Austrailia

June 28th, 2035 3:00 AM

Courtney's POV

I can't believe it.... It's the end of the world.... What will happen now? Will we all die? Will we survive?

I just don't know.

Tears began streaming down my cheeks, as I held my mom's lifeless body in my hands.

Why? Why did my mom have to die? Why her? Why couldn't it have been me, instead?

I heard footsteps from the front door, and looked that way.

Borko and Crystal stood there, looking shocked. I began sobbing.

"Courtney..." Borko muttered.

"Courtney? You have to come with us. Your mom is... gone. We can't help it." Crystal tried to reassure me.

"NO!" I shouted, pushing her back.

"She's just sleeping. She just.... just needs... her rest..." I said, tearing up.

"Courtney...we need to go. Please...." Borko said, gently holding my shoulder. I placed my mom down gently, and headed to the door, alongside Borko and Crystal.

I heard my phone ring, and answered it.

"Courtney?" It was Justin.

"Justin! Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm still in the middle of Winnipeg. Wait....what's wrong?" He asked. I wiped my tears away and answered "Nothing. Nothing's wrong..."

"Courtney... you know how I feel about you lying to me. Please.... tell me. What's wrong?" All of a sudden, I heard a gunshot. And a scream.

"Courtney!!" The phone went staticky and died.

"JUSTIN!!!" I shouted. No.... I won't be able to talk to him anymore.

"Courtney! Come on! We have to go!" Borko gestured outside.

"Okay.." I muttered. I stood up, and went out the front door. Before I left, I looked back, I said "I love you, Mom."

I saw the others ahead, and ran to them. They were a couple of feet in front of me, so I was able to keep up.

While I was running, I looked around my neighbourhood. Houses were demolished, with blood leaking beneath the carnage. Bodies littered the sidewalks, and roads. I bit my lip, thinking of all the lives that have been lost. I recognized a few of them as well.

I couldn't bear to look.

"Hey, Courtney! -gzzzt!- can you-gzzzt!- me? Court-gzzzt!-" My phone went off.

I looked at the screen, and was relieved to see a familiar face.

"What happened?" Justin asked, concerned. "I don't know. Interference or something.. Hold on." I stopped, and looked ahead.

I could see an entrance to a bunker looking thing. Then I realized its.....

...the bomb shelter.

The door is one of those type of doors that require two people to open. It also had a round handle, so you had to turn it.

We ran towards the door, and turned the handle, but only to figure out that its locked. Borko the took a hold of the handle, and began turning with all of his strength.

"Borko? I tried that already! It won't budge!" I told him, but he kept turning.

His face went red from effort, and I noticed that his right shoulder was.....glowing? I could see a faint green glow underneath his sleeve.

"RRRAAAGGGHH!!!" He roared. I heard a loud metallic groan, and a snap.

I turned around to see the door was off the hinges, and that Borko was setting it down. My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped when I saw that that happen.

"What?" Borko asked, when he noticed me staring.

"How did you do that?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't know. Ever since the nukes hit, I felt much.....stronger. I can't really explain it." He said, touching his arm.

"Oh." Was all I said.

I looked into the entrance, and saw a staircase leading downwards. There were lights on the ceiling all the way down.

"Let's go." I said, leading the others down. While we were heading down the stairs, Borko said "Don't you girls get the feeling that we're not alone?" I replied, by saying "Yeah. I get that feeling too. It feels as if..... someone is watching." I shivered. We kept walking downwards for a few minutes, before Borko broke the silence, saying:

"Has anyone noticed how long we've been walking?"

I nodded, and looked back to the entrance. I can see a faint light, then I heard a KA-CHUNK! The light disappeared.

"Must've tripped something..." I muttered.

I kept walking until we reached a square area. There were a few machines running, and in the middle if the room was a hatch, with a turning handle. I walked up to the hatch, and opened it. There was a hiss, and the hatch creaked open. A ladder lead down a few feet.

"Seriously? How deep is this place?" I exclaimed, slightly annoyed.

Borko went down first, then me, and Crystal went last.

When we reached the bottom, there were a few computers and some lockers on two of the walls. There was also a large screen on one, and a door was behind us.

"What is this place?" I asked, silently. My question was answered by the television going staticky, and showing a display of an old man. He started saying "Welcome to one of the many vaults around the world! As a fellow Vault dweller (fallout reference, lol) I'd like to advise you to wear the apparel in the lockers behind you." We looked behind us, and sure enough, there were.

We dug through them, and wore the clothing over ours. The outfit was made of cloth, and fit tightly. It's blue, and at the shoulders, knees and elbows, there's padding. I clipped the belt on, and saw the others with similar outfits.

"I hope Justin's okay..." I whisper softly.

Meanwhile, in Canada.....

Winnipeg Docks, Noon

Justin's POV

I've managed to make it to the docks, but something seems off.... It feels like I'm being watched...

*SKREEEEEE!!!!*

I whipped around to see a monster that stood on all fours. It's face looked like a suction cup, and I can see dried blood around it. It's also bone skinny, and the skin is covered in scratches, bruises, and radiation. It didn't have eyes, or a nose. I creeped me out.

I drew my blade as it jumped off a nearby roof top.

"Well, looks like I'll need your help again." I said to my sword. It jumped on me, and pinned my arms and legs down. It's head lunged forward, and hit the cement. It pulled back and spat out the cement.

I headbutt it, and pushed it over.

When it was dizzy, I slashed horizontally, and cut its head off. A gas came out of it's wound, and surrounded me. I began choking, trying to gasp for air. I crawled forward, and fell on my stomach.

I managed to sit up, and gather my bearings. I shook my head, and stood up.

"What was that thing?" I asked myself.

Just as I was about to start walking, I felt weird. My hand, it feels...

I looked at my hand, and gasped.

The skin is now silver, and shiny. I tapped it, and discovered it was made of some sort of metal.

I shut my eyes, and thought

'I'm hallucinating. Just a dream.'

I opened my eyes, and saw that my arm is normal.

"Now, I have to find Mr. Jackson. He'll give me a ride." I began walking, looking for a 47 year old African American man, with thin lips, thick eyebrows, and short black hair.

Soon enough, I found him.

"Mr Jackson! I'm so glad I found you!" I called to him.

"Ahh. Mr Williams! So good to see you again!" He said, hugging me.

"So what do you need this time? A ride?" He asked, smiling.

"Actually, I do need a ride." I said, a little embarassed.

"Where to?"

"Austrailia." I replied.

"Is it to see that girlfriend of yours? Courtney, or somethin'?" I blushed at the first sentence.

"Like I told you. She's a friend, nothing more."

"All right, all right. No need to get your panties in a knot." We both got on the boat.

"I'll find you, and protect you, Courtney." I said determined