Aftermath

Terra

Terra, our world. It was known by another name a long time ago, but after the third world war, Earth no longer existed. After a terrorist group was able to hack the US military, multiple rockets were fired randomly. The other countries saw this as an act of war and before the United States could stop the rockets and contact the other countries they all opened fire. There was chaos everywhere, when the rockets were fired, and the bombs were dropped. Most of the world died. Not just its people, the environment was destroyed, most buildings put to rubble. There were not many survivors, and those who were quick and smart quickly rose to power in the desolate world. Some people were affected by the radiation, and turned to mutants. Some became bandits or were forced to. Most people were either left to die or were able to scavenge something to survive. The bandits collected a lot of food and water and were selling it for many different things. It could be random scrap, clothing, even food or water for other items. People were so desperate they sold their bodies just so they could eat or drink. I was lucky. I was able to find a safe haven, at least in my eyes. It had a somewhat door, somewhat walls, but in this world anything somewhat was amazing.

I was lying on the floor daydreaming as usual. There wasn't much else to do in this barren world. I could go out to scavenge but I'm already set for a few more days, so I might as well rest. But just as I thought that I heard a knock at my door. Strange, I thought knocking didn't exist anymore, I chuckled to myself and walked towards the door. I opened the door with a sight of shock on my face. There was a small girl, kneeling on the ground looking up at me.

"Please, Sir... I'm so hungry, I'm so tired. Please, Sir let me in!" she pleaded. I wasn't sure what to make of it, a bandit ploy? A mutant that has hidden her mutations and was trying to mutate me? I was conflicted to whether or not to let her in. I gave a gesture for her to stand and she did. She wasn't as small as I thought she was, she may of been small kneeling but now that she is standing she is almost my height. She was wearing a long brown cloak, which everyone with some power gets in this world. Although it blocked sight of any other clothing she was wearing. Her eyes were a dark brown, her hair concealed except for a long brown strand going down her face, her lips looked dry as sand, her cheeks lightly sunburned.

"What's your name girl?" I asked, still not letting her in.

"It's Storm, Sir," she replied. It couldn't be her real name, but what can I say. I grinned at the thought. I looked over again, she didn't look harmful, I would feel wrong if I had to check her for weapons or mutations, but I have to.

"Open your cloak," I demanded. She looked slightly worried and step back.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you I need to see if you have any weapons or mutations," I assured her. She didn't comply at first but she must of realised I would be her best hope, no one else lived out here for a few miles, at least from what I know. I doubt she could last much longer on her own. She slowly lifted her cloak with her arms exposing her thin body. She had a muddy teal tank top, blue tattered jeans and no shoes. She had no obvious mutations on her body, nor any weapons. I made a gesture for her to turn around. She blushed and shook her head.

"Look, I'm not going to do anything, if you have any mutations or weapons and I let you in I could die, or worse. Now turn around," I demanded. She let out a sigh showing she gave up, she pulled the cloak over her shoulders and turn around exposing her back, her tank top was ripped from top to bottom with only very small pieces of fabric keeping it together, it must of been why she blushed. Again she had no weapons or mutations on her body that I could see.

"Okay you can put your cloak back on and turn around." I said. She put the cloak back down and turned, then fixed the cloak so it was covering her body again.

"Can I please be let in, Sir?" she begged going back down onto her knees. I can't leave someone that's so young out there, even if she might hurt me, there can't be much harm in letting her stay for now.

"Okay you can come in, but first. No calling me Sir, and don't beg me, so get off your knees." she nodded and stood up.

"Then what do I call you?" she asked.

"Call me Zan," I replied. "Now come inside, a sand storm is approaching." I said and she walked inside. In fact there was a storm coming, if I didn't let her in she would of died in it. At least I have someone to talk to. I followed her back inside, closing the door behind me.

After I stepped inside I saw Storm looking around, she took off her hood which exposed her long brown hair. I sighed to myself.

"Storm, do me a favor, tilt your head back, put your hands on the back of your neck and then stroke your fingers through your hair," I asked. She looked confused. "Why?" she asked.

"Because you'd be surprised at how hard people try to conceal weapons, if you do this any thing in your hair will fall out." I explained. She nodded and did as I asked, all that fell out was dust and nothing more.

"Okay good. Now you said you were hungry right?" I asked as I walked towards my bag. She nodded hastily. I went into the bag and pulled out a can of meat, took out a rusty tripod, and some wood, and then lit fire under the tripod using a match, I then uncapped the can and put the can on the tripod as it started to cook.

"I think of myself as one of the lucky ones," I said while the meat cooked.

"Why?" she asked.

"Not many people get to cook their food. Most of them have to eat it raw. If I wasn't in school when this all happened I wouldn't have this tripod," I said.

"But why do you need a tripod to cook food? Can't you just use anything else to prop food over fire?" she asked.

"Well yeah it could be a lot easier to use anything if there was anything left to use. All the bandits melted down most of the metal, when I said I was lucky, another reason was to have something metal the bandits didn't take," I explained.

"So how do you know how to cook?" she asked. I chuckled at the question.

"Storm, anyone knows how to cook," I replied still chuckling lightly. She pouted at me.

"I was just trying to make conversation, you're the first person I've talked to in ages," she admitted. I frowned at myself, I guess it was the same way for me too, I haven't talked to anyone in ages either.

"Fair enough. I was actually learning how to cook when I was in University. I was doing well, I was in my second year, I hadn't failed anything, then this crap all happened, and all the hard work I put into it was put to waste," I said.

"I'm sure it wasn't all put to waste, Zan," she said smiling brightly. I nodded even though in my mind I wasn't agreeing with her at all, there was no way I was going to be able to use my cooking skills in the real world again, mainly because there is no real world anymore. After some time of silence I determined the meat was cooked and took some meat out of the can.

"Cup your hands Storm." I asked. She did so eagerly and I put some meat into her hands, she ate it instantly and cupped her hands for more. I gave her some more as I started to eat a piece, before I barely started she was already asking for more. I looked at the can and shrugged, I picked one more piece out and gestured to the can. Her eyes widen and a massive smile went across her face. She frantically ate the meat. She finished in a flash and then sighed.

"I haven't eaten in almost two weeks, that was so good." she said lying on her back. I was confused as to how she hadn't eaten in two weeks. For someone who has a body like that any bandit would buy her body. I guess people will go to great lengths for anything they care a lot for. I guess she is sort of living here, for now at least, I might as well find out who she is.

"So Storm, mind sharing some information about yourself? You know I was in Uni learning to cook, what were you doing before this happened?" I asked.

She looked the other way and said "I don't want to talk about it." I was curious now, I decided to prod a bit more.

"You sure you can't tell me anything? It's not like I can use the information to hurt you or anything," I said trying to convince her to open up. She turned her head to the ceiling and sighed.

"Well for one thing my real name isn't Storm, I'm guessing yours also isn't Zan," she said turning her head towards me, I shrugged and nodded.

"Got me there, it isn't my real name, but who uses their real names anymore anyways," I said. She sat up from lying down and sat with her legs crossed looking at me.

"I guess I can tell you some stuff about me," she said. I sat in front of her and crossed my legs as well.

A/N: This is my first chapter of my first story I've published so some feedback would be greatly appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed. ^^