You looked at your younger sister with a bit of concern as your parents crowded the breaking radio as a gruff voice spoke with your father, one of the world's only remaining survivors after the Global Thermo-Nuclear War.
It has been almost six months, and your family had its time to grieve - your city was hit hard. Blocks of buildings were vaporized in the blasts, millions of lives extinguished, and 'life as we know it' finally came to an end.
Most of the cabinet perished in the attack and President Maybell died of radiation sickness about a month ago. The nation is being run by a General Ryan Anderson - apparently every soldier stationed overseas was recalled to the US to help the relief effort.
"I wonder what they're talking about," pondered your brother, picking at the ragged clothes he had worn for almost two months now. Finding anything of value leftover in the broken rubble of the dead city was a miracle and a few months ago your family came across a shockingly well preserved stash of clothing and non-perishable food in a broken, blasted garage. "Think there's any good news?"
Your sister, Jessica, snorted at her twin brother, "James, seriously?! They're never any good news from Anderson. Just orders, orders, orders! 'Move location', 'radiation inspection over here', 'share your food'... he's such a pain in my ass."
"You shouldn't talk like that Jessie," you told her, looking at your bag of slighly singed chips. "He's doing his best... just like we are."
"Don't you...," Jessica began to argue before James made frantic 'shoosing' motions to the two of you.
"Will you be quiet," he hissed. "Something big is going on in there!"
The three of you turned your attention to the far room where your parents were now arguing with each other - you tried your best to listen in...
"... No, Steve... dumb idea... can't..." "... Maddie you have to... humanity needs... I don't like it either!" "Well you seem all set on the idea!" "Calm down... they... break it to them... when... should I?" "... I don't... together if we have... its just so awful! ... Mother, Steve!... and you're... unnnatural."
At this point your mother began crying and was comforted in the embrace of your father, Steve .
You turned away from the scene, unwilling to hear more about what sounded like a horrible 'order' from the president. Looking into the only mirror you've ever seen in about four months you saw the uneasy reflection of a... |