Vagabonds

Chapter 2: Struggling to Survive

Jackson and Maria traveled on, scouring the ruins for any sign of food or shelter. They encountered more scavengers along the way, but they were always ready for a fight.

One day, they stumbled upon an old grocery store that had somehow managed to survive the apocalypse relatively intact. The shelves were mostly bare, but there were still a few cans of food and bottles of water left.

"Jackpot," Maria whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

Jackson was more cautious. "Be careful. There could be someone else here."

They moved through the store slowly, checking each aisle for signs of danger. But they found nothing, and eventually began filling their backpacks with as much food and water as they could carry.

As they were about to leave, they heard a noise coming from the back of the store. It was a faint scratching sound, like someone trying to pry open a door.

Jackson motioned for Maria to follow him, and they crept towards the back of the store. They saw a door with a chain wrapped around the handles, and the sound was coming from the other side.

Jackson held up his hand, signaling for Maria to be quiet. He slowly drew his machete and approached the door.

"Who's there?" he called out, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

There was no answer, only more scratching.

Jackson took a deep breath and yanked the chain off the door handles. He swung the door open, ready to fight.

But what he saw on the other side shocked him. It was a small boy, no more than six years old, huddled in the corner of the room. He was dirty and emaciated, with tear-streaked cheeks.

"Please don't hurt me," the boy whimpered.

Jackson's heart softened. He put away his machete and kneeled down in front of the boy.

"We're not going to hurt you," he said gently. "What are you doing here all alone?"

The boy explained that he had been separated from his family during a raid by a group of scavengers. He had been hiding in the back of the store ever since, surviving on whatever scraps he could find.

Maria knelt down next to Jackson. "We'll help you find your family," she said, offering the boy a granola bar. "But we need to leave this place first. It's not safe here."

The three of them made their way out of the store, the boy clutching Maria's hand tightly. They continued on their journey, with a new mission in mind: to reunite the boy with his family and ensure his safety.

As they walked, Jackson and Maria couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe there was still some good left in the world, after all.