My World, Right? ON HOLD

The Past [part 1] (in the man's point of view)

I am scaling through the piles of rubble that used to be citizens homes before they were destroyed. I can just remember months ago how beautiful this city used to be. I keep note that we are not the only city that got hit. This disaster has been spreading from city to city and even country to country. I make it to the broke down house that I call home now and slowly ease my way in through the unhinged door trying to hang on no matter what. Just like us.  

I look around and quickly realize everyone is gone. My family is nowhere in the house and now I am alone. I sigh sadly, but I knew this day would come, no matter how much caution we took. The bots have found them and taken their lives. To the bots we are contamination to the world they are building here and we need to be disposed of. I was lucky to be away while they came and took the lives of my loved ones. I have no time to mourn for I have one last person I can hold onto. I gather whatever things I can find of use and slip out of the house into the shadows.  

As I walk in the shadows I let my mind dwell in a few happy thoughts for just a few minutes to keep me sane. I can't stop hoping that she is wearing that baby blue summer dress today. How I would die to see her in it, with her pale skin dancing with that baby blue fabric and those eyes that burst with blue, daring the dress to compete with its color. I smile then drop the thought because my time for daydreaming is done. I have made it to the crossroad most dangerous for travelers.  

It is a regular length road, width wise, but there is no cover, no shadows to hide you. The sun dances on it and dares you to cross and even at night there is the bright moon shining down on it. Bots tend to congregate here, knowing that people cross here to try and find other survivors on the other half of the city. I don't see any bots, but that doesn't mean anything. I see a perfect hiding spot across the road and debate on the chances of me making it.  

I take the risk and run full force to the darkened shadows on the other side. I want to look around and see if I've been spotted but I force my vision forward to my target. I jump face first and dive into the shadows with a grunt and rip the front of my shirt.  

"Damn it." I mutter under my breath and keep still before I find it clear to lift myself from the ground. I have a few scratches across my chest but nothing severe. I glance around placing where I am and how far it will take me to get to her. I recognize a rubble building and I instantly know where I am. I stand up before I am quickly pulled deeper into the shadows onto my butt.  

I thrash and whip out my kitchen knife I brought along. I'm let go and I scurry away against a wall.  

"You can take me bots! But not without a fight!" I growl and slide up the wall onto my feet. There is silence, no movements until a burst of laughter. I am extremely confused now.  

"It's me. I came looking for you like we promised, if our families got killed by the bots." A familiar voice calms me. It's her, the love of my life. I drop the knife and collide into her, burying my face in her hair and wrapping my long arms around her. I am so glad she is safe. I would be content just standing here like this forever if we could. The thing is, we can't, we have to find shelter, maybe a survivor camp if possible.  

"Have you heard of any talk about whether there are any survivor camps nearby? If we can get there then we can make a plan for a next step." I ask her, looking into her eyes and trying not to get lost. She looks down breaking the gaze.  

"Um, I haven't heard any talk of survivors nor rebels. I don't think anyone has any hope to making it through this disaster." She sighs and scuffs her shoe against the ground.  

"We shall keep moving then and see what we can find. Maybe the other cities have camps hidden. We just have to be careful and quiet." I slide my hand in hers and twine my fingers with hers. I begin leading her along the shadows towards the edge of the city. It looks like a long way, but we can make it if we keep walking through the night. She keeps near me only leaving about a few feet between us.  

We make it to a tall building that looks surprisingly in good shape compared to all the rubble around the city. I look at the girl as she is looking around. I never noticed how young she looked, she is only a year younger than me but the way she acts makes me forget her age. With this disaster going on it really makes a person grow up quick. She catches me looking at her and I cough hysterically before looking away.  

"Should we find somewhere to stop and rest?" She asks as she is rubbing at her heels. I nod slowly, even though I have no clue where we would be able to stay. The tall building pops into my head but I cancel it out of the possibilities because more than likely, that building is still standing because it is only useful to the bots. I glance around and point at a slightly destroyed house that looks good enough.  

We decided to at least go to the house and check it out. We slip in through the creaky door and maneuver around the holes in the floor and find a secluded room that wasn't destroyed. I dig through my supplies I gathered and find a thin blanket to lie on the ground. Luckily the wind isn't too nippy so we don't need covers. We lie side by side and drift asleep.  

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I wake slowly to the bright sun glaring in from a missing piece in the building. I groan and rub at my eyes slowly before glancing around the brightly lit room. I turn to look at my love, and she is gone. Air catches in my throat and tears temp to flood down my face. All I get out is a low "Shit" and I cover my face with my hands before thinking rationally.  

She could have just wandered off. I sigh and pack up the blanket into my pack. I lift myself up and slowly exit the room. I spot her right across the room gazing out the broken window. I can spot from here the beautiful view she is gazing at. I grunt to get her attention and she jumps.  

"Oh! I'm sorry." She blushes apologetically. "I woke up early, and this view just dared me to come closer." She walks towards me with a smile. I reach my hand out to grasp hers but instead she falls. My eyes are wide and all I can do is watch as my heart falls down with this girl, further and further down the hole in the floor. I am frozen and silent. I get ready to jump in after her, ready to risk my life when I am suddenly pulled back by my pack. I whimper low with grief as the hole leaves my vision and I am dragged out of the house into a shelter. I found the survivor shelter, but I lost her. Tears streak down my face and the voices around me are nothing but gibberish.