Scavengers Game

I slugged behind a distance, watching the silhouettes of my children walking back to our home. They were slow, slugging their fatigued, starved bodies forward. I watched the stars move with me, dipping below the mountains.

I jumped, something had fallen. I ran. When I reached the huddle, everyone was wide-eyed. I looked to the ground. “Serah, Serah.” I said kneeling beside the young girl.

Her hazy eyes stared into my eyes. My heart broke. Her young face was cold. “Robin.” She choked. I nodded, taking her small hand in mine. “Take care of my mom okay.” Her pupils floated up. I punched at the ground and shook her small body.

“Serah!” She didn’t move. Her body was lifeless. I heard a scream just ahead, so I wiped the tears from my cheeks and stood.

Rage filled me, rage for the people of this fucked up world. Rage for those lucky bastards who were in the right place at the right time. None of them deserved sanctuary more than any of us did, yet we had to fight for it.

I lifted my chin. Eyes followed me as I jogged towards the scream. I saw the flickering shadow against the rock side. I slid down and wrapped my arms around the frail old woman. She wept, but was too dehydrated to create tears. “I’m sorry.” I whispered the heat from the fire radiating against my fast.

The old woman pulled away, her face shown in the light. Her skin was wrinkled, she bore a bald head and her eyes were sunken into her skull. She was thin, like everyone else. We hadn’t had food in at least a week. Serah was the first causality but I knew there would be more to come.

“It’s not your fault dear, god it’s not your fault. There’s only so much you can do.” She smiled her grin waning.

I dropped my head and balled my fists. “Hey! Everyone!” I cried, crouching and waiting for everyone to crowd around me.

As they did dirt kicked around our campsite. Blankets and shirts were laid around the ground; a fire pit was mangled together with rocks and scavenged scraps.

“Alright. I have to do something and I need your help.” My brain thumped along with my heart.

Mick stood, dropping the president who had fallen asleep, or unconscious, I couldn’t tell. “Anything Robin.”

“I’m going to Arcadia.”

I heard all of my people gasp. Leo and Mick shook their heads, as well as some others.

“You can’t Arcadia’s security is more advanced than ever.” Leo spoke up.

“I know. But they have the most supply of food. I need you guys to get in there okay, you guys stay together, and you guys live in Arcadia, you’ll be safe there.”

“It’s not that easy.” Mick said.

“I can take care of the guards.” I bowed my head.

“How?”

“I’ll take the president. They’ll all come for me, that’s when you break in.”

“No! That’s a suicide mission. They’ll kill you.” Leo blurted.

I rubbed my eyes. Everything was silent apart from the crackle of the fire.

“Really people!” Leo stood, waving his arms about exasperatedly and screaming. “You would let Robin die so we can be safe?”

Everyone that was crouched bowed, placing one hand on their back. A sign to say “Thank you and goodbye.”

“You can’t let her do this you selfish pigs! Dammit! I’ll do it! Give me the president! These people need you Robin!”

I stood, and wrapped my arms around Leo. “It was always going to end this way Leo. You guys deserve to happy. You take care of them for me okay. You take care of them.” I swallowed a sob and grabbed the president by his wrist.

“You stay within a mile, you run the second you see them come out to get me. You stay safe.” I ran, partly to get there, and partly so I didn’t have to see their responses.

The president was heavy, so I let go and leaned over, shaking him. His eyes slit opened.
“Get up.” I couldn’t see well in the dark.

The shadow of the man stood and I grabbed his arm.

“What are you going to do with me?” he shook.

“You’ll be fine. We’re going to Arcadia and you’ll; be safe there. Run.” I swallowed and dragged his arm behind me.

I was exhausted and breathless when I saw the lights of the industrial hub a mile ahead. I closed my eyes and swallowed painfully. I thought of my people, the thin skeletons of people. I lifted my chin and looked at the president, his elder face shown in the bright lights.

I slugged forward. I stood before the gate staring at the guard towers. I pulled the knife from my belt and forced the president in front of me. I pressed the cold blade against his neck. He squirmed, but i saw shadows moving down the guard tower.

“Stop there!” Came a scream from the guard tower. I closed my eyes as the bright light directed itself to light on me.

The gate pulled open and seven armed guards flooded out. They pointed the barrels of their guns at me. They were covered in armor. I closed my eyes. I looked around and behind the guards I saw Mick guiding everyone inside. I smiled. Leo was last, he mouthed something but I couldn’t tell what.

I knew they were safe. I did my job. They weren’t going to starve. I dropped the president and felt the pressure pin-pointed in my chest. I jerked and cried out falling to the ground. I looked at the stars as they started to blur together. “You’re welcome.” I said and everything was gone.