We walk across the fields of abandoned farms with a hot sun directly overhead. The grass, being without care for years, has grown to be as tall as I

am in places. Sweat pours down my

forehead, and I can feel my pale skin baking in the heat.

“We’ve been walking for hours and haven’t found anything interesting!” Jordan moans.

“It was your idea.” I remind him

“Well, it was a stupid idea, why did you agree to it?!” In typical fashion, he didn’t think this through.

“I dunno, I think it’s pretty interesting. A change of scenery at least.” In the two years since this all started, we hadn’t left the immediate suburbs near the cottage, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed a change. With the sun at its zenith, it can’t have been much past noon, maybe an hour or so.

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“Although, we have spent half a day walking, without finding anything remarkable, and no food either- “

“Shush, shush, you hear that?” Jordan whispers. I strain to hear the faint sounds of movement in the tall grass. Something big was approaching us, and quickly.

“What do you two think you’re doing around here?” I spin to see a man approaching us from behind, carrying a shotgun.

“Dammit,” Jordan breathes from behind me “They’ve got us surrounded.”

“I promise we don’t have anything of value, we’re just passing through.” I say, putting my hands up in a placating gesture

“that’s exactly why you’re on our territory, y’all wanna take our stuff!” The man with the shotgun shouts. Despite his scruffy beard, he seems to not be much older than us. I glance around, counting the men surrounding us. There are three of them, and one with a gun. That’s way more than Jordan and I can take on our own. I hear a rustling to my right, and see the man there collapse to the ground with a knife sticking out from the side of his neck.