Badlands// H.S

01

You awoke to the slight buzz of the a/c unit as it shook and groaned with every splutter of cool air it spat out. Swiftly you got up to rub the layer of dirt and grime off your luke-warm eyes. The air was thick with similar polluting particles that when breathed in settled in the airways of your lungs and strangled you from the inside out.

You hated it here. But there was nothing you could do. Nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide from the sharp claws of reality that kept you on your toes no matter what.

Although the roof over your head did little to keep the harsh world out, you were still grateful for it as others who were less fortunate suffered outside. Speaking of outside, you could hear gunfire and shouts from around the corner signalling that a gang were nearby.

You slowly swung your legs over the side of your bed, and stood up whilst stretching out to satisfy your tense muscles.

It looked to be mid afternoon when your eyes had fully adjusted to the dying light, you'd been dipping in and out of naps all day to make up for the lack of sleep you got at night. It seemed at night as if the streets came alive, people shout and scream and fire guns and sin and make as much noise as possible to make it impossible for you to sleep.

The shouts were closer now as you made your way over to a window to watch the action from afar. It seemed like some scrawny kid had stolen from them again, the idiot should know better than to steal from a gang.

However this wasn't just any gang, it was the leading group in the Rat Run. The King of scavenging and the rulers of our broken world, not counting them who seem to rule over everything.

The leader came into view as the kid stumbled around like a small animal caught in a trap. The leader's tall strong frame towered over the poor lanky kid who almost shrunk in size as if trying to curl in on himself. The leader's dark curly hair was in dire need of a trim and his sharp features fuelled the intimidating glare on his face.

His ragged clothes was a reminder to everyone that no matter how big he thought he was, there was always someone bigger and more powerful than him. It showed that he'd made himself like this but he was still of the same status as us in this hell hole.

A sudden knock at the door made you jump out of your skin, you looked towards the door and wondered who it could be. Was it a gang member? Did they see you at the window?

You gulped and grabbed a poker from the fire pit, slowly you walked towards the grime covered door. You hadn't been able to see out of the small peep hole for years, due to the dust and dirt that collects on it every day.

In one swift movement you flung the door open and held up the poker, however you sighed in relief when the familiar face of your brother was the only person in the small doorway.

"Jesus Michael, you nearly gave me a heart attack." You breathed out and put a hand on your chest.

"You shouldn't be so jumpy then." He spoke annoyingly as he walked past you into the small shelter. He pushed his messy fringe out of the way of his eyes to smirk at you making you roll your eyes at him.

"You shouldn't be around when the gang's are out, you know that." You tried to reason with him. The last time he'd gone out, he'd had another run in with the same gang that were terrorising that poor kid outside.

"You should mind your own business." He stated and you could already feel the petty sibling argument approaching.

"You should listen to your own advice and stay out of those peoples business." You fire back and he looks down in defeat.

"If that's what you think then you're not going to like what I'm about to say." He mumbled causing you to narrow your eyes, he sighed before looking at you and you could tell this was serious. "They've asked me to join them on a...trip."

"A trip? Where to?" You asked whilst trying to think of any place in the Rat Run worth visiting.

"The ugh... Badlands." He muttered making your eyes widen. "Kind of a one way trip out of here."

"How do they know how to get out?" You ask confused.

"They have their ways." He smirked when you didn't overreact. "So are you in?"

"Me?" You asked and frowned. "How do I come into all of this?"

"Well I'm going and because I don't really want to leave my sister here to suffer. Being the amazing brother that I am, I already asked them if my baby sis could tag along to get out of here and they said yes." He spoke and gave you a sarcastic smile.

You tried to protest, but you couldn't help feel the excitement flutter inside of you at the thought of leaving. Eventually you agreed to going, what have you got to loose? Your life, you thought in your mind.

"It won't be easy though, you know that." Michael spoke sternly as you nodded. "This is life threatening stuff and I can't loose you, so please be careful."

You turned to walk back to your makeshift room with a smile on your face, sure you both argued but it's moments like that when he showed how much he loved and cared for you deep down.

"Did you get anything to eat whilst you were out?" You called back to Michael through the paper thin walls, no reply. You frowned, it seemed strange since you both could easily hear each other from your rooms. "Michael?" You called out but still no reply.

You got up and walked over to the door way of your room that was open, as you walked through it a hand grabbed your shoulder yanking you backwards. You cried out as a bag was placed over your head by an unknown figure, it stank inside the bag making you gag slightly.

Do you:

Struggle against the persons grip (05)

Or relax your muscles to save energy (10)

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Please tell me if you don't understand and I'll explain it :D thanks for reading you guys and enjoy the story