+ Everything Has A Cost + (HaloHeroWolf118 and Alleluia Green)

[Alleluia Green]

The sky above was the rusty red of early dawn when Lettie poked her head out from beneath the silent semi truck that had served as their last night's rest. There was barely enough room between the bottom of the large flatbed and the cold concrete for Lettie and her twin sister Annalise to sleep, curled up in ratty sleeping bags with their backpacks between them. Wrecked cars on the far side of the semi protected their backs and feet; the opening ahead the only entrance to their little industrial cave.

At only fifteen years, the twins were no strangers to this harsh world. They had been born after the initial wave of harsh apocalyptic storms ravaged most of the world, causing water levels to rise and entire countries to disappear under the rolling waves. Lettie was born first, and she took her responsibility as older twin seriously.

Crouching now at the entrance to their little hideaway, she clutched a hunting knife tightly in her fist as she surveyed the forlorn highway. The shells of cars stretched as far as she could see, the highway framed on either side by forests. The forests were dangerous, with all manner of mutated wildlife. Not like the highway is safe, she thought, thinking of the human gangs who roam the lands, taking slaves, killing to survive...

"Is it time?" Annalise whispered, her sister's stirring rousing her from her sleep. Lettie glanced back. The twins shared many features, from their bright blue eyes to their long chestnut hair. Lettie wore her hair back in a serviceable ponytail, while Annalise kept her's in braids framing her pretty face. Both wore stolen skinny jeans with holes in the knees, belted on their hips. Lettie wore a dark green tank top under a denim jacket while Annalise wore a long sleeved blue shirt under a denim vest. Both wore hiking boots, stained with mud. Canvas backpacks held spare underwear, knives, dried food. A single crossbow and quiver lay between them. They had filched it off a dead body, and though neither was proficient, Lettie could at least get off a shot.

Lettie nodded. "There's enough light to see."

Silently Annalise began to roll their thin sleeping bags into tight bundles, shoving them into respective backpacks. When Lettie signaled "coast clear", both twins crawled out from beneath the giant truck into the quiet red morning. Lettie passed the knife off to Annalise, who held it awkwardly, as though unsure of her ability to actually wound a person. Lettie herself grabbed the crossbow, clumsily loading a bolt and keeping it down at her side as they began to pick their way north, towards a distant bridge.

 

[HaloHeroWolf118]

Edric paused in his tracks and looked around, a decrepit bridge stretched out before him as it thrust out over the chasm that had once been a river but now was nothing but a ravine where water had once flowed. The ravine was littered with skeletons of both man and fish and what ever else had fallen in as parts of its walls had collapsed taking with it a tree or mere stone, "I don't have anything you want." he said suddenly as while he had paused a group of raiders had slowly circled around him from behind. They were dressed in scavenged clothes which in a place like this meant most likely taken from the dead, Edric was no stranger to situations like this a survivor he had taken life and had become unnaturally good at survival. The raiders laughed as they pointed their weapons at him, "You'll under stand if we don't take your word for it Drifter." said the leader he wore a biker jacket and carried the only real weapon in the group. He signaled for several of them to move around to Edric's front. Edric stood at 6'4 his dark hair in contrast to the red stubble on his face, he was dressed like the raiders in scavenged clothes but some of what he wore had been made by hand a skill his parents who had been survival nuts had taught him long before the storms destroyed the world and made said skills worth something.

"He's got knives." said the first one to come around to his front, "And water by the looks of it." the henchmen said as he and his companion closed in to take what he had. The first one to touch him leaped back screaming as before anyone knew what had happened the hand he had placed on his leather weapon holster dropped from his wrist as if by magic, "You son of a..." began his friend but before he could finish Edric had slipped around him and grabbed him holding him in place as their leader opened fire with his weapon. The shots rang out but the bullets never touched Edric only his human shield, "BASTARD!" Shouted the third Raider and he ran at Edric knife at the ready only to have his throat and back opened as Edric spun around dropping his shield and drawing a second knife. The rest were a little hesitant to attack till their leaders shouts who wasn't going to waste what ammo he had left ordered them to attack so as a group they charged forward their leader bringing up the rear.

Edric didn't like fighting but knew that with these people their was no other way desperation made them heedless of and uncaring in this world. The fight lasted only minutes but they were long minutes but soon Edric was the last one standing, "Sorry it came to this." he said even as he knelt and began to rummage through their pockets. What little the raiders had on them was enough to tell them they had been working this area for months killing or kidnapping anyone who came through here till they had come against some one far more skilled than the sad unlucky sods before. The last one he searched was the leader taking his weapon and looking it over Guns were rare and ammo even more so but any edge was worth it, unwilling to let them lay where they had fallen Edric dragged them to the side and spoke a prayer over them they were bad men but men all the same. He went back and began to shift through the pile of stuff he had acquired tossing what was junk and finding a place in his pack for what would be useful and trade should he come across a settlement, he was engrossed in his task and unaware of anyone else coming near.