Survival

I.

It's been two and a half years since the apocalypse. The worst was brought out in all of us, and it left us in ruins. We lost a majority of the human population, but it wasn't because of the catastrophe. The termination of civilization was brought to us when wars erupted all around the world. Countries were battling for armies, land, resources, you name it. But it only ended in losing so many lives that most places outside of the former United States are just the remains of what used to be.

 "Carson!" I hear a voice call from behind me. I knew that voice anywhere.

 I turned and saw my best friend, Oliver, walking towards me with a staggering hostile in his hands. He dropped the hostile to the ground, standing back.

 "What do we have here?" I say, examining the being that kneels before me.

 "I found this one trying to steal one of the generators," Oliver says.

 I laugh. "Pathetic." I take a step closer to the person. "You're a Blank, aren't you?"

 He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

"What makes you think you can steal from us?" I drag on. I squat down and look him in the eye, squinting. No answer. I stand back up and look at Oliver. "Kill him."

 It seems extreme, I know, but I was voted leader of The Anarchists, so anything or anyone that poses a threat to my division will suffer harsh consequences. I have to stay tough and emotionally detached in order to keep these people safe.

 As I'm walking away, I look up at the sun to determine an approximate time. Around 2:30 in the afternoon.

 I make my way to the hunting docks; little shelters near a small lake used to prepare hunted meat. Pushing the curtain aside, I walk into the first hut. "How are we doing in here?" I greet.

 "Not so well," one of the guys, Miles, says.

 I shoot him a concerned look.

 "We're running out of animals to kill, sir. Mating season isn't for a few months, and all of the good ones haven't migrated back since winter."

 "Hm." I think. "We have one of two options."

 "What would those be?"

 "Something that doesn't concern you. Get back to work," I order, leaving the building. I'm immediately greeted by my older brother, Alec.

 "What the hell is wrong with you?" he interrogates.

 "I could ask you the same question," I rebuke.

"You killed an innocent. For no reason."

 "That innocent tried stealing our resources. I had a reason." I was about done with him, so I just walked away.

 -

"Okay, we have two ways of acquiring more food," I speak to Oliver, my brother, and a few of our guards.

 "What do you have in mind?" Oliver asks.

 "Our most difficult bet is to go up to DC and ask The Brokers to send us more resources. It's gonna be hard to get past the guards and all that, but there's a small chance they'll grant us food." I suggest.

 "And what's the easy way?" Alec questions, crossing his arms over his chest.

 "That would be to just raid The Halcyons. But I have a plan."

-

I'm walking calmly through the city of what used to be Washington DC. The guards and I have been walking for about a day now, but with our pace, we'll be there in about a half hour. Oliver and Alec stayed back in order to get everything ready for the other half of my plan, which should only be needed if the Brokers decide to deny us temporary assistance.