The Third Voyager

Chapter 1 - Under the Weather

Life... is strange, to say the least.

How did it come to be? Was it evolution? A higher form of existence? Was it God? Multiple divine beings? Or was it all just an accident? Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and many other atoms fusing together to create a single-celled organism?

In reality, the true answer will never be found. You can't prove nor disprove a theory, there will always be a way to use facts in order to solidify one and expose another.

Unless the theory is utterly ridiculous or trolly on purpose, then it can go right out the window.

And even if we had an answer, it wouldn't matter anyway.

Why?

Because the world had ended.

"Yo, find anything?" Came a voice behind me, its owner digging through some trash and rubble.

"No, just some scraps," I replied as I pulled out a torn cable, the color-coded wires sticking out of its protective rubber layer like static hair.

"What kind of scrap?" A second voice asked.

"Wires."

"Keep it, I could probably use it," the first one added.

"Sure," I shrugged, shoving them into my backpack. It was a mess, I had to sort it out when we got back to our hideout.

"Yes!" The first man shouted.

"Found something Jeremy?" The second one inquired, curious as to what could warrant such an excited reaction.

Jeremy turned around on his heel, still crouched like the rest of us, to show what he was holding in hand; a dirty can of food, peaches to be exact.

"Nice," the both of us said at the same time before returning to our own looting. Food and water were a top priority, not that we lacked any. We had plenty to spare back at the hideout, but stockpiling more never hurt.

Though at some point, we won't be able to find anything, and I fear the day that comes. Until then, we'll have to keep doing what we've been for the longest time; surviving.

"Hey, do you-"

"Shh, do you hear that?" The second man interrupted me, all of us trying to catch what made him shush us.

"What is it Carl-"

"Shhh! Listen," he repeated, scooting over to one of the many holes in the wall that lead to the outside. We followed him in the same way, concealing ourselves behind cover.

An all too familiar rumble came from the distance, growing in volume the longer we stuck around.

"Oh shit," Jeremy whispered, realizing what the sound was.

"Hide," I added, moving deeper into the broken structure. From the fallen sign outside and the interior's once bright paint, I'd guessed that this used to be a restaurant of sorts, possibly styled after the 50s. What I wouldn't do for some pancakes and bacon, can't forget the maple syrup.

Yeah, those were good times.

As the roar of an engine approached the block we were at, we snuck further inside the building, unholstering out individual pistols. We could use some better weapons for sure, but that's the best we had. We did have bullets of larger calibers, but the one we found most common was the good old nine millimeter.

When the vehicle came closer to our spot, we discovered that there was actually a large number of them, revving their powerful engines as they sped through what used to be New York. We were somewhere between the line on the map that separated the surrounding suburbs and the dead heart of the big city, the only evidence of its former glory was the Empire State Building.