A Thorned Rose

Episode 4: Trial by Fire

It was morning again.

This morning felt different. Very different.

Ah, that's right, you remembered. Olivia had confessed her love for you yesterday.  

A warm feeling of happiness washes over you as you recount the memory.

As well as a God-awful buzzing sound outside.

You peer out the front door and scan the sky. 

As you look up, your face is greeted by the soft touch of falling snowflakes.

You expected maybe a land surveying helicopter that your neighbors had was nearby but what you saw was worse.

A long, white oblong chassis with wings circled the area at a reasonably high altitude. You could barely make it out, but the letters UN were painted on the side of the nose.

It was a fucking drone. And not just a surveillance drone, but an attack drone. It had missiles decked out on the undersides of its wings.

You quickly raced back inside and burst into Olivia's room. She was still sound asleep, curled into the fetal position while hugging a pillow.

Her hair covered her head as she slept on her side. She mumbled something in her sleep.

"... (Y/N)... hold...me..."

Enough of that, you thought as you refocused on the task at hand. You grabbed Olivia's shoulders and began shaking her to wake her up.

"mmmmmWHAT?" Olivia yells as she is shaken awake. "What is it?" 

"Oh, it's you. Morning, babe" she coos as she parts her hair to get a better look at you.

"No time for that right now, you gotta come outside to see this." You say, dragging her out of bed by the arm. She stands to reveal that she's dressed in your old pajamas, which seem a little baggy for her.

"Wha-where are we going?" She bewilderedly asks as you pull her through the kitchen. "Alright, I guess I'll just follow." 

As you step outside, you look closely into the skies above. The drone is still up there, circling the area.

Olivia stumbles out from the house behind you. "What is it?" She asks, confused.

"Look up. Do you see that?" You ask, pointing at the drone in the sky.

As Olivia looks up, the drone straightens out its path trajectory and begins heading east.

"Fucking hell, man." Complains Olivia. "As soon as life gets good for me, these fuckers have to come and ruin it."

"Honestly." You agree as both of you hurry back inside. "We should arm up in case they want to come by for a visit, now that they know where we are."

"Good idea. How many mags did you pick up for the Armalite?" Olivia asks.

You honestly didn't know. Maybe eight? If worst came to worse, you could just transfer some 5.56 rounds from your Chinese given boxes to the Armalites.

"Probably eight, but I have a five hundred round box of the same caliber." You respond.

"Alright, good. Any SAW belts?" Olivia asks again.

"Just one, but we can expand on that one." You answer, recalling the day before yesterday when you looted the bodies. "You got any links for the belts?"

"I probably do, I'll check the storage units in the Oshkosh." Olivia replies.

As you went to get your ammo boxes, Olivia went to the truck outside to check for any extra supplies.