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Description
Dark clouds hung in the sky. The wasteland was dark. Through the cracks in the clouds, first light was beginning to show. The howling of winds across the dunes was the only sound in the wasteland. Carving its way through the sand dunes, half-buried, was a lonely road. Rusted and abandoned wrecks dotted the road, filled with small animals trying to scavenge for food. A pair of lights appeared down the road, getting bigger as they approached. The sound of a worn V8 accompanied them as the car sped up the road. It approached and flew past without stopping, kicking up layers of sand. Its engine roared into the darkness of dawn as it travelled the lonely highway.

***

The collar of my jacket flapped in the wind. It was cold out here. Ever since the war, the weather had been thrown out of proportion. Boiling hot during the day, freezing cold at night. And night can produce even more dangers then daytime but moving at night was better. You're masked under the shroud of darkness with only headlights to guide you. But if you're spotted, it's easier to shut off your lights. People, especially snipers, can hear you but once the lights are out, they can't pinpoint your location. Only on full moons does nighttime become more dangerous. My car bounced along the uneven road, the rusted suspension groaned in protest. Dead grass and burnt trees lined the highway, dotted with the occasional rotten car or dead body. First light was getting brighter now, removing the blanket of night from the desert sands. I could see now, everything that littered the road. Corpses, cars, rubbish, dead plant life, but one thing caught my eye. It was sitting off the side of the road, next to a buggy propped up on stands. A makeshift shelter. I slowed my car down as I approached. Candles had been placed all over the shelter, providing a dull orange glow. I stopped my car and shut my engine off. Silence fell, except for the rustling of the canvas and the howling of desert winds. I opened my door and stepped out of my car. The jacket flapped in the cold breeze as I made my way over to the shelter. Inside was a dirty mattress, a corpse, and some rotten car parts. On the other side was empty cartons, a jerry can full of bulletholes and oil drums. But one thing did stand out. A tarp, leading into a large drum. Sticking off the side of the drum was a pipe and a tap. A dripple collector full of fresh night driplets. I stuck my canteen under it and turned the tap. Cold water flowed out, spilling into my canteen. I filled it to the top and drank the rest of the water straight from the tap. It was coppery, like blood. That would be rust. Out here, there's no such thing as fresh water anymore. Hell, people kill for any water they can find, clean or dirty. The water flow slowed and then stopped. Dry. Dammit. I placed my canteen back on my hip. The wind howled again as I pulled out my binoculars and surveyed the area. No one around. It was quiet, for now. That is until the next gang comes through. I made my way back to my car. I didn't want to be here when those gangs come through. I'm a woman. I had a very clear understanding of what they'll do to me.

***

This is what remains of our world. Nothing exists. Morality, trust, hope, they're gone. These streets are paved to nowhere. Before this, you were taught, it would take a hero to change things. But out here, nobody's got a hero. Nobody's got a saviour. You got no one. You have nothing. Everyone is your enemy. Danger awaits at every turn. It could be nature, it could be human, it could even be your own mind. No man is safe anymore.

***

Debris crashed into my car with loud thuds. The deafening winds made it hard to concentrate. Lightning came down in loud crashes, kicking up the sand. Scraps of metal and even cars were picked up by the winds, flying through the air and crashing into whatever they hit. I weaved through the debris, driving blindly through the storm. My car swayed violently as the winds pushed it like giant hands. The sands made it extremely difficult to see, hence why I was driving blind. There was a sudden crash as two cars landed in front of me and shattered like glass. I swung my car hard, bouncing off the road and onto the rocky shoulder. I was tossed like a ragdoll as my car bounced and bucked like an angry bull. A large makeshift hut smashed onto the road next to me. I bounced over it as the metal plates lifted and took off with the wind. The buildup of sand was making it hard to see through my goggles. And being intercepted by the storm didn't help my situation. I pulled back onto the road and put my foot right down. I had my headlights on full brightness but could see nothing ahead of me. The random strikes of lightning made it hard to navigate the storm as well. Over the road of the storm, I heard a loud groan and a bang. Out of nowhere, a sniper's tower smashed onto the road in front of me. Debris flew everywhere with the wind. I tried to avoid and smashed into the mangled nest. The wind picked up the metal, lifting my car with it. My vehicle spun and nosedived the road as the wind carried it. I gripped the cabin as my fast speed and the winds caused my car to go into a barrel roll. My passenger side crashed into the road, grinding loudly as the driving wind pushed my car along. I clung to my door and tried using my weight to push the car back down but the wind was like a giant hand holding it up. I couldn't see anything as my car slid along the road. I tried harder to put it back on its wheels until a large chunk of metal smashed into my car. It keeled and rolled once. It bounced on its suspension as the wind tried to lift it up for a second time. Nope. I hit my accelerator. The roared and gained speed, managing to regain its balance. Not this time.

***

As I walk these barren sands, the fight is everywhere. If it isn't rapists and bandits trying to get you, or warlords trying to steal your stuff, then it's internal. So long have I been here, my mind has gone. Trapped in my vicious cycle of torment. In my darkest times, they come to me, whispering and tormenting me. I tell myself, they are in my head, that they cannot hurt me. But sometimes, that's never the case. Not at all.

***

A cold breeze blew, shifting the sands of the dunes. I looked around me. My jacket flapped in the breeze, which chilled me to my bones. It was dead night out here, sometime around midnight. The moon shone brightly, so I had no need for a torch. Moonlight reflected off the chrome of my car, which was parked nearby. I stood on top of a dune, overlooking the wasteland. I could hear faint whispers over the breeze. The whispers of disembodied voices. Here they come. On their way to torment me again.

"Why didn't you help us?" a child's voice whispered "You said you'd help us?". I tell myself they cannot hurt me. They're not real. The whispers got louder still.

"You said you'd help us!?" a man's voice demanded "You said you wouldn't let us die!". They cannot hurt me. They're not real. It's all in my head.

"You promised us!" a woman yelled. I clutched my head. "You promised us and failed!! You let us die!!". They cannot hurt me. They won't hurt me. "Why did you let us die!?" the woman screamed. I fell to my knees, clutching my head. More voices were here now. Whispering, yelling, tormenting me. I clawed at my head. Get out! Get out!! I opened my eyes. Dark faceless figures stood around me, taunting, jeering. I fell onto my stomach, rolling in the sand like a fish out of water.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LET US DIE!!" A man screamed. I clawed at my hair. Get out!!

"Get out of my head!" I demanded "You're not real! You can't hurt me! You won't hurt me!!". More figures appeared, shadowy and ghostly. They hovered near me, flicking their arms at me, grabbing at me. I tried to grab my gun but my hands were pinned. I struggled as more of them grabbed my face and pushed me to the ground. I tried to yell but my voice wouldn't work. I struggled against their grip as they yelled and jeered at me before a loud gunshot cut through my head. Everything disappeared and the voices went silent. I sat up and panted. They were gone. For now. I spotted my shotgun, lying in the sand. Smoke was filtering out of the barrel. The sand in front had been kicked up by the buckshot. I grabbed it and checked the barrel. One shell left. I panted heavily. OK, they were definitely gone. I stood up and picked up my gun. I shook the sand from it and placed it back in its holster. Out in the wasteland, I heard the faint sound of V8 engines. I spotted several lights out in the sand, coming in my general direction. I grabbed my binoculars and peered through them. Scouts. Sent out to investigate the gunshot. I had to go. I placed my binoculars on my hip and got back in my car. The engine fired up with a bang, spitting clouds of black smoke. I revved the engine and pealed out, spraying sand to the wind as I fled the dunes.

Description
Dark clouds hung in the sky. The wasteland was dark. Through the cracks in the clouds, first light was beginning to show. The howling of winds across the dunes was the only sound in the wasteland. Carving its way through the sand dunes, half-buried, was a lonely road. Rusted and abandoned wrecks dotted the road, filled with small animals trying to scavenge for food. A pair of lights appeared down the road, getting bigger as they approached. The sound of a worn V8 accompanied them as the car sped up the road. It approached and flew past without stopping, kicking up layers of sand. Its engine roared into the darkness of dawn as it travelled the lonely highway.

***

The collar of my jacket flapped in the wind. It was cold out here. Ever since the war, the weather had been thrown out of proportion. Boiling hot during the day, freezing cold at night. And night can produce even more dangers then daytime but moving at night was better. You're masked under the shroud of darkness with only headlights to guide you. But if you're spotted, it's easier to shut off your lights. People, especially snipers, can hear you but once the lights are out, they can't pinpoint your location. Only on full moons does nighttime become more dangerous. My car bounced along the uneven road, the rusted suspension groaned in protest. Dead grass and burnt trees lined the highway, dotted with the occasional rotten car or dead body. First light was getting brighter now, removing the blanket of night from the desert sands. I could see now, everything that littered the road. Corpses, cars, rubbish, dead plant life, but one thing caught my eye. It was sitting off the side of the road, next to a buggy propped up on stands. A makeshift shelter. I slowed my car down as I approached. Candles had been placed all over the shelter, providing a dull orange glow. I stopped my car and shut my engine off. Silence fell, except for the rustling of the canvas and the howling of desert winds. I opened my door and stepped out of my car. The jacket flapped in the cold breeze as I made my way over to the shelter. Inside was a dirty mattress, a corpse, and some rotten car parts. On the other side was empty cartons, a jerry can full of bulletholes and oil drums. But one thing did stand out. A tarp, leading into a large drum. Sticking off the side of the drum was a pipe and a tap. A dripple collector full of fresh night driplets. I stuck my canteen under it and turned the tap. Cold water flowed out, spilling into my canteen. I filled it to the top and drank the rest of the water straight from the tap. It was coppery, like blood. That would be rust. Out here, there's no such thing as fresh water anymore. Hell, people kill for any water they can find, clean or dirty. The water flow slowed and then stopped. Dry. Dammit. I placed my canteen back on my hip. The wind howled again as I pulled out my binoculars and surveyed the area. No one around. It was quiet, for now. That is until the next gang comes through. I made my way back to my car. I didn't want to be here when those gangs come through. I'm a woman. I had a very clear understanding of what they'll do to me.

***

This is what remains of our world. Nothing exists. Morality, trust, hope, they're gone. These streets are paved to nowhere. Before this, you were taught, it would take a hero to change things. But out here, nobody's got a hero. Nobody's got a saviour. You got no one. You have nothing. Everyone is your enemy. Danger awaits at every turn. It could be nature, it could be human, it could even be your own mind. No man is safe anymore.

***

Debris crashed into my car with loud thuds. The deafening winds made it hard to concentrate. Lightning came down in loud crashes, kicking up the sand. Scraps of metal and even cars were picked up by the winds, flying through the air and crashing into whatever they hit. I weaved through the debris, driving blindly through the storm. My car swayed violently as the winds pushed it like giant hands. The sands made it extremely difficult to see, hence why I was driving blind. There was a sudden crash as two cars landed in front of me and shattered like glass. I swung my car hard, bouncing off the road and onto the rocky shoulder. I was tossed like a ragdoll as my car bounced and bucked like an angry bull. A large makeshift hut smashed onto the road next to me. I bounced over it as the metal plates lifted and took off with the wind. The buildup of sand was making it hard to see through my goggles. And being intercepted by the storm didn't help my situation. I pulled back onto the road and put my foot right down. I had my headlights on full brightness but could see nothing ahead of me. The random strikes of lightning made it hard to navigate the storm as well. Over the road of the storm, I heard a loud groan and a bang. Out of nowhere, a sniper's tower smashed onto the road in front of me. Debris flew everywhere with the wind. I tried to avoid and smashed into the mangled nest. The wind picked up the metal, lifting my car with it. My vehicle spun and nosedived the road as the wind carried it. I gripped the cabin as my fast speed and the winds caused my car to go into a barrel roll. My passenger side crashed into the road, grinding loudly as the driving wind pushed my car along. I clung to my door and tried using my weight to push the car back down but the wind was like a giant hand holding it up. I couldn't see anything as my car slid along the road. I tried harder to put it back on its wheels until a large chunk of metal smashed into my car. It keeled and rolled once. It bounced on its suspension as the wind tried to lift it up for a second time. Nope. I hit my accelerator. The roared and gained speed, managing to regain its balance. Not this time.

***

As I walk these barren sands, the fight is everywhere. If it isn't rapists and bandits trying to get you, or warlords trying to steal your stuff, then it's internal. So long have I been here, my mind has gone. Trapped in my vicious cycle of torment. In my darkest times, they come to me, whispering and tormenting me. I tell myself, they are in my head, that they cannot hurt me. But sometimes, that's never the case. Not at all.

***

A cold breeze blew, shifting the sands of the dunes. I looked around me. My jacket flapped in the breeze, which chilled me to my bones. It was dead night out here, sometime around midnight. The moon shone brightly, so I had no need for a torch. Moonlight reflected off the chrome of my car, which was parked nearby. I stood on top of a dune, overlooking the wasteland. I could hear faint whispers over the breeze. The whispers of disembodied voices. Here they come. On their way to torment me again.

"Why didn't you help us?" a child's voice whispered "You said you'd help us?". I tell myself they cannot hurt me. They're not real. The whispers got louder still.

"You said you'd help us!?" a man's voice demanded "You said you wouldn't let us die!". They cannot hurt me. They're not real. It's all in my head.

"You promised us!" a woman yelled. I clutched my head. "You promised us and failed!! You let us die!!". They cannot hurt me. They won't hurt me. "Why did you let us die!?" the woman screamed. I fell to my knees, clutching my head. More voices were here now. Whispering, yelling, tormenting me. I clawed at my head. Get out! Get out!! I opened my eyes. Dark faceless figures stood around me, taunting, jeering. I fell onto my stomach, rolling in the sand like a fish out of water.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LET US DIE!!" A man screamed. I clawed at my hair. Get out!!

"Get out of my head!" I demanded "You're not real! You can't hurt me! You won't hurt me!!". More figures appeared, shadowy and ghostly. They hovered near me, flicking their arms at me, grabbing at me. I tried to grab my gun but my hands were pinned. I struggled as more of them grabbed my face and pushed me to the ground. I tried to yell but my voice wouldn't work. I struggled against their grip as they yelled and jeered at me before a loud gunshot cut through my head. Everything disappeared and the voices went silent. I sat up and panted. They were gone. For now. I spotted my shotgun, lying in the sand. Smoke was filtering out of the barrel. The sand in front had been kicked up by the buckshot. I grabbed it and checked the barrel. One shell left. I panted heavily. OK, they were definitely gone. I stood up and picked up my gun. I shook the sand from it and placed it back in its holster. Out in the wasteland, I heard the faint sound of V8 engines. I spotted several lights out in the sand, coming in my general direction. I grabbed my binoculars and peered through them. Scouts. Sent out to investigate the gunshot. I had to go. I placed my binoculars on my hip and got back in my car. The engine fired up with a bang, spitting clouds of black smoke. I revved the engine and pealed out, spraying sand to the wind as I fled the dunes.