The Playing Fields First Draft

Prologue

     Mary awoke in a dirty apartment.

     As she sat up, there were a few things she noted. First Mary wore nothing but her underwear. And second, Mary didn't recognize the dirty apartment. As a college student, Mary was no stranger to the dirty apartment, as well as the mad scramble to clean the entire place to keep up the appearance of a clean apartment by the time inspections took place.

     Nor was Mary a stranger to waking up without her clothes in an apartment that wasn't hers. Not that Mary was accustomed to sleeping around with random strangers, no, it generally was either her boyfriend's apartment, with the occasional party where she drank too much thrown into the mix.

     Did someone spike my drink and now I'm missing an organ? Mary dismissed the thought as soon as it came up. Even if she didn't die during the operation, it wouldn't have been a dirty floor that Mary woke up on, but a bathtub filled with ice. Plus, the only pain Mary felt was a throbbing headache. Certainly, does feel like someone spiked my drink.

     The last thing Mary remembered was that she went into a bathroom during a college party. The semester was hard enough for her, and Mary decided that her weekend was better spent unwinding rather than cramming the books. What day is it? Mary thought. She noticed that it was a strange kind of light coming from the apartment's window. It was almost like the dawn's light, but it seemed darker to Mary. Where am I? Mary looked out the window to see a city in the aftermath of a tornado, with one exception, the buildings were still standing. There were abandoned cars littering the roads, some of them looked like they were stripped for parts. Windows were broken in on the storefronts.

     Did I sleep through the apocalypse? Mary wondered.

     Although stranger things were known to happen, something as devastating as an apocalyptic event would likely leave her dead as well by the fact that Mary couldn't escape whatever happened. I need to find clothes. Mary shivered, her underwear wouldn't make for much protection against the outside.

     It wasn't long before Mary found clothes. There was an old oak trunk at the other side of the room that had clothes inside. There wasn't a lock, nor was there a latch to keep the trunk shut. Considering where Mary was, she decided it was the least weirdest thing in the situation.

     Mary frowned as she unfolded the clothes. Is this a joke? Mary thought angrily, as she pulled out the pants as well.

     The outfit inside was a low cut tank top with leather pants that looked a size too small for Mary. While Mary had worn more revealing clothes from time to time, they tended to fit her comfortably. There's gotta be more clothes here! Mary thought.

     After a short search of the apartment, Mary found none. There were no drawers to check, and the closets were empty. The apartment seemed to be like an environment in a video game where the only things that Mary could use was what was provided to her by the trunk.

     Ugh, fine! Mary thought, as she put the clothes on. Mary was right, the pants were a size too short for her. The tank top was equally as tight, and Mary wondered who lived in the apartment before, and why they would wear such an unusual combination of clothes?

     At least the sneakers fit.

     Mary peeked her head out the doorway to the hall.

     Nothing.

     Nothing but debris littering the hallway, and flickering lights. Almost like in a horror movie. Next thing I know, I'll have a monster chasing me. Mary shivered. She never liked horror movies, and had to leave the room any time a gory death scene happened.