A Dystopian Lifestyle

New York had been devastated by the sudden virus. Everywhere on the news, the reports acted as though it was just another flu season, until we started getting the international reports. It was worse than they had anticipated. Because our president hadn’t taken it seriously and told people to at least wear masks, more than half the population of the US was dead in a year. The President even died before the ruling of his impeachment. Tons of government officials had died as well.

The city gradually grew worse in the coming months. The crime increased almost overnight, just as the dead bodies and garbage took over the city. It was hard going out to look for food and supplies. At the time this all happened my sister and I were only visiting the big apple for vacation. It was only a summer week to hang out. We were going shopping, seeing the sights, visiting the amazing museums. The news had been talking about the weird virus for months now. Telling us if you were sick not to travel, to wear masks, to just take health precautions. But, like everyone else, we didn’t take it serious and just went on with life.

We went on our vacation anyway because in the fall we were going to different colleges and god knows when we were going to see each other again. If anything, we were lucky. We never got sick, never had any symptoms. Nothing. So, how were we really supposed to take that seriously?

Well, it has been over 5 years now and here we are, still in New York City. Scavenging for food, being hunted by the gangs that has overtaken the city, trying to survive instead of living life to the fullest. As I reminisce how life was before I sat in the living room of an abandoned apartment in what the New Yorkers would call Hell’s Kitchen. I was messing with my mother’s heart-shaped locket with her picture inside as my sister slept in the next room.

In a few more hours we would have to hop to the next shelter we could fine. You couldn’t stay for very long in the same area. The gangs would find you eventually. Over the years we figured out a strategy to stay ahead of them, keep on moving. Pretty simple and easy to follow. It’s worked for us so fa. The sun was finally up, its breath-taking light warming the city and melting the snow. I went in the room and woke up my little sister from her slumber

“Hey, time to head out.” I told her and took out some food.

She grunted and flopped out of the bed grabbing her shoes. We didn’t say a word as we ate and got our gear together. After about an hour of waiting on my sister to fully wake up we finally headed out. We had already discussed where we needed to head up next the night before, so we just went up 42nd street going in and out of the buildings. We checked cabinets and everything just looking for food or other supplies we can use. It was easy going as we made our way through the street and got to 8th Avenue in only a half hour.

We were almost at the Hotel Edison we were trekking to until my sister stopped me, and we stood there listing to the air. Then I heard it too, voices. We scrambled into a liquor store and fled to the back room hoping to god they didn’t see or hear us. As we sat there in a closet, we didn’t hear a single thing going on. It was bad form to do that.

I took off my gear and put my finger against my mouth gesturing my sister to stay and be quiet. I took with me only my side arm and left the closet making sure to stay down. I went to the front and peaked my head above the shelves to look out the window. There was nothing there. But I couldn’t fully see everything, so I crept more to the front to view out the window. I was kneeling looking around the window and still didn’t see anything to the left or right. I went outside and a man was walking down the street towards me, gun in hand.

“Hey, stop there!” He yelled at me.

Of course I didn’t stop, I bolted down the other way and ran right in to another man. I screamed and he grabbed me.

“Whoa there, girly. Where you going?” He sneered, holding on to my shoulders tightly.

His buddy came up behind me.

“Come on let’s take her to the boss.” He told his friend.

We started walking and I squirmed around, worrying about my sister. They just laughed and pushed me along. We finally ended up in a parking lot with other men and women with guns roaming around. We ignored all these people and went up to a woman with long, unkempt hair and a ruddy face.

“Whose this?” She asked her men.

They threw me and I lost my balance and fell to my feet.

“Found her along 8th with nothing on her but that gun.” And gave the woman my side arm. Which now I have to figure out how to get back.

“The hell you doing with no gear, girly?” She calmly asked me.

I didn’t know how to answer this. If I say something wrong, I could jeopardize my sister. So, I did the one thing I knew how to do, I lied.

“I-I got lost from my group! I don’t even know where I am, please just let me go!” I pleaded with them. I mean what else could I possibly do?

The woman laughed and shook her head. “You really think I believe that? Tell me where your group is.” She demanded, picking me up from the ground by my arms.

I flinched harder this time and she threw me back on the snow. "I-I lost all my gear when I got separated from my friends!" trying to convince these people were going to be hard.

My heart felt like it was going to come out of my chest, it was beating so fast. The only advantage I had against these people was that they didn't know where my sister was. I looked around at them and saw on top of a low building a glint of a reflection. Shoot she probably followed us.

“Look, I can take you to them if you want! But, I can’t really remember exactly where I lost them at.” I told them, getting up holding up my hands showing them I wasn’t a threat.

They watched me, and never noticed the glint as I had. A least an advantage, The women shrugged and waved my hand gun at her men.

“Whatever, take her, I want their stuff.” She demanded.

They grabbed me again and shoved me along. I walked ahead of them for a few minutes and then heard the sharp boom of a rifle going off. I jerked down and looked behind me seeing that one of the men had fallen to the ground as well, but with a bullet in the side of his head. All the people in the parking lot screamed and scrambled to hide. There came more shots from the mysterious person on the roof. I got up and quickly made my way to an ally opening. As I ran, I could hear the frantic shooting and yelling behind me as those people tried shooting where the mysterious person was. I got to the main street and saw my sister running towards me with my pack.

“Kelly! How did you get down from the roof so fast?” Thinking still that she was the person up there that had saved me. I put on my bag and we fled the area.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cass. I had been trying to figure a way in to that lot they took you in till I heard the shooting. What happened?” She asked.

I shook my head, “never mind. Let’s get to the hotel.” And we kept on down the street.

It took us a few hours than expected because we had to figure out a new route to the Hotel, we were able to find it. We got in through an open employee door, and put a dresser in front so no other people would find their way in. We didn’t know if there were others who had the same thought, so we stayed down in the lobby area till we found a good size office.

“I’m going to catch some sleep; you mind taking first watch?” I asked.

Cassandra nodded and sat up on the desktop and took out the book she had been reading. I snuggled up in my sleeping bag. I didn’t grasp how tired I was and fell fast asleep. Then my sister woke me up again.

“Kelly, there’s someone in the lobby. I can hear them walking around.” Cass whispered as she shook me awake.

I was on high alert again grabbing my shotgun, “How do they know we’re in here?” I asked her. She shook her head.

“I don’t think it was those people. I just heard one person walking around. Then they asked if we were okay if we got hurt from the parking lot scuffle?” She told me as we moved the desk again.

I stood up this time and just stared at her. Was this the mysterious person who saved me? Cass just stared at me with confused concern

“What is it, Kelly?” She asked.

“Stay here.” I ordered her and left the room.

I kept my gun pointed down but ready to shoot if needed. Staying low, I walked through the hallway to the back of the front desk of the large lobby. It was easy finding them as they stood in the middle of the lobby. It was a young man, maybe as old as I am maybe a bit older. It was hard to tell as they had a long beard. He had on a large brim cowboy hat and a brown duster jacket. It was almost like he came out of an old western movie; it was bizarre to say the least. I stood up and pointed my shotgun at him.

“Do you need something?” I asked softly.

The man shook his head and raised his hands to show he wasn’t armed. “Just being neighborly and making sure you two were okay. I hope I didn’t get you in the crossfire?” He asked sounding sincere.

I didn’t put my gun down though, who knows what other motives he had. “Yeah, we’re fine thanks. If you would be so kind, I really appreciate it if you left us alone. You can have any room here though.” I pointed up in the main part of the hotel. I wasn’t just going to push him out in the cold.

He nodded and slowly took out a handgun from his coat, “I believe this is yours.” And put it down on the ground. Turning around he left the building.

I stood there, dumbfound but went and picked up my handgun.

“Who was it?” She asked.

I shrugged not understanding who it was myself. “Just some dude who helped us at the parking lot. He was the one up there on the roof. He asked if we were okay and then left.” I told her.

“I guess there’s still some good people out there is this lawless world we were left in” I told her. I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly. All we have in this world was each other. We should try and help one another a bit more. “I love you.” I told her.