Madman's Break

Condemned

I wake up and take a deep breathe. There's nothing like waking up to fresh air and the birds. I've been camping for a week now, it's almost my birthday. December 18th I'll turn 18. I've always loved being surrounded by nature and less people. I look around to take in the sun set hoping one day I'll be able to show a kid of my own this sight. The sky showing beautiful hues of pink and dashing oranges with the background of baby blue. An array of colors no words can describe.

I should probably head back into town to collect some more supplies. I need food and a few miscellaneous items. I clean up my lake retreat starting with the trash, then collecting and sorting my belongings. After I finish I change and get ready to head out. When I begin to head to my truck I get a bad feeling in my stomach. This gut feeling almost made me stay at my little cabin in the woods. My intuition is great and I should've listened to my instincts.

I start my truck but it's out of gas. That should've been my second warning sign this is a bad idea. I grab my bag out the back seat and decide I'll walk instead. It's a long walk, about an hour and a half away but nothing I haven't done before. I go grab a bottle of water from my cabin before I head out.

As I walk towards town I can't shake the feeling something is wrong. My stomach turning to the point of nausea. As I get closer to Ponto City I can hear gunshots. There's a lot of them, one immediately after the other. I approach a building and hide behind a wall while I take a peak. I can see men in hazmats suits gunning down civilians.

I jump back completely behind the wall. My heart pounding out of my chest. What is happening? What is going on? Who are these people? Why is no one helping? A million questions run through my mind. I take a deep breathe and realize this situation is not something I need to be involved in. I decide it's safer to just return to my cabin.

I get low and make my way towards some woods nearby. I can hear walkie-talkies close. I get into a nearby bush to hide. I cover my mouth because I can't silence my breathing. I can hear the radios " how are things looking in Ponto City". One of the men reply " Things are going smooth, the city is almost cleared". The man on the other line responds "have it done in 20 minutes New Ponto City is almost cleared as well".

I can hear their boots clunk off of the sidewalk as they walk away. As the sound fades I take my chances and sprint towards the woods. I can hear a man yelling at me to stop. Then they open fire, I can't hear nothing but loud bangs and bullets zipping by. My heart racing I don't look back keeping my eyes forward and my feet one after the other. I'm almost in the forest, it's so close just a little bit more. As I enter the forest the men let off a few more shots before giving up pursuit.

A sigh of relief washes over me as I lose sight of Ponto City. The only things I can see behind me are trees and bushes. I continue sprinting my lungs feeling hollow and my legs burning. I run for what feels like hours avoiding the road. I finally come to a stop gasping for air unable to control my breathing. I fall over onto the floor sobbing and trying to catch my breathe. Everything that just happened flashing through my mind.

I eventually get back on my feet I can't waste anymore time. I begin making my way towards my cabin. I reach the first patch I have to cross with no cover. I take a minute to catch my breathe before I dash across the open road. I build my courage my heart still beating rapidly. I take one more breathe and then book it for the other side. Pushing myself to run the fastest I ever have.

I get past the clearing and make it to the woods. From here it's all trees and woodlands. I begin my final stretch back to what is now home. I finally reach my cabin after what feels like hours. This place is off the grid I built it when I was younger. No one knows about this place but me, it's my sanctuary. I sit down on my bed and bury my face in the pillow as I cry uncontrollably still processing what I just saw. I calm down and compose myself . I need a plan.

I grab my phone to call anyone, but there's no service. I can't find out what's going on nor can I call to make sure everyone is ok. I'm alone, I'm alone and clueless to the threat I face. I buckle down it's time to get serious. I begin setting up for a life of survival. Putting up traps, downsizing my cabin to a small hut, attempting to camouflage everything. In life you need to adapt and that is exactly what I chose to do.

A few years pass and my world is entirely different. Internet and cellphones are a thing of the past. I don't even know if there's other survivors outside the men in hazmat suits. I've gone back to the city a few times but the foot soldiers have possession over Ponto. There was never an explanation, no government announcement, or aid sent to the people. Over the course of one day the entire country broke.

It's early in the morning, sunset to be exact. I make my way towards one of my rabbit traps when I hear rustling in the bushes. I reach for my 9mm handgun thinking it's some small game. Until a woman steps out of the shadows. Dressed in all black and her face hidden. Tall and a scowl in her voice. She brandishes a sword I can't tell if she knew I was here or surprised the same as me. Either way this is the first survivor I've seen since the day I left. She points the tip of her short sword at me and asks who I am. I freeze my hands in the air and my gun still tucked in my waistband. I step back and ask her the same. She removes her mask unveiling a beautiful woman. Soft features with a mean glare, Hazel eyes and beautiful curly hair. She says "my name is Sam. Now what is yours"A demanding tone in her voice. I say "my name is Con".

I ask her to lower her weapon. She tells me "I don't know what you have. I'll keep mine in hand and you do the same". I say with a grin "we'll that's not fair considering I don't have mine". She points the sword closer "that's your problem. Should've been faster to the punch". She continues to interrogate me asking how I've stayed alive, how I survived the day, and if I'm alone. I cooperate answering her questions honestly and quickly. After a while she lowers her weapon while telling me about where she's from.

She tells me about a small town with about 53 inhabitants that was left untouched. She explains they don't understand why the town was left. The place is called Town Cada. She calls this place her home and offers to show me the way. I agree, we begin walking and I start asking questions. This group of people are the only survivors she knows about, although it's likely more places just like this still exist.