Game Of Saviors - ONC 2021

Chapter 12 - Dead Drought

For a moment, and only a moment, Norae's surroundings bring her home. The dry air, the heat, the touch of sand on her skin. Raising herself into a seated position, she balls her fists as she watches the sand pour through. As she looks out over the horizon, she finds herself expecting to see an old Chevy pickup appear. For her brother to pull up and take her back to their childhood house before dark, heat up some microwave dinners and sit with her as they watch cartoons. Just like they used to.

A hand is placed on her shoulder, gripping her gently. "Norae?"

Looking up, she finds Nash standing over her, his expression sympathetic as he reaches out to her. "Are you okay?" It is then that she realizes her eyes have begun to water, and she quickly wipes the tears away. "I'm fine." She lies. "It's just the dry air."

Scrambling to her feet, she recognizes the rest of her unit standing nearby. Then finally, she takes a good look around her. And what she finds is nothing but miles and miles of desert, stretching out in every direction for as far as the eye can see.

Mikayla is the first to speak up, irritable and tired as she raises her hands to the sky. "Alright Brass, what the fuck do you want us to do now?!"

Her question is met with silence.

"Well," Mateo cues in. "I guess there's no other option but to just walk in a random direction."

"And then what?" Mikayla counters.

"I don't know, but standing around here isn't going to get us any answers." Mateo responds, his tone matching Mikayla's annoyance.

Quick to intervene, as to avoid any conflicts, Nash jumps in between them. "Let's just see what we can see, alright guys?" And so, led by Nash, the group begins to trek.

Feet sinking with every step and grains of sand blowing into their eyes, they struggle to cover ground quickly. Especially when they come to a hill. Attempting to climb the loose earth, Norae slips repeatedly. With a deep sigh, she blows a lock of jet black hair out of her face before trying again.

As more sand slides away beneath her feet, something catches her eye, and she stops dead in her tracks. Eyebrows knitting, she kneels down as she wipes some more sand away, trying to identify what she's uncovered here. Until she realizes the shape before her is a human one.

Gasping, she falls backwards, covering her mouth with her hand as her eyes remains glued to the sight. Within seconds, Nash is by her side, helping her off the ground as he comprehends what she's found. Shane and Mikayla move closer as well. "Is that a body?" Shane asks, horrified.

"It looks... fossilized." Nash surmises.

"What kind of horrible simulation is this?" Norae wonders aloud as she turns away from the body, finding the sight unbearable.

"Uh... guys?!" Mateo calls out from atop the hill. "You need to see this!"

With a final look at the unfortunate soul that found its end in this desert, they continue to climb the hill. But what's waiting for them at the top is far more shocking than any dead body. The ruins of an entire city, crumbling into the earth, as if the desert is slowly swallowing what's left of it. Tall buildings are falling apart, roads run cracked, half of a bridge still spans across while the other half has been reduced to nothing but dust.

"What in God's name happened here?" Shane wonders breathlessly.

"It looks like a bomb was dropped on the place..." Mateo deduces.

"Is this supposed to be some kind of post-apocalyptic warning?" Mikayla asks. "A prediction of what will happen if we don't save the world from this war?"