Hollow Moon (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Two

Air pierced my lungs as I had over exerted myself. I found a small convenience store with a vending machine out the front that was in a walled off area and some picnic chairs still out. I hid in the very corner, beside the vending machine as the rain started again, drumming on the hard tin roof with such intensity that my ability to think straight is completely hampered.

I bite my lip, my breath haggard as I try to force it through my nose. Taking a few moments to let myself slowly calm myself down. Leaning back against the wall, I look to the ceiling, seeing a gap between the wall and the overhanging roof that made up this shelter. It was big enough for me if I was cornered, I could climb up and escape.

I seriously need to consider what I'm going to do next. I have enough food to last me for a few days. I can't carry any more than that. It would be too risky. Mulling over it, I turn a little to see if the vending machine was empty.

It was. The glass was smashed in and scattered around on the floor with me and the contents were all missing. I let out a breath, what was I hoping for? My best bet was that apartment building I ran away from. I wasn't about to risk my neck going through that crazy group's territory again any time soon. I just hope I've gone far enough that I am out of their range.

Turning back to my bag that I had beside me, I push it a bit further so that I could lie down and rest my head on it like a pillow. Shutting my eyes, I focus everything into listening, trying to distinguish sounds between the rain drops. Nothing. Silence. Good.

My eyes open again, I was still to jumpy to actually sleep. But I need to rest my body for as long as I could. I may not get a moment like this again. So I lie here, wondering, waiting.

The pale grey light of the sun soon comes and I sit up to look inside my bag. Ignoring the few edible things in there, I head straight for the map of the area. Mentally examining where I was last night, I trace my steps roughly and see that I was in the outskirts, heading out of the suburb onto the motorway. It connects to a toll road that goes right through to the heart of the city; the beachside which was basically the CBD. There may be something there. Otherwise I can move on.

Folding the map up and putting it back in my bag, I stretch out while getting up. Looking around, I double check the small store through the broken glass window and sure enough there was nothing left. Making a noise of irritation, I abandoned the broken empty store and walk out into the overcast morning, hoping that the clouds will clear up sometime soon.

As I head out, I keep an eye out in case someone decides to give me a good morning stab and slash while stealing my limited supplies. Food and water shortage is such a pain to deal with when you do not know the mechanisms to operate the machinery of the power grid of this place. I do not enjoy this creature comfortless world that this place has become.

Looking up at the sky as I walk down the lonely desolate highway, I could see the blue planet between the clouds that finally break away in the sky. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pitied helplessness. I unconsciously extend a hand as if I could pluck it from the sky but my hand only grasps at the empty air. The place that was once my home. It was the same size as the moon that would take to the skies in a few hours and join the Earth in its sky trek.

Spero. That is the name they gave this artificial satellite that now orbits the Earth. I don't know the specifics, I was part of the last fleet when my dad brought me with him over to this moon. A bunch of scientists were able to recreate a miniature artificial Earth and decided to get some people up here to join them...some 90 million. They created cities and towns that replicated much of Earth's but ran on a hydrogen economy. But that being said, if you don't know how to operate it, you can't use or recharge it. So the electrical blackout can't be fixed.