Alex was the first to turn around. His grip tightened around the water bottle. When he heard another shift behind him, Alex turned seeing the same group of people who had came into the shop few days ago standing around them both. Jax had his fists tightened ready to fight them. But, the only problem was they were all holding guns. The man with a lion tattoo on his neck moved forward, his fingers trailing onto Alex's neck gently before walking ahead to look at Jax.

"What do you want?" Jax questioned looking directly into the man's eyes, his fingers slowly slipping into his left pocket.

"Too many people living on this universe will cause havoc. Especially when there isn't enough water." The man started as he pointed the gun onto Jax's neck, "Give me your bag of water and I will let you go. Deal?"

It was almost impossible for Jax to give up his bags of water. He didn't want to, and he wouldn't. He salvaged them with his own hard work and no one would be able to have a fair share of it except Alex. When his fingers felt the metallic blade of his knife, he immediately pushed the gun away with his right arm taking a step backwards, his left arm pulling out the knife, jabbing it into the man's shoulder as he twisted the arm. The gun fell down freely and Alex immediately picked it up shooting the men and women who were surrounding them quickly. Jax killed the man, the knife pierced through his neck as he kicked the lifeless body on the ground, his gloves soaked with blood.

Alex heaved as he took the gun, twirling it on his fingers before he stood up next to Jax, "You alright, buddy?"

"I am. You?" Jax questioned removing his gloves.

"Yeah. Never been better. I have been waiting most of my life to use a real gun." Alex admitted openly as he took a step towards the other man picking up another gun and the other two handing two of it to Jax, "Keep it close to you. Even if you did not get the aim, they would be afraid of these than knives."

Jax chuckled, "Am I going to be convinced that you are not going to kill me?"

Alex laughed, "No. I am not going to kill you. We made a great team together." Alex spoke as he took his bag down picking out a pair of new gloves handing it to Jax, "Here, you need these."

Jax smiled removing his gloves dropping it on the ground muttering a soft thank you. Alex didn't want to question why but from the corner of his eyes, he noticed the scars on both his knuckles. There weren't normal scars. They looked like wounds against wounds. Alex didn't want to open another wounded story. They had to move on. He watched Jax slipped the new pair of gloves on his palms and the boy smiled.

"Thank you, Alex. Now, let's go."

The bodies were sprawling on the ground. Their eyes wide opened as they looked out into the horizon to nowhere in particular. Just as they took a few steps away from the place, the wind began to change from warm to immense cold. It was breezy, the air was almost ten times cooler, but the sun was still shinning brightly in the sky, the red clouds surrounding it. Mother Nature always had weird ways of work but there were all for a reason, a reason they did not know. Jax pulled his jacket tighter walking side by side with Alex. The ground was getting cooler each time they took a step ahead to the West. They passed skeletons, dried bodies, dried trees and even several dead animals. It was a gruesome sight to look at. Jax sauntered next to Alex, their skin felt the cold air, their jackets were pulled tighter to their bodies and the were walking against the cold, strong wind.

The red and grey clouds began to gather in the skies. Once in while rumbles were heard above them. The wind was howling, lifting up mere light pieces of sands, dried leaves and even rotten bones. Jax looked up, his brown eyes observing the skies. It reminded him of movies like Into The Storm or even one of the scenes from Jurassic Park except that whatever happening around him is real, that he might get killed – for real. Jax noticed a flash of lightning across the clouds, it's multiples lines disappeared after a while like a ninja. Grey clouds began to fill every inch of the skies. The lands were empty. Looking ahead, Jax noticed another stack of fallen buildings. He personally hoped it was another fallen town so that they would be able to take refuge in there. Jax was tired of running at the same time, he was tired of surviving. Another lightning stroked across the clouds except that this time, it was followed by a loud rumbling sound causing him to close his ears.

"Hey, Jax." Alex shouted through the wind making sure that Jax would heard what he had said and added, "Did you see the buildings in front? Perhaps we could spend a night there!"

Jax nodded in response, "Let's go then!"

They both ran towards the stack of buildings immediately ignoring the rumbling and clashing in the skies. As they ran nearer, Jax spotted the sight of collapsed buildings, burnt trees, broken cars, dried grasses and even the stench of rotten human flesh. They stuck close to each other as they took their step into the place passing by a fallen building with a head skeleton in front of it, a crack watch by its side. Jax's brown eyes looked around the place. The ground was so much cooler. He saw the familiar sight of burnt signs on the buildings and then noticed a dead body, the blood was almost dried but there was a small amount of flies. It was a gruesome sight to look at. He spun his heels heading deeper into the building noticing small puddles of water.

"It had been raining here." Alex muttered looking out as he turned to look at Jax, "Let's find a place for some rest. It would be a long journey. We could spend a comfortable night here at least."

Jax nodded without protest. He followed Alex deeper into the city. There was a building in the middle, the one and only building standing tall in between the city. The boys jogged ahead as they stepped into the building. The floor was wet and slippery. It was made out of light blue tiles almost in par with Alex's cerulean blue eyes. Jax noticed some water filling up a small hole at the corner of the room.

"Why don't we go on a higher ground? I think it would be better to be on higher grounds." Jax suggested, his gloved palms running in between his black hair pushing them messily.

Alex nodded, "Let's go. Either way there is nothing to lose anymore."

Small raindrops began to pour from the skies. The rumbling sound was getting intense. The sound of clattering raindrops against the building was heard. It became a new company to the boys. As they took another step up towards the sixth floor, their boots began to click on the stairs slowly as a sign that they were both worn out from climbing the stairs. Their boots clicked again when they finally reached the sixth floor. Jax stopped for a moment, his eyes looked around the place mesmerised by what he saw. His brown eyes looked around curiously.

In the middle of the sixth floor was a huge comfortable black leather couch with a small coffee table by its sides. There was a pot of dead fresh flowers in the middle. On the right was a line of new clothing ranged from female to male. Books were scattered on the table with pens and pencils. Jax arranged his steps carefully towards the cupboard next to it coming face to face with a huge line of new boots. Alex was at the other corner, his blue eyes fixed onto a huge shelf. Reaching out, he pulled it opened, his eyes widen at the sight of packets of biscuits, some bread by the side, a few bottles of mineral bottles with packets of instant coffee.

"Alex, we are not dreaming, are we?" Jax questioned from the corner of the room.

Alex picked a small packet of crackers handing it towards Jax when he walked towards the older boy and nodded, "For once, we are not." He spoke breathing in the air as he looked at the clothes and shoes, "I guess we can use a change. What do you think this company was before?"

Jax shrugged biting into the cracker. It wasn't that crunchy anymore that it seemed that the quality was slowly disappearing, but it was a satisfaction to his tummy. The taste of butter with dried vegetables made him felt better as he began to grab another piece of biscuit Alex had offered. Jax headed towards the books by the side noticing a brochure. He picked it up.

"Heather's Designing Company." Jax read before he threw the book aside and looked at Alex who was trying on a new pair of sneakers, "I guess it works. But, don't you feel surprise, this place isn't as destroyed as the lower grounds?"

Alex shrugged making a soft click with his tongue, "I wouldn't be worry about it. It's raining out there. We could use some shelter. It's all that matters now."

Jax pulled out a smaller pair of pants, a long sleeve shirt and a light green jacket handing it to Alex, "You could use a new change. See if it fits."

Alex gratefully took it as he headed to the opposite side of the room changing his clothing. When the boy had stood behind the cupboard, Jax immediately removed his own clothing changing into a pair of peach coloured shirt throwing a light blue hoodie atop it before he slipped a pair of comfortable stretchy pants on slipping a new pair of socks and a pair of black light blue sneakers on his feet. He reached to the table picking up the packet of biscuits biting into it as he stood by the window. Jax breathed out heavily, his brown eyes looked at the cracked buildings, the tumbled cars, fallen trees and the cracked roads. The water was filling up the cracked roads. The raindrops were getting larger but Jax was pretty sure he was safe in here with Alex.

Alex got himself changed. The clothing fit him perfectly. He walked out of the cupboard reaching out to his own backpack as he picked up the bottle of water began sipping onto it. His blue eyes caught sight of Jax standing by the window. Slowly, he let himself sunk onto the black couch stretching his legs as he moaned in comfort letting his head rest on one of the soft pillows. He needed rest. The lightning struck again, causing a flash of light to shine through the building but Alex paid no heed to it. His body was screaming for rest, his arms were already around his own chest crossing over as he closed his eyes. Without realising, Alex had found himself falling asleep on the couch.

Jax was tired of running, tired of watching people passing from him. He felt his sins building up as he tried to survive the heat waves before this. The rain had begun to feel like a stranger to him, but to see the droplets of water again was bliss to his eyes though he kept a warning in mind that he was afraid of the flash floods which might attacked again. Arranging his steps towards the couch, he watched Alex slept. He was snoring and Jax chuckled on his own. He sunk himself down on the couch, sitting upright, as he leaned back on the softness. Silently, he thought himself, he was tired of surviving. He began to wonder why the heat is not affecting him. Other than getting hungry or thirst, he could never submit into the heat like his sister did. He began to think there was a reason he would be surviving but now, it had been three months. Three months of running and here he is, still breathing healthily. Fate had a strange way of playing with him.

Laying down on the couch, cuddling to the sides of it, Jax began to drift into his sleep accompanied by the sound of thunder and raindrops and Alex's soft adorable snores. He was weary. He could feel himself giving up but yet, his mind kept telling him to stay alive for an unknown reason. Letting a soft sigh, he decided; "If I can't die, I will live to tell the tale."