit led to a large gas station. It looked like a tiny shopping center and had the signs of many familiar food companies on the outside walls. It would have been even more glamorous if half of it wasn’t caved in like something stepped on it. The group paused with the rest stop far in their sight for William to clear the area first before entering. William was invaluable, saving practically everyone’s lives through his scouting. They had changed course or stopped twice in the woods south of the highway to avoid crossing the path of a terrible beast that William had seen. 54 people had died to save Valen. He didn’t forget, and he knew how many more lives would be taken if they ran into another.

William’s camouflage drone was only a small spot in Valen’s vision. It came back and William confirmed that it was safe, so the group broke from the woods and into the open, hungry for food and rest. Valen himself was in the snacks section of the station. He was trying to find his favorite, which he and his family always enjoyed.

It was brownish-red, tall, and skinny. Hidden in a white wrapping, it was a jerky stick. Eagerly, he grabbed a handful of them and stuffed them in his pockets; and then he took another and unwrapped it. An enticing smell immediately hit his nose like a thousand luxurious spices. His eyes lit and he pounced on it. The jerky stick was about eight inches long, but it was about to be gone in three bites. He was licking his lips and about to take his last bite on the remaining inch when he heard a clutter to his left.

It was Gomez, who was also looking at some jerky. Not wanting a confrontation, Valen immediately tried to walk out, but unfortunately, Valen’s eyes and Gomez’s met, and then Gomez looked down at the food he was holding in his hand.

“Good choice,” Gomez said and then turned to select his own.

Valen stopped in his tracks and blinked. “Thank you,” he said awkwardly after a short pause. He and Gomez got their fill of snacks before the rest of the group laid claim to it. Who knew if they would ever be made again? Valen ate the last bite of the jerky stick, savoring the splendid texture. Flavors burst in his mouth and gave him a shuddering, sweet sensation.

Of course, snacks weren’t all he was getting, but the rest of the group was handling the necessities right now; hauling bottled water into their military backpacks as well as any food they found, especially non-perishables. Valen was next to Lancey, preparing to leave with the group.

“Did you get a snack for me?” Lancey asked innocently, making his blue eyes pop as he spoke. He looked like a puppy.

Valen stared at him and then coughed. “Yeah,” he said and pulled out a specific nacho-cheese-flavored bag of chips.

“Thank you!” Lancey exclaimed, stuffing the orange chips into his mouth one after another. That was supposed to be for later, thought Valen as he watched it all disappear. Everyone had about finished resupplying. John had been working with another soldier who was particularly good with craft on Lancey’s brace. It looked to be around noon, but it was hard to exactly determine where the sun was behind the wall of clouds, which had not begun to clear up in the slightest. And then the group began to walk again.