Chapter One
Hayley Karna shed underneath the wreckage of a fallen building, row upon row of planes flew thousands of feet overhead as she sat in the loathsome darkness, waiting for a sign of all clear to know it was safe to return to scrounging for food and water. It'd been so long since the seventeen year old girl had seen another person that she couldn't count the days, the weeks were piled atop another, and the months would cover a wall with a single indent for each. She peered from her hiding spot upward to see the last line of planes follow suit and knew it'd be safe to move, getting up she checked around, the soldiers patrolled only after bomb runs and she needed safe haven and soon. Running low across the torn streets she ducked into a old house, the occupants long dead or worse, tortured for information on where the hideouts were, long gone hidden shelters for people avoiding the Karna Military. All she could remember was bits and pieces of before they were brought to power, small traces of family, friends, happiness, it'd been so long since a friendly emotion filled her heart that she believed they never existed at all. Quietly stepping into the house she saw remnants of previous occupants, pictures, shelves, art with the look of a child's skill, a family had lived here. Walking through the house she felt a strange nostalgia as she stepped through the dusty hallways, finding the kitchen she saw more bits and pieces of the people who lived here, but that meant nothing, she wanted food. The cupboards were the first place she checked, finding nothing but glassware and a empty cereal box, she then checked the fridge which had been long shut down and covered her mouth as the rancid smell of milk left from over a decade prior filled the air, slamming it shut she dashed to the sink and puked, small traces of even smaller meals filled the sink, a dark tinge and sickly scent emanated from it and she held back a gag as she continued looking. Looking in a small compartment she found something, a can of soup, she gave a small smile as she looked around for anything to open it, she hadn't eaten in over a day and was running dangerously low on food, going back into the cupboards she found a can opener and got to work instantly, opening the can as fast as her hands would allow, getting it open she drank the soup like it was the last meal she'd ever indulge herself with, the soup was cold, over a decade old, and rather chunky, but she didn't care, food meant life, and life had been a luxury for years.
finishing the soup, she licked what she could from the cans innards and cast it on the floor, after glancing around she left the room and moved upstairs, moving up she heard gunshots in the distance and looked down for a moment, she finished her moment of silence for the fallen and continued up, only more desperate to survive the atrocity to live another day and perhaps meet another survivor, perhaps more then one. Walking up the stairs as silently as she could manage she entered a room to her right, the darkness was regular and she looked through it with trained eyes, making sure to cast herself down the stairs at the slightest hint of a bomb or soldier, she'd seen the explosives they used to drive out the people, and if you were any closer then twenty feet, your body would be disintegrated almost instantly from the blast. Seeing it was clear she entered cautiously, flicking the switch on the wall nothing happened, 'Figures' she thought as she peered around, a old bed rested in the corner with a heap of old blankets on the top, she thought a moment and rooted through them, finding the thickest and best condition one she wrapped it up and held it under her arm, the nights could get cold in the winter and she'd take whatever she could to survive the harsher months of the year. Deeming the room held nothing more of interest she went on to check the next room, bullet holes in the wall cast her eyes aside seeing the clothing and more on the floor, a tear came to her eyes as she walked on, her own personal code, "If it's on the dead, leave it, only a monster robs a body" And she knew she'd follow it no matter what even if the body held food, or something useful for her defence. Walking to the final room, the door opened to only a sliver, she placed her hand against the door and carefully pushed it open, her eyes darting inside and around to check for anyone who might be hiding inside. Looking around she sighed, "Nothing..." She said to herself in her regular quiet voice. Looking around she noticed the room was filled with items, pictures, posters, remnants of a young child, all the things having not been touched led her to look down, 'Only parents of a dead child wouldn't even empty the room' she thought silently as she looked around. Finding nothing of interest she returned downstairs, continuing through the house she entered the bathroom, it's walls were covered in a rot that had no scent as she moved to the bathtub, running water wasn't common, but some districts still had it and she hadn't been able to bathe in so long, her long black hair was greasy and her skin was discolored in certian places, turning the tap she thought she heard a small rumble but nothing came from the metal spout and she sighed, "I guess I'll wash another time... I hope" She said to herself as she did when she felt a small hint of hope flicker into nothingness.
