“The Monster's broke in!” Jackie said to an eight year old Alex and an eight year old Nick, who were knee deep in wires and gun parts.
“What?” Alex asked, distractedly. “Now?
“No,” Jackie said, rolling her eyes.
“Good, I haven't finished,” Alex said, holding up two halves of a gun she took apart.
“They wouldn't have cared,” Jackie said.
“What happened?” Alex asked, going back to her work.
“Four Monsters broke into the range,” Jackie said. “They killed everyone there.”
Nick froze, “The shooting room?” he asked.
Jackie nodded, “I'm sorry Nick. They were the first to die,” she said before leaving the room.
Nick looked over at Alex, who dropped her gun parts on the table and wrapped her arms around him, “its okay, Nick,” she whispered. “You've still gots us.”
“I don't gots you,” Nick said, beginning to cry. “One day you're gonna get got too and then you'll leave me.”
“Not uh,” Alex said. “I won't ever leave you and if you ever say that again, I'm gonna smack some sense into you.”
Nick kept crying, “Alley -cat, why you so smart?”
Alex smiled, “Cause Alley-cat's gots to be smart to help everyone survive and I'm the bestest Alley-cat this place got.”
Nick snuggled closer to Alex and gave her a small smile, “You're the only Alley-cat we got,” Nick pointed out.
“That's why I'm the bestest,” Alex said. She kissed the top of Nick's and he blushed bright red. “Don't worry Nick. When we get big and strong we're gonna get back at the Monsters. We'll be the best Runners. You'll see.”
Nick gave Alex another small smile and kissed her cheek, “I'll see,” he said.
* * *
Caleb tapped Alex and she looked up from her work, “No signs of life,” he said.
Alex nodded to Nick, “Thanks Cal,” she said.
Nick pulled the car over and Alex got out, “Chase, get wood. Cal, Blake, set up your stuff. Nick, help me unload the trunk,” Alex said after everyone got out of the car.
Chase, Blake and Caleb nodded and Chase helped Caleb and Blake move their bags before going to find wood. Nick popped the truck and Alex grabbed the tech bag and her bag while Nick grabbed his and Chase's bags.
Alex and Nick walked over to Caleb and Blake and dropped the bags off, “Tech bag,” Alex said to Caleb and Blake, who nodded.
Nick set up the sleeping bags and Alex made a circle of rocks for the fire. When Chase came back with wood for the fire, Alex started the fire and Nick and Chase started cooking. Alex walked to the other side of the fire pit, where Caleb and Blake were, and they set up the lights before they began to look over maps and different scanners.
YOU ARE READING
The Fall of Hope
خيال علميNovella It's been thirty years since Teracon Industries took over and enslaved most of the population while the Rebels have been living on the Outskirts, fighting, training and scavenging. Five years after Teracon took over, the next generation of c...
