Survivors [Book 1]

1. Kal

The two bodies collided in front of me and the crowd cheered. A smile appeared on my face too as I watched the two men wrestle. I lifted my fist as a gesture of hitting someone. The adrenaline rushed through my veins even though I wasn't the one fighting. Just by watching these people beat up each other was enough to excite myself.

We stood in a circle inside the warehouse, fire burnt around us, they and the few LED lamps were the only light source in the dark building. Outside of the dirty windows it was pitch black and raining. The clouds hid the moon and the stars. Looking out, I could only see the reflection of the inside. The old building has seen better days, the brick walls started to crumble, every inch of surface was covered with graffiti, the metal pillars and doors were rusty. The dirt filled the air as the wrestlers kicked it and I constantly heard some sneezes. It wasn't a five-star hotel but at least we had a roof over our heads.

Alcohol and cigarettes were given around between the people. Everyone was drunk and enjoying the show. It was a usual night in the gang.

We fought, we watched, and we drank until we passed out.

With a wide grin on my face I shouted instructions. I didn't care who wins, I just wanted them to beat the shit out of each other. That was the only entertainment we got nowadays.

The war changed all our lives.

Mine especially.

I am not from this country, not even from this continent. I was raised in North-West Maldon, the capital city of the Arran Islands. I came to the Baaran Federation to find my parents after escaping the current orphanage I lived in. I was around fifteen. I never found them and after a while I gave up and started to live my own life. I earned money by hacking into computers, it was illegal but payed well. It's weird thinking back to those times.

We live a different life now.

It all started three years ago, when terrorists appeared in the Republic of Ellon Lands. They wanted to break the union and make the Lands independent again. This caused a huge global problem. The big cities were taken over, the people lived in fear from the attacks. This called radical actions from the world leaders and the Baaran Army released their biological weapon, sacrificing the innocent lives. Ubaria, my home has been quarantined ever since. We have no legit information about the situation there, but we are guessing everyone died.

At first, we, here didn't really feel the consequences, but then the Veranian Empire, one of the most prestigious countries in the world, in response launched an attack. This was one and half year ago. Since then, they occupied the western states of the Federation, including the one we live in.

We are completely cut off from the rest of the world. We have no idea how the war is going, we just try to survive. There is no electricity, no heating, no supplies. Our city was bombed down, the troops went through it, killed anyone who resisted and placed the rest in prison camps. Some of us of course fled, some hid, and now, that the enemy has left this place behind, we came back to claim it ours.

There are several gangs on the streets, we fight our own war for food and weapons. It is no place for the weak. If you want to make it through the day, you must adapt to the new lifestyle.

The bearded wrestler, Hitch grabbed his opponent's collar and pulled him down, so his knee met with the other's chin. I could hear his teeth smash together and a deep groan left his mouth. Hitch didn't hesitate, lifting his right arm, he punched Sean with a powerful hook, who stumbled back, right into my direction.

I took a few steps back not wanting to get in the middle of their fight. Hitch followed Sean and hit him again and again, until he was on the ground at my feet.