Echoes of Desolation [ TGC ; APOCALYPSE AU ]

1. The Beginning of the End

Around the middle of the summer , the sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden hue over the broken landscape. Isaac, Nick, Larry, Yumi and Tanner walked through the overgrown streets, their footsteps echoing off the crumbling buildings around them. They had always been close, a tight-knit group of friends, but today felt different-an eerie sense of foreboding hung in the air.

"Look at this place," Nick muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He kicked a piece of rubble, sending it skittering across the pavement. "It's like something out of a nightmare."

Larry nodded, adjusting his backpack. "Let's just keep moving. We need to find shelter before it gets dark."

Yumi, ever the tech enthusiast, scanned the area with a small device he had cobbled together from spare parts. Being so much into tech, he wanted new parts for his new designs. "There might be some old tech around here that we can use. This area looks like it hasn't been scavenged much."

Yumi, always on the lookout for anything valuable, nodded. "I'll check the nearby buildings. There's gotta be something useful."

As they moved through the desolate streets, Tanner suddenly spotted something glinting in the sunlight. "Hey, Isaac, over here. Check this out."

Isaac hurried over to where Tanner stood, his eyes widening as he saw what Tanner held-a strange, green gun, unlike anything they had ever seen before. "What is it?" Isaac asked, reaching out to take the gun from Tanner.

"No idea," Tanner replied, "but it doesn't look like anything from around here."

Nick and Yumi joined them, peering over Isaac's shoulder. "Maybe we should leave it alone. We don't know what it does." said Nick , which Yumi replied. " This doesn't even look like something I would have laying around my place. "

But Isaac's curiosity got the better of him. "It could be useful. Let's take it with us."

Tanner reached out to take the gun from Isaac. "Throw it over here. I'll carry it."

Tanner reached out to take the gun from Isaac, but his grip slipped, and the gun fell to the ground with a loud clatter. For a moment, everything seemed to freeze as they stared at the shattered pieces of the gun scattered on the pavement.

Then, without warning, a blinding light erupted from the broken pieces, enveloping them in its brilliance. They felt a powerful force pulling them towards the light, unable to resist its pull.

"What's happening?" Yumi panicked, trying to hold onto a nearby lamppost.

Before they could react, the light enveloped them, and they were sucked into a swirling vortex. The world around them dissolved into chaos, and they felt themselves being transported through space and time.

When the light finally faded, they found themselves lying on the ground in a completely different place. The sky was a sickly green, and the air was thick with the smell of decay. They were in a ruined city, far more desolate than the one they had just been exploring.

As Isaac struggled to his feet, he realized that something had changed. Their surroundings were unfamiliar, and a sense of unease settled in the pit of his stomach. "Is everyone okay?" he called out, his voice trembling slightly.

Nick, Larry, Yumi and Tanner slowly stood up, looking around in bewilderment. "Where are we?" Yumi asked, his voice trembling.

Isaac shook his head, his mind racing. "I don't know," he admitted, trying to make sense of their situation. "But we need to stick together and figure this out."

As they gathered their bearings, they realized that they had lost all memories of their previous lives. They knew they were friends, but the details of their past were hazy, like a forgotten dream.

"We need to find shelter," Larry said, reverting to his practical nature. "And figure out what's going on."

Isaac took charge, leading them through the ruined city. The streets were eerily quiet, with only the occasional sound of distant growls and footsteps. They explored the abandoned buildings, looking for anything that could help them survive.

In one of the buildings, they found an old, partially collapsed structure that offered some cover. It wasn't much, but it was better than being out in the open.

"This will have to do for now," Isaac said, guiding everyone inside. "We need to rest and plan our next move."

As they settled into their makeshift shelter, the reality of their situation began to sink in. They were in a strange, post-apocalyptic world with no memories of how they got there or how to get back.

Tanner looked at the green gun, now lying harmlessly on the ground. "That thing brought us here. We need to figure out how it works and if it can get us back."

Isaac nodded, feeling the weight of leadership settle on his shoulders. "We will. But first, we need to survive."

As the group huddled together, Isaac couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that someone or something was out there, manipulating their fate. He glanced at the darkened sky and whispered to himself, "We'll find a way out of this. Together."