Sapphire drove into McCormick and parked the car in a makeshift parking lot. It was overall a destroyed convenience store without a roof. Sapphire climbed out of the banged-up car with her money and walked to the shops. She frowned as she passed by a pet store where a small German shepherd puppy sat, its large brown eyes wide as saucers. She smiled kneeling down next to the pen and letting it sniff her hand. "You buying it?" Sapphire turned to see a man in a soldier's uniform glaring down at her. She stood up and shook her head. "No, I just- I can't remember the last time I saw a dog." The soldier glared. "Well don't play with it if you ain't buying it!" He snapped. Sapphire walked down the street, hearing the puppy's barks and the man yelling at it to shut up. Sapphire stopped by the livestock stared. There were three scrawny chickens. Sapphire sighed. "How much?" She asked the stall owner. The owner looked at her. "Five per chicken." Sapphire sighed handing him the twenty, he came back with a five dollar bill handing it to her. Sapphire gathered the chickens before approaching the gasoline stall, she was about to ask the owner how much she could get for a few dollars, so she would have enough for food when the sky darkened and the sound of planes was heard. Sapphire grabbed her chickens and looked around, people were already in a panic and racing for shelter from the Japanese. Sapphire hid by the food stall and stayed completely still. The town silenced in minutes as the planes went farther west back towards the farmhouse. Sapphire held her breath hoping her father would make it to the bunker. Sapphire crept out along with the other civilians and snuck back towards the stalls. She slipped by the meat vendor stand and set her chickens down before opening her large satchel and looking around before slipping two filets inside. She hurried off and rounded back around to the gasoline vendor. "How much are you charging for a can?" She asked. The vendor sighed, "twenty-five cents for soup can size, fifty cents for a gallon and a dollar a barrel." Sapphire grinned, "Two barrels, please." The vendor took her two dollars and helped her roll the barrels to the truck. She tied the chickens to the rail her father had installed and made sure they were secure. Sapphire walked around the market looking around for something she could get for three dollars. She finally settled on a decent size bag of pasta, bread, and chips. She was on her way out when she cast her gaze back to the pet store. The German Shepherd puppy was staring after her, it's brown eyes wide in curiosity. She sighed and leaned into the car pulling out three dollars. She returned to the pet store. "I'll give you three for the dog." She said. The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes. "I thought you said you weren't buying 'em?" Sapphire shook her head pushing the money over. "Changed my mind. Now can I have the dog?" The man nodded and handed her a rope with a loop. "There ya go." He said opening the gate and slipping the loop over the dogs head. The puppy ran over and jumped into Sapphire's open arms licking her face profusely with small barks. Sapphire smiled as she walked back to the car, slipping into the driver's seat and picturing the puppy next to her. She ruffled the fur on the dogs head as she started the car and pulled out of the market. Twenty minutes later she arrived at the farmhouse and got out of the car with her puppy and groceries. She frowned upon seeing her father wasn't outside. "Dad?" She called walking inside, the puppy tipped excitedly breaking free of her hold. "Woah! Easy dog! Down boy!" She said setting the groceries down as she ran after the puppy, only to run into her father who was standing in the living room, clearly unhappy as he gazed down at the small dog. "Sapphire." He said, "Why is there a dog in my house?" Sapphire smiled as the pup sat up straight. "Some guy was selling him at the market," She said walking over and kneeling down next to the dog, ruffling the fur on its head. "I thought since I had an extra three dollars I'd take him." Her father growled, "that money could have been used to buy more food." Sapphire frowned "I got pasta, bread, and chips along with two steaks. The chickens were five dollars each. Face it, McCormick won't be around for much longer. We need to get out of here." Daryl Woods growled. "We're staying until it runs outta supplies. That's final." Sapphire narrowed her eyes. "The town could be hit by a bomb! We need to leave!" Her father huffed and waved his hand dismissively. "It will- but not anytime soon. Now come on, I'm starvin'."
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Grid
Mystery / ThrillerThe year is 2044. And chaos has taken over the planet. Sapphire grew up in the chaos. Her father, Daryl Woods grew up when things were still decent. But following her father's death, Sapphire leaves her hometown of McCormick in the new state New Ida...