Chapter 2: A new start

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Authors note: I should have made it clear before but this story does not take place in our universe, it's a more run down version of what we live in

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As I make my start into the city I'm greeted by cigarette smoke, smog, and an oddly comforting smell. Think barbecue but with a slightly sweeter smell. The whole town still has a gag inducing smell to it.

As I'm walking the streets I can see what the night life is like. It's what you'd expect from any other city that hasn't seen maintenance  since the 1950's, gangs, graffiti, a poor woman throwing her life away for 40 bucks. It sucks but it's what happens eventually, humanity has a way of being the sole destruction of itself, it's really quite impressive.

Taking in the sights, sounds, and unfortunately the smell, I see a bar that looks like an alright place to settle for a bit. The door falls over a bit as I open the door, must have been like that for a while.

"Ain't never seen your kind before." I hear a voice over the chatter of the bar. When I look up I'm met with the unwavering eyes of a bartender who's probably been here a while.

"Yeah, just stopping in for a while." My voice comes out hoarse and dry due to very little use in a while.

"Well ya gotta buy something."

I walk up the bar and order a plate of fries. After a small wait the bartender hands them to me. I begin to eat and man is it terrible. The fries are cold and slimy for some reason but I'm too hungry to even care. I decide to get some answers.

"So where am I exactly?" I ask the guy next to me. He just lets out a grunt of annoyance. "Jackass... How about you? Can you tell me where I'm at?" I ask the bartender.

I get a similar grunt of annoyance but at least an answer follows. "They call this town many things, hell on earth, home of the damned, we locals call it, 'Zion'."

"As in the paradise after death? No offense but I'd say this place is anything but." I realize I may have came off as rude, hell I know that's rude.

"You watch yer tongue boy! Anyways, this place used to be great, my grandpa would tell me stories about how grand this town used to be, bright lights, a nice place to live, clean drinking water, I often wonder if he was just trying to convince himself life was better so he could die happy." I can almost hear a sadness to his voice.

"I can tell you for sure cities like this used to be as serene as your grandpa was saying. It all went down hill when the people decided they'd be better off running their own government." I really shouldn't have told him that.

"You actin' smart with me? Tryna make me think you know what life was like? Tryna make a fool of me? Make me think your some sorta big shot?" Anger and suspicion lace his words.

I need to get out of here. "Well it was nice talking with you, I best be on my way."

"Hold it... you didn't pay for your food."

"Well you see I... fuck it." I take off running out the door and hear what I assume is the bartender along with some patrons behind. I run as fast as my legs will let me go and then some. I can hear vulgar shouting and threats. I eventually come upon an empty warehouse where I hide inside some boxes.

The group is right outside where I'm at, their footsteps heavy, their voices angry, I can't die but I really don't wanna find out what they'd do to me. Eventually they give up looking there and move on. I let out a sigh of relief until I hear shuffling behind me and a quiet,

"Hey..."

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