[REDACTED]

III

chapter title: 1

A/N: I will also put the titles of the songs I listened to while writing since it influences how the story sounds, so feel free to listen while reading as well.

People I don't like - UPSAHL
Bubble Gum - Clario
Ophelia - The Lumineers
Pelicans We - Cosmo Sheldrake (the entire album)
Goodbye Song - Terence Blanchard & Cynthia Erivo
Hope - Xxxtentacion
Bellyache - Billie Eilish (Marian Hill Remix)

Yes I know my music taste is all over the place, thanks :]
_______________________________________________________________

George -

George had lived with his friends when the apocalypse had hit. Well, they weren't friends, merely people who didn't hate him.When the apocalypse hit, he read about it on his phone for hours, then realized that he was one a very small percent of the world that had lived for some reason. He also knew that there was no way anyone on Earth could release that much radiation, so it had come from somewhere else.

The day after the radiation had killed everyone, he packed up his bag, got his cat, and left his shitty life behind. George soon learned that there was a very small amount of things that he had control over, but he wasn't to mad at that. The main thing that kept him sane was the constant relief of being able to listen to whatever music he wanted, wherever he went, whenever he wanted. He listened to his music either on headphones or in a speaker that he carried in his bag. Cat also enjoyed the music. George was hesitant when he met the first monster. It was a cow, that was really fast. He didn't realize that his music was playing on his speaker, but when the cow heard it, she stopped running.

She actually stood by George until the song was over, then she quietly left. The experience had George's mind reeling for hours until he decided, that maybe, music could calm some of the distorted animals that would always be around him.

- present day with George, two years after the original radiation -

"Cat?" George was looking for cat, they had walked into a supermarket that still had power, but she quickly ran away from George. He didn't do anything because he knew she would return, but by the time George had all his things, she still wasn't back, and he started to worry. He walked around the entire store and didn't see her anywhere. "What the heck, where did she go...?" He muttered to himself as he walked back out of the store. He dropped his backpack when he saw someone standing in the street holding Cat. He pulled his switchblade from his belt and held it out, "Put her down."

The person's head snapped up and faced George. "Woah, Woah calm down now." The dude slowly bent down and set the feline on the ground. Cat ran back to George. He put his blade away and threw his bag over his shoulders. Cat stretched and got ready to start walking. George looked at the person again and then at the direction he was going. He looked back at the person, who still looked lost as ever. "Are you ok?" The boy looked down, George noticed that he looked very young. "No, I lost my family the day the radiation hit, and I've been looking for them."

George sighed, "I wouldn't get your hopes up, not many people made it out alive. You can come with me if you want." The boy was hesitant but eventually nodded. He walked over to George and Cat meowed at him. "I'm Toby, but my family called me Tubbo." George didn't smile at the boy, he looked him over. The boy had fluffy dark brown hair, and brown eyes to match. His shirt, and bag were dark Green, he had cargo pants and work boots. He also had scars all along his body.

"What are the scars from?" The boy hesitantly told him. "A fire. What's your name?" George was hesitant to tell the boy his name, but decided there was no way he could use it as leverage. "George. What state are we in right now? I've just been traveling anywhere." Tubbo smiled, he actually knew where he was, "We're actually in the southern region of California. Near the border." George slowly nodded, "Where are you trying to go Tubbo?" Tubbo shrugged, "No idea." George sighed, he was just gonna have to take the boy with him. "Well I'm going to Florida, apparently there are a good bit of survivors there." Tubbo nodded, "That's a long walk, how long do you think it will take us?"

George looked at the shops around them, checked the weather on his phone, and also thought about Tubbo's pace. "Well, earliest would take us a month and a half. Though realistically, considering it's April, we will get there in late July to early September." Tubbo sighed, "That's a long walk." George nodded, "Yeah, but we should rest for today, I need to anyways." Tubbo nodded, "I know a motel about fifteen minutes away if you wanna go there." George nodded, "Lead the way."

_______________________________________________________________
852 words