Fallout: The Aftermath

Chapter Four

"Daddy?" asked the little, red headed girl. She stood by the doorway facing the darkness of her parents' room. Her father awakens and sits up to see his daughter stand there, shaking in fear.

"Amy? What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked.

"I had a nightmare," said the young five year old. "That...that those red monsters came into my room and took me away from you..." Her father feels that she was mentioning the Chinese Communists. The two always watch the news together on television, and what only made Amy afraid of was when they mention China and how they treat its people.

"Oh, my poor angel," he said, "come here." Amy climbs up on the bed and crawls to her father. He gives her a big hug.

"Those men won't get you," he said. "You're safe here in this country. I will never let those monsters lay a finger on you. If they do, I will destroy them from existence."

"You will?" she asked.

"Oh of course I will," he said. "I care so much for you, darling. Daddy will make sure they will never mess with you ever again." Amy smiles and hugs her father tightly. She looks up to him as a wonderful father figure. She wants to be like him when she grows up; nice, strong, diligent, righteous, all the good personality traits. She slowly falls asleep and dreams of becoming a peace maker. The next morning, Amy and her father watch the news together.

"Construction on the majority of all the Vaults throughout the United States have been complete," said the news anchor. "One numbered thirteen has yet to be completed. Construction of the Vault has finally got off the ground heralding a development cycle that seems to be plagued with problems."

"Daddy, can we visit a Vault one day?" Amy asked.

"I don't know, sweetheart," he said. "Maybe we can one day." Amy's mother comes in from the kitchen and sits next to the two.

"Are you ready for your first day of school tomorrow, Amy?" she smiled.

"I don't wanna go to school!" she pouts. "I wanna stay with you guys. You're the best."

"Aww thank you sweetheart," smiled her father, "but it's better if you go to school. You'll get to meet new people and learn. Don't worry, you'll still get to come back home. You won't be there all day."

"Hmm...okay, daddy," said Amy.

"There you go," smiled her mother. "You'll love school. It makes you smart, just like your father and I."

"Really?" asked Amy. "I like to be smart just like you and daddy! Can I go to school now?"

"School's not until tomorrow," her father laughs, "but I love your enthusiasm. It'll be here before you know it."

"Awww okay," she said.

"Our next headline is of the human rights violations the Chinese government on the people of China," said the reporter. "According to statistics, China is the number one country in the world that oppresses its people due to the harsh policies its government places on them. To live or die, the people say." Amy felt frightened. Her father quickly changes the channel to a cartoon. Amy smiles when it came on.

"Honey, could I talk to you for a minute?" asked Amy's mother.

"Why of course," he said. The two leave the room for Amy to watch her favorite cartoon.

"I'm afraid for our future," she said. "I'm afraid we would all die someday from total atomic annihilation."

"Oh, honey," said Amy's father, "please don't think about it. It's going to be all right. The world is too smart to do something as terrible as that. We'll be safe as long as we stay here. They won't get us."

"Okay, honey," said Amy's mother. "I love you."

"I love you too," he smiles. They gave each other a hug, then notice Amy running up and hugging their legs.

"Me too!" she laughs. The three laugh together, until all was erupted when Amy wakes up. She looks around to find herself in the dusty bed inside the White House. It was just a dream that lasted too quickly. She slowly gets out of bed to see the rising sun. The sky was gray and misty, just like yesterday. She sighs sadly. The world must have not been smart after all. History has repeated itself. Humans kill each other over the things they want and an ultimate price was paid for that action.

Amy thought of it this way: there were two kingdoms that ruled peacefully for decades, until a new ruler from one of the kingdoms takes the throne. The new ruler was power hungry, from wanting all the riches to himself to seizing everything within his kingdom. This did not satisfy him, for he wanted more. The greedy king looks over at the other kingdom and sees what it possesses: precious metals, delectable foods, beautiful women, all to name a few. He wanted them. This encourages himself to declare an act of war on the other kingdom. The two kingdoms fought harshly against one another, until suddenly, both have crumbled. This left many of its citizens either dead, lost, or homeless. All have to depend on themselves to survive because of the actions of one man and his greediness.

Amy was angry at the world leaders for making these kinds of decisions that led to death and destruction because of their greediness. Money and power was all they could ever care about. Killing human life was just a brush off of their shoulder. Their actions have made a major consequence that leaves Amy and many others in a hostile environment that is the Wasteland.

But now, the world leaders are the least of Amy's worries, for they could be presumed dead from the atomic annihilation. What she needs to worry about is surviving. This newly environment is now considered dangerous. Amy will need shelter and other necessary supplies to keep her going about. It will not be easy. She, too, knows this.