Below Zero

-Chapter 1-

The bright sun shone through the thin blanket I had placed over the barred window to keep the wind out of the small room I called home. Before I could get out of bed, some reasonably warm food was placed on my lap.

"Thanks Matt."

My skinny friend who barely made it on his own had managed to make me a warm piece of bread with a side of cold canned fruit and stale beef jerky. A luxury to come by in such a time. I asked Matt where he got and he said that another group of people were going to go search for the Great City again, and had given him some old supplies from their shop. Unfortunately, I also knew that this food came from people who would never return to the Safe Zone, whether the city was real, or they just plain out died. After I finished the food for the day, I got up and made the bed, which was close to broken, before setting out to head to downtown.

"The nightly attacks have been happening more often", I said to Matt. "I'm gonna head out for some weapons, just in case."

"Okay! Just nothing too expensive," Matt yelled as I climbed down the frosted and rusty ladder on the side of the building.

The white light of the sun was just now starting to peak over the cracked icy walls surrounding our tight cluster of buildings in this small city, so not many people would be up and out of the warmth of their homes yet. I sat down on a bench and put on my thick cotton gloves I had managed to come by.

It was about another hour before the shopkeepers began to arrive at their wooden shacks full of supplies. I walked up to the shop near the end of the street, and the crowd was bustling around it. After squeezing my way through some people, I managed to get to the front of the shack.

"Hey Rick, what's going on," I said to one of the shopkeepers that ran the weapons hut as the crowd kept getting larger and louder.

"Well, Lucas. We're...almost out of weapons." My face spread into a look of shock when Rick said this.

"It's because of the recent attacks and more and more people leaving in search of the city. But, since you've helped me in the past, I might be able to get you something free of charge. Here, on the house." Rick handed me a couple of military grade knives, and a sharpened katana.

"Y-you can't. This is too much," I stammered to Rick as I grabbed them.

"Trust me. You'll be grateful. Now go home before someone notices."

I picked up some more food, winter supplies, and blankets before heading back to the room. When I got back to, Matt noticed the weapons.

"I said nothing too expensive, Lucas!" Matt blurted out while I put the items underneath a sheet in the closet.

"Dude, Rick gave them to me for free. So, relax." His face went back to a look of relaxation while I got out a battered and old board game we could use to waste the day away until the meeting at city hall tonight where wee would discuss the recent events.