When The World Burned

Chapter 5

It was morning when Benjamin finally stepped out of the abandoned house. Walking across the desert that used to be the United State of America, he gripped his backpack close. Rue's bag was strapped on at his waist, her treasures and items hidden within.

"I'll find you," He grunted as he climbed up a hill and took a moment to look around once at the top. Ahead was what must have once been a big city. In ruins and half covered in sand it looked more like the remains to a computer board. Pulling out his map and looking down at it, he tried to calculate his whereabouts and decided to head for the dead city. Maybe, if he were lucky enough, he would run into someone that had seen Rue.

Sliding down the hill toward the city, he made his way there while keeping his machete gripped in one hand. Tapping his free hand on his hip the entire walk, he ignored the heavy weight of the sun pressing down on him. If he was correct about his calculations, this was the city where the sun's shot of fire stopped. Beyond it, he could see parts of a dark landscape that was scorched beyond repair. Even now, sixteen years later, it was destroyed with nothing growing back.

The sun had been a monster to half the planet when it broke in two.

Reaching the first destroyed building, he took careful steps and glanced around. From what he could see there were odd stakes stabbed into the ground part way between buildings. They had what looked like animal heads at the top, possibly a warning sign. "There are others..." He muttered and stepped along the side of the building, keeping his eyes peeled for any movement. Traveling so far, only to lose his sister meant that he needed to stay on high alert for anything and anyone. What if he could not find Rue, though? What if losing her was some foreboding to something worse?

He could only pray that she was no dead.

Something went by and he jerked his head around to see what was there. Only sand blew up with the wind as he took in the buildings across from him. Pressing a hand to the wall next to him, the thirty-six-year-old took in a deep breath through the filters of his gas mask. "Hello?" He called out.

Another flash of movement and he looked up where it had come from. Something – or someone – was here.

"Hello?" He called out again, knowing it was a bad idea.

Something crashed to his right and he looked over in time to see something come flying toward him. Rolling to the side with a grunt, he avoided it by a hair. Sand burst up from his rough roll and he twisted to see the large spear that had come for him. Getting up, he quickly began to run to the opposite side, avoiding more spears as they shot at him. Reaching a doorway, he jumped inside and slammed into the wall.

Staring out as another spear slammed into the sand just outside the doorway, he tried to slow down his fast heartbeat. Turning to stare down the hallway of the small space he had stepped into, Benjamin pushed from the wall. Stepping along the hallway, he offered a cursory glance out the door one last time before taking the only turn available. It was rough and sandy, leading to a cracked stairwell that he climbed. At the top, he found himself in what might have once been an office with cubicles. Now, though, the cubicles were shoved to the side and blood caked parts of the floor with multiple instruments strewn about.

Gagging at the horrid smell, Benjamin rushed along the wall he was closest to and reached another stairwell. The sounds of footsteps echoed behind him and he turned to find a group of strangely shaped people rising from the opposite end of the room. He saw that they were men, but hidden in dark paints, feathered and furred clothes, and they wore skull headpieces that hid their faces. Yelling, they pointed weapons at him and rushed across the room.