Phoenix
I can almost feel Sam’s and Kyle’s disbelief, while we walk through the dilapidated city. Not like it ever was a shining big city of the world. The short month after all adults died till my sister and I found shelter in the mall, had been enough for the more violent tribes to destroy a huge part of the city…
But this now… There isn’t a building without graffiti. Doors are boarded up. Windows are either broken or also shut close with boards in front (probably to stop people breaking them…)
Nature doesn’t care about it though. Everywhere are greens growing over places, even over cars. The old police car the Locos used to scare people… It’s now norwhere scary, overgrown with some kind of ivy.
There are black trucks with a red T on them, which had the same fate. Overgrown by plants.
It’s hard to recognize old shops and places now. I lived in this city for ten years. Most of my life has happened well away from here.
The few people who we come across, throw scanning looks at us and seem to decide we are no one you’ll mess with. No wonder. I am armed with my bow, quiver full with sharp arrows. Kyle shows off a dagger that sits in a holder around his leg and Sam has a whip dangling from her hips. And that’s only our visible weapons.
Our years have taught us to show that you can fight and are a force. Especially if you walk into completely unknown land.
Most people keep their eyes downcast. That hasn’t changed then. It was like that too when I lived here. You hurried over the streets fast and without really looking at people around, worried they might be Locos, Demon Dogs or whoever…
And finally… It’s there. The open place that was full of eager, laughing shoppers in my childhood.
The centre city plaza. The front door is boarded up like it always was since the virus. We came in either through the entrances from the parking lot or from the sewers. Back then there were fires in blue garbage cans that miraculously never went out. But those are gone. There is a run down black truck with that T a bit sideways on the entrance. There are a lot of grafitti saying stuff like ZOOT LIVES (yeah sure idiots… I have been there, when he fell right down and broke his neck!), ZOOT BE PRAISED (what for exactly? Scaring innocent kids?) *PARADISE (no comment here… Just eye roll) RAM RULES (if that’s the case, the guy’s a loser!)
Sam suddenly grabs my arm and points at another grafitti DEATH TO THE MALL RATS. TRAITORS!
I swallow. Opps. I give Sam and Kyle a Don’t ask me?! look and sign to them to go along. It will already look suspicious to anyone who sees us staring at the mall.
Kyle and Sam follow me, while I try to recognize places. I go along the streets, right into the direction of the Harbour. First rule in bounty hunting…if you want information… Search a bar in a Harbour. It’s where all the sneaks are…