Scarecrow

Prologue

WARNING: some parts of this chapter might be seen as explicit.

"Oh catastrophe

Leave me to fade out the light

And uncage the night..."

The barracks of South block, underground of Former Houston, Texas

22 years, 3 months and 2.5 weeks after the solar flare

Riley woke up from the screaming noise of the alarm in the barracks.

'What the fuck?' She jumped out of bed, grabbing a hoodie and walking into the hallway. Her brother Brent and father Mark, with whom she shared a room, followed her, and they met up with other people from down the hall.

'Dad, what is going on?' Her father looked confused.

'I don't know. Maybe it's a training?'

'I'd think they'd announce that on the radio, right?' Brent rubbed his eyes and yawned. 'Why now? I have a busy day tomorrow, I need my sleep.' Riley looked from his slightly annoyed and uninterested face to the people packing in the hall now. They looked confused, worried, annoyed. Wondering what was going on, they all walked up to the community hall, which they shared with the families of this hallway in their block.

Houston was divided in 4 blocks; North, East, South and West. North was the biggest block, the part of the city where all the important things happened; science, finances and communication were based in North block. Brent and Mark both worked there; Riley just started working in East block, tending medical school. South block was mostly for the production of supplies and where fresh foods were grown, West block was for storage, reparations and where the guards were trained and mainly stationed.

Every block was split in hallways, which ended in numerous community halls where people would get together for food, recreation, training and briefing. Houston was build on military standards, which showed in everything. It was a high-functioning community which consisted by over fourtythousand citizens, being led by a group of people called the Saviors, who wanted the best for the community and kept their word. They tried to treat everyone equally, and because of that they gained respect from the majority of the community. Ofcourse there were some individuals who thought other wise, but they never seemed to be a threat to the system. Until now. With a huge shortage of food and water lately, there had been irregularities in Houston the past months.

Riley almost jumped when guards walked in and blocked the doors, so no one could get out.

'Dad?' She looked up to her father and grabbed his hand. 'What is happening?' Mark shushed her en stared at the guards, who were heavily armed.

The speakers which hung all around the halls and homes in Houston to keep the citiziens informed from time to time cracked and a voice came out.

'Houston. Today marks the first day of the new regime. The Saviors are dead -' People started mumbling and Riley brought her hand to her mouth. '- and a new leader has been installed. From now on, you will get instructed by the Minister, head of this new community. On account of our survival, we have to eliminate everything that can possibly be a threat to us. Therefore we are in need of a purge, which will rid us of an overdose of useless individuals. We need to start over. May the best be with you.' The speakers cracked again and it fell silent. Nobody really understood what was going on and people started talking, panicking and trying to get back to their homes. Riley looked at Brent and her father, and just as she wanted to say something, Brent pulled her to the floor.

'Down!,' he yelled. Riley let herself fall onto the ground and felt Brent's body protecting her. Her father let go of her hand and covered his ears as the guards started to shoot at random. People screamed, ran, pulled, pushed; someone trapt on Riley's ankle and she screamed in pain. She covered her ears and closed her eyes, trying to shut out whatever was happening, but Brent pulled her away.