Lost World

Ch 2: The Day I Remembered

The rest of the journey to the office buildings is silent, with the occasional squeals that escape my mouth from the constant jumping of gaping holes and gaps in the ground. Unable to stand it anymore, I ask Kai, "What happened to all the cars?"

"Institute cleared them all away. Remember, it resembles the old world, and that's considered 'rebellious'. We're classified as rebels just by walking around." He replies honestly.

"How long have you been awake?" I ask.

"Since the beginning. I haven't missed anything." He says with a smirk.

"So what's the plan then?" I pry, "I mean, how do we survive?"

"Right now, I don't have a plan. I've been trying to get into the cities to rob anything that has been left behind, food, clothes, water."

"Um..." I trail off, "I have water and food, and a couple t-shirts..."

"You what?" he demands.

"Before you ran to me, I broke into a small shop. That's where I got my backpack." I inform him, shying away from his anger.

"Good to know, princess. It's almost dark, we should make camp. Take a left up here. We can hunker down for the night, it tends to get really cold in Korupteco," he says, "probably from all the shit they are releasing into the air."

Kai pulls two office chairs together to make a bed for him to lay on. I take to the floor under the desk, using my backpack as a pillow. I slowly drift off to sleep, and the dreams come.

The wind blows through my hair. I'm standing on top of a building, watching the helicopters drop people with parachutes into the heart of the city. The bombs explode, collapsing buildings. I'm running as fast as I can into the elevator, trying to get down, but I'm too late. The bombs have gone off, and I curl into a ball inside the space, sobbing, hoping that the chunks of building don't break the roof and crush my small body. 'I'm too young to die, I'm too young to die...'

I sit up so fast I almost slam my head on the top of the desk. Dawn is breaking, the sun rising ever so slowly above the horizon. Kai is still asleep on his office chairs. I grab my backpack and start filling it with some leftover office supplies, pencils, paper, scissors, and I even grab a stapler and some paper clips. Never know when you'll need to staple something together, like a wound.

Kai stirs and falls out of the office chair with a thud. I can't suppress my laughter. He opens his eyes and looks around, still half asleep. A grin creeps across his face when he realizes why he's on the floor. He stands up, and calls me over.

"I think it's time to leave," he says, yawning and rubbing his eyes, "we've got a long ways to go before we get to the camp."

"What camp?" I ask.

"A camp full of rebels of course!" he chuckles, "You didn't think we were the only ones fighting the Institute, did you?"