Earth- RP

cirrus • 29 January 2014 at 10:21 PM

"The Earth has torn itself apart. The pollution and destruction of nature was all anybody knew to do. Until the collapse, that is.

"All of a sudden, all government fell. The only thing that rules Earth now is anarchy. Some people have left society. They know it won't ever function again. But some people still work. In some parts of the world, they even have electricity. People are scrambling to fix the earth. To find peace again.

"But peace never existed. You know it and I know it. But there is something special about you. You were gifted. Your gift connects you to nature. You were meant to fix the Earth.

"Of course it means fights. Destroying the little government left in the world. Or at least, in America. Contact with the other continents were severed long ago. North and South America is all you can ever hope to know. And unless you want the people to go to war, killing everyone, you need to stop it. Your gift makes you special. It makes you powerful. There are only eleven people left with a gift, and you are one of them. You need to save Earth, teach the people to live with nature, not on top of it, or they'll destroy themselves and the world around them. You need to become one with Earth and discover your true power."

Please visit the discussion thread to sign-up: http://eggcave.com/forums/topic/47179

cirrus • 31 January 2014 at 9:54 PM

@jupiter_hollow @ilovedoctorwho @mila_titan @spiritkoi
@skylark
____________

I opened my eyes. The warm air from the sea outside filled my lungs. I'd been sleeping with the window open for the last few days. It was comforting in this new world were there wasn't much to comfort him anymore. There wasn't any electricity, and the sea breeze at night helped cool down the house. I pulled on a shirt and a pair of shorts, and lazily walked out of his room and down the short hall to the living room. My family was not in any way wealthy. It was just my mother, my sister, and me. My mom sliced some bread from the shop which recently reopened, making food much easier to get. Nobody really got paid anymore. They just did what they could to help out. I had been lucky, I grew up in a small town, and the people were really nice. My mom walked outside to the small fire pit they had and set it alight with some matches. She carefully toasted the bread and put a little butter on top that she had churned herself. Well actually, she had put it in an old jar and shaken it until it turned to butter. We had to eat things within a few days because it wasn't easy to keep them cool, but when your as hungry as we are, you eat what you can.

"Thanks mom," I said, taking a large bite from my toast. We were lucky. Some of my friends have no way of cooking food. Even though we were poor before the collapse, our stockpile of non-electronic items gives us an advantage.

I see my sister come out from the beach. My mom has been teaching her to cook and sew lately. It's kind of freaky, like we've reverted back to colonial times. The farmers in the area have been working overtime, and luckily, many people are helping them out. In our small town, I think we realize we need to work together to get stuff done. I've heard some people are going hunting. I don't think there's too many bullets left though. I see my sister, Jade, and worry about how much longer we'll be able to survive.

poe • 1 February 2014 at 4:49 PM

@jupiter_hollow @ilovedoctorwho @mila_titan @spiritkoi
@skylark @skittlejg
----
Pele

I was ready to just explode with frustration. The rock face had run out of holds and I was stuck. I couldn't climb back down because I could no longer safely reach the previous holds. Now, this would not have been an issue had I used ropes and harnesses and the like, but I never did. Sure, it wasn't safe, and I knew that very well. I just felt best climbing alone these days. Even with my brother we climbed together without harnesses. It really wasn't a good practice to have, but this was the first time I'd run into any sort of issue as a result.

I continued to stare at the rocks in desperation, searching for a non-existent place I could grab a hold of. As I felt my calm demeanor slipping, I knew I needed to bring back my focus. If I didn't collect myself, I would surely fall.

Bitter tears started forming as I saw nowhere to go, knowing I was starting to feel the tiredness in my limbs from hanging there. I wiped my eyes with the back of one of my dirt-covered hands, and was filled with astonishment at the sight of a rather large outcropping of stone within easy reach.

Where had it come from? How on earth had she not seen it?

spiritkoi • 1 February 2014 at 5:25 PM

@skittlejg @poe @jupiter_hollow @ilovedoctorwho @mila_titan @skylark

I breathed in the fragrance of the forest, or at least what's left of it. It was my turn to forage in our small town and somehow I always found more edible plants than anyone else. I guess it was just because I had sharp eyes. After I filled my basket to the brim I headed home.

Back in the town everyone was trying to help each other out. Luckily, we realized this a lot sooner than the big cities. I remember hearing rumors that New York City had become a disaster zone with neighbor robbing neighbor. I sighed, wishing that we could start over from scratch.

When I reached my father's shop of plants I began to sort out the plants from the basket. I had also picked a few non-edible plants just for decoration, but most people said it was a waste of time. I mean, here we are in a post-apocalyptic and I'm thinking about flowers?? People always thought I was weird...

cirrus • 1 February 2014 at 10:43 PM

@jupiter_hollow
@ilovedoctorwho
@mila_titan
@spiritkoi I don't know what exactly you had planned, but I think it would be cool if your character doesn't know about her powers, but subconsciously makes edible plants grow which is why she's so good at finding them.
@skylark

Edit: Sorry, I forgot to ping you instead of spiritkoi @poe

Come on you guys, post, I'm literally dying of boredom right now. 😉
____________

"Magnus, can you go to the store for me? I think we need some more milk," my mom called from outside. I stood in the kitchen.

"Sure thing," I said, and I walked to the door, going out. I didn't wear shoes, ever. I hated them, and there was no reason I had to anymore. There isn't any laws. I walked down the sidewalk, but eventually jumped off and walked in the half grass, half sand area next to it.

Sadly, I had to leave the warm sand and turned down the street. About three miles from my house was the grocery store. It used to be a winery. They use the cellar now as a place to keep the groceries cool. They converted it into just a few months ago. Before that, we had to go five miles to get groceries which doesn't seem that far nor that much farther, but when you have to walk or take your bike there every other day, it is a blessing to just be two miles closer.

I walked into the store. Before the collapse, I would have felt instantly cooled from the morning summer sun outside, but the fans no longer worked and it was even more unbearably hot in here that it was outside. I quickly went downstairs and got milk. The man wouldn't let me take more than a gallon, but, as I said, I didn't have to pay. We can't just take food whenever we want, but money has no value anymore. As long as we contribute to helping our town survive, we don't have to give anybody anything for food or supplies.

I am walking back home when I sense something, there's more heat in one area. It's from my powers, I can sense heat waves. I turn around. Suddenly, I realize there's three. I turn and run. Very rarely have these things happened, most people don't get attacked, but sometimes they do. I keep running straight for my home. I get home and practically fall through my door. My skin scrapes against the cold edge of the tile, and I slam the door. I'm safe, I hope. I put the milk in our fridge. Even though it doesn't work, it insulates pretty well and keeps the food cool enough. I walk back into the backyard.

Nobody home. That's when I check the spot. W. Yep, Mom and Jade have gone to wash clothes. Whenever one of us leaves without telling each other, we make a letter in sticks on the table. W for washing clothes. S for store. F for forest, where I work. If it's anywhere else, we usually don't go unless the other two know about it. I don't know what to do. I don't have to work today, so I won't. Instead, I just walk out to the beach and fall asleep at the edge of the receding tide.

poe • 1 February 2014 at 11:11 PM

@jupiter_hollow @ilovedoctorwho @mila_titan @spiritkoi @skylark @skittlejg -haha I'm not actually on as often as it says, I just have a lot of tabs open while doing homework. But I'll post more if that's the case. 😸
---
After pulling myself up onto the outcrop I find there is just enough space for me to lay on it comfortably. I needed the time to just relax and breathe from the stress of being stuck on a rock face with no way to save myself.

This is one of my favourite things in the entire world. Just lying here with the breeze softly swirly around me, feeling the stone beneath me, listening to the Earth breathe.

Opening my eyes, I realize that I've been here far longer than I meant to, and the sun is sinking in the sky already. I sit upright and look up at the rocks, and from here there appears to be an easy path to the top. When I was at the bottom, I knew the other side would be a nice hike down. I wasn't too far up to begin with, since I had planned to ride out to Sassafras Mountain and find a place to sleep by the time evening came.

/Darn./ I thought. It would be about four hours back to somewhere decent to stay. If I hurried down the mountain, though, I'd be able to make it close before it got too late, and maybe I'd make up time to get home in the next two days. Not that anyone was impatiently awaiting my return. My brother hasn't been home since he left prior to the brief but extremely destructive warfare. He left in the summer before it happened, on a geology related trip to the north. Coincidentally, my parents had also been on business in another country when the nuclear warheads went off, so I was left here in this awful place alone.

We used to all live in northern Canada together, my father having a steady job on a research team there. I liked it much better than here. There were far more opportunities for climbing. Here.... Not so much.

I pulled myself up over the lip of the cliff, and quickly I headed off to hike down the mountain, wondering about whether Canada was hit with missiles or not.... And where my family was now.

Deleted • 2 February 2014 at 3:06 AM

@jupiter_hollow @ilovedoctorwho @spiritkoi @skylark
@skittlejg Sorry about the mistake. I hope this is better though.

"You wimp!" Another thump on the shoulder. My friends can be so mean. I only met up with these boys a weak ago. They're strong, tough, scary even but at least they are on my side. I traced a stubby finger over the newly forming bruise.

The boy pulled out a carton of juice. After the destruction to the city, anything like that was rare and pretty much impossible to buy. They had obviously stolen it. Some poor person who hadn't done anything but have what they couldn't afford and to my buddies, that was a capital crime.

I shook my head no. I don't know what gave me the guts to do it but I ventured tentatively, "Couldn't we just drink some water?"

The answer: Another punch. "You dummy, I want this! Not crumby, filthy water! Do you want some?" He passed it over forcefully. Unable to get my hands around it quickly enough, the container fell to the ground and the juice quickly ran out onto the pavement.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... it just..." I said in disappointment. "We should go back to the hub. There's no point in staying here."

"No, you aren't coming anywhere with us, fatty. You dropped our juice. That was really hard for us to find!" I almost laughed. "You're out!"

"Out? But-"

"Out! You were only good for a laugh." Then they turned and left. I am all alone, again. There was no where to go I moved putting one foot thoughtlessly before the other until I feel; tripped up by a broken fire hydrant. Defeated, I sat down. Great.

ilovedoctorwho • 2 February 2014 at 3:42 PM

@jupiter_hollow @poe @mila_titan @spiritkoi @skylark @skittlejg
Sorry it took so long to reply guys!
~

My back pressed up against the smooth wood of the bookcase, I closed my eyes, praying for them to leave. They were looking for food, our city had nearly run out and, although we had attempted to work together, others didn't believe this was an option. This was the 6th time this month, and my family had gotten used to it, hiding and hoping to god they wouldn't be found. Of course, they might not be dangerous, but that's how my brother got killed, by trying to reason with a few thieves. So there I was, hiding behind our tall empty bookcase, my hands wrapped tightly around my frail dog's neck.

"Wait, I got something," a gruff voice said, and my heart sank. We had a hidden compartment in a desk, where we kept precious things such as meat, bread, and beverages. Somehow my dad had created it so it would stay cold constantly, to keep them from spoiling. The majority of this town's residents only had minimal supplies of these. When everything fell apart and many thought it was the apocalypse, they ravaged every store they could find, either devouring it all too fast, or saving it until it went bad.

A few more clatters and crashes, and everything was silent, except for a hoarse whimper from my dog to signal they were gone. I stepped out from my hiding spot and lifted my dog out also, setting him gently on the couch. My mother rushed to my side, hugging me tightly with one arm, holding my baby sister in the other. She didn't let go for a while, repeating how grateful she was for us still being here.

After a while she let go, giving me the 6 months old baby and leaving to tend to Abby, our sick greyhound. I carried Rose out to the wooded area behind our house, searching for any sign of growth in the dead bushes and trees.

My stomach grumbled at the thought of finding food, we had to ration out the little food we had in our household. I set Rose down on a rare spot of lush green grass, all swaddled in her blanket. I stood at the base of a large and tall dying oak tree, empty of leaves with branches falling off. I grabbed a thick branch and pulled myself up, climbing to the top and hoping some rotten bough wouldn't collapse beneath me.

I reached the top, carefully climbing up a thin branch and looking out at my surroundings. And... it was quite dissapointing. Many of the houses had been abandoned with people either leaving to hopefully start anew elsewhere, dying of starvation, or... suicide. It brought tears to my eyes, thinking of my dad who couldn't stand this life any longer, when everything was falling apart. I couldn't even picture abandoning my mother like this, especially with Rose in the picture, a new mouth to feed. The desolate area was a ghost town, with very few people outside, many hiding inside, waiting for death to claim them.

Of course, this wasn't for me. I wouldn't have death, I would protect my life, my family's life. This gradual apocalypse was not imminent, I vowed to stop it. But how?

skylark • 2 February 2014 at 5:26 PM

I'm not going to bother pinging anyone. 😋
EDIT: Ahh the war was three years agoo fixed it!

~*~

Shawn brushed his hand through a small but more healthy pepper plant on his family's small farm. They only had a couple of acres of land but apparently the nuclear war had completely cut off electricity, which they didn't use here. It didn't work for more then half the time and it was awful expensive to pay the bills for such little use, when the sun is normally gorgeous over the fields that stretched below them. The house itself sat on a large but very gradual mountain-like hill, stuck on the side of it with some tall trees protecting it from wind. Their land stretched from the house down and all of it was in sight from the balcony. An underground cellar sat behind the house and only a small amount of food left over from spring filled it. On the other side of the hill, one could see the once bright and blue sea in the very far off distance. Shawn's family only consisted of his grandparents, and that left him with a lot of work to do on the farm. He often got up at 5 in the morning and didn't make it back to bed until 11 pm.

One could see the radioactive leftovers from the most recent war effecting some plant life and animals if one looked closely in the farmlands, but apparently it was much more devastating the further up north and the deeper in the cities you go. Shawn was worrying about his sheep, who didn't have many babies this spring even though they weren't too affected by the war. He feared the accumulation of radioactive material getting into their bodies would either cut off reproduction or make some mutated sheep... and no one wanted to buy those in the towns.
Speaking of selling sheep in the towns, Shawn decided he needed to go there to distribute some food he can give up. The towns would need some food.

He picked some peppers from the plant and moved on to the cucumbers. They were larger then usual and didn't have their usual deep green, but when Shawn cut one open it looked, smelled, and tasted fine. He gathered all the food and milk he could give away, and put it in two medium-sized baskets. After he finished sorting them, he brushed down his grandfather's 'new' horse. It was actually 10 years old but his grandfather still treated it like a filly. Shawn put the saddle on and strapped the baskets on so that Storm, the horse, would feel comfortable trotting. He led her out of the barn which was near the house and waved to his grandparents before getting onto her back. He rode her out and up the hill, towards the nearest town.

jupiter_hollow • 2 February 2014 at 7:35 PM

Sometimes he liked to pause from the hectic string of regimes that life had always been and take his surroundings in. Used to drink the beauty around him up wistfully or let himself bask in relaxation, however brief it usually was. With time, he had learned to enlongate his peace, detaching himself completely from the world around him. And the tranquility would wash over him in a slow and gradual flow until he was completely invisible, deaf and mute and blind and so very non-existant that he could almost feel the problems, tension and worry leave his body, as if his soul itself had detached from it and had flown out, free to roam. Truly, the process was a breathtakingly long moment of forgetfulness and blankness of the mind that he opened himself up to eagerly.
He used to be happy with just those small glitches of peace amidst the fast-forwarding reality.

In retrospect, he ought to have known how dull reality would be, were it a constant stream of tranquility and peace. Because when the pressure of the technical world had dissipated with the disappearance of electricity and the beginnings of war, leaving only hopelessness and sorrow in its wake, he realized how much meaning was held in the adrenaline-pumped rush to school every morning or the casual chats amidst the busy streets. It had been... vibrant. He'd never seen it before because he'd never stopped to stare into the busy ever-changing crowds or the array of faces, familiar or otherwise. The moments of vibrancy were always fleeting and momentary while he had always had a craving for the eternal beauty -- like a song, perhaps. Or a tranquile plain forever painted into the landscape... He used to long for silence and tranquility in nature. Now he had nothing but that. Friends, family, relatives and all the wise, had been too engrossed into thinking about their own fates to care enough about his leave.
And while he wasn't affected by it all that severely, he was still slightly heartbroken to find himself all alone. The worry for survival hadn't reached into him yet, neither had the need to take his life in firm hands. Food and water weren't easy to come by, since strangers weren't as generous as they were, but he periodically came upon money or resorted to stealing, regardless of how immoral it was. He was nonchalantly ignoring the now problem-less reality, which once again differentiated him from the majority. He couldn't find a friend of similar interest or a passer-by who cared enough to spark a conversation. He was afraid it would all remain like this. And that, more than hunger and thirst and the lack of home, scared him to death.
Because even now, as he found himself settled in the shade of a willow just next to the open road of South Carolina, he was unable to let go of reality.
Not even for a moment did his thoughts stray from his loneliness and he found the idillic place he resided in terribly silent and boring, while a few years ago he would've rejoiced in the variety of beautiful flora and fauna.
He stood adruptly, practically ripping himself from the ground and stumbled up, eager to walk onto the open road. The scorching sun blazed above him as soon as he exited the merciful shade of the willow. The denim jacket was already sticking to his skin, sweat-slicked from the heat. His face gleamed from the sweat as well, his wild mane of a hair sticking to his cheek. Feeble fingers found the tangled curls hanging in front of his eyes, brushing them away.
He hung his head, looking down as he stepped upon the road finally and began walking down the hill, gaze cast forward.
The fresh oxygen filled his lungs, needlessly aerating his already tightened chest. Nevertheless, he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes while he walked.

"Birds flying high..." he sung quietly, having to force the words out, though his melodic voice carried them out perfectly. The tunes rung above the drowning silence, making no impression on his mood. "you know how I feel."

"Sun in the sky, you know how I feel...
Breeze driftin' on by... you know how I feel."
His tone was precise and the skillfull curves of his voice proved to be just as captivating without the need of musical accompaniment. Still, the emotion strained in his throat. If anything, he sounded sad.

"It's a new dawn.
It's a new day.
It's a new life..."
He had turned sour, bitter even and the melody halted, turning into a sorrowful sound.
"...for me."

He paused, letting out a sigh at the utter irony of the happy song he recited out dully.
"...And I'm feeling good." he whispered, then chuckled humorlessly.
"No. Not really."

cirrus • 2 February 2014 at 10:24 PM

Ugh, Jupe, how is anyone supposed to continue on the RP after reading that post. I'll never be as good... /cries/ By the way, you had multiple spelling errors, forgetfullness, discipated, hdn't, tot ake, airating, melodicious.

Did anyone else think that that song he was singing was from Spirit at first. That Dreamworks movie about the horse. XD Man, I love that movie. Now I want to watch it.
_________


Mom and Jade got home that afternoon. They found me passed out on the shore and Jane proceeded to dump water on my face. Salt water, which stung my eyes a lot. I chase after her and tickle her until cheeks turn five shades pinker. Mom and I always try to make her happy, no ten year old should have to experience this. Nobody should.

I realize I probably need to bathe. There's no soap anymore, and we bathe less than before, so everyone looks a little... homely. I make a mental note to remember to visit the river tomorrow. I know I'm going to feel all sticky from the saltwater on the face and chest. I hate that feeling. I dry off my face and go back to Mom who is roasting some meat over the fire.

When she's done, we each eat two small slices of bread and some of the steak Mom cooked. The sun is now just a small speck of light quickly disappearing behind the horizon. I step out onto the sand. I walk slowly towards the ocean. The warm water of the high tide splashes against my leg. As it touches me, it looks like someone added food color. The water swirls around like paint before the tide reels in, only to have another wave crash against my legs. I can't help it. I notice that everything I touch changes colors a little. The air usually stays the same, but as I walk on the sidewalk or the sand, the area around my feet turns a shade browner. As I turn the doorknob to our house, it becomes a shade blacker. I can change the color of things, basically. It's not too useful though, so most of the time I don't use it on purpose. I remember when I was a child my mom would buy me clothes and everyday I left for school, I'd come home with clothes a shade lighter or brighter. Now I've noticed everything turns a shade darker. Everything seems darker to me nowadays.

I've always loved the ocean. It's the one happy memory I can still experience. I love all water in general, actually. I love swimming. The ocean's smell and the feel of the ocean air is all I've ever known and is surprisingly comforting. Sometimes I sleep in the sand and wake up as the tide gets too high in the morning. I just stand there watching the sun set and the stars come out from their hiding spots.

Eventually, my mom puts out the fire, signalling me it's time to get inside. I have work tomorrow.

spiritkoi • 4 February 2014 at 8:08 PM

After I finished organizing the plants into their respective jars and containers I stepped outside and sat on the gravel path. My hand drifted on the occasional blades of grass that scattered throughout the rocks. The air, as usual, smelt too warm and murky. I raised my head to stare at the dark, almost completely clouded sky. When was the last time the sun was seen? It felt as if it wouldn't shine for another 7 years.

Of course, it was night right now so it would be dark, but I remembered a faint whisper that the night sky used to be so bright with billions of stars. Now I only saw small glimmers of them before the clouds hid them from view again.

I guess today was one of those days I had when I just... wondered. I wondered about a lot of things these days. Guess you can add that to the long list of my unusual and useless habits, I thought. I swerved my head towards the darkness behind me. My eyes caught what seemed to be a brushstroke of a shadow. Was there a person there? I had the most unsettling feeling someone was watching me. The eerie sound of the wind blowing through the town wasn't helping me stay calm. I tried to shake the feeling, but it stuck like tree sap.

~~~

And yes, it SMELT warm. I say that sometimes at school. XP

poe • 6 February 2014 at 5:01 AM

Light was growing weaker as Pele made her way back to where she had hidden her bike. Shadows were congealing on everything around her, though her mid-afternoon nap had her still full of energy.

With a familiar motion Pele swung her leg over the metal and had started in a smooth motion along the ground before even being seated. She took a wide curve of her own design away from the base of the cliff and glided along a well-used part of the ground.

She reveled in the air rushing around her, tugging at her loose shirt and the pieces of hair unrestrained by her helmet. While the air was rough, the diminishing light was soft against her. Minute feedback from the change in terrain let her know she hit the abandoned, cracking asphalt once there was not enough light for her steel eyes to tell.

Since not many people traveled, and there wasn't a whole lot out here these days, Pele wasn't concerned about sleeping out of doors this time of year. In fact, it would likely be more pleasant than whatever unmaintained place she could find in a town or city. She'd rather not talk to the sullen souls left around these parts. Those who weren't often didn't have good intentions, anyhow.

Pele pedaled faster, immersed in flying across the ground over shadows, anticipating the appearance of stars.

Deleted • 8 February 2014 at 1:39 AM

The sun disappeared on the horizon and immersed the streets in dark shadowy figures. I never liked the darkness it was never really safe in the black cloak of night. Drawing my grey hoodie around myself, I cast my gaze upwards. A glimmer in the sky; the first star.

A ridiculous memory surfaced. My aunt cradled me on her lap and told me tales of the night as we sat out on the damp lawn. "Look, the first star!" She had exclaimed pointed up. Eyes wide I had followed her finger to a small dot.

"The first star in magical" She whispered, "You can wish on it! You say,' Star light, star bright; the first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might,. Have the wish I wish tonight.'"

I chuckled at the memory. I had wished on that star for a new red HillTopper racing bike. Looking back, I'm sure that my aunt had a hand in the very same bike which appeared on my birthday. I had only ridden it once.

Smiling, I sat on the pavement, hydrant against my back and stared at the star. It had worked once before...

"Star light, star bright; the first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might,. Have the wish I wish tonight." A familiar heat raised behind my eyes. "Please, let someone be alive. I don't want to be alone."

The darkness faded into sleep and I genuinely hoped that my aunt was right.

cirrus • 9 February 2014 at 12:36 PM

Jupe, when are you going to finish your characters!? 😃
___

I woke up as the sun set on the horizon. I don't have a schedule. I don't have much. I'm jobless and homeless. Of course, I hunt. But I don't hunt with the others. I'm not organized or on a schedule. And I sell 2 out of 3 animals I kill in exchange for bread. Sometimes I trade for fruits and vegetables too, but usually only eat those if I'm lucky enough to stumble upon them.

Controlling the wind is good for hunting. The breeze can mask my scent and stifle my footsteps. The summer is coming to an end, and the dry leaves on the ground in autumn will be especially useful.

I jump down from the tree I had been sleeping in and stretched. My shirt sleeves are torn the ends and stained with blood. My shirt shows my belly button as I lift my arms. It's too small, and I plan to get a new one with my earnings tonight. I grab my weapons, an array of knives, spears, and a bow and arrow. Basically, anything that flies through the air. I have great aim and can manipulate the air currents to change an objects trajectory if it's a little off. I sling my bow and arrow quiver over my shoulder, put my knife holders on, one of each bicep, one on each forearm, one of each thigh, and an extra one on my right ankle. Lastly, I grab my spear. I have two, the one that I hunt with, which is thinner and better for throwing, and one that's more like a sword than a spear, with a jagged edge and a strong, metal handle. The latter two weapons, the spears and knives, I got from my father who was in the military and a fourth Japanese. He got them online or from the many trips to Japan he took before I was born. He was very interested in things like that. He also had two guns, but they aren't very useful anymore.

I use my throwing spear as a walking stick as I march through the woods. Eventually, I get to the small river that trails through the forest. I step in it, wading up to my waist, and dunk my head in the water. It feels good against my face, refreshing compared to the warm summer air. As I pull it out, I shake like a dog and try to flatten my hair with my hands. I walk over to the other side of the bank, and dry my soaking body off the best I can with a large gust of air.

I'm ready to hunt. I immediately conjure up a current of air and start running. The air stifles my footsteps and almost lifts me off the ground. Occasionally, I can run so fast I'm flying for several seconds, but that doesn't happen tonight. I come upon three animals. First, I find a small rat and throw a knife at it. It pierces the rat in the top of head, splitting his skull open and killing him. The blade is wedged in the ground so I pick it up and wipe off the blood with my sleeves. I decided to keep it as my breakfast tomorrow. Later that night, I shoot down a great horned owl with my bow. As I can just see the slight pinkish tone in the horizon, signalling the sun is about to show itself, I get the opportunity to shoot a fox. It's red fur makes it much more valued than it would be otherwise. I grab the fox and go back to the place I was storing the horned owl. Luckily, no animals got into it. I grabbed the rat by its tail and pulled it out from where it was strapped between my belt and my shorts.

I hold the rat and fox by the tail in one hand, and the owl by the legs in my other hand. I drop by my tree and put the rat in a small crack in the tree I created long ago. I cover it up as best I can with leaves and set up the snare in front of it. Hopefully, if anything comes trying to steal from me, I'll get another meal from it. Orange washes over my tree as the sun peaks over the horizon. I start walking towards the sun, east, where eventually I'll find the store.

jupiter_hollow • 9 February 2014 at 3:53 PM

@mila_titan @poe @spiritkoi @skittlejg Soon, soon... I have other stuff to do, as you can see. xD @skylark
I'm kind of interested how a meeting in the absolute darkness would go. x3
-

He was still searching for a song when the last wisps of sunlight recoiled behind the distant backlit hills on his left, leaving him without a light source in the generally starless, pitch black night. Wasn't all that much of a problem as long as he could feel the smooth concrete beneath his worn converse and in the event of a crossroad, he'd just improvise without putting too much thought to it. Worst scenario he'd end up going the exact opposite direction from his town and that situation was amendable by going back the four hour-long road.
He'd eventually make it there, one way or another -- regardless of impenetrable darkness and the cold breeze nipping at his skin.
Still, the silence bothered him most and he couldn't fathom why, considering the alternative would be terrifying (any noises in the pitch black would drag his mind in the deep dark gutter and that, surely, was a one way ticket).

He shuddered, beginning the first tune on his mind. At least he took comfort in knowing that at least the noise carrying over the road was his to make.
"I need another story.
Something to get off my chest."
While quiet and gentle, his voice filled the previous gaping void of silence. A rasp was now clearly present in the tone, since his throat had begun stinging from the cold. It only enhanced the tiredness he was translating into the song, as well as perhaps a pinch of barely audible loneliness.
"My life gets kinda boring..."
He closed his eyes at the stinging relevance, and also partially because his sight was still utterly useless in the dark.
"need something that I can confess."
He took a deep breath.
"'Til all my sleeves are stained red"
This time he carried the tune out high and strong, stringing out the final syllable and ending in a curve.
"From all the truth that I've said
Come by it honestly I swear
Thought you saw me wink, no
I've been on the brink, so"

Without a separating breath, he let the high note soar.
"Tell me what you want to hear!"
Talking to himself or another (it was relatively irrelevant to his broken tone), he put soul into the exclamation.
"Something that'll light those ears
I'm sick of all the insincere
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away"
It ended in the same quietness he'd begun with, his deep tone seeping into the line.

poe • 9 February 2014 at 7:57 PM

He was not happy. Not at all. This was stupid. Why on earth did he ever think he should leave the university? Contemplating it made him angry. He enjoyed the years alone there. He felt guilty that he didn't miss his parents that were off on business when it happened, but the amount of things he accomplished with all that time was nothing less than remarkable.

He had money his whole life, never wanting for anything. Which also led to trouble making friends. He never did appreciate the company of others because they always had an agenda. When society began it's collapse, he gathered the few belongings that meant something to him, or those which he found useful, and set up a space to live inconspicuously in the university. He knew that staying in that clearly well-to-do house would get him into serious trouble.

It was so dark out. He couldn't see a thing. It was only the feeling of the road and the sound of his feet occasionally scuffing pavement that told him he was still on a path. Joshua missed all the books and other science resources the university had to offer. He was always excited to learn new things, especially physics. After spending all that time studying, he had at the very least a full first year university education, but probably more. It wasn't always clear from the books he was studying from.

Joshua was broken from his regretful thoughts over leaving by the sound of a voice. He hadn't expected to hear anyone out on this road, especially at this hour. What was even more surprising was the fact that this voice was singing. Singing WELL. It reminded him of the bitterness he felt about leaving all the musical resources behind. Especially the cello, because the familiar song the voice sang would have been even better with cello. As it stood, he had only been able to bring a few things with him in a bag, and the violin was much more practically sized.

The voice persisted, sounding... Lonely. Joshua couldn't help himself then. He gently slid the violin case off his shoulder, and opened it, not requiring light to pull out the violin and begin playing. He matched the melody he heard with the corresponding accompaniment, and a few notes of his own.

Then the voice stopped halfway through the chorus. Not missing a beat, Joshua picked it up, singing,
"This time
Don't need another perfect lie
Don't care if critics ever jump in line
I'm gonna give all my secrets away..."

He could hear footsteps now. The singer wasn't too far. He wondered if the singer would respond to a mash-up; since the idea of this intrigued him. Joshua kept up the same song on the violin, adding in hints from a new tune here and there, then started a second verse:

"They're tryin' to come back, all my senses push
Untie the weight bags, I never thought I could...
Steady feet, don't fail me now
I'm gonna run till you can't walk
But something pulls my focus out
And I'm standing down..."

He reveled in the music. In fact, he had an undying passion for it. Joshua could feel a connection between some of these lyrics and his current state of affairs, seeming lost on this black road. With feeling, he dove into the chorus:

"Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh
Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're here not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, You don't need... "

He trailed off softly, the violin still in the ebb and flow of the intertwined melodies.

Deleted • 15 February 2014 at 2:38 AM

I bit back a moan as consciousness took over once more and the ache of the hydrant on my back surface. Sitting up, I blinked away the few rays of sunlight that had filtered through the clouds. Although it was hard to tell, I assumed that it was the early hours of the morning. Still drunk with sleep I stood slowly casting a glance around the streets.

Rows of low budget housing lined either side of the narrow street. I had lived in a neighborhood similar to this before the collapse but time leeched away the details and I could no longer remember which house I lived in. I wouldn't peek in to the abandoned ones, hoping that there would be some evidence of the time before the collapse but thieves had taken anything of worth.

Gazing down the rows and glancing the windows, I froze as I swore I saw a dark figure watching me. But as soon as I had spotted it, it disappeared. I sighed then out of the corner of my eye, another dark figure. As, I turned, I moved as well. I raised a hand and it mimicked. My shadow. Man, I am such a loser.

I stepped into the street. After the power had stopped, there wasn't really a threat of getting run over. I kept a decent pace, mind wandering the whole time. I didn't have any particular destination. I just picked around corners, passing through street after street until I had lost my bearings. The streets had widened and the buildings grew further apart. I paused and breathed in the air of this new place. It felt less cramped, then suddenly I knew this place. Not from seeing but I recognized it from my old "friend" Tom's description.

"That place is a gold mine, I'm telling you! Those heavy pockets up there are always keeping food stored up in their houses. You just got to wait until they come out to go to the store then snatch 'em up before they can crawl back into their big fancy houses! Like catching mice!"

I had to force a laugh that time. I was never the mugging type, but for them, that was their life. They always gave me a bit, said that "the fatso's gotta eat too." Then my bulging stomach whined. I hadn't had a bite to eat since yesterday morning and my stomach complained noisily. "I have nothing to give you." I started personifying my belly? Great. "I don't have anywhere-" Then I realized, if these where the houses Tom described were, then the store must be nearby.

I combed the streets, staying close to the nicer houses, nose upon for any smell. Then, meat. I can nearly taste it in the air. Saliva rushes into my mouth I hurry down the street until a small store near the corner catches my eye. A woman peers out the door and takes off briskly, arm around a small sack; food.

I didn't have any money to spend but hopefully they could spare at least a bit of lettuce or cooked hare. Mind swarming with delicious thoughts, I admittedly did not notice as two men slunk towards me from behind and when I did, it was too late.

"What're you-?" I sputtered before a rough hand covered my mouth. Another pair of hands grappled onto my arms. I tried to scream and kick but to no avail. Struggling against the web of arms I pulled back my elbow and caught one of the attackers in the gut. Then a fist was brought down on my head and the world began to tilt and spin until the world was a blaze of shifting blotches of color and grabbing arms. I could feel my legs drag across the pavement and a single though surfaced in my head "This could not be happening to me."

spiritkoi • 15 February 2014 at 8:48 AM

I guess I'll take a walk in the woods. Hopefully that would calm my nerves. Standing up, I began toward the trees. The breeze was whistling through the town in an unsettling way. Shadows seemed to bend, following me. I quickened my pace, sure that something was following me. I could see the trees, almost reaching out to embrace me. The forest was my second home. Now I was positive someone was following me, I could hear their feet crunching against the gravel. I turned my head to see 3 figures following me. I stiffled my sound of alarm and began to sprint as hard as I could. I'm not fast enough..

The darkness was overwhelming. My feet would stumble on the scattered stones in the forest. I knew they were coming closer and I could do nothing but run. I felt a hand grapple for my shirt. My eyes were tearing from the wind that was blasting my face. I blindly threw my hand at the figure trying to grab me. I didn't make contact but I heard a grunt and gasp as my shadow fell. I glanced back to see what looked like a giant vine. Questions bubbled in me but I kept running. Suddenly, I felt a prick in my arm. I had forgotten about the third guy. The dark shadows blurred around an I had one last thought. Why me?

cirrus • 15 February 2014 at 3:38 PM

@spiritkoi @mila_titan Yay! I didn't notice the ping or I'd have responded sooner.
_______

I woke up at dawn as my mom came into my room. "Time to get ready." By get ready, she meant change and try to to comb my hair. Something that probably wouldn't make much of a difference in my presentability. But I get up anyway and walk out the door as the pink sky slowly turns to blue.

I walk southwest, past the town, past the old, abandoned buildings to the forest. Just as I'm about to walk up to my group, that is the group I go hunting and gathering with, I feel a hand around my neck.

"Hello," a man with a scratchy, deep voice treads around me. "I was hoping you could take the day off and come with me."

"What? No," I say. This isn't good. Something about this man scares me.

"Wait, let me explain myself," he releases my neck from his thin but strong hands. It looks like he was once very large and muscular, but starvation has affected him. It's affected us all. "Magnus, I know who you are. I know about," he leans in and whispers, "your gift." His lips curl back maliciously in an unsightly smile.

"What!" I yell and try to turn away, but he has my hand.

"Relax. I want to help you. Come with me and I can explain myself. I'll show you the others." He notices the look of surprise on my face. "Oh what, you thought you were alone. No no no, there are eleven of you. Eleven people with gifts. All of you have different gifts, but a gift is a gift. Just come with me."

His hand grips my wrist again as I try to leave. "No! I'm not going." He tried to explain further, still hoping I'll come with him, but I don't let him finish. "I'm not going with you. Get away." I flash a blinding light in his eyes. He screams and releases me.

"Oh Magnus. I thought you were different. I thought you'd want to help me save the Earth. I guess I was wrong, you're no different from the others."

Suddenly, my head is shoved in a bag and my arms bound. I'm forcibly taken away to who knows where. And that's when it sinks in, what about my mother, what about Jade? They need me. But I can't worry anymore because there's an arm around my neck, and my body goes limp from lack of air.

------

As I walk towards the market, I freeze. A boy, about my age, is getting attacked. Two large men drag him across the pavement. I would run, but I can save him. I have powers he doesn't. Powers he wouldn't believe.

I charge, and the man in front of him gets blasted with a tunnel of air. I try to knock down the other, when three more come behind me, grabbing my hands and neck. I knock one of them down as the other two poke me with something sharp, and I fade to dizziness.

spiritkoi • 15 February 2014 at 4:15 PM

The sounds of whispers pulled me from sleep. I struggled to open my eyes to the blinding light. Had I fallen alseep in the forest again? The forest... What had happened?

"Where am I?" I stood up, dizzy from whatever pricked me in the forest. Around me were 3 boys, all still sleeping, and all drooling slightly. I only recognized one guy, who I had seen around town and the forest. I heard footsteps behind me. Whirling around, I found myself face to face with a man. Trying to stay calm, I asked, "Why am I here?"

"You are here to save the Earth." He said in a voice like sandpaper against wood. This sent my mind into an explosion of questions. "How can I do that? I'm just a girl with nothing special about her. Are they here to do that too? We're just kids." I nodded my head toward the guys. I saw that one of them was rousing from their sleep.

The man sighed like there were dried leaves in his throat. "You don't know yet, do you?" He turned to leave, and quietly, to himself, said, "Now we need to imform them, I was so sure they would have....."

Here I am, surrounded by drooling boys. The questions were still bubbling like water over a fire. I shivered. What am I, are we supposed to do? I turned my head back to the pile of guys. The one I recognized, was his name Magnus, began to wake up. At least I have some company in this desolate room.

skylark • 15 February 2014 at 5:38 PM

Heeeeey shawn the sheep time! 😃
~~~~

Shawn slowly cycled down the empty street, still a few kilometres outside of town. He could see it slowly waking up, and wondered how many people he would be able to help today. Often he had to give most of his food to a single family for there are large country families, but he had the pleasure of putting smiles on multiple people's faces on one trip. He smiled in the off-smelling wind, remembering how many had said many thanks to him. Shawn knew that he had saved a few children that trip for a couple more days. Perhaps it's all they needed.
He was so distracted in remembering that he hadn't noticed the three black figures around the bend, and the next think he knew he was one the ground with warm blood running from the gash on his temple into his damp hair. His bicycle kept rolling down the hill, the basket losing its food. He tried to jump up and wrestle at least one, but two had bound his limbs quickly and one was injecting something into his arm that made everything feel fuzzy. He tried to talk - but his tongue felt like an anvil, weighing down his jaw. "W..wheit- e...ehy..?" He felt warm and everything went black.

Soon it was just the bicycle lying in the road. All the vegetables had rolled out and a fleshy tomato was already being pecked apart by a crow.

cirrus • 15 February 2014 at 10:32 PM

@ilovedoctorwho You still in this RP?

To anyone who wants it, I'd be willing to tell them the scientific explanation of their powers, because not only does it help your character, but, in my opinion, it also helps you understand the extent and limits of their gifts.
______

When I regain consciousness, I'm tied to a chair, and a woman is in the room I'm in writing stuff down. Well, the tent I'm in. There's a chair, which I'm currently tied to, and a sleeping bag in the tent. Nothing else.

"Nicolaus will be with you in a moment," the lady said nicely, leaving.

I wait, and soon, the man I talked to earlier, the one who kidnapped me, walks in.

"Hello Magnus. Let me introduce myself. My name is Nicolaus. I am the head of this organization, our duty is to help save the world. We have to destroy any remaining society and buildings to make way for nature, to open ourselves to the Earth and let her be our ruler. Technology destroyed us, it destroyed the Earth. But we can heal it again.

"First, of course, we must destroy the three remaining cities in the U.S, Houston, Jacksonville, and Charlotte. Charlotte, of course, would be our first move. It's the closest and the smallest. Afterwards, we'd move to Jacksonville, and finally, we'd have to go all the way to Houston, the largest and furthest city. Along the way, we'd have to teach people things, how to survive with nothing but they're bare hands and the few tools that might be available to them.

"But for now, I focus on you. You see, without your gift, without all the kids your age with gifts, we wouldn't be able to accomplish this. So first, I want to train you. So together, we can save this world from the technology that polluted and destroyed it, eventually blowing almost all of it up. What do you say, Magnus?"

I thought, maybe Nicolaus just needed to talk to me. Maybe he knew how important this was to the world, and knew he couldn't take no for an answer. He seemed like a nice guy, nothing like the man who kidnapped me earlier. "I'll do it," I say.

"Excellent," he replies, walking over to release me from this chair. "First things first, you need to really understand your powers to use them. Of course, even I don't know how exactly they work, but I have a theory about your powers. But I want to hear from you, what do you /think/ your powers are?"

"Well, I can... change the color of things, and control light a little bit, and I don't know what it is, but I can sense heat, I can tell what the temperature of everything around me is, I can tell where living things are, because they create more heat," I say, ashamed that I don't know what my own powers are.

"Yes, just as I expected. Unless I am incorrect, and I don't believe I am, you have the ability to manipulate the electromagnetic spectrum. That would be the ability to manipulate radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, and gamma rays. I suspect by changing the wave lengths of the light that reaches the retina, you would be able to change people perception of colors. In addition, that bright flash of light you used against me, you must be able to manipulate photons. Of course, exactly what a photon is isn't and never will be known, whether or not it is truly matter or energy. But what I do know is that you somehow increased the amount of photons in an area, creating a brighter light. And lastly, how you can detect heat, I assume would be a side effect of infrared light. If you can harness it, you can increase that power allowing you to see infrared waves. Allowing you to see heat, allowing you to see the transfer of energy. It's really an astounding thought. Of course, I'm not sure how getting infrared light to bounce back into the retina would work, but I'd find a way."

"Wow, you're really smart," I say, not caring how awkward it sounds. "If you know that much about science, why do you want to get rid of it."

"I can't get rid of science, and it will be a shame to see all the knowledge about the universe around us go to waste, but the important, every day things like cells and atoms and gravity and germs will be preserved, because it is truly important in every day life."

"Well, I'd say what you just said is important too. It's going to help me expand my powers right?"

"Yes, Magnus. It will help you learn to take full control of your gift. You may go home now or look around the campsite. We will provide you with anything you need so long as you show up every workday here, to train, instead of at you other job."

"Yes, I will, and thank you," I say as he walks out of the tent.

spiritkoi • 16 February 2014 at 5:35 AM

@skittlejg Me! 😃 I want an explanation, cause my character has no idea at all what is happening.
~~~

I saw a different guy come and take the boy from my town away before he woke up. He gruffly said, as he is picking up the guy, "You'll be next." He must have saw the fear in my eyes. Laughing reassuringly, he told me that they weren't going to hurt us. "We are just informing you." He left, holding the boy.

I paced, thinking. What would so special about teenagers to have us kidnapped? What was so special about me? I stopped to stare at my hands. They looked average. The door opened. I was next.

cirrus • 16 February 2014 at 9:37 AM

When I regain consciousness, I am in a room with five other people. Four. One of the still unconscious boys is taken away.

"What are we doing here!" I say panicked. My knives are gone, my bow is gone, my spear is gone. The only other one who is conscious is a girl who looks very shy. I sigh. I tried to be nice. I tried to help save that kid, and now my weapons are gone and we're both trapped here. My powers must not be as strong as I take them to be.

----

I walk out of the tent. I'm in a large circle of about ten tents with a large fire in the middle, and I can see other tent circle in other places. There's many tent circle, tent areas, whatever they're called, and they seem to be divided by what they do. One for food and water, one for supplies, many for where the soldiers(?) sleep. I assume they're soldiers, the men who kidnapped me. I decide to go over to the area that seems to be designated for serving food and beverages. I get a little bit of everything. Mom and Jade would love to see this. But I can't tell them. I can't even imagine what it would be like if Mom knew what I would have to do eventually, leave, go across the country attacking people. But Nicolaus doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would let me back out on that deal, not that I regret it.

Deleted • 17 February 2014 at 10:25 AM

There is darkness and immediately I notice my eyes are closed. I can hear the soft rustle of movement around me and I open my eyes a crack. The light streaming in causes my head to throb and I snapped my eyes shut. Suddenly the memories flood back. I was walking and I was attacked by savage men. I opened my eyes again, slowly, and as I glanced around I saw four others, like me. I guessed they were all pretty close to my age.

One boy thrashed about as if trying to find something. Then asked the very same question that had been racing through my own mind. He seemed familiar, in a strange way, like a dream.

I sat up carefully and shook my head, I had no clue either. The small movement was enough to make my head throb and my vision spin. I lay my head in my hands; a moan whispered past my lips. The whole world was off balance and my mind struggled for an explanation.

poe • 17 February 2014 at 7:32 PM

Sorry I haven't posted in a bit. Length makes up for it, right? Lol
-------

The whirring of her bicycle's wheels slowed as Pele glided carefully off the road as the sun was rising. She had decided to sleep for a while in the morning then get back on the road. Here, there were lots of trees for cover, serving for a good place to rest out of sight of anyone that perchance was passing through.

In the dim morning light, she still couldn't see much, but once her bicycle fell silent, she swore she heard rustling in the grass or scant foliage. It was brief, if it existed at all. Maybe she was just imagining it? After all, she was growing tired...

Pele walked her bicycle through the copse, looking for a spot that seemed a little comfier than the rest. It was a little ridiculous, if she was being honest with herself. And there it was again, as if there were another person here, or perhaps a larger animal. Pele couldn't decide which she'd rather meet out here. Looking around, then proceeding on alert, she reasoned that at least a human was less likely to try eating her, though she didn't rule that out. Humans at least didn't have teeth like a wolf. She picked her spot among a group of trees next to a boulder. Here, with her back to the trees, she could see anyone approaching. As if on cue, she could hear another rustle.

Pele was not too impressed with this situation. She really did just want to sleep a while so she could get on with her life. If a person walked out in her view, she was going to punch whoever it was so hard......

There! A fleeting view of someone - presumably a man by the stature - sneaking through the brush. If his all-black outfit didn't scream sketchy, nothing did. Pele pulled out her metal water bottle and kept her back to the boulder. Armed now, she waited to see if the man would show up again.

The encounter happened fast. In roughly a minute, a man dressed in black leaped around the corner, clearly unaware that Pele was ready for this. She slammed her water bottle into his head and he fell to the ground. Pele slung her pack over her shoulder grabbing her bike. Then another man grabbed her arm and her water bottle fell from her grip. Pele twisted and swung a strong punch to his jaw, making a loud sound on contact. She broke into a run, forgetting her bike, wondering just how many there were. A man walked calmly out in front of her and pulled off the balaclava and holding his hands in the air. She hadn't expected that.

Pele kept a wary distance, but he began to speak.

"We're not here to hurt you." He sounded nice enough. He looked like an average man. But if that were true, why on earth had they approached her like that?

Seeing her accusing look, he continued, "There's someone who just wants to speak with you. We're going to take you to him."

"Because that's soooo reassuring." Pele retorted. Unfortunately, she realized too late that a fourth man had appeared and she felt a prick in her arm, then.... Nothing.

spiritkoi • 21 February 2014 at 3:09 PM

I was lead to another tent where a woman said business-like, "Nicolaus will be right here." She turned back to the pile of papers stacked on a make-shift desk. I scanned the area and found a chair to sit in. It was still warm from whoever sat last. I waited.

After an eternity, a man who I did not recognize came in.

~

@skittlejg Can only you do Nicolaus or can anybody use him? Just wondering. Cause I have no idea what to do now...

poe • 19 April 2014 at 12:42 AM

Pele came to in a tent with a couple others sitting around in it. What kind of madness was this? People don't just kidnap other people when they want to "talk". Clearly, this was not a situation she wanted to be in, but she felt a little groggy still, and she figured if this was it, at least she survived the original apocalypse. She smiled a little at that. In her younger years, surviving this long would have made her quite proud of herself.

/Oh well./ She thought. May as well relax and take things in stride now that she was here.

cirrus • 21 April 2014 at 8:31 PM

I am taken to a tent all by myself.

"Hello," a tall, dark headed man says walking in. "So, you're one of them. One of the last kids. We'd found almost all of them. It's a blessing you showed up right at our door. Well, not literally of course."

"Who are you!" I yell at him, unable to break free from my restraints.

"I think the real question is, who are you?"

"Explain yourself and I'll tell you."

He thought for a moment. "Well, I am the head of this organization, our duty is to help save the world. We have to destroy any remaining society and buildings to make way for nature, to open ourselves to the Earth and let her be our ruler. Technology destroyed us, it destroyed the Earth. But we can heal it again.

"First, of course, we must destroy the three remaining cities in the U.S, Houston, Jacksonville, and Charlotte. Charlotte, of course, would be our first move. It's the closest and the smallest. Afterwards, we'd move to Jacksonville, and finally, we'd have to go all the way to Houston, the largest and furthest city. Along the way, we'd have to teach people things, how to survive with nothing but they're bare hands and the few tools that might be available to them.

"But for now, I focus on you. You see, without your gift, without all the kids your age with gifts, we wouldn't be able to accomplish this. So first, I want to train you. So together, we can save this world from the technology that polluted and destroyed it, eventually blowing almost all of it up." He finished his speech before asking me again. "So, what's your name?"

"Sirius," I said.

"Well, Sirius, what do you say?" he said, pulling out a knife.

"You're insane, what are you going to do to me?" I yelled.

He looked at the knife and laughed, "Cut you loose. And over there are your weapons. Quite a stockpile you got."

I sighed as he let me loose and held out his hand. "The offer still stands, you want to join me?"

I looked down at his hand. "Sure," I said, shaking it.

"Great! I don't know where you're currently staying but you can stay here if you want, at our camp."

"Uh, okay, just let me go get my extra spear."