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Description
Every morning I set out to gather water from the nearest water pump about ten blocks away. I managed to obtain several large water containers, like the ones you find in office buildings, and can generally manage to fill one or two each day. It's a slow task that's been added onto my morning routine, but it still gives me simple pleasure to know that keeping the wagon from my childhood was not in vain.

The wagon rattles over the cracks in the pavement, slowly shaking itself apart as it does.

On my way I pass by a now abandoned sex shop. Pleasure, it seems, comes second to survival when the whole world is dying.

Or does it?

I've seen a fair number of looters running out of that store with suspiciously shaped objects tucked underneath their clothing. Still, passing by the store is nothing new, as it's also on the way to the nearest bus stop.

Not that the buses are still running.

Not that I have a job to go to anymore.

Normally I don't see anyone at the sex shop, a difference from when people used to duck in and out of there all the time and underage high school students would attempt to bribe their way in with no success, so the sight of a figure sitting on the curb in front of the blacked out door surprises me.

It's a boy.

Young, maybe in his early twenties but easily capable of passing off for someone in his late teens, with unkempt hair like he hasn't combed it in weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't.

"Are you looking for something?" I call out to him from across the parking lot.

The boy looks up at me and waves.

"Hello," he calls back. "I'm trying to get laid."

"Excuse me?"

I wheel the wagon into the parking lot, hiking it up over the faded yellow speed bump, and go to stand in front of him.

"Did you say what I thought you said?"

"Yup. I'm trying to get laid," the boy confirms with a slight nod.

"If you don't mind my saying so, you seem to be doing a poor job."

"Well I kind of figured that this would be a good place to start since, you know, sex toys and all."

"I think you're too late, and it wouldn't have mattered anyway unless you happen to be gay. All of the looters I saw were male."

The boy sighs loudly, blowing dusty blonde bangs away from his eyes in the process.

"Should of figured. Would you sleep with me?"

"Quite a thing to ask a girl without even cash or a first date. With the world ending I would think that you'd have other things on your mind."

"Kind of why I'm trying to do this now. Well, maybe it's best that you said no. I always figured that I'd lose my virginity to someone I love, the woman I promised myself to, but it looks like I won't have the time to fall in love the way I hoped."

If I don't get to the water pump soon I'll be forced to fight my way to the front of the crowd to fill up my containers. It's something we're almost all used to doing by now, but something that I would rather avoid.

I don't like having to push past children in order to stay alive. It seems like the lowest thing that I could do, even if it is a matter of survival.

"Listen, I have to get going. You probably should too, since you're not going to be too successful here."

"Yeah, I figured as much after the fourth day. Have to start surviving eventually. First I have to figure out a place to stay though. My apartment went up in a gas fire, luckily I wasn't still in it, and I've been hiding around dark alleys but frankly I'm sick of that."

"Would you like to stay with me? I won't sleep with you, but the least I can do is give you a place to stay."

I don't know why I'm saying this, though it might be because I don't think that my conscience could bear the thought of leaving him helpless.

"Really? Thanks! You're a lifesaver! And I mean it literally for once!"

"Don't thank me yet. You'll have to work a bit for your keep. Starting with helping me get these containers filled up with water."

I tap the edge of the wagon with my foot, rattling the plastic water containers inside.

"No worries. It would be my pleasure."

The boy jumps to his feet and takes the wagon handle from my hand.

"Um…where's the nearest water pump again?" he asks sheepishly.

I smile and beckon towards the exit of the parking lot with a slight bow.

"Allow me to show you, though I don't think I caught your name."

"Jethro, but call me Jeff."

"Melinda. Mel if you will."

Together we walk away from the tawdry sex shop with its switched off neon lights and unrealistic silhouettes painted on the windows, and towards the heart of the city. Already I begin to question my decision, but find that it could do me no good to face the world's end alone.

Description
Every morning I set out to gather water from the nearest water pump about ten blocks away. I managed to obtain several large water containers, like the ones you find in office buildings, and can generally manage to fill one or two each day. It's a slow task that's been added onto my morning routine, but it still gives me simple pleasure to know that keeping the wagon from my childhood was not in vain.

The wagon rattles over the cracks in the pavement, slowly shaking itself apart as it does.

On my way I pass by a now abandoned sex shop. Pleasure, it seems, comes second to survival when the whole world is dying.

Or does it?

I've seen a fair number of looters running out of that store with suspiciously shaped objects tucked underneath their clothing. Still, passing by the store is nothing new, as it's also on the way to the nearest bus stop.

Not that the buses are still running.

Not that I have a job to go to anymore.

Normally I don't see anyone at the sex shop, a difference from when people used to duck in and out of there all the time and underage high school students would attempt to bribe their way in with no success, so the sight of a figure sitting on the curb in front of the blacked out door surprises me.

It's a boy.

Young, maybe in his early twenties but easily capable of passing off for someone in his late teens, with unkempt hair like he hasn't combed it in weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't.

"Are you looking for something?" I call out to him from across the parking lot.

The boy looks up at me and waves.

"Hello," he calls back. "I'm trying to get laid."

"Excuse me?"

I wheel the wagon into the parking lot, hiking it up over the faded yellow speed bump, and go to stand in front of him.

"Did you say what I thought you said?"

"Yup. I'm trying to get laid," the boy confirms with a slight nod.

"If you don't mind my saying so, you seem to be doing a poor job."

"Well I kind of figured that this would be a good place to start since, you know, sex toys and all."

"I think you're too late, and it wouldn't have mattered anyway unless you happen to be gay. All of the looters I saw were male."

The boy sighs loudly, blowing dusty blonde bangs away from his eyes in the process.

"Should of figured. Would you sleep with me?"

"Quite a thing to ask a girl without even cash or a first date. With the world ending I would think that you'd have other things on your mind."

"Kind of why I'm trying to do this now. Well, maybe it's best that you said no. I always figured that I'd lose my virginity to someone I love, the woman I promised myself to, but it looks like I won't have the time to fall in love the way I hoped."

If I don't get to the water pump soon I'll be forced to fight my way to the front of the crowd to fill up my containers. It's something we're almost all used to doing by now, but something that I would rather avoid.

I don't like having to push past children in order to stay alive. It seems like the lowest thing that I could do, even if it is a matter of survival.

"Listen, I have to get going. You probably should too, since you're not going to be too successful here."

"Yeah, I figured as much after the fourth day. Have to start surviving eventually. First I have to figure out a place to stay though. My apartment went up in a gas fire, luckily I wasn't still in it, and I've been hiding around dark alleys but frankly I'm sick of that."

"Would you like to stay with me? I won't sleep with you, but the least I can do is give you a place to stay."

I don't know why I'm saying this, though it might be because I don't think that my conscience could bear the thought of leaving him helpless.

"Really? Thanks! You're a lifesaver! And I mean it literally for once!"

"Don't thank me yet. You'll have to work a bit for your keep. Starting with helping me get these containers filled up with water."

I tap the edge of the wagon with my foot, rattling the plastic water containers inside.

"No worries. It would be my pleasure."

The boy jumps to his feet and takes the wagon handle from my hand.

"Um…where's the nearest water pump again?" he asks sheepishly.

I smile and beckon towards the exit of the parking lot with a slight bow.

"Allow me to show you, though I don't think I caught your name."

"Jethro, but call me Jeff."

"Melinda. Mel if you will."

Together we walk away from the tawdry sex shop with its switched off neon lights and unrealistic silhouettes painted on the windows, and towards the heart of the city. Already I begin to question my decision, but find that it could do me no good to face the world's end alone.