I sat at my desk in the chief’s shack staring at the calendar, The date was January 31st, 2025. Three years ago the world went to war after a cure for a virus that took the world by storm in 2020. The world superpowers including but not limited to: America, Russia, Mexico, Cuba, Vietnam, and Mongolia. I had been drafted into the space force, which had been instituted in 2020 by president Donald J. Trump. After their base just a couple of miles from mars was attacked, my commanding officer, sergeant Moore, threw me, Rolland, and Sarah on an escape pod and sent us to Earth.
I had just finished praying at Loki’s, my patron god's altar. Not many took up a religion, I had been born in Norway, My ma and da had immigrated to America, the Norse religion had a strong presence, I was ‘chosen’ by Loki, to be chosen, you had to do a ritual, a crow landed on my shoulder as I finished the long ritual, the sign of Loki. The day was quiet. The first quiet day we had had in a year or so. I ran a tribe of survivors that consisted of ex-military, and other stragglers we could recruit. I stepped out of my tent and into the world of post-apocalyptia. I stalked to my weapon master's tent and took a look at the wares. I purchased a hunting rifle and a suit of raiders' armor. After going back to my tent to suit up and load my weaponry, I walked to the main gate. I was met by my militia commander Rolland. “Where ya’ headed”, in his thick Texan accent.
“I’m going to collect some water for the purifier”, I said.
“Not without me,” he said. I gave no objection. We spent the next hour or so battling our way through mutants and raiders alike. Once we had reached the small pond, Rolland set up a small defendable barrier and took watch as I filled the water skins. Half way through the tenth or eleventh water skin, I saw something in the water.
“Rolland we’ve got a problem,” said not taking my eyes off of the creature. He ran to me with a pistol in hand. Just as he reached me the creature burst from the water with a deafening roar. We dove to the side as the thing swiped at us. Rolland rolled to his feet and fired three shots which bounced off of the creature's shell. There was a gap in the chitin on the creature. I drew my rifle up to my shoulder, let a breath out and squeezed the trigger. As the bullet slid into the gap on the creature's shell, it screeched and fell dead. I had been the top sharpshooter in basic training. Rolland packed the water into his satchel, I attempted to pick up the thing, it was extremely heavy. Rolland laughed as I fell to my rear. “Oh, can it and help me,” I said. He tossed one arm over his shoulder and I did the same. We had to take several breaks while lugging the mutant. The normally hour long trip took three hours.
“Open the gate,” Rolland yelled as we approached the main gate. The metal gate screeched open. As we walked through the camp, we got a lot inquisitive looks from both citizens and militiamen alike. We finally reached the butcher’s tent. He jumped at the thing. Rolland raised his brows at the butcher, “you now what this thing is?” Rolland asked.
“That’s a mirelurk, he stated, they are mostly found in east Tennessee,” he said. I nodded my understanding. “Chief , if they are making their way here we are going to need help to defend the stronghold,” he said.
“I’ll see what I can do, in the meantime, see if you can get the meat out and send the chitin to me when you finish,” I ordered. I stalked back to my tent to take a rest. Today, was extremely tiring. I stripped down to my underclothes, a simple tunic and lace leather pants. I laid on my cot and let the release of sleep envelop me.
“ Get up!” Rolland yelled. Sensing something was wrong I jumped up and quickly dressed myself in my armor and grabbed my rifle and slid it into its holster on my back. Rolland ran toward the gate, with me in tow. He and I nimbly climbed the ladder to the wall and looked over. What I saw made my heart drop. There was a lady holding two children in her arms fleeing from two feral ghouls. Without a second thought I jumped down to the outside the gate, Rolland copied me. Almost as soon as I landed I rolled behind a rock. I stood and fired a shot hitting the first ghoul.
