This ends when I breath again.

2

__ __ __WELCOME TO THE ALLEYS

No one knew why or how it started. It just did. One day kids could play outside without problems, the only thing they needed to worry about was the fear of bugs or scratches they may get from falling. 

They didn't have to look in all places before playing a silent game of ball or tag. No need to check if something or someone left a bleeding wound. They didn't have to worry about dead things popping out of thick tree lines or brush.
And yet now that's all kids ever knew to do. You can't be out past six or you're left outside to defend yourself. no matter your age.
No animals were allowed within the premises, and if they were found they were shot on sight. 

They could carry the sickness and still look alive. No one was taking chances.

Even living outside of 'safe' zones you knew the laws. You knew the consequences if brought in to one, and yet people still ran for the hope they would be a lucky one. 

they had hope not to be shot on sight.

That's how the world worked now, no matter your age or gender you could be killed for simply walking out of the safe line. Now growing plants and harvesting them became the highest marketing job. Well, other than running the 'safe' Zone.
Guns and weapons of all sorts were taken out of fear of killing others, but the government still did it. Every day. Children who are sick at birth would be taken away as soon as the child left the mother's womb.

the mothers cries echoed in the halls as there baby was killed.

No matter the place you came from, everyone knew the same things. Fear now ruled over anyone and everyone. People had seen death of all kinds at this point. Loved ones died in their arms. Children watched as their fathers' limbs were torn off. We've all seen it at this point. 

Drugs skyrocketed even more so than before, to keep both young and old from going insane in the places they where now forced to live in. People got in through the 'alleys,' organized groups  of people who don't live in safe zones. They work to get rations in and out, many containing drugs that so many wished for, and if you were trained enough, you got guns and other weapons.

 Being an alley came with consequences though.

If found, both buyers and sellers would be killed off on sight. No matter the age. 

A living hell, and yet I'm still alive. Walking along paths made for us, they were hidden with tall brush and trees and hardly ever found. Bags filled with drugs, food, and weapons on me, though I was constantly on alert. No sound was heard. Nevertheless, my breathing picked up every time a leaf rolled from the forest floor. The safe place near me known as 'defensive 1' was nearby,  people and kids walked around as if the world around them hadn't gone to shit.

The person I'm meeting would give me info on 'defense 3' for both food and drugs, a small amount of money along with it, but the weapons would cost him things only found in plantations within the area. Army grade vests and gas masks. both would be used for my own sake, to many times had i had been cheated and almost killed, and i could no longer go to 'defensive 0', the people there had seen his face, the mask would help with that, and the vest would make sure less injuries happened. He'd promised the items and if not brought, half of his load would be sent back to home base.
The clearing had started to lead to an open fence nearby where my client should have what i need.
Now I hope I didn't get tricked into getting jumped. 

even years after training and finding a new place to stay things happen, hell a month ago their highest ranking rat, had been shot and left for the dead things. he'd been doing the work for five years and was about to become a sewer, his life was lost and is a dead sign hanging from 'defensive 02' any alley tasked there was reminded over and over what would happen if they where spotted.

 i had seen the body myself, his rotting corps letting of a horrible stench as it cooked under the sun day after day, blood had stopped pouring from the body after only a few hours making the metal the it had stained more noticeable. the skin around his stomach was cut open, his organs sat out for animals to eat at making the pieces that could no longer be held inside him fall and splatter on the ground. 

the sewers had stopped sending young teens there after several came back fearing to go out again. 

I had even seemed shaken after seeing the sight, though as i was still counted as 'young' i was never sent back again. the sewers may have seemed like the worst people you could meet, but truthfully they where kind in there own ways, making sure that no mission they sent alleys rats on was to out of there strengths, and they helped the young kids left for dead heal. i had been trained by one, the man may have stepped down long ago but he still knew quite a few perks. and so when i was ready he let me go, i was welcomed into the alleys. adding a new rat to the ranks. 

___931 words.