Mialca

Joleon walked up to her, his eyes wet with pain. Mialca appeared to be reaching out to him for help. As if trying to tell him something, but her words were drowned out by the blood quickly filling up her mouth. Jolean looked on painfully as he waited, knowing Mialca would soon fade away. He knelt beside her, lifted her head and stroked her cheek. Mialca, tears filling her eyes, drew her last breath and closed her eyes. Forever. Joleon lay Mialca's head back on the ground, removed the heart-shaped locket from around her neck and walked away.

As Joleon walked away, he couldn't help but think about how much life had changed since The Pandemic. People didn't immediately become selfish animals, though. The majority actually tried helping each other out at the outset. But it didn't last. Eventually, those who were rich before the pandemic had access to resources (water, gas, etc.) that others didn't. Even, during the apocalypse, the rich had all the power. They were able to stockpile food, water, gas, and other essentials before civilization finally disintegrated into this New Reality. The only true difference between New Reality and Old Reality was that there was no longer any true law and order. The elite (or Ellies) were the ones that decided what was law and what was not.

As The Pandemic dragged on and the less fortunate became more desperate, the rich took advantage of the "UFs" (Unfortunates). First, they used UFs as servants, such as housekeepers and nannies. Soon, though, the Ellies had UFs do more and more extreme acts, including murder, in return for precious resources. Ellies didn't always like other Ellies and would hire UFs to take out their enemies, both UF and Ellies alike. These were dangerous times indeed.

Joleon first lost Mialca at Marketplace during the protest two days earlier. Mialca had been one of the protest organizers. They were protesting because Ellies had limited the amount of food that would be available to UFs at Marketplace. Mialca was growing pain for Ellies. She was a very convincing and charismatic UF leader.

Ellies sent Hunters (UFs contracted by Ellies to take out their enemies) to Marketplace to terminate Mialca. Joleon knew that he if he didn’t get to Mialca soon, Hunters would. Joleon couldn’t risk them getting to her before he did. If he lost Mialca, he lost everything.

Joleon found Mialca hiding in the Tenement. He noticed UF bounty hunters looking for her there as well. There were at least four buildings between Mialca and him. There were also at two Hunters, that he could see, between them. Joleon had to find a way to Mialca without drawing attention from the Hunters.

Joleon was able to take the first Hunter by surprise. Coming up behind him, Joleon slashed the Hunter’s neck with his serrated blade, a blade he affectionately called “Buddy”. Unfortunately for Joleon, the second Hunter surprised Joleon as he was slashing the first Hunter’s neck, stabbing Joleon in the stomach once before Joleon could push him away. Joleon and the second Hunter engaged in a knife battle that seemed to last an eternity but was truly over in under three minutes. Joleon came out from the scuffle victorious but wounded.

Joleon made it to where Mialca was hiding. He was behind her. She hadn’t noticed him yet. Joleon walked quietly up to her, pulled Buddy out and stabbed her in the rib cage three times. Mialca stumbled forward and fell to the ground.

Joleon walked up to her, his eyes wet with pain. Mialca appeared to be reaching out to him for help. As if trying to tell him something, but her words were drowned out by the blood quickly filling up her mouth. Jolean looked on painfully as he waited, knowing Mialca would soon fade away. He knelt beside her, lifted her head and stroked her cheek. Mialca, tears filling her eyes, drew her last breath and closed her eyes. Forever. Joleon lay Mialca's head back on the ground, removed the heart-shaped locket from around her neck and walked away.

Joleon knew that Mialca’s heart-shaped locket would provide the proof he needed to convince the Ellies he could be a Hunter.