Solacium

Ch 2: Blake

The skies were darker than usual.

Nevertheless, I could still see the hint of the morning sun just beginning to peek through the clouds above me. Not wanting to miss any part of it, I slipped off my breather and let the sun's rays bask my bare skin with their warmth. All the while, my eyes ran appreciatively over the scene before me as the vibrant oranges and reds of the sunrise illuminated my small garden. It was the only fleeting moment of beauty left in my life, and I made a point to come out every morning just to see it.

During those precious moments of the morning, the world would light up with the rising sun, casting brilliant rays over the usually dull grey skies. I would watch in awe as the sun painted the sky with bright orange and blood-red hues, laughing about how perfectly it reflected the hell I lived in.

It was fascinating how something so awful could be so beautiful, I thought as I watched the scene unfold, transforming my hellish world if only for a moment.

Distracted by the scene before me, I took my next breath while my breather still hung around my neck. Instantaneously, a burning sensation filled my throat and lungs as I burst into a fit of coughs that forced me to slip my breather back over my nose and mouth. Once secured, I took a few deep breaths, letting my greedy lungs soak up the manufactured oxygen and dilute the toxins I had accidentally inhaled.

After I had calmed my breathing, I snuck another glance at the sky only to see the colors draining. I watched with dismay as the sun rose completely over the horizon, taking the life out of the skies and returning my world to its grey lifeless state.

Though today it seemed the clouds were extra dark, I observed, glancing up at the skies. And if the growing winds were any indication, a storm was brewing.

Fantastic, I muttered to myself, gripping my harvesting basket.

Now that the show was over, I dug up some fresh potatoes and picked some peppers and onions from my small garden for breakfast. Jada would be waking up soon, no doubt hungry, and with another list of things for me to retrieve for her from the city.

It was not a chore I necessarily enjoyed, but it was the least I could do for her after everything she had done for me.

If it wasn't for Jada, I would probably never even go down there. The only time I would chance a trip to that hell hole was for the occasional supply run. Sometimes I would get food, other times Jada would send me to go pick up some electronics she could pick apart for whatever project she was working on that week. But other than that, I avoided trips to the city as much as possible.

For good reason too.

The cities were dangerous. They became the ground zero for chaos. With the lack of resources killing off so many people after the War, those left alive became desperate and ganged together in big cities to hog things like food and medical supplies. These groups eventually went mad from the chaos and anarchy, banding together to call themselves The Deviants.

With no laws or rules to keep them in place, they killed without restraint. Overtaking the cities, they enforced their own rule. Join them in madness or die. Those who refused to join the chaos were weeded out in the most psychotic and sadistic ways. Ways that would make you wish you died in the nuclear blasts with everyone else.

Well, I suppose it still wasn't that different than before. I mean, even with laws we still killed each other. That's what started all this. I scoffed at the thought.

And if that didn't sound bad enough, when things downtown got too quiet, these little freaks would venture out of the city and near our home in the surrounding forest in search of death. They were relentless in their pursuit of blood and chaos.