How to Survive When the Power Goes Out

[Manticore]

New Orleans - February 28th, 2022 at 2:56pm

Dom​

6 days, 3 hours, and 45 minutes had passed since the moment a strange force wiped out the majority of Earth's human inhabitants. Equipped with a brand new platinum Rolex wristwatch, which Dom took from one of the stores, he felt that time might be now the only thing of true value left. Even the 20,000$ Rolex itself wasn't worth much now, even though it was something Dom wanted to own ever since he was a kid. But time...time was everything. Luckily, the batteries remained unaffected, and since the stores were full of them, there was no worries that they couldn't keep their watches ticking, and thus losing track of time. In the case of days, however, Dom cared to carry along a diary, where he put the notes for every single day that he spent still breathing on this God's forsaken land. He was very meticulous about it, which was something that no one would really expect from him.

Dom was just sitting on the rooftop of a medium sized two-story mall, enjoying his sixth cigarette in a row, when he spotted a moving figure on a street not too far away. He immediately grabbed his newly owned binoculars in order to get a clearer picture on the unknown approaching creature. After a few moments staring through the lens he managed to conclude that it was only a stray dog.

Being on the lookout really wasn't much fun these days, but somebody had to do it in case another human made an appearance before his mall. Yes, his mall. He was the first one there, and he claimed it by spraying a beware, danger! symbol all over the entrance door. He might appeared a bit nuts, but he had a theory that malls were now considered a god damned treasure. He figured that he and his group of newly found friends weren't the only people left in this city. Meaning, if there was a group of them, then there must had been someone else out there, too. And if they had already formed a group, much like he did with the others few whom he met on his way, than they were probably not their friends anymore. One mall could only feed so much people for a limited period of time. And the more mouths a group had to feed, the more valuable one mall was to them. Because of that, this had become an 'us and them' world - it was either their food, or someone else's.

 

[Mglo]

Jude Hunter lightly kicked the pile of clothes he'd pulled out of place and walked away taking a turn about the walk-in closet with a scowl. Sometimes money could be so unbearably tacky.

Only this morning he'd been in the company of a small group living in the outskirts of the city... but that was over, now he was standing alone. Inside a closet. Again. For the second time that day. Although, despite the tacky interior, conditions were much better. There was less of a liquid mess. He chuckled to himself as he reached for the duffel-bag he'd walked in with and slung it over and across his torso. As he walked through the closet door he caught sight of his own reflection and paused. His left hand reached up automatically as he felt his own scar while his own reflection glared back with remembered hate.

"People shouldn't underestimate you," he told his reflection, "especially not after this." The palm of his hand covered the scarred half of his face and he stared. His breath quickened and was suddenly interrupted by his slamming the closet door close, the noise of shattering glass muffled from inside but Jude was walking away too fast to fully hear it. He understood. He wasn't that tall or that muscular, and could easily pass for a girl. But that's not what bothered him, most of the time looking frail gave him an upper-hand and if he couldn't be handsome at least he could be prettier than most girls; so long as he wasn't average.

Jude ambled through the streets, both hands in his jacket pockets, thinking about what it really was that had bothered him back there. He was too self-confident to easily accept such crude bursts of emotion. A light wind blew his blonde mane around his face disrupting his thought process and he looked up and around himself. A mall a couple of blocks away. There. He turned left and headed straight for it at his own leisurely pace.

From a distance he could see the entrance had been spray painted with some symbol and Jude couldn't help but smile. He stopped walking and openly surveyed the building.

"Where are you?" he whispered to the wind.

 

[Nemopedia]

Elliot Harper

Almost a week had passed since the world had taken a turn for the worse. The sudden change was easier to adapt to than Elliot had previously thought it would be. It was all because of the reliable people around him, these who were on the same boat as he was and were all trying to figure out how to survive. He had been lucky, being so quick to find a group to join in. It made his chances to survival bigger. Though this might very well be the reality for the rest of his life. He just hoped that it wasn't, for the male was a modern young lad who couldn't live too long without his technology surrounding him, unless absolutely necessary.

Running his hand over his face the mediation student knocked his head back again, trying to hit a plan back into the mass that he had fried over books not too long ago. he definitely wasn't ever going to make that exam, a shame, as he felt confidence for once. Plucking on his chin the male's mind wandered off to other small routines that used to be part of his life. Shaving for example. A deed he hadn't done in a while and the stubbles told the rest of the story. It greatly annoyed Elliot, as he couldn't stand the thought that he looked like a homeless, even if he was technically homeless since the 'Purge', even if it wasn't destroyed, and even if he could return if he wanted.

Grimacing to himself the male shook his head. This wasn't the time to dwell in self-pity now, there was work to do. Like a plan to survive, or figuring out why this happened. Pushing himself up from his spot the man felt how his body was sore from the cold ground, the mall didn't have the most comfortable benches unfortunately, but it had to do for now. Stretching himself Elliot felt how his throat was calling for a smoke and his lungs for some fresh air. So going outside sounded like a good idea, and so without a second thought he made his way towards the doors. Surely going outside for a little while shouldn't be a problem, he found, his hands already reaching for his pocket in which his cigarettes and fire were waiting.