The Hope Of Humanity (Discontinued)

Chapter 7: This World

A/N:
Before we begin this chapter, I am acknowledging my mistakes. I am a human with huge thumbs typing on a small Kindle keyboard with an evil autocorrect. Please point out any grammar mistakes I might have made. It will be deeply appreciated.

With a backpack on my shoulder, bangs covering my eye, and bandana over my nose.

I glanced at Petro, who was loading his gun. We were standing right outside the door of the base, which I now realized was a rickety skyscraper missing its top half, which I assumed was part of the wreckage around us. There were many other buildings, but Petro assured me his ground held this city with an iron fist. We would find no trouble here. At least, we hoped we wouldn't.

Petro slung his sniper rifle along his back, along with a purse that held more ammo. I held most of the food and water. He started walking down the road, and I followed him.

We walked for awhile to get out of the city. It seemed like it took hours, though I knew it really only took about ten minutes. Every person that passed us made me want to curl into a ball and become invisible.

When we finally got out of the city, Petro asked me an unexpected question.

"So, what gender do you feel like right now?"

I paused in shock. "What do you mean? I'm a girl."

"So you lied?"

"What?"

"About being gender fluid?"

I started jogging to catch up with him. "Um, maybe? My mind kind of feels hazy. The only thing I really remember from that meeting is Sam putting a gun to my brother's head."

He nods. "Understandable."

I start walking quickly to match his pace as I arrive beside him. "So, um--"

"No."

I frown and skip a step. "I haven't even asked you yet!"

He nods. "You were going to ask about the mission, correct?" I start to nod but pause. He grins slightly. "The answer is no. I'm not going to tell you anything. Until we get there, that is."

I frown and continue walked, my anger increasing as a smug smile his something on his stupid littler face.

⭐Time skip brought to you by VaultTech⭐

We had walked for several days to get to our destination. It happened to be a rickety, hole-filled shack in the middle of nowhere. I assumed there had to be a lot of them nowadays, as we had passed and looted several before coming here. Petro found something in one of them that he seemed worried about, but he wouldn't tell me what.

Petro handed me something. Some flint, and a bag full of sticks and scraps of paper he had been collection along the way here.

"Go burn it." He says, gesturing towards the house. "Don't ask questions, this is your test. Just do it."

I frown, but asking questions leads to nothing with him.

I walk up to the house as stealthily as possible, though from past experience I knew most likely nothing was inside.

I open the door only enough to place the sticks and paper strategically. I rap the flint on a piece of steel several times to get it to light. I use some extra gas and splash it inside the house, so it would get caught faster.

Then I go outside and wait beside Petro.

It took several minutes for it to light up, minutes that seemed like forever. Movies were lying when they showed you something that grew a huge fire immediately. Fire loves to burn through the first things they are given before going to the next thing.

Humans are kind of like fire. They use what they are given, but then grow greedy for more, hurrying to take everything around them as quickly as possible so that they can't get to the next better thing before going to the thing after that.

Soon the roof was covered in flames.

I was soon horrified at what I had done when I heard screams from inside.

My mouth gaped at the house burning in front of me. There were people in there. People who were dying because I set a flame.

I turn to Petro and start yelling at him. "Why didn't you tell me people were in there? We have to help them! They're going to die--"

Petro interrupts me, his face expressionless as he stares into the fire. "The whole point of this mission was to kill them, AJ. We wouldn't waste valuable resources without an valid excuse."

"So resources are more important than human lives? Where did the humanity I knew go? At least there were some good people there! Now everyone is cold blooded killers! How dare you take away their lives... You have no right--"

My rant is stopped when Petro slaps me across the cheek. "This is not the old world. I wouldn't even call this Earth anymore. Humanity does not exist anymore. This is the wasteland. The only life that matters is your own. If you have a couple more who share the work with you and help you survive as well, then so be it, but everyone else is meaningless unless they help you survive. You understand, AJ? This is not Earth, this is Hell."

I stare at the ground in silence, my cheek stinging. My mouth is slightly open. I wince as the screams come to a stop indie the burning abode, and right myself.

"Everyone else may have given up their humanity, Petro, but my humanity has been the most important thing I owned since my parents became serial killers. I would, I won't give it up." I say quietly before walking away.

I feel hot tears fall quietly as I leave the helpless victims behind me.