The Lady of the Locket

7/4/2056

July 4, 2056

This used to be a day filled with barbeques, fireworks, and celebration. Trigger and I haven’t eaten in days. He keeps his bellyaching to a minimum though, such a good dog. I can tell he’s hungry, but his tail never stops wagging. I wish we could find some meat…not even for me, but for him - I can last a bit longer. It’s been getting harder and harder to find game, or any food for that matter. The world is not the same since The Hit, nothing works like it used to - except guns, really. I found an old vending machine yesterday and I hoped more than anything to find a bite for us - some chips, a candy bar, just something - but everything edible had been taken out of it ages ago. It wasn't completely empty though.

Down in the bottom, I found this gold heart-shaped locket. Even though it's obviously been there for years, it still shimmers like it's brand-new. It's polished - someone loved this thing. The picture inside is only slightly sun-worn; the woman in the picture, kept safe inside, is beautiful and smiling. Her smile is comforting, but makes me sad - reminds me of everything we've lost. Last night as I held it up to what's left of the moonlight, it shined surprisingly bright, almost star-like. I guess that's one of the only good things to come out of all this mess - we can see so many more stars at night. Of course, every now and then one of those stars drops from above as a deathly ball of fire, but the sky is more beautiful now - just like this woman. I even tried to draw her face in the night sky, a new constellation...a place where I can look up and forget for a moment just how terrible everything has become. It might sound silly, but I hope she'll be my guiding star - like the ones the sailors I've read about, using stars to chart their courses - to a better place. A safer place. Home.

Everyone seems to be heading South - or at least what compasses used to tell us was "South." I’ve heard people talking about Antarctica, how it’s no longer cold, and asteroids don’t land there…its “safe." How it’s just kilometer after kilometer of untouched beach, and lush forests, growing thicker and more green by the day. The trees, they say are as tall as skyscrapers! The older people talk about how when everything started to fall apart, the world leaders and wealthy went there..."New Atlantis,” they called it. The people who fled there knew it would be safer there. They left their countries, the people they led, and some even left their own families behind; the older people call them crooks and traitors.

I was so young, but I remember the skies being both light and dark at the same time. People were panicking. I can still see my mother handing me my backpack, telling me to take Trigger, to run, and to never stop moving. When I turned around to ask her where to go - she was just gone. Maybe that's why I love this locket so much - the Lady of the Locket reminds me of her. I wonder if the woman in this picture is alive. Maybe she would buy me and Trigger a steak for its safe return...God, I miss steak.

All I know is that we can’t stay here, and we have to keep moving. Never stop moving. Maybe things will be better as we get further South - assuming we make it that far. Maybe if I find us a boat we can sail to New Atlantis. We can finally rest. We can finally stop moving.

At least we've been able to stay somewhat close to a group from our town. I keep my distance, but I follow some of the older people - the nice ones anyway. The few places I’ve been to, the “shelters” that were “safe” never lasted long. The food always ran low, gangs formed, and the people got angry. It always fell apart. I think what was left of the governments did their best, but ultimately, we are all on our own. Well...maybe not completely alone; I still have Trigger.

The few remaining road signs - at least, the ones that are still readable - are now in Spanish, so I think we are moving in the right direction. South America, maybe? That sounds right. One of the older people named Argus has been teaching me all about life before The Hit. I think he does it because he lost his family that day - I wonder if I remind him of his son that he always talks about. He's a big man with a big beard to match, and a lot of gray hairs. He always finds something to fix, or trade, or barter for food or bullets. I guess you could say besides Trigger, he is my best friend these days. He’s the one that taught me to shoot - even gave me my first gun. I think my mom would have liked him. When I showed him the locket, he told me to keep it hidden. “That’s real gold! Keep it safe and out of daylight. Only trade it to save your life," he said in his usual low growl. But I don’t think I’ll ever trade it. I want to give it back to its owner when I find them in New Atlantis - get some big reward. I know it’s stupid, but it’s all I have to hold on to - one of the few things that keeps my mind off the hunger. I’m so hungry. Though there is a big river nearby, I have an idea…

…I asked Argus about fishing. We found the mostly-demolished shell of what was once a sporting goods store, and a usable fishing pole in the rubble. We went over to the grand river (at least I think that’s what Argus called it) and used a piece of the locket’s chain as a lure. “The fish are attracted to the glimmer of the gold. Let’s keep this our little secret," he said with a wink. I cast my line into the river and watched from above, until Argus barked “Don’t cast a shadow over them, you’ll scare the fish and dull the shine!" I could see what he meant...the chain moving in the water, the light glinting up, it looked like it was dancing in the current, and - boom! Fish! I am still amazed that we caught them with a locket chain. Watching Trigger splash around for fish and play in the water made me smile for the first time in what felt like forever - he was so happy. It reminded me of how I found him, playing in a pile of our garbage outside my house long before the day everything changed. His little muzzle had been covered in melted ice cream...I miss ice cream too. It’s so hot here.

We reeled in our catch, and Argus said he was proud of me. For a moment, I forgot how dark the world is, and it felt like I was with my dad, just fishing. I felt like a king eating those fish with Argus and Trigger. After we cleaned them, Argus took the skin from one of the fish and put it on my sunburned neck…it instantly felt better. How does he know so much? I wish he was my dad. I never knew my real father, but maybe I could ask Argus to be my dad? Can you do that?

This locket already seems to be saving my life, even after just one day. Argus was so happy about the fish he pulled a bottle of whiskey out of his pack, leaning in and saying “This is for special occasions. Before The Hit, you would’ve been too young, but who knows what tomorrow holds for us. You were a man today, give this a swig.” Not knowing what to expect, but not wanting to seem afraid, I took a solid gulp - and instantly thought my throat was on fire. “Good shit!” Argus laughed. My fingers felt a little numb, but tonight I feel happy, happier than I have been in a long time. I held the locket up to the shattered moonlight again to catch what light I could, meteors blazing across the night sky - my own personal firework show. Trigger and I will sleep well tonight, full bellies. I just hope that this locket will get us to where we're going. I hope Argus will go with us. I hope I find my guiding star…the Lady of the Locket.