Welcome to the Apocalypse

My name is Sasha Chernoff, and I survived the nuclear blast in 2072.

It was a peaceful afternoon. Not one doubtful thought ever crossed my mind that would lead me to believe that things would go downhill in a few hours. Mama is away, buying groceries while I played with my boxer Boris. We had just settled into our first house in Texas, hoping to flee the violence in and around Russia: World War 4, one of the deadliest wars, some say. More people have died by nuclear radiation than by bullets and humans combined. More and more bombs go off every week and continue to destroy what is left of our world.

The faint sounds of alarms were heard in the distance, and the emergency radio sounded, "This is not a drill, all civilians head to your bunks. Bomber planes from China were spotted around New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Washington D.C., and predicted to drop atomic bombs at any moment. I repeat this is not a drill."

A gunshot could be heard in the distance, then silence for a moment I thought they got it wrong, but a sustained roar broke the once peaceful silence. A wave of panic washed over me as questions flooded my head. I grabbed Boris by the collar, after which he gave a slight yelp in protest and raced down the stairs to the basement. I latched the air-tight door shut and sprinted down the stairs to turn on the generator and made sure there were no other ways for air to enter from the outside. Mama and I constructed this bunker as soon as we moved into the house in case of an emergency like this. I wasn't expecting it to happen almost immediately and without Mama being here with me.

I sat down in the comfort corner with Boris snuggling close on my lap. He let out a quiet whimper as he stared up at me with a worried look. I couldn't help but return his look, the thought of Mama being out there all by herself, with no protection, upset me. I hoped with all my being that she somehow survived this. I hugged Boris tightly as I started to cry and shake. This is all so terrifying.

Days have passed, and I'm getting impatient. Mama told me to never leave without knowing if the air was safe to breathe, but she was still out there, and I needed to find her. I shuffled through our safety gear and discovered we had bought a pair of gas masks. I smiled to myself, "These will work perfectly, don't you think, Boris?" I turned to the brown and white boxer who gave me a curious look with a slightly tilted head. A realization came over me as I looked at my only companion, if I were to leave, he'd have to stay.

I knelt as he came up to me and licked my face. I chuckled slightly while tears formed in my eyes. "I'm sorry buddy, but I have to go and you can't come with me," I explained it thoroughly as if he could understand my every word. He gave me a blank stare which only made more tears fall down my face. I kissed the small white spot on his forehead and stood up, which made him stand up too.

"No," I demanded, "You have to stay here buddy, it's not safe for you out there." I hurried to the door as Boris followed. I told him to sit, and reluctantly he did. I put on the gas mask and took one last look at my beloved friend, and with that, I turned around and slipped through the door as I heard a quiet whimper.

I took in my surroundings, and what I saw was devastating. The sky was overlaid with clouds and all kinds of grey, and the air was littered with debris and floated around what was left of buildings and nature. All traces of life was ripped away from the outside and replaced with coldness and gloom. Nothing looked familiar, I wondered how I would be able to navigate around to find the store Mama was last at.

All of a sudden I heard the sound of feet hitting the pavement. Before I knew it I was forced to the ground, and the impact knocked the gas mask off my face. I cried out, expecting to either start suffocating from the lack of breathable air or feel the attack from the being that attacked me. But neither came. This surprised me, to say the least, was there no more radiation in the air from the bomb?  I felt a warm sensation and slimy sensation on my neck, I turned onto my back to find nonother than Boris, who somehow managed to break out of the basement.

I giggled as he continued licking me, "Well that goodbye didn't last long, did it, boy?" I scratched him behind the ear, "Thank god the air is breathable, or you would have been toast." He barked in response, just acting extremely happy to see me even though he saw me just a few minutes ago. I got back onto my feet, feeling a sense of relive wash over my body. Having some company out here made me feel better.

Just then Boris started sniffing the ground, "What is it, boy?" I ask, but he bolts off, "Hey wait up!" I run after him, I don't know what he smelt but it must have been something interesting to make him go off running like this.

I chase after him through the lifeless streets, jumping and dodging debris at every turn. A building comes into view and I stop in my tracks, it was the grocery store Mama said she was going to. Boris looks back at me with a "Are you coming?" look. I take a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever I may find inside.

I walked up to the sliding doors, the glass was shattered so I was able to walk through without a problem. The shelves were generally empty, with a few items sprinkled here and there. It must have been raided by survivors, maybe even Mama. Boris was nowhere to be seen, he must have set off to find some scraps of food.

There was a sound of metal hitting the ground then I heard Boris. He seemed to of been startled, and I hurried over to the noise. He must have knocked something off the shelf without noticing. I chuckled, "Hey buddy did you startle yourself?"

When I turned the corner my eyes widen and I gasped. There next to Boris was a woman, I heard a gasp escape her lips as well. We both stared at each other for a moment before she finally broke the silence, "Sasha... is that you?"

Tears filled my eyes and I rushed over to her, "Mama!" I tackled her in a hug and she let out a sob as she wrapped her arms around me. "I'm so glad you found me." Boris joined us in our hug, and for a moment the world melted away, the only thing that mattered was that I found her.

After that, we returned to the basement, with food and supplies. I don't know how we'll recover from this travesty, but we all had each other so I think we'll be ok.

(Hope you guys enjoyed this little story! Don't forget to check out my other stories!)