The Next Dark Age: book 1 beginning

chapter 2 Meeting the Others

Before Trisha stood a man whose long and unkempt black hair shown that he was not exactly in the best situation. He gave her a casual smile, one that suggested that he was used to meeting new people and helping them out. All of these observations about the man suggested he was trustworthy. Upon finally catching her breath Trisha responded with "Yeah," while still panting furiously "How did you know?"

"We got a lot of refugees from there in the past hour, and you currently have some ash on you, so I just two and two together. Here have some food" He informed Trisha in a professional way, while at the same time so nonchalantly that made it appear to be that people running from a tragedy was a daily occurrence in his life, instead of a rarity like most people in the world.

Trisha saw that he had offered some kind of food bar, and grabbed the food out of his hand very similar to the way a dog would, and questioned him with "What do you mean, 'We get a lot of refugees' are you like a part of a rescue team or some organization?"

"Pretty much, me and my friends help out the jobless around town, teach them how to fend for themselves, mostly just survival stuff while also providing a place where they can stay and make friends. It's not an official organization or charity, we're really just a local community. We would be happy to accommodate you and give you a place to stay with other members if you want. You can meet my friends, Steph and Harris."

It was when he told this info that Trisha could finally muster the energy to stand again, and then brushed off (or at least tried to brush off) the dirt and ash off of her now permanently stained clothes. "That would be lovely," Trisha told this man with a big smile, "How far away are you guys?"

"We are on the east outskirts of town, it's quite a walk, are you sure you can really make it after the stuff you just went through? We can wait a day if you want."

"I had to travel to this town every time I wanted grocery, and then a mile back to my house, yeah I think I can take this walk."

"Okay," He said in a sly voice before heading off to the center of the town.

"Before we head out, I have to ask, what is your name exactly?"

"Michael wood, and yours?

"Trisha Haines." Trisha told him, although she knew Haines was not her birth surname, as that was actually her mother's maiden name. It wasn't that Trisha had lied about her name, but instead it was that Trisha had no idea what her actual last name was, and after her dad was murdered everyone went by her mom's last name. She tried to ask about it, but everyone told her not to worry about it.

Michael, satisfied with this answer, continued walking with Trisha following close behind. It was in this walk that Trisha was able to grasp the whole town, as before this time Trisha had only seen the very edge of a grand city, where there was some shops and people bustling around trying to shop for various items (mostly food) while fighting small crowds trying to do the same. This part though was nothing like the edges, there were huge building that must of been four stories tall which towered over everything, seeming to reach into outer space and touch the clouds, Trisha wondered what these buildings would of looked like before they were destroyed by the war and disuse. Not only that but there was no sign of people, there were no animals running across the ground, there were no flowers growing out of the ground, there were no people yelling about the injustice of their shopping and the people around her. In the end there were no signs of life anywhere, and due to that it was quiet and calm. Although that shouldn't surprise her. The ground was covered in the remains of those breathtaking towers, and if there is no ground to grow, then there can't be plants, and with no food the animals would never come there either.

It was as they were trying to climb one of these building that Trisha had tripped, but caught herself before she fell.

"Careful," Michael told Trisha in response to her embarrassing action before, "The ground is unstable and uneven, but you should get used to it eventually. "