War Fever

Chapter 2

Our group made our way down the overgrown gravel path, the chatter of our awe flooding the area around us. I made sure to enjoy the sights around me, making sure the outside world was burned into my mind for when this 2-week getaway was over. Much to the surprise of me and everyone else, the world so far didn't look torn up. It was just lush nature that had taken back its place in the world, not barren, radioactive ruins and dead trees.

Colin, being the leader, had brought a video camera with us. He recorded the group, the environment, and asked some of the people what they thought of the world. When he got to me and Calv, he said, "This is Mav and Calv. What are your guy's thoughts on the world so far?"

Calv thought a moment before saying, "It's cool, it's way more open than the bunker. There is a lot more room and it doesn't smell like the homemade scent pumped into the bunker to keep things sanitary. It's lovely."

"And you Mav?" Colin asked.

"It's life out here. We're free, and we got things to do. Like, yeah, we got food and safety and shit back at the bunker, but we're still prisoners that are stuck in there with limited things to do. Here it's like...we got ourselves a whole world to explore. Its amazing." I explained.

"That's very insightful," Colin replied. "What are your twos thoughts on the possible danger out here?"

Calv simply replied, "We're probably fucked. Humans out here aren't exactly much of a threat, but we're just some teens with random weapons. Those anthros though, they have guns, military training, numbers. If they find us, we're never making it home."

"I think we'll be mostly fine," I stated before Colin could ask. "Humans here seem frail from lack of food and they got primitive stuff. We're on an even playing ground, except we got the energy and muscle. Those anthro soldiers though, we're probably screwed though. Honestly, I kinda want to meet an anthro at some point, but you know, they nuked us."

"It would be interesting, but it's best we don't meet them." He replied before heading off back to the front of the group.

"Bro, we'd be fucked if we met them," Calv stated, granting my attention.

"I know, it would still be interesting to see an animal person though, from a distance."

"Eh, maybe."

Our group carried on down the path before the treeline eventually broke and we ended up on some old road. After 10 years of being unmaintained, the original black asphalt was rendered into a dull grey. Cracks ravaged the road, dead leaves were scattered around, and decade old abandoned cars were lined up on our side of the road.

I examined the array of cars, the majority being broken and looted, and I realized they were the cars our parents drove us to the bunker with all those years ago. My parent's truck was there, it being the only blue one helped me identify that.

Some of the members of my group checked out their parents cars as I checked out mine, Colin filming us as we did. Its windows were intact, and when I found the door unlocked I understood why.

What idiot would break into a locked car?

I opened the door and leaned inside, examining the somewhat intact interior. Unlike the other cars, this one's seats weren't as worn down by the time that had passed. The glove box was open and had already been looted of anything valuable, but I gave it a quick glance inside anyway. There was an empty glass case that belonged to my mom, some old napkins, an empty box of cigarettes, and that was that. I grabbed the glasses case, planning to surprise my mom with it when I returned to the bunker.