THE RUINS

Chapter 7- The Escape

Christopher sat at his desk while the teacher rambled on about the influence of Paradise lost by Milton, Christopher had never been a fan of literature, unlike his young sister, she loved reading and had taken to it at an extremely young age. It wasn't boredom that caused him to phase in and out of reality, it wasn't his strong distaste towards the ins and outs of early modern English literature. Last night he had been trapped in a hellish dream full of mutated monsters. He had been attacked by a remnant, although he had never actually seen one in real life, or at least had been too young to remember, he could vividly make out the massive muscle bound monster, burned red from the sun exposure and bursting with radioactive tumours. The creatures eyes were bulbous and bloodshot, with popping black veins surrounding it's neck like a rotten tree trunk. Despite never seeing one in his lifetime he just knew deep in his mind, that it was a remnant. Something had told him.

"Christopher?" He jolted awake and grunted.

"Uhmm..err...what sorry?"

"I asked you to describe the influence of Miltons work on the image and perception of Lucifer. If you had been in the world with us when I was talking you would be able to answer. Anyone else?" His teacher Miss Marsden asked, slightly annoyed.

Michael, the class know it all raised his hand. "Paradise lost created the possibility that Lucifer could be a sympathetic figure, a tormented soul. Yet it also helped to create the modern image of him as a beautiful liar, instead of a grotesque monster, Someone that comes to people in times of peril and offers them something so sweet that they are completely blind to the other side of it."

"Very good Michael!" The teacher said with excitement. "At least someone was paying attention."

"Fuck me" Christopher thought "of all the things they could have brought back they had to keep the idea of school.."

It was a short walk home for Christopher yet on his way to his Pod he ran into Austin monnier. The local tough guy that loved to push Chris around. "Sup preachers boy?" He spat.
Christopher ignored him and kept walking. "Hey Fag I'm talking to you." The thug lunged at him and grabbed Chris by the scuff of his collar. "You gonna learn to answer me." He coiled back his fist and like an arrow being released from a bow, it flew right into Chris' face. He fell crashing to the ground in pain.

"That the best you got? It fuckin tickled." Chris laughed, spitting blood onto Austin's boot. "Oh now you're gonna get it."

"Gimme your best shot you fucking mommas boy." Just as Austin grabbed Chris he was stopped in his tracks by someone, Chris couldn't see. He was helped up by this figure, when his eyesight became less blurry he could make out a beautiful young girl, strangely familiar. He looked back at Austin who was...unconscious.

"What the hell did you do to him??" Chris asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'm Becks."

"Oh yeah my mom said she was talking to you at the party." Chris vaguely remembered her. "Why'd you help me?" The girl smiled and answered "because you're good Chris...and it's important to protect the good that's left in the world. Say, how about I walk you home?"

"Sure!" He said, not one to reject a pretty girl offering him some companionship. When Chris got back to his Pod, he turned to the girl, for a brief moment he was lost in her beautiful green eyes. Like flowing jewels. He found himself caught in a trance from which he didn't want to awaken. He felt something strange, something he wasn't accustomed to. He felt genuine affection towards this girl, not the kind he'd receive from his parents no, This was much different. He leaned closer towards her in a fit of courage before he heard his mother Sarah calling him from inside the Pod.

"Damn..I gotta go but I'll see you again sometime?"

"Of course you will, nice meeting you Christopher."

Just like that she was gone, vanished like an angels kiss. Christopher ran inside. When he got inside he saw his parents sitting looking rather stern on the sofa. "What's up?" He asked, his voice full of worry.

"Chris, we've decided, we're leaving The Compound...we're going to search for a new place to call home." Sarah responded in a calm and soothing tone. "There's been rumours of a new land, a better land where it's never too hot or cold, where food never runs out. Past the waste land and we think we can-"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Chris said bitterly.

"Watch your tone son." Joseph said gravely.

"You want me to just leave behind my friends and my life to cross a barren hell hole full of monsters and danger to get to a place that may not even exist?!" Chris was furious yet his father's response shook him to his core and sent a cold chill down his spine.

"Have you had nightmares recently? Of battle, monsters or death? Have you heard any voices in your head son?"

Chris remembered the beast from his dream and the voices he had been hearing telling him to run.

"...yes.. how did you-" he was cut off.

"All of us have, everyone from the committee. So we've all decided to leave tonight." Chris knew it was futile to argue yet he wasn't fully convinced that everyone had been having similar dreams.

That night. The committee met up at the small abandoned bar in which they had announced so many changes in life and held so many meetings. This was hopefully going to be their final time there. Christopher watched his father begin another speech "now my friends..I know this isn't perfect and many of us wish that it didn't have to happen, but life in The Compound has such a low chance of improving that I see no other way. I know you've all been having the same dreams, and many of you have been spoken to by the Lord. That's why I know this is the right thing to do-"

"Bullshit" Travis said from the back.
"Yeah I've had dreams but we don't know who the hells been speaking in them it could just be a goddamn coincidence. I'm not risking my neck for some stupid conspiracy and if that's what this meeting is about then I'm going right back to bed, good fucking luck." And with that he left, slamming the door behind him as he stormed out.

"Does anyone else have any objections?" Joseph asked, anger buried deep within his throat.
Silence befell the room.
"Good. Now without any further stalling, let's go. We can't risk waiting any longer, I'll give you some time to go pack some food but meet at the town hall in no more than 40 minutes."

The people all disassembled and within 40 minutes had joined back at the hall, a sharp bitter cold rested on Christopher's cheek, as if a ghosts hand had laid itself on his skin.

When the crowd reached the gate they were accosted by a small group of soldiers, led by Monty.
"Where the hell do you think you're going priest?" He said bitterly, puffing on his cigarette.

"Monty, get out of our way, we're leaving." Joseph replied.

"Nah you ain't going anywhere, Victor needs you so you're gonna obey or you're gonna die right here right fucking now." Chris panicked, he didn't see a way out of this until Mark, in an effort to protect his wife, lunged at a guard, knocking him right to the ground. Chris felt a moment of bravery and sprinted at Monty, punching him square in the nose. He was down for the count. The other guards gave in and opened the gates to let the crowd pass on through. As they were walking, they heard 3 gunshots from behind them, as well as the sound of 3 bodies hitting the floor, no doubt the soldiers in fear of Victors wrath deciding to go out on their own terms.

They had done it, they had left the place which they called home for a decade. Now it was off to find a new land to build their lives on. They felt freedom like never before. More so than they had even felt after the rebellion. Chris couldn't believe that he had been able to knock Monty out. He felt such a sense of pride as they marched into the desolate forest to set up camp for the night.