“The government is issuing an order to stay inside. Don’t engage with any wildlife. This is not a drill. Monsters are attacking America!”

~News Report on the Day of the Fall, 5 days before the grids fell.

Almost a year into the apocalypse, most towns and cities were wiped off the face of the Earth. Major population centers faced even worse fates as monsters killed, pillaged, and razed everything to the ground. Despite all that, Devin’s hometown of Bainbridge was still going strong.

It made Devin simultaneously nostalgic and sad. It was like watching a parent grow old and waste away.

Not that I know the feeling. He huffed then winced. Any exaggerated movement sent a sharp pain through his left ribs, so much so that it was hard to take deep breaths.

He and the twins waited on the main road into town while Gerald negotiated around the bazaar. The old man was asking around the market for people to move and butcher the giant boar’s carcass, promising a cut of the meat to anyone that would help. As they were still on the south side of the culvert that divided the town, Devin was sure that he would find people desperate to help and earn their share.

Good food doesn’t come by often outside of the safe zone.

Covered in a sticky mix of blood, sweat, and dirt, Devin tried to distract himself by watching numerous people pass through the dusty, cracked streets. Despite having so much time to get used to his new reality, it was still surreal to him.

The Fall took its pound of flesh from everyone, and Bainbridge was no exception. Even though he barely remembered his childhood here, the devastation was undeniable.

The grocery store was turned into a logistics center where food and drink were handed out. The school was made into a survivor shelter for women and children. The army had laid fields of razor wire where houses once stood, their concrete foundations the only proof that they ever existed.

Even the uninhabitable ruins were a testament to the destruction, as most of the town outskirts collapsed into rubble, burnt down, or were removed entirely.

It wasn’t even weird to see homes cut in half, or gone entirely, as if the space had been snatched up and replaced with something else. Nowadays, Devin wasn’t shocked to see a broken down cobblestone house in the middle of what used to be the neighborhood sports field.

The most alarming of all was the amount of people here. Although only a quarter in size, the population density was the same as Gainsville, which had numbered in the hundreds of thousands before the Fall.

I wouldn't be surprised if more than 25,000 people were in this town. With more people coming in everyday, there was soon gonna be some fights over living space. Good thing no one wanted his piece of crap house.

Devin was sure of that.

Staring at the crowd, Devin became lost in thought. At this point, his sprint through the forest was little more than flashes to him. I can’t believe I did that.

I can’t believe I got away with it. Devin kept thinking about his status. I guess another peek wouldn’t hurt.

Devin Carter

Shards:2021/1012

Circle:N/A

Life:48%

Stamina:14%

Arcanium:2%

POW:0.3

ACU:0.5

CHA:0.6

Main Deck: [Empty]

Side Deck: [Empty]

Skill list: Seize, Subjugate

Vault: Rage, Boar’s Charge, Natural Core (Elite Boar)

Devin stared at his soul card, absorbing all the information he could, when he felt a pair of eyes linger far too long on him.

“What do you think's wrong with him?” Ken whispered entirely too loudly.

“He did most of the work setting up the trap, and ran away from a giant monster,” Ben snorted, “Wouldn’t you be tired after all that?”

“No way.” Ken made an ‘X’ with his arms. “I would have enough gas in the tank to do that, and run around town three times.”

“It's rude to talk about someone behind their back.” Devin spoke slowly so as to not irritate his ribs.

“And it's rude to kill-steal.” Ken sat next to Devin, “Seriously dude, if I knew you had balls of steel, we would’ve been friends a lot sooner.”

“Are we not friends?” Devin asked sarcastically.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“We are now!” Ken declared with a simple smile.

“Leave the man alone.” Ben admonished his brother as he sat down too. “He’s in enough pain without you talking his ear off.”

“It's fine.” He tried to wave it off, but settled for a nod when that proved to be too painful. “I'm just ready to get my pay and get out of here.”

“Amen to that brother.” Ken said.

“Speaking of amen, what's up with those weirdos?” Devin weakly pointed towards the group in white robes who were handing out hand-drawn fliers to anyone who would take them.

“Oh, them?” Ken shook his head. “Crazy people who swear they heard the voice of God.”

“Who's to say they didn't? We live in strange times.” Ben refuted.

“What do you know about strange, boy?” Gerald called out as he walked out of the butcher's shop, carrying a few bags in tow. “Now Y2K, that was weird.”

“I ain’t trying to hear about the 80’s old man.” Ken jumped to his feet, rubbing his hands excitedly. “Did we get a good deal?”

“I’m not that old.” Gerald sighed before grinning, “We made out like bandits.” He handed each of them a small bag that tinkled at the slightest movement. “Over twenty shards just for the cuts we got. Including the contract fee, we all get about 60 shards each!”

For once, Ken was silenced. He stared at the few shards that amounted to his pay, unable to take his eyes off the murky white glow in the glass-like bits.

It wasn’t dollars or food stamps, but with the Army mandating their transactions in shards, it forced everyone else to either barter, or follow their lead. Not that Devin was complaining, it only made sense to him.

“Are you sure you only want a few slabs, Devin?” Gerald asked. “You don't have to worry about us if that's what you thinkin’ about. I made a deal with Harry to butcher the thing, and after feeding everyone, we should still have tons of meat

“It's fine. I got what I need.” Devin tried to take the gym bag full of pork, but Gerald refused to pass the bag to him.

“Let me at least take you to get healed.” Gerald offered. “It won't be easy survivin' out here with your wounds.”

“Y'all go ahead. I'm heading straight to the bar.” Ken yelled, dragging his bemused brother behind him.

“Kids.” Gerald shook his head.

Devin smiled, “You were probably getting into the same stuff as them at that age.”

“Naw, I was a terrible kid. Lord knows that it probably would’ve been worse, like setting off firecrackers in a barn.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty freaking dumb.” Devin snorted, then winced again.

Walking down the ruined streets, Devin limped behind Gerald as the two headed closer to the culvert that separated the shacktown from the last surviving bits of Bainbridge. The army placed a tall fence around the town, yet for some reason, decided to cut through the town instead of protecting the whole thing. Some people were lucky enough to live inside the safe zone, but it was mostly used to keep the most vulnerable locations safe; the hospital, the post office, and the few fields in between.

Can’t forget the Mayor’s Office. Devin sarcastically reminded himself as he glanced at the boarded up city hall.

Two soldiers who looked dead on their feet stood at both sides of the bridge with their rifles at the ready. “ID, five shards, reason for being here.” One of the guards bluntly asked with a yawn.

“Gerald Francis. Taking my fellow hunter to the hospital after a run-in with a mutant.” He said, paying for both of them.

The soldier looked Devin up and down. “Must’ve been a big one.” The soldier flicked a piece of bone off Devin’s shoulder. “Hope you put it down. You got your ID on you?”

“It’ll never get up again.” Devin patted his dirty, ripped jeans and pulled out his wallet. Seems like a weird detail to get hung up on in the apocalypse, but I’ve seen worse.

“Devin Carter, Jr?”

“That’s me.” Devin confirmed.

“Great. Don’t cause any trouble, and there won’t be any issues.” The soldier gave his ID back and ushered them inside. “Say the following words, ‘I swear on my Deckbox to uphold the civil and martial law.’”

Although Devin was confused about the new policy, he was only a second behind Gerald in repeating the oath. Once said, the soldiers opened the gates and allowed the two to pass.

Compared to the devastation outside the gates, the buildings inside were undamaged—pristine, even. The few people walking around the streets looked happier too, or at least less worried. It was like the end of the world never happened—like it was some war in some foreign country.

More than jarring, the delusion was disgusting.

“What was the swearing about?” Devin asked.

“Oh, it’s a new thing that the Army’s put in place. It’s supposed to be an extra restraint on Supers so they don’t go wild, but they shouldn’t even bother. An oath like that doesn’t take hold unless the person swearing it means it.”

“Hm, you sure do know a lot, way more than the average person.” Devin glanced at him suspiciously,

Gerald shrugged. “My brother’s in the 33rd Cav. Honestly, I’m lucky to have him here instead of him gettin’ thrown to the wolves by some fat pencil pushers.”

“Right, must be nice to have your family here.” Devin sighed.

“You said you’re from here, right?” Gerald asked.

“I grew up here, but moved away when I was a kid.” He corrected.

The old man whistled. “Must have been nice to see a little bit of the world. Me, I spent my life here.”

“The grass is always greener, right?” Devin tried to shrug, but his body settled for a painful, awkward jolt. “Any family? Kids?”

“Got a gorgeous wife, and two beautiful daughters.” He pulled out his wallet again, this time showing Devin a picture of his family, a beautiful redhead woman holding two girls with the same.”

“So you got another set of twins in your life, huh?” Devin teased. “I see they take after their mom.”

“Yeah, unfortunately. Friends used to call it a curse, but I call it a blessing.” Gerald said, pulling out another cigarette in between his lips before lighting it, not stopping the entire time. “And they really like the boys. Even Ben will put his books down once in a while to play with them every once in a while.

Gerald took a long puff. “Try not to mind them too much. They didn’t have much of a family before the Fall, and after…well let’s just say their mother passed away peacefully when the power went out in the hospital.”

Needless to say, Devin didn’t ask what happened. The pained look on Gerald’s face told a story worth a thousand words. He puffed his cigarette for a long moment, then blew it without a care for other pedestrians.

Unsurprisingly, no one said anything about Gerald smoking as they walked up to the very crowded hospital. What once may have resulted in disgusted looks thrown his way didn’t even earn him a turn of the head. People quickly learned to leave other people alone when possible superpowers came into the mix.

I wouldn’t be surprised if a few people thought they were more valuable than food. Meat was plentiful if one knew how to hunt, yet modern comforts were beyond scarce. He could probably trade a couple of loosies for more food than he could eat in a week.

“Anyway, it’s been hard looking after them, so I wouldn't mind if you keep an eye out for them.” Gerald said as they got within view of the hospital.

“… No promises.” Devin sighed, not looking in the man’s face.

Gerald chuckled, letting out a huge cloud of smoke. “That’s enough, my boy.”

Although the hospital seemed small as they approached, the sheer depth of their operation eluded Devin until they got closer. The building was filled to the brim with people, some laid in beds, but most in chairs and blankets. A multitude of tents and tarps were laid out on every corner of the hospital parking lot, extending far into the grass lawn. Screams and a heavy scent of blood wafted through the air like smoke above a flaming house.

And leading up to that were several lines that wrapped around the block, ending at a table that held only a few receptionists.

“Well, I guess this is where I leave you.” Gerald said, handing the bag over.

Devin refused, pushing it back towards the old man. “I can’t hold that, I can barely hold myself up. Go ahead and just take it; it's better to feed four mouths instead of one.”

Gerald looked straight in his eyes, as if he could pierce through Devin with just his eyes. “... I’m not gonna owe you for this, am I?”

“Just get your butt out of here, old man.” Devin yelled—at least, he tried. His ribs stabbing into his lungs made it hard to raise his voice.

Gerald sighed, reaching into his pouch and placing some of its contents into his jacket with a closed fist, so no one would see.

“Gerald.” Devin tried to refuse, but the old man held his hand tight.

“I don’t want to hear it. I don’t like owin’ anybody.” Gerald hefted the bag onto his shoulder again. “I live on Pantzer St. My house is the one blue one with the ‘merican flag on it. You should stop by for dinner. I doubt we could finish all this in one sitting.”

“I will.” He promised.

Gerald nodded, patting Devin’s good shoulder lightly before taking off, leaving him alone once again.

You’re used to it. He told himself. Been used to it since forever. Devin took one last look at the hospital in front of him—

—And turned around, heading in the direction he came.